Cecil A. Fayard
Elliott Baptist Church
May 23, 2004
The Seventh Seal and the Commencement of the Trumpet Judgments
Revelation 8:1-13
INTRO: Revelation 8:1 tells us of the opening of the seventh seal. With the opening of this seal, the trumpet judgments begin.
1. The first four trumpets are directed against nature: trees, grass, seas, fountains, and rivers.
2. The last three trumpets are directed against wicked mankind: the fiery pit, the fierce creatures-locusts and scorpions.
While the pre-tribulation saints are in heaven, the worst period of all of world history will be taking place on earth. While these redeemed ones are rejoicing, the world will be under judgment and there will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Dear friend, the time in which we now live is the age of grace. One day that day will end and the day of wrath will come. "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found" (Isa 55:6).
In our study today, we want to deal with the opening of the seventh seal and the first four trumpets.
I. VSS 1-5, THE OPENING OF THE SEVENTH SEAL
A. Vs 1, Silence in heaven.
1. In Rev 7:10-12, all the hosts of heaven had lifted their voices in praise to God the Father and to the Lamb. Now heaven falls silent.
2. These judgments are so terrible that heaven's hosts will hold their breath. God's great judgments are about to hit the earth.
a) This silence is one that can be felt.
b) "This is the silence of wonder and expectation" (Hilton 118).
c) This is the lull before the storm.
d) Zephaniah 1:7, "Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand."
e) The fact that the silence lasts for thirty minutes is indication that something terrible is about to take place.
B. Vs 2, In the midst of the silence, seven angels are given the trumpets.
1. These angels stand before God. This indicates a place of prominence (Lk 1:18).
2. The trumpet is mentioned more often in scripture than any other musical instrument.
a) Men went to war at the sound of the trumpet.
b) Folks gathered at the trumpet's sound.
c) The entrance of the king was announced by trumpet blasts.
d) The trumpets sound announces God's intervention in history.
e) The trumpet will sound and the dead will rise, and the saints will be raptured (I Thes 4:16).
f) In the tribulation, the elect will be gathered at the trumpet sound (Mt 24:31).
3. The trumpets that the angels have will announce the terrible wrath of God.
C. Vs 3, The angels do not blow their trumpets right away for they must await the action of another angel who has a golden censer.
1. In the Old Testament, the priests would burn incense on the altar of incense. The smoke would fill the Tabernacle or Temple then ascend to heaven.
2. Incense was symbolic of worship and prayer.
3. Incense says that prayer to God has a sweet smell in our Lord's nostrils.
D. Vs 4, Do you see the picture? The prayer of God's people, of the redeemed, continually go up to the throne by way of the blood of Jesus (Heb 10:19-23).
E. Vs 5, Prayers for vengeance are answered.
1. LaHaye says: "The action takes place in heaven but causes a response on earth of 'thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake" (164).
2. The prayer of God's people has been, "thy kingdom come, thy will be done." Here is the answer to this prayer.
a) "The prayer of God's people are involved in the judgments that He sends"-- (Wiersbe 76).
b) We need to take prayer seriously.
II. VSS 6-13, THE BEGINNING OF THE TRUMPET JUDGMENTS
A. Vs 6, The angels have the trumpets up to their lips. They are ready to sound one by one.
1. The God deniers will think that judgment is over. They will come out of their hiding places, and as they do the wrath of God will fall (6:15-17).
2. The 144,000 will have been sealed (7:3), and now judgment can fall.
B. Vs 7, The first trumpet.
1. Just as the plagues that came upon Egypt were literal, these judgments will be literal, not symbolic.
2. Just as God rained fire and brimstone on Sodom, so will He rain hail and fire mingled with blood on the earth.
3. Trees, grass, and vegetation will be burned.
a) A full one-third of all vegetation will be burned.
b) Agriculture is deeply affected.
c) This judgment may cause the world dictator to refuse to sell food to believers.
d) Those without the mark of the Beast will not be able to buy.
C. Vss 8-9, the Second Trumpet
1. Think of the horror, as folks look and see this mountain of fire cast into the sea.
2. A third part of the sea becomes blood.
3. This judgment is against bodies of salt water.
a) One third of the seafood supply is gone! Much of society depends on food from the sea.
b) The Merchant ships will be affected. One third of them will be destroyed. World trade will be hurt.
c) What has happened in verse 7-9 will lead to world-wide hunger.
D. Vss 10-11, The Third Trumpet
1. A star name Wormwood falls to earth affecting the fresh water supply.
2. It will fall with great splendor; ti will light up the sky like a torch.
3. "Wormwood" is a bitter, poisonous herb.
a) Men will drink, and they will die.
b) They will drink liquid poison.
E. Vs 12, The Fourth Trumpet
1. The sun, moon, and stars will be awesomely affected.
a) On the fourth day of creation, God created the sun, moon, and stars.
b) The God who created light will darken the earth by one-third.
2. Day and night will be reversed.
a) There will be sixteen hours of darkness.
b) There will be only eight hours of light.
3. Luke 21:25-26 gives us an idea of what will be happening in these trumpet judgments.
III. VS 13, THE ANGEL OF WARNING
A. "And I beheld"-- John suddenly looked.
B. John saw the angel of warning "flying through the midst of heaven."
1. Worse things are on the way.
2. The three woes of Revelation are introduced. These are the fifth, sixth, and seventh trumpet judgments.
3. The misery will get worse, and the rebellion by the lost will intensify.
CONCLUSION: This are literal judgments. They will not draw the wicked to God. Only the grace of God can do that. Only those who trust Christ for who He is and for what He has done will be saved (Rom 2:4).
For additional copies of the sermon CD's, please contact the church office:
Elliott Baptist Church
566 Nat G. Troutt Road
Elliott, Mississippi 38901
Phone: 662-226-4425
Pastors Email: cecilafayard@msn.com