AS HAS BEEN NOTED several times in this series of studies, the chronological order of events as they will occur during the Tribulation is set forth in chapters 6, 8, 9, and 16. Chapter 7, as we saw in the last study, is an intercalated vision coming in between the seal and the trumpet judgments. There appears to be, though one may not be dogmatic on this point, a short space of time intervening between the sixth or last seal judgment and the blowing of the first trumpet. That which lends color to this position is the first statement in 8:1. "And when he [Christ] opened the seventh seal, there followed a silence in heaven about the space of half an hour." The things occurring on the earth have their origin in heaven. Since there will be "a silence in heaven" for half an hour (we do not know whether the word is to be taken literally and in the absolute sense of the term, or whether it is elastic) there will be some short period of time intervening between the close of the sixth seal and the breaking of the seventh.

When the seventh seal is broken, nothing particular takes place upon the earth. On the contrary, the seven angels who will blow the trumpets--calling forth judgments upon the earth--get ready to blow their trumpets. Thus we know that the seventh seal develops into the seven trumpet judgments. We might illustrate this principle by a skyrocket which is shot into the air. It forms a beautiful display at which we delight to look. Then it dies out with the exception of a little ball of fire which floats off some distance, and which, in turn, bursts into a second display. Finally this second display expends its force. Then there floats off a second ball of fire a little distance, which in turn bursts into a third display. The third one comes out of the second, and the second out of the first. Thus it is with the seventh seal. It bursts forth, or develops, into the seven trumpet judgments. Then, at the blowing of six of the trumpets, something definite takes place upon the earth; however, when the seventh trumpet is blown, nothing specific occurs upon the earth. On the contrary, the seven angels who will pour the bowls of the wrath of God upon the earth get ready to pour them forth. Thus the seven bowl judgments come out of the seventh trumpet, and the seven trumpets come out of the seventh seal. With this in mind, we can say that the seal judgments cover the entire Tribulation Period. But, at the same time, the trumpet judgments do not cover the entire Tribulation (seven years) as is sometimes supposed. Those taking this position likewise say that the bowl judgments traverse the entire time of the Tribulation. For the sake of clarifying the thought, I would judge that the six seal judgments cover approximately the First quarter of the seven years of the Tribulation; the six trumpet judgments, that come out of the seventh seal, cover the second quarter; but the seventh trumpet, which develops into the seven bowls, will cover the entire latter half of the Tribulation.

According to Revelation 8:2 there are seven angels "that stand before God." One of these is Gabriel. We know this because of information that he gave to Zacharias in the following words; "I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God" (Luke 1:19). This same Gabriel was dispatched to bring a message to the prophet Daniel (Dan. 9:21). We have no information as to the identity of the other six that stand in the Almighty's presence.

These seven angels are given seven trumpets to blow, which call forth the seven trumpet judgments upon the earth. What is the significance of the trumpets? There evidently was a reason for God's presenting the message under this symbolism. Everyone will concede that the trumpets are not literal. But, though they are symbolic, they have a literal significance, as is quite manifest from the entire atmosphere of the passage. A glance at Numbers 10:1-10 may suggest the answer. Moses ordered the manufacture of two silver trumpets which were to be blown on different occasions and for various purposes. One of the objects of the trumpets was to call together at the door of the tent of meeting an assembly of the leaders of Israel. At times the sounding of the trumpets was for the purpose of announcing the marching of the camp forward to another location. Sometimes they were blown over burnt offerings and sacrifices of peace offerings. At other times they were sounded as a call to war (Num. 10:9; cf., Ezek. 33:1-6). Of the various meanings of the trumpets here listed, it seems that there is but one that they can have in the Book of Revelation, namely, that of sounding an alarm of war--the war of heaven against earth. These trumpets are sounded as the declaration of the hurling of one judgment after another upon the earth, which will be accomplished largely by the angelic hosts in their use of material sources and resources. The entire context seems to demand this interpretation of the trumpets.

"3 And another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should add it unto the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel's hand. 5 And the angel taketh the censer; and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and cast it upon the earth: and there followed thunders, and voices, and lightnings, and an earthquake" (Rev. 8:3-5). In this passage we see an angel officiating at the altar of incense in the heavenly sanctuary. That there is a temple in heaven is evident from different passages. For instance, in Psalm 11:4 we see this temple of God in heaven. The tabernacle built by Moses and the Temple built later by Solomon were little replicas of the spiritual reality in heaven. There is, of course, the most holy place and the holy place. In the most holy place is the throne of God and the mercy seat where atonement is made. In the holy place was the altar of incense, the candlestick, and the shewbread, all of which had symbolic significance with reference to Israel. (But we do not have time nor space to give an exposition of this phase of the subject at this time.)

We can see, however, from Revelation 8:3-5 that there is an actual service that is conducted in heaven. The one taking the leading part in it is called "an angel," and it is this angel who is officiating at the altar in the holy place. Who is this angel? Different answers are given. Some believe that he is one of the high, powerful, and authoritative angels. Others say, "No; this can be none other than our Great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ." Though we cannot be dogmatic on this point, it appears most reasonable to believe that this one is an angel, because he is, in the first place, called an angel. The Lord Jesus Christ, even in the Old Testament, was called "the angel of Jehovah," "the angel of God," and was distinguished from angels in general. This one is not distinguished from the angels; therefore it seems most probable that this is an angel and not the Son of God.

