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Understanding the 7 Trumpet Judgments in Revelation
December 16, 2025 · 17 min
Explore Revelation's trumpet judgments and discover their meaning for God's final judgment.
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Overview of the Trumpet Judgments and the Fifth Trumpet 0:10 Good morning. Welcome to Stand on the Word as we continue our journey through the book of Revelation. Today, we're gonna look at chapters 9, 10, and 11, verse 7 of chapter 10. But in the days of the sounding of0:22 the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished as he declared to his servants, the prophets. Now last time we left off in chapter 8 when0:34 there was silence in heaven for half an hour. That was after the seventh seal was opened. I made the point then, I think, my this is my view, that the final judgment that's about0:45 to take place that's recorded here is so stunning that even heaven is silent for about an hour. So that opening of the seventh seal begins the 70:57 trumpet judgment, which is interpreted by many to be the day of the Lord, which we've read about going all the way back to the Old Testament. Now this double 7 is the 7 seal1:09 the seventh seal, 7 trumpets is you know, it's a it's a double 7, and it's to emphasize the totality or the finality of the judgment.1:21 This is it. God is about to finish the rebellion of man that started all the way back in the Garden of Eden. Again, I give this disclaimer. I am not a end time prophecy1:33 expert. My goal is simply to lead you as a follower of Jesus Christ deeper into his word, allowing the Holy Spirit to show us these truths. Now here's what I'm gonna do with this1:45 passage. I'm gonna give an overview of the 7 trumpet judgments and and how we should understand them now. Alright. So let me begin once again with just kind of a general1:57 observation of biblical prophecy because there are different differing views. Some, as I've talked about before, believe this is all historical. Some believe that it has been fulfilled.2:09 Some believe that it's just figurative, that it's not literal. So in biblical prophecies, we saw back in the Old Testament, there is a it it's fulfilled on multiple horizons. There there is2:21 the fulfillment. There is fulfillment, and there will be fulfillment, much like what we saw in Daniel's prophecy, which was partially fulfilled in 1 67 BC2:32 when Antiochus Epiphanes, desecrated the altar by sacrificing a a pig and then persecuting the Jews. He was a type of antichrist.2:45 Well, the antichrist is going to do the same thing, then we see the final judgment. So this is also called a a double fulfillment in the prophetic terms. Now the main point2:57 is that we should approach Revelation with the belief and understanding that the prophecies within will be fulfilled literally and completely. Now3:09 we need to go back for just a moment to chapter 8 to see the first 4 trumpet judgments. Now these first 4, are connected to the elements of nature. We have3:21 hail, fire, blood cast upon the earth, great burning mountain cast into the sea, great burning star fell upon the rivers, sun, moon, stars darkened. Now the first 4, it's very interesting, the3:32 first of the 7 closely mirror the plagues of Egypt. Now on to chapter 9, and we have the fifth trumpet, verse 1, then the fifth angel sounded and I saw a3:44 star fall from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. Now who is this? Could very well be Satan who is described by Jesus as falling from heaven like lightning3:56 in Luke chapter 10 verse 18. He is given a key which represents authority. He's given this key over the bottomless pit. This is not hell, but the abyss where we read elsewhere4:08 that fallen angels are bound and held. I believe this is a literal place. Verse 2, and he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great4:20 furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. Then out of the smoke, locusts came upon the earth, and to them was given power as scorpions of the4:32 earth have power. Now drop down to verse 9 for a continuing description here. Now keep in mind, the terms that we discussed earlier, at back at the beginning, you hear a lot like4:44 or as. So John is describing what he saw based upon what he knew. Okay? Like today, we would describe something,4:56 that we would see maybe in a in a dream or, you know, some vision we might have, we would describe it in terms of what is common. So he's describing what he5:08 saw based upon common descriptions. Okay? Verse 7. The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. But it didn't say it was horses. It said it was5:20 like horses. