THE SIX ANGELS AND THE SIX TRUMPETS

The Six Angels and the Six Trumpets of Judgment  Chs. 8-9

Outline:

1. The features of the coming judgment. 8:1-5
2. The first four trumpets of judgment. 8:6-13
3. The fifth of the trumpets of judgment. 9:1-11
4. The sixth of the trumpets of judgment. 9:12-21

 

The Features of the Coming Judgment 8:1-5

"And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the 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 the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne." "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 into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake."

The Seventh Seal and the Celestial Silence 8:1

"And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour."

Upon the opening of the final seal, the immediate effects are felt in heaven. The ominous hush that falls upon the court of heaven deserves some atten­tion.

The Cause of This Silence is the Opening of the Seventh Seal

With the opening of the seventh seal, the little book, the title deed to the universe, lies completely unrolled. Under the seventh seal is the remainder of the divine operations for taking over the earth and dispatching the usurpers. Judgments up to this point have been fearful in character, and the judgments loosed by the opening of the sixth seal were of such ominous character that mankind universally was anticipating the day of wrath. Then one of the angels of heaven, so much aware of the destruc­tion to follow, even delays the opening of the final seal until the work of preservation on an elect company has been performed. Now the seal is opened, and the unveiling of its contents is of such character that all heaven is hushed into silence.

The Character of This Silence is the Calm Before the Storm

Silence marks the climax of events and is sometimes far more eloquent than noise. The storm of judgment is about to break upon the world of wicked men and women. It is so dev­astating in character that silence greets it in heaven. This is the calm before the ominous and threatening storm is loosed.

The Company Hushed Into Silence Consists of the Inhabitants of Heaven

The previous glimpse into heaven revealed the angels, the living creatures, and the 24 elders gathered about the throne engaged in tumultuous adoration and praise of the one who sits upon the throne.

Now that the Lamb has opened the seventh seal, all this joyful acclamation is suddenly si­lenced, so effectively silenced that for the space of one half hour, almost an eternity to those gathered about the throne, not a sound escapes them. The calamities they are about to witness are so awful that even a holy company rejoicing in the triumphs of the triune God can no longer continue their rejoicing over the defeat of the enemy. This fact alone ought to hush the hearts of men, to consider carefully what it will mean to go through this time of woe upon the earth.