This angel offers the incense before God, and to it he adds the prayers of the saints upon the golden altar, which was before the throne. In the tabernacle and Temple service the high priest offered the incense in the worship. This had a symbolic significance. Though the incense was literal, yet it had a spiritual meaning. It seems that this fact signified the worship and the prayers of the saints. An intimation along this line seems to be found in Psalm 141:2:

"Let my prayer be set forth as incense before thee;
The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice."

When the statement is made that the prayers of all saints are added to the incense, we seem to have a definite intimation that the incense is connected with and symbolizes the presentation of the petitions of all the saints of all ages to God the Father, who is on the throne.

Every prayer of every born-again person is answered. Many of them still await their answer at this future time, of which we are studying. These, of course, are the prayers that pertain to God's punishment of the wicked, and the purging of the world of unrighteousness in order to establish a reign of righteousness upon the earth. Thus the prayers of the people of God throughout the centuries regarding God's promises just mentioned will be answered at that time. Jesus assured us that the one who seeks, finds; the one who asks, receives; and the one who knocks, to him shall the door be opened. That is in perfect accord with the statement that the prayers of all the saints are added to the offering of incense on this occasion.

At the conclusion of this scene of worship, the angel (in the vision) takes fire from off the altar and casts it upon the earth. When this is done, there follow "thunders, and voices, and lightnings, and an earthquake." (Cf. 4:5 and 11:19 with 8:5). As the Tribulation advances, these outward demonstrations increase in intensity and severity.

Though there is a symbolic act of casting fire upon the earth, it signified the actual causing of "thunders, and voices, and lightning, and an earthquake" upon the earth. The thunders will be literal; the voices will be literal; the lightning will be real; and the earthquake will be actual and very destructive. One of the best ways of studying the Book of Revelation, especially these Judgments, is to examine carefully the ten plagues which Moses brought upon the land of Egypt. (Read Exod., chaps. 1-11.) Moses and Aaron took their rod and waved it over the waters of Egypt, which was a symbolic act, but which actually turned the waters into blood. Again, Moses stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and as a result there came up frogs that covered the countryside. A symbolic act caused the coming of actual, literal frog's that were a plague and a menace to the entire land. Once again, note that Aaron stretched out his rod and smote the dust of the earth, and as a result lice appeared throughout the entire land of Egypt. Thus these various symbolic acts were performed, but they brought about real, actual judgments. In a manner analogous to this John saw these angels, actual celestial beings, blowing their trumpets, performing a symbolic act, which brought about literal results upon the earth.

When the time arrived, the seven angels that were to blow their trumpets stood at attention and were ready to perform their duties "And the first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of the earth was burnt up, and the third part of the trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up." When this angel sounded his trumpet, John saw, in vision, hail and fire mingled with blood, which were cast upon the earth. There is no reason that militates against our interpreting the hail literally, and likewise the fire. We know that God has treasured up snow and hail for the time of battle and war in His treasure house (Job 38:22-24). Moreover, we know that God rained down fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen., chap. 19). In the Tribulation, when God is destroying the wicked from the face of the earth, He will rain fire and brimstone upon the earth (Ps. 11:6). Thus we have every reason to believe that the hail and the fire are literal. They will he mingled with blood, blood such as was the result of the miracle of turning the waters of Egypt into blood by Moses and Aaron.

This first trumpet judgment will affect one-third of the earth's surface, which will be scorched and burned. Likewise it will destroy the timber in the regions where the "hail and fire, mingled with blood" fall.

"And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; 9 and there died the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, even they that had life; and the third part of the ships was destroyed." When this second angel sounded his trumpet, there was, as it were, a great mountain burning with fire, and it was cast into the sea. That which John saw reminded him of a great mountain which was burning with fire, and it fell into the sea and affected one-third of the waters. This possibly is a great meteorite which will plunge into the sea and with its deadly gases will affect the water of one-third of the sea and make it turn into blood. As a result of this, one-third of the creatures in the waters will be killed, and one-third of the ships will be destroyed. These are actual, literal facts.

"And the third angel sounded, and there fell from heaven a great star, burning as a torch, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of the waters; 11 and the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter." At the sounding of the third trumpet a great star, burning like a torch, will fall and bury itself in the crust of the earth. It will crash through the strata of the earth down into the subterranean canals of waters and will poison the same. Many men will die of these poisoned waters.

"And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; that the third part of them should be darkened, and the day should not shine for the third part of it, and the night in like manner." When the fourth angel sounds his trumpet, forces will be set in operation that affect the heavens and the heavenly bodies for one-third part of the day. Thus everything will be abnormal in the heavens above and upon the earth beneath at this time.

From what we have seen of the trumpet judgments they are an advance over the seal judgments, except the last one, which, as we have seen, was convulsions of all nature. As the Tribulation advances, the judgments will continue to increase in intensity and destruction.