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like faces of men. They had hair like women's hair, and their teeth were like5:31 lions' teeth. And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron. And the sound of their wings was like sounds of chariots and many horses running into battle. So these are things that were familiar5:43 that he knew that could describe what he was seeing. They had tails like like scorpions, and they were and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men5:55 5 months. And they had a king over them, the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is, Abaddon, but in Greek, it is Apollyon.6:07 1 woe was passed. Behold, 2 more woes are coming after these. Okay. So we're still in the trumpet judgment, but the judgment of these last 3 trumpets is so6:19 intense that they're called woes. Now let me stop you. What what are these locusts? Well, interestingly, those who see this as a fulfillment or a partial6:31 fulfillment point to the rise of Islam, these are the biblical scholars, in the seventh century AD. And I and I borrow this from from Henry Haley in Haley's bible handbook. These demon6:43 locusts are thought by many commentators to be a predictive picture of the rise and spread of Mohammedism or that of the tribulation period of the last days or6:55 both. He's talking about Islam. Right? Now secular historian doctor, Herbert Gibbons, not referencing the book of Revelation, but of the followers7:07 of Mohammed, and in the siege of the capital of the Roman Empire in 9 in 13 91 says, and I quote, like like locusts,7:18 they swarmed in all directions, and no village missed their notice up to the very walls of Constantinople. The first Ottoman siege of Constantinople began.7:31 So, you know, could the smoke and the darkened sun be referenced to a to the false teachings in an apostate church that had given rise to Islam and demonic7:43 activity? Now this is not the place to go into it, but I do believe I do believe that Islam will factor significantly into the end times and to the antichrist.Interpreting the Locusts, the Sixth Trumpet, and the Interlude 7:55 Alright? We'll talk about that later. Now when you consider the demonic activity and technology of today, the descriptions in Revelation begin to make sense. I mean, consider8:07 today's technology, which is expanding rapidly, right, with artificial intelligence. But several countries have been working on swarming drones. Okay? China, Russia, India,8:19 the UK, Turkey, Israel, and the US. In fact, you wanna know what the US is calling their swarming drones? Locusts. So with each passing day, again, especially with,8:31 the advancements in AI, it becomes easier to see how what we're reading here in Revelation could quickly could quickly fall into place. The sixth trumpet, verse8:43 13. Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the 4 horns of the golden altar, which is before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, release the 4 angels who are8:55 bound at the great river Euphrates. So the 4 angels who had been prepared for the for the hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind.9:07 So these angels had been prepared for this moment. Now the number of the army of the horsemen was 200000000. I heard the number of them. Now this army would most9:19 likely have to include demons from the abyss as as no nation has an army anywhere near that size. 200000000. The Chinese army, which is, I think,9:31 the largest, is about 4000000. That's much larger than the United States, which is about 1000000. All of the Islamic nations combined, if they were to combine their military forces, would be about9:42 4 and a half million. Right? So there there is not an army of this size on the earth. Then, like we saw between the sixth and the seventh seal, there9:54 is a pause between the sixth and the seventh trumpet, which is the culminating judgment upon the earth. So between the10:06 sixth and the seventh seal, we have that pause, which is believed to be by some scholars, again, there's differing opinions, I would not be dogmatic on this, is that that's a break. It doesn't10:18 say this, but we'll see later as we read on in Revelation that could very well be the break into the second half of the 7 year period of tribulation, the last 3 and a half10:30 years. And so then the final judgment is about to come after there's a pause between that sixth and seventh trumpet, the seventh trumpet being the10:42 final judgment upon the earth. Alright. Into chapter 2 verse 2, he had a little book open in his hand, and he set his foot, right foot on the sea, his left foot on the land, and cried out with a loud10:53 voice as when a lion roars. When he cried out, 7 thunders uttered their voices. Now when the 7 thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write,11:06 but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, seal up the things which the 7 thunders uttered, and do not write them. So we have the 7 seals, the 7 trumpets, and then the 7 voices11:17 of the thunders in that seventh trumpet. Now, while everything else was revealed, John is told not to reveal what the 7 thunders11:29 uttered. It may be too graphic, too horrifying that frankly we can't handle. Verse 5. The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven.11:41 And he swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no11:53 longer. This is it. The