Seventh Trumpet Judgment, Third Woe
Rev 11:14-15 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon. // 15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: // "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, // and he will reign for ever and ever." NIV [1]
Rev 11:19 Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm. NIV [1]
- The seventh seal contained the seven trumpets
- Here the seventh trumpet (and third woe) contains the seven bowl judgments
- The bowl judgments are described in Rev 15-16. The description picks up where 11:19 leaves off
- The scene shifts to activities occurring during the middle of the tribulation period, and not necessarily associated with any particular judgment
Rev 15 I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues — last, because with them God's wrath is completed. 2 And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name. They held harps given them by God 3 and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb:
"Great and marvelous are your deeds, // Lord God Almighty. // Just and true are your ways, // King of the ages. // 4 Who will not fear you, O Lord, // and bring glory to your name? // For you alone are holy. // All nations will come // and worship before you, // for your righteous acts have been revealed."
5 After this I looked and in heaven the temple, that is, the tabernacle of the Testimony, was opened. 6 Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chests. 7 Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed. NIV
- What evidence is there that this is a continuation of Revelation 11?
- The trumpet judgments proceed out of the temple
- When the trumpet is first blown, the twenty-four elders sing a song describing God's judgment and wrath against sin. Here the martyred saints of the tribulation, sing two songs
- The song of Moses
- The song of the Lamb
- Fruchtenbaum argues that the first song is Ex 15:1-18 or Deut 32:1-43, songs of deliverance and that the second song is here, vs 3b-4. In my opinion, it is not clear. But the songs do provide a bookend for the events described in the preceding chapters, and an introduction to the last judgments
- This is probably the verses where people mistakenly conclude we will be sitting on clouds with harps singing forever
First Bowl Judgment
Rev 16:1-2 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go, pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth." // 2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. NIV [1]
- How is the first judgment described?
- It attacks a person with an painful and ugly sore. Satan attacked Job's possession and family, then he attacked Job's body. This is painful, it attacks people physically. But is also ugly, so it attacks people's vanity
- It only attacks unbelievers
Second Bowl Judgment
Rev 16:3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died. NIV [1]
- Previously, what had happened to the sea? One-third of the sea was affected. Now, the entire salt water sea is destroyed, killing all the marine life
Third Bowl Judgment
Rev 16:4-7 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: // "You are just in these judgments, // you who are and who were, the Holy One, // because you have so judged; // 6 for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, // and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve."
7 And I heard the altar respond: // "Yes, Lord God Almighty, // true and just are your judgments." NIV [1]
- Now the remaining two-thirds of sweet water is destroyed. In all probability, this does not affect stored water, but it must cause a lot of fear since only stored water (a finite amount) would remain
- What is the reasoning for this judgment?
- Because the world has shed the blood of saints and prophets, they are given blood to drink as they deserve
- I imagine that those who think vampires are cool will be having second thoughts
- Not sure the significance of the altar responding to the angel in charge of the waters. Also not sure if that is a different angel than the third angel. What I do believe is that the judgment against those who have killed God's people is a long awaited judgment
Fourth Bowl Judgment
Rev 16:8-9 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire. 9 They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him. NIV [1]
- What had previously happened to the sun?
- Somehow one-third of the light had been restricted
- Now the heat of the sun either increase, or the heat is trapped, or the ozone layer is destroyed, or massive solar bursts occur, but people experience severe sun burn
- What is the response of the world at this point?
- They curse the name of God
- They refuse to repent (possibly they don't see the connection between their sin and the resulting judgments)
- They refuse to glorify God
Fifth Bowl Judgment
Rev 16:10-11 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. Men gnawed their tongues in agony 11 and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done. NIV [1]
- This is the fourth blackout. This one is pretty severe and is more akin to what happened to the Egyptians
- And how does the world respond? They continue to refuse to repent
Background to the last Two Judgments
Matt 12:22-28 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"
24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons."
25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. NIV [1]
- Jesus performs a messianic miracle
- The people seek confirmation from there leaders
- The rulers reject Jesus as Messiah and decide his power is from Satan
Matt 12:38-45 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you."
39 He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here.
43 "When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation." NIV [1]
- The Pharisees ask for a sign … have they not been looking?
- Jesus now only performs miracles for his disciples benefit or demands faith on the part of the hearer
- What term appears over and over? [this] generation
- John the Baptist began the house cleaning, but this generation, because of its decision is worse off
- The nation would only receive the sign of the prophet Jonah. Three times. Lazarus, Jesus, and the two witnesses
John 11:43-46 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."
45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. NIV [1]
- Some believe
- But some go to tell the Pharisees. Upon hearing the Pharisees decide that Jesus must die
Matt 23:33-39 "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation.
37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'" NIV [1]
- This is a long discussion and goes back to Matt 12, the rejection of Jesus as the Messiah by the leadership. The nation committed an unpardonable sin (the only possible unpardonable sin) and was judged in 70AD. There is now a condition upon Jesus' return, and that is the nation must accept the messiah-ship of Jesus Christ
- Consequently, the destruction of the nation will prevent the return of