Revelation - Chapters 8-11

In this transcription, Julie Callio discusses chapters 8-11 of Revelation. She talks about the seven trumpets, the prayers of the saints, the different interpretations of the silence in heaven, and the events that occur with each trumpet. She also mentions the significance of the woes and the role of the two witnesses. Overall, the passage emphasizes the power of prayer, God's control amidst judgment, and the fulfillment of prophecy. Hi ladies, and welcome to the amazingbible.book club. I'm Julie Callio, your host, and thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedules to tune in with me today. If, by chance, you want to contact me, you can do that at bab.bc.pc at gmail.com. Today we're looking at chapters 8 through 11 of Revelation, and this section covers the seven trumpets, which began after the seventh seal was opened. Chapter 8, verse 1 reads, When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Now there are various views as to why the silence. 1. A sabbatical rest for the millennium. 2. A brief pause, but not truly silence, because there's always heavenly praise. 3. A temporary suspension of heavenly revelation, so that John can write everything down. 4. The pause is due to the focus on the prayers of the saints. 5. It is to symbolize the awe and dread with which the heavenly hosts await the events about to happen. This is from Patterson's Commentary. Then verses 2 through 6 is the prologue for the seven trumpets, which were given to seven angels who stand before God. Then another angel was mentioned, who is holding the incense so he could add it to the prayers of all the saints that are on the golden altar, which was before the throne. And the smoke and the prayers of the saints went up before God. Then verse 5 says, Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar and threw it to the earth. And there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake. This may go back to Revelation chapter 6 verses 9 through 11, when the souls of those who were slain prayed, How long, O Lord, holy and true, will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those that dwell on the earth? Maybe the answer is, you don't have to wait any longer. So the angels readied themselves to sound the trumpets. One thing this passage definitely tells us is that the prayers of the saints come before the Lord, and possibly even their prayers set the judgments in motion. Leon Morris said that putting the prayer with the altar signifies that there is something sacrificial in true prayer. Many times when God's presence appears, so does thunders, rumblings, lightnings and an earthquake. Revelation 4, 5 and Exodus chapter 19 verse 16 with the giving of the Ten Commandments. The first trumpet is in verse 7, And hail and fire mixed with blood was hurled to the earth, which caused one third of the trees and green grass to burn up. This is like the seventh plague of Moses in Egypt. The second trumpet damaged the sea, which became blood, and one third of the sea creatures died, and one third of the ships were destroyed, and it is found in verses 8 and 9. This is like the first plague of Egypt. The third trumpet is found in verses 10 and 11, And a great star fell from heaven, and one third of the rivers and springs of water became bitter, so many people died. This is similar to Exodus chapter 15 verses 23-25 with the bitter well. The fourth trumpet is in verse 12, And the sun was struck, and one third of the moon and stars were darkened, and one third of the day and the night was without light. This is like the ninth plague in Exodus chapter 10 verses 21-23. Also keep in mind that when there is a fraction of destruction, it shows God's grace of not destroying everything. Some people think the purpose of this is for people to repent and come to know Christ. Then there is a break between the third and fourth trumpet. Verse 13 reads, Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blast of the trumpet and of the three angels who are about to sound. One thing to note is that the first four trumpets do not directly attack humans. Another thing to keep in mind is when we study the Old Testament, many prophets gave woes. Jeremiah chapter 22 verse 13 and verse 18, Amos chapter 5 verse 18, and then Jesus said a few in Matthew chapter 11 verse 21 and then Matthew chapter 23 verses 1-32. A woe is an opposite of blessed. Peter Gentry in his book How to Read and Understand the Biblical Prophets states in his graph on Revelation 7 sequences of 7 that from chapter 8 verse 13 to chapter 9 verse 12, the abyss is unlocked and there is darkness and pain. It seems that the last three trumpets are the three woes. The fifth trumpet was a star that came from heaven to earth and the key to the bottomless pit was given to him. Chapter 9, he opened it and the smoke came up out of the pit like from a great furnace so that the sun and moon were darkened by the smoke. Genesis chapter 19 verse 28, smoke like a furnace was also with Sodom and Gomorrah as well as in Exodus chapter 19 verse 18, Mount Sinai was covered in smoke like a furnace. From the smoke came locusts which was the eighth plague on Egypt found in Exodus chapter 10 verses 1-20 plus the prophet Joel chapter 1 verses 1-15 and chapter 2 verses 1-11 predict a swarm of locusts. This time they were not to harm vegetation but only people who do not have God's seal on their foreheads. Ezekiel chapter 9 verse 4, Revelation chapter 6 verse 6 and Revelation chapter 8 verse 7. As with the plagues in Egypt, those who believed in God were saved. Exodus chapter 8 verses 22 and 23 and then Exodus chapter 11 verse 7. Chapter 9 verse 5 reads and they were not permitted to kill anyone but to torment for five months and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man. Just as in the book of Job, even the extent of the torment is in the hands of God. It was so bad that people wanted to die but could not. In verse 10 it said that they were allowed to hurt for five months. Again the suffering is limited. In verse 11 the angel of the abyss is named in Hebrew Abaddon. Six times in the Old Testament he is directly linked with Sheol. This is found in Job chapter 26 verse 6, chapter 28 verse 22 and chapter 31 verse 12. Then Proverbs chapter 15 verse 11, chapter 27 verse 20 and then Psalm chapter 88 verse 11. In Greek his name is Apollyon which means