The Bridge Church

1st Trumpet: 1/3 of the earth burned

The first angel blew his trumpet, and hail and fire, mixed with blood, were hurled to the earth. So a third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. Revelation 8:7

2nd Trumpet: 1/3 of the Sea

The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain ablaze with fire was hurled into the sea. So a third of the sea became blood, 9 a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. Revelation 8:8-9

3rd Trumpet: Rivers and springs

The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from heaven. It fell on a third of the rivers and springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood, and a third of the waters became wormwood. So, many of the people died from the waters, because they had been made bitter. Revelation 8:10-11

4th Trumpet: Sun, moon and stars

The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day was without light and also a third of the night. 13 I looked and heard an eagle flying high overhead, crying out in a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe to those who live on the earth, because of the remaining trumpet blasts that the three angels are about to sound!” Revelation 8:12-13

5th Trumpet: Spiritual Warfare

The fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to earth. The key for the shaft to the abyss was given to him. 2 He opened the shaft to the abyss, and smoke came up out of the shaft like smoke from a great furnace so that the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the shaft. 3 Then locusts came out of the smoke on to the earth, and power was given to them like the power that scorpions have on the earth. 4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green plant, or any tree, but only those people who do not have God’s seal on their foreheads. 5 They were not permitted to kill them but were to torment them for five months; their torment is like the torment caused by a scorpion when it stings someone. 6 In those days people will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, but death will flee from them. Revelation 9:1-6

They had as their kingthe angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon,and in Greek he has the name Apollyon.12 The first woe has passed. There are still two more woes to come after this. Revelation 9:11-12

6th Trumpet: Massive War

The sixth angel blew his trumpet. From the four[f] horns of the golden altar that is before God, I heard a voice 14 say to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15 So the four angels who were prepared for the hour, day, month, and year were released to kill a third of the human race. 16 The number of mounted troops was two hundred million;[g] I heard their number. 17 This is how I saw the horses and their riders in the vision: They had breastplates that were fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow. The heads of the horses were like the heads of lions, and from their mouths came fire, smoke, and sulfur. 18 A third of the human race was killed by these three plagues—by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur that came from their mouths.
Revelation 9:13-18

The rest of the people, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands to stop worshiping demons and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see, hear, or walk. 21 And they did not repent of their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immorality, or their thefts. Revelation 9:20-21

7th Trumpet: Announcement of God’s Rule

The seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying, The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever. 16 The twenty-four elders, who were seated before God on their thrones, fell facedown and worshiped God, 17 saying, We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. 18 The nations were angry, but your wrath has come. The time has come for the dead to be judged and to give the reward to your servants the prophets, to the saints, and to those who fear your name, both small and great, and the time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth. 19 Then the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant appeared in his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder, an earthquake, and severe hail. Revelation 11:15-19

“Don’t be afraid. I am the First and the Last, 18 and the Living One. I was dead, but look—I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades. Revelation 1:17-18

“One of the strange things about human nature is that man is not changed because of punishment…He may desist from evil because he is afraid, but his heart is still evil. He would do evil if he could get by with it. A man is really changed only by the Gospel of the grace of the Son of God….our hope lies in the saving power of the Gospel of Christ.”
- W.A. Criswell

MY NEXT STEP TODAY IS:

I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time.
https://thebridgevenice.churchcenter.com/people/forms/500390

I need to be baptized.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism

I need to attend Starting Point.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point

I need to join a serve team.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve

I need to join a small group.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/bridge-groups

Dig Deeper:
1. Do you know anyone who plays the trumpet? What does the trumpet sound signify for you?
2. What has been the most revealing part of Revelation to you during this sermon series so far? Why?
3. What challenges do you face in telling the world about Jesus? How does God empower you to fulfill your calling as a witness?
4. Read Revelation 8:1-9. Describe what happens when the first and second trumpet are sounded.
5. How can this passage instill a sense of awe within us?
6. Read Revelation 8:10-13. Describe what happens when the third and fourth trumpet are sounded.
7. We repeatedly see that a third of various aspects of creation are destroyed. God is waking up the earth while there is still time to repent and trust in Him. What examples have you seen in your life where God allowed bad things to occur, giving others a chance at repentance?
8. Read Revelation 9:1-12. Describe what happens when the fifth trumpet is sounded. According to the sermon, what is the identity of the fallen star?
9. What strikes you as the most terrible about the description of the demonic locusts? Who are the locusts told not to harm? What are the locusts not allowed to do?
10. What does the use of words such as “power was given to them” and “were not permitted to” suggest about God’s power and plan?
11. Read Revelation 9:13-21. Describe what happens when the sixth trumpet is sounded.
12. Why will people not repent, even after seeing the judgement of God?
13. How are idol worship and demon worship related? What types of idols and sins does our culture embrace in the absence of knowing God?
14. Read Revelation 11:15-19. Describe what happens when the seventh trumpet is sounded. What will happen on this day?
15. God sometimes gets our attention through difficult or scary events. Think of other times in the Bible when God has gotten someone’s attention through painful times. Has God reached you through painful times?
16. What encouragement do you find in Revelation 8-11? How about warnings or convictions?
17. What is the Holy Spirit trying to teach me through these verses? What changes do I need to make in my life to act on what I am learning?
18. What was your most significant takeaway from this week’s sermon, scripture reading, or discussion with your small group?

Live It Out:

Because of Jesus taking our place on the cross, God opens the door for people to be saved and into a relationship with Him. God is patient, not wanting any to perish and all to come to repentance. He calls us to go and share the love and kindness of Jesus with others. Take time this week to discover your role in helping people find and follow Jesus Christ, here and around the world.

Identify Barriers. How can you be more courageous in sharing Jesus with others? What barriers do you feel hold you back in sharing Jesus with those around you? What would be the top barrier for you? Why? Discuss with those who are close to you ideas in which you can overcome or find solutions to these barriers. Pray to God, asking Him to tear down any barriers so that you may share Him with others.

Encourage Others. How can you encourage others to be courageous in our gospel witness to the world? Through your small group, or those close to you, find out why other people might feel insecure or incapable of sharing the gospel. Encourage one another to look for opportunities to share Jesus with other where you live, work, shop, exercise, and have fun. Pray for one another and for boldness in being a witness to others.

Reading Plan:
Monday: Revelation 8:1-9
Tuesday: Revelation 8:10-13
Wednesday: Revelation 9: 1-12
Thursday: Revelation 9:13-21
Friday: Revelation 10
Saturday: Revelation 11

Additional Resources:
· Exalting Jesus in Revelation (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary), by Dr. Daniel L. Akin
· Revelation (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament), by Grant R. Osbourne
· Revelation: The Spirit Speaks to the Churches, by James M Hamilton
· Revelation: Four Views, A Parallel Commentary, by Steve Gregg