The first Four Trumpets

 

Introduction

The eight chapter begins with the opening of the seventh seal, and after this seal is opened , the seven trumpets will be sounded by seven angels. This marks the beginning of the second half of the seven years of tribulation.

The opening of the Seventh Seal:

'And  when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about he space of half an hour. And i saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne'(Rev8:1-3)

The 'saints' referred to here (Rev8:3) are the 144,000 Israelites who are sealed and preserved, because there will be no other praying saints on earth during the second part of the tribulation.

 

Seven Trumpets and Seven Vials

 

'And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand, and the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar and cast it to earth; and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightning's, and an earthquake'. (Rev8:4,5)

The censer containing 'prayers of saints', being cast into the earth, signifies the beginning of the judgment of god upon the earth, because through prayer went up to heaven for the salvation of the inhabitants of the earth, yet there was no conviction of sin, therefore god decided to send the final judgments on the earth. Even in the days of Jeremiah the children of Israel refused to turn to God, therefore He said,'.. pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me; for i will not hear thee' (Jer7:16)

'And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound'(Rev8:6)

The 'trumpet' has many shades of meaning in the word of God. The trumpet was used:

(1)To gather the people of God before the tabernacle(Num10:3)

(2)To sound an alarm whenever the watchman sighted an enemy or an oncoming army to declare war  (Ezek 33:1:6)

(3)To sound and alarm to gather the army in the time of war (num 10:9)

(4)To rejoice 'in the days of....gladness'(Num10:10)

The sounding of the trumpets during the second half of the tribulation will serve as a warning to the disobedient nation, of the forthcoming judgments of God. Seven angels will blow the trumpets one at a time, announcing the judgment of God to follow, so that they might repent and turn to God; but almost in every case they harden their hearts as Pharaoh did.