◄ What Does Revelation 8:6 Mean? ►

God's plan of redemption is laid out meticulously from the creation of the world to the endless ages to come, and the book of Revelation outlines the timing of the events that will take place during the seven-year Tribulation. 

The 7-year Tribulation period is the beginning of the 'Day of the Lord'. It will start when Jesus, the Lamb on the throne, will break the first seal on the seven-sealed scroll in heaven and, one by one, a series of terrible judgements will be sent to punish the Christ-rejecting, God-hating sinful world, as the wrath of God starts to be poured out over the earth. At the end of the seven years, Christ will return and set up His kingdom on earth.

With the breaking of the 7th and final seal on the 7-sealed scroll, but before the next sequence of 7 judgements begins with the blowing of 7 trumpets, a number of curious events will take place in heaven. First, there is going to be a heavenly hush, when an ethereal silence will descend upon the inhabitants of heaven for half an hour. John was not told why this period of awesome silence will happen with the breaking of the last seal, but no doubt there will be a deep sense of anticipation, for even the never-ending worship of God, which a multitude of angelic beings started when time began, will be hushed. Praise that has been resounding in heavenly places since the beginning of time will stop for this specified time of half an hour.

At the end of this celestial silence, each of the seven celestial angels who stand in the presence of God, will be given seven trumpets, and will now be ready to begin blowing their terrible instruments of judgement, one by one. However, their formidable task will be placed on hold when another angel, with a gold incense burner, will come and stand at the altar. He will be given a large amount of incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the saints which will be waiting on the golden altar in front of the throne.

The blowing of the trumpets will be delayed during heaven's half an hour of silence, as the seven angels watch and wait to sound their instruments, as the smoke of the incense, intermingled with the prayers of the saints, will ascend in the presence of God. The angel will take the incense burner and fill it with fire from the altar, before hurling it down to the earth - and the rumblings of thunder will follow, together with flashes of lightning, and a great earthquake. Only then will the seven angels with the seven trumpets of judgement prepare to blow.

While many interpret the tremendous events in Revelation metaphorically and try to allegorise John's vision, there is no indication that these astonishing happenings are not literal, and every reason to read the plain meaning of the passage. It is interesting to note that the 7 trumpets were not disclosed until the 6th seal had been broken, but as with all God's plans and purposes, they will only occur in God's timing, in His way, for His greater purpose, and for His eternal glory.

Like the earlier seal judgements and the coming bowl judgements, the seven trumpet judgements will set in motion a series of terrible punishments upon the earth. As the 7 trumpets are blown, one after the other, each will unleash a punishment of increasing intensity upon a world of sinful men, who have rejected the God Who made them, and refused His offer of salvation.

As members of the fallen, human race, we are all sinners, and the Bible teaches that ALL sin must be punished, and that the wages of sin is death. But God in His grace provided a way for every member of the fallen human race to be forgiven of their sin. He gave His only begotten Son to come to earth as the substitute for our sin. He sent Jesus to be our Kinsman-Redeemer, to take the punishment we deserve, and to pay the penalty for our sin. And on the Cross of Calvary 2000 years ago, the full force of the wrath of God was poured out in full, on Jesus. The sinless Son of God was punished for our sin. He took the punishment we deserve and whosoever believes on Him will not remain under eternal damnation but receive everlasting life, as a free gift of God's grace.

However, this dispensation of grace will not last forever. The day is fast approaching when the Church Age will close and God will pour out His wrath on this Christ-rejecting, sinful world in a series of judgements; 7 seals, 7 trumpets, and 7 bowls of wrath. Paul tells us that as Church age believers who have been saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, we are not appointed to wrath, for Christ took the punishment for our sin and we have been declared righteous in God's sight and covered in His robe of righteousness. And so, before the Tribulation period starts, Jesus will come in the clouds, to rapture all Church age believers into heaven. But those who have rejected His offer of salvation will have to face the wrath of God, which is to take place during the coming Tribulation period, as outlined in Revelation, Daniel, and many other prophetic books.

Time is short, and as those who will escape the wrath to come, we should take every opportunity to urgently warn a world that is sinking deeper and deeper into sin, to pay attention to Scripture, to heed biblical warnings, and to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, for there is NO other name given among men whereby we must be saved. It is only through faith in Him as the substitute for our sin and His finished work on Calvary that they will be saved. Let us be watchmen on the wall and warn whosoever we can to escape the wrath to come.

Heavenly Father, as I read through the trumpet judgements and the terrible consequences they will bring, all I can do is fall on my knees and praise You for Your righteous judgement and beg for mercy for those left on earth at that time. May many realise Who You are during this time and come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, their Saviour and Redeemer. In Jesus' name, AMEN.