Leon Morris-Human wickedness does not go unnoticed in heaven. God has his own way and time for dealing with it.
NOTE- There is great debate whether the seal judgments and the trumpets judgments are the same events, or sequential and different events. It isn’t plain. What is plain is that they will happen.
I. Trumpet Judgments 1-4; Judgments Against Nature 8:1-13
A. Before The Trumpet Judgments 8:1-6
1. V.1- Now that the 7th seal is opened, there is silence for one half hour.
a. It may be a case of awestruck silence because of what is about to unfold.
2. V. 2- Jewish tradition names these angels:
a. Uriel, Raphael, Raguel, Michael, Saraqael, Gabriel and Remiel
b. This is an instance where tradition seems to be verified by Scripture.
c. Trumpets- Used in the Old Testament to signal war, or to call God’s people together.
3. Vs. 3, 4- This angel is unidentified, and takes part in the offering of prayers before God.
a. Some say the 30-minute pause happens so as to not interrupt prayers with judgment.
b. The prayers are offered, and then the judgment comes.
c. These saints may be the martyred ones, asking for God to judge on their behalf.
d. Guzik- As God’s people pray for the resolution of all things, their prayers were touched by the fire from the altar in heaven, and then “thrown” back down to earth. All things will not be resolved on this earth until judgment comes, and when the prayers of God’s people “come back” to earth, they bring the groundswell of judgment.
4. Vs. 5, 6- The 7th seal actually ushers in 7 trumpet judgments.
B. The Actual Trumpet Judgments 8:7-13
1. V. 7-Trumpet #1-What event is this? Nuclear fallout? Pollution? Meteors?
a. Whatever it is, it is God’s judgment.
b. 1/3 of earth’s vegetation is destroyed.
c. Great reduction in foodstuffs, and a great reduction in oxygen production.
d. “On average, one tree produces nearly 260 pounds of oxygen each year. Two mature trees can provide enough oxygen for a family of four.”- Environment Canada, Canada’s national environmental agency
2. Vs. 8, 9- Trumpet #2- Not a mountain, but some huge mass of mineral.
a. Third of living creatures died- Greatly reducing a food source.
b. Third of ships destroyed- Great reduction in the world’s international commerce.
c. Food lost, lost jobs, lost revenue. Results in a world changing ecological disaster.
3. Vs. 10, 11- Trumpet #3- Bitter water- man can live about 40 days without food, but only about three days without water.
a. This would be immediately devastating on humanity.
b. Either mankind didn’t know the water was bitter (poisonous), or they drank it anyway because of thirst.
c. NOTE- Each of these ecological judgments destroy 1/3 of nature.
4. V. 12- Matthew 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
a. This would great reduce the production of food sources.
b. It would also reduce the Earth’s temperature.
c. Less sunlight calls for more electricity to power artificial lighting, which would put a strain on power resources, or, mankind would simply be less active due to darkness, and less productive.
5. V. 13- The angel that warns- there is worse judgment coming.
C. Summary Of Trumpet Judgments 1-4
1. These judgments are severe.
a. God attacks 1/3 of food and water sources, as well as disrupting economies
b. The “normal” rhythm of life is gone. Daylight is reduced, life is never the same
2. Mankind takes these things for granted, as impersonal, as perpetual and unchanging.
a. God will show that these assumed things have been gifts from God.
b. Matthew 5:45 for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
3. We see what humility comes upon people when there is a natural disaster. This is needed
4. These judgments are severe but measured out, and not complete in one moment.
a. They are designed to warn rebellious mankind and to bring them to repentance
b. Guzik- For now, God spares more than He smites.
II. Trumpet Judgments 5 & 6; Judgments Against Humanity 9:1-21
A. Trumpet Judgment #5 9:1-12
1. Vs. 1, 2- Initiated by a fallen star- not an actual star, but probably an angel. (To him…)
a. He is granted authority to open the bottomless pit. The place of torment.
b. Smoke arises- Jesus spoke of this place: “Everlasting fire”. (Matthew 25:41)
2. Vs. 3-5 A demonic horde comes forth from the Pit.
a. They are granted power from God to hurt mankind; subject to God’s authority.
b. They do not hurt nature, but people without God’s seal, who have rejected God.
c. They had no power to kill, only to torment.
d. NOTE- We see the judgments increasing, first nature, now the torment of people.
3. V. 6- The torment will be extreme; people will desire and pursue death without success.
4. Vs. 7-10 John describes them as best he can. They are fierce looking, powerful, and able to inflict much pain. They are like nothing in the natural world.
a. Some have tried to describe these creatures as mechanized war machines, but this seems. They came out of the Pit, not out of a military factory. Fearsome demons.
5. V. 11- Abaddon, Apollyon- Destroyer, another name for Satan
6. V. 12- Another statement of the sequential nature of these trumpet judgments.
a. This judgment has been so intense, that it is also called a “woe”.
B. Trumpet Judgment #6 9:13-21
1. We now see an even greater judgment against humanity. The judgments intensify.
2. Vs. 13-15 We see four angels who have been bound- presumably demonic creatures.
a. Golden altar speaks of the place where prayers are made. God is answering prayer.
b. The Euphrates was the eastern boundary of the nation of Israel’s proper possession.
c. These demonic creatures are allowed to do their demonic deeds but used as tools to bring judgment upon mankind. They have been prepared for this specific moment.
d. They kill 1/3 of mankind. Notice the increase and intensifying of God’s judgment.
3. V. 16- Probably not a human army, but a massive army of demonic creatures.
4. Vs. 17-19 These “horses” are awesome in appearance, and do the killing, not the riders.
5. Vs. 20, 21- Despite the fact that these judgments come from God, those who survive are hard hearted and unwilling to repent. This shows the depth of sinfulness of the human heart. Many believe that we are spiritually evolving upward. We aren’t.
6. The 7th Trumpet judgment isn’t seen until Revelation 11:15.
7. Romans 9:22-23 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory…