Revealing RevelationSample

A Multitude of Martyrs
“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude of which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” (Rev. 7:9–10).

This great multitude of martyred tribulation believers is made up of both Jews and Gentiles. Those hostile to God killed them. Then the Lord welcomed the martyrs into His presence. They went from hell on earth to the throne room of heaven. A true recognition of God’s love and our salvation will lead to worship.

The Trumpet Judgments
“So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up” (Rev. 8:6–7).

With the sounding of each trumpet, unimaginable events followed:

First trumpet – One-third of the world will face irreversible damage, beginning with the vegetation; the ecology of the earth will be turned upside down; economic collapse will ensue; massive property damage from fires will occur

Second trumpet – Saltwater disaster happens when a massive, poisoned, burning something is thrown into the sea; the sea will turn to blood and one-third of all sea life will be destroyed.

Third trumpet – Freshwater devastation will follow, along with the destruction of food sources and loss of drinking water.

Fourth trumpet – One-third of the sun, moon, and stars will be darkened.

The Three Woes
“I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, 'Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!'” (Rev. 8:13).

There are three judgments in Revelation, but there are also three woes. Woes are an expression of pain and anger, a cry of distress. The woes brought with them the key to the bottomless pit, which, in the Bible, is always associated with demonic forces.

When the abyss is opened, these demonic activities will ensue:

Fifth trumpet – demonic locusts will feed on people

Sixth trumpet – 200 million demonic troops will kill one-third of humanity

Before the seventh trumpet, a new, grand angel will arrive on the scene who is massive and reaches high into the sky.

“The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who create heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer, but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets” (Rev. 10:5–7).

Seventh trumpet – When the seventh angel blew his trumpet, it would lead to the “mystery of God” coming to its conclusion. Most likely the mystery here is referring to the many Old Testament references to the millennial reign of Christ spoken of in Revelation 20. Satan’s power in the world will come to an end, and the Messiah will take His proper place on His earthly throne. Then, what was once a mystery will be seen in its full reality.