the Lord who was long suffering, now we have it. Verse 7. But in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would12:05 be finished. What was started back before time, his plan would be revealed in its totality as he declared to his servants, the prophets. Now12:17 a historical parallel is the reformation and the book being made available to the people, which had a profound shaping effect on the world. The world or or the word was12:29 always there, but it was not accessible and known. This would suggest that God is about to reveal more of the mystery, the unknown of God's plan from before time.12:42 Chapter 11 opens with John about to measure the or told rather to measure the temple. I think this indicates that before or during the 7 year tribulation that the12:54 temple, the physical temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem. Again, that's my view. I'm not alone in that view, but I I believe that's gonna happen. And I I believe I know the location. Others13:06 have pointed to it, and I and I believe there's a spot right there on Temple Mount where it will be built. Then in verses 3 through 14, we read of the 2 witnesses that will be present during the 3 and a13:17 half years of the tribulation, the latter half, most probably. I think that's what it is. Verse 3, and I will give power to my 2 witnesses, and they will prophesy13:28 1260 days clothed in sackcloth. Now, again, this is most likely the the last half of the tribulation of the seventh as the seventh trumpet, which is about to to be sounded,13:40 comes the final judgment. Now who are the 2 witnesses? John does not say, but this is what he writes in verse 6. These have power to shut heaven so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy, and they have power13:52 over waters to turn them to blood and to strike the earth with all plagues as often as they desire. Now who does that sound like? This is why many people believe it's Elijah andThe Temple, Two Witnesses, and the Seventh Trumpet Victory 14:04 Moses because they have those powers. Then we have the seventh and the final trumpet. This is it. Verse 15. Then the seventh angel sounded, and there were loud14:16 voices in heaven saying, the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. And the 24 elders who sat14:28 before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God saying, we give you thanks, oh Lord God Almighty, the 1 who is and who was and who is to14:40 come, because you have taken your great power and reigned. The nations were angry, and your wrath has come in the time of the dead that they should be judged,14:51 and that you should reward your servants, the prophets and the saints, and those who fear your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth.15:03 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of his covenant was seen in his temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, and an earthquake15:15 and great hail. Father, we thank you for your word, and, Lord, we do pray for the Holy Spirit to open our eyes and our understanding that we might grow, Lord, in our understanding of your word and its15:27 application to the world in which we're living. But, lord, help us also to understand the timing. And and, lord, live with a sense of urgency that, lord, we need to make you known to15:39 others. We need to share the gospel, and we need to live it out in such a way as to bring honor and glory to you and to advance your kingdom. So we pray and we ask all this in Jesus' name. Amen.15:51 Alright. Thanks for joining me this morning, and let me again remind you as we prepare to begin this journey once again next month that you consider prayerfully consider who you could invite to join16:03 you on this journey. You've experienced if you've been on this journey, you've experienced the power of God's word and abiding in him, the strength, the encouragement, the understanding that we gain16:15 from it. And being together on this journey helps build the, really, I wanna say habit. It's more than a habit. But it's it's the accountability. It's the encouragement that16:27 we we're doing this journey together. So text the word bible to 6 7 7 4 2. That's bible to 6 7 7 4 2 to, to sign up, to join us on this next journey.16:39 And that way, you'll be able to have access to a lot of resources we have for you, and we'll have a well, there's a link on there where you can share it with your friends to invite them on the journey. Until next16:50 time, keep standing on the word.16:54 Today's study comes from the Stand on the Word Bible Reading Plan available for free at frc dot org slash bible. By following along in just a few minutes a day,17:06 you can read through the entire Bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at frc dot org slash bible.In this video 0:00 Overview of the Trumpet Judgments and the Fifth Trumpet7:55 Interpreting the Locusts, the Sixth Trumpet, and the Interlude14:00 The Temple, Two Witnesses, and the Seventh Trumpet Victory
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