THE SEVEN ANGELS AND THE SEVEN TRUMPETS

The Seven Angels and the Seven Trumpets 8:2

"And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets."

Seven angels are mentioned in this verse. This is the number of completion and apparently a select group, for the definite article appears, "the."

These are not the same seven angels holding the vials (15:1). In the book of Tobit seven angels are named. Gabriel may be one. We do not know.
"And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God."

Stood Before God or in God's Presence

The full significance of this may be noted from Esther 1:14. Of these angels alone it is predicated that they stand before God. Gabriel is said to stand before God (Luke 1:19). This most certainly marks the place of power, dignity, and service (Heb. 1:7, 14).

"And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king's face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)"
"And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets."
"And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire." "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?"

Seven Trumpets Announcing the Judgments

These trumpets were given to the angels. This denotes sovereign action, and the judgments to follow are not providential. There is gradual change in character and severity from seals to vials:

Seals: providential judgments, relatively severe.
Trumpets: semi-providential, increasingly severe.
Vials: immediate judgments, tremendously severe.

Trumpets were used much in the life of Israel to call to assembly, war, feasts, etc. (Lev. 25:9; Ex. 19:19; Num. 10:2-10; Lev. 23:24). Joel 2:1, 15.
"Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land."
"And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice."
"Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps."
"Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation."
"Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;" "Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:"