destruction or destroyer. Then verse 12 says the first woe is past, behold two woes are still coming after these things. Chapter 9 verse 13 through chapter 11 verse 14 is the sixth trumpet or the second woe which Gentry summarizes as the demonic army from the Euphrates with seven thunders, two scrolls, the two witnesses and a great battle. Let's look at chapter 9 verse 15 and the four angels who had been prepared for the hour and the day and the month and the year were released so that they would kill one third of mankind. One thing this shows us is that God has a plan and it is laid out even to this specific hour. Again we see one third so just a part is killed. Then verses 20 and 21 say the rest of mankind 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 are not able to see, hear or walk and they did not repent of their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immorality or their thefts. Brother Jerry said in his sermon bad worship produces bad lives. One of my study guides said as with all the trumpets something happened first in heaven that then had an impact on earth. We cannot forget that God is in control amidst the judgment. Chapter 10 reveals another strong angel who came from heaven with a little open book in his hand. He had his right foot on the sea and his left on the land. With him came seven peels of thunder. John was about to write but this time a voice from heaven told him seal up the things which the seven peels of thunder have spoken and do not write them. This is similar to Daniel chapter 12. In verse 6 this angel declared that there will no longer be an interval of time. In other words there will be no more delay. Then verse 7 but in the day of the sound of the seventh angel will blow his trumpet then God's hidden plan or the mystery of God will be completed as he announced to his servants the prophets. If you have time you might want to check out Paul's comments of the mystery of the gospel. In Ephesians chapter 1 verses 8 through 10 chapter 5 verse 32 and chapter 6 verse 19. Then in Romans chapter 11 verse 25 Romans 16 25 and then 1st Corinthians chapter 2 verse 7 Colossians chapter 1 verses 26 and 27 and then chapter 2 verse 2 and then chapter 4 verse 3. Now John was told to take the little open scroll and eat it and it was sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach. Jeremiah chapter 15 verse 16 and Ezekiel chapter 2 verse 8 then going into chapter 3. Then John was commanded in chapter 10 verse 11 and they said to me you must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings. A.Y. Collins said the eating of the scroll is a symbolic action. It shows in a vivid and concrete way that the prophet does not announce his own message but one which comes from outside himself. Now chapter 11 verses 1 through 14 begin with John measuring the sanctuary the altar and to count those that worship there. This is like Ezekiel chapter 40 verse 3 verse 17 and then chapter 42 verse 20. He was to exclude the courtyard outside the sanctuary because it was given to the nations. The nations will trample the holy city for 42 months which is three and a half years which is half of seven which is complete so possibly it means incomplete imperfect or evil. The Lord will empower his two witnesses and they will prophesy for 1260 days which is also three and a half years. Verse 7 reads when they finish their testimony the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them conquer them and kill them. What I like about this verse is that the two prophets fulfill or finish their testimony. After three and a half days life from God enters them and they stand on their feet like Ezekiel chapter 37 verse 5 and verse 10 with the dry bones. Due to this miracle a great fear fell on those who saw them. A loud voice came from heaven and said come up here and they went up to heaven in a cloud while their enemies watched. Again we see a violent earthquake and one-tenth of the city fell 7,000 people were killed and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. Verse 14 the second woe has passed take note the third woe is coming quickly. The seventh angel blew the seventh trumpet in verses 15 through 19 of chapter 11. In verse 15 a loud voice in heaven said the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he will reign forever and ever. This is the verse that the great handles messiah came from. Then verses 16 through 19 the 24 elders who were seated before God on his throne fell on their faces and worshiped God saying we thank you Lord God the almighty who is and who was because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. 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 and the temple of God which is in heaven was opened and the ark of his covenant appeared in his temple and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm. Leon Morris said the reference to the covenant is also important. The covenant is eternal. God has worked out his purpose throughout history and now at the climax the symbol of his covenant faithfulness is publicly disclosed. This is a tremendous moment. J.B. Smith said keep in mind what was said in chapter 10 verse 7 regarding this passage in the days of the seventh angel when he shall sound the mystery of God is finished. He also said observe that the chapter opens with the mention of the temple of God on earth in Jerusalem and closes with the temple of God was opened in heaven. Ladies there are still many things I do not understand in this book but what I do understand is that God is on his throne and his lamb who was our sacrifice is the only one worthy of opening this scroll. The saints asked how long do we have to wait to have our blood avenged? God when will you act? This book shows us that God will act. We know that the believers have suffered pain and trials and tribulations but when it comes to experiencing the wrath of God they are spared. God is merciful by only bringing destruction on a fraction of people with hopes that they will come to repentance but many do not. Ladies what have you learned today? If you have heard his voice please don't harden your heart like the unbelievers in Revelation chapter 9 verses 20 and 21. Instead let's be women who bow down and worship and pray so our prayers are a sweet aroma with the incense before the father in heaven. Until next time and thanks so much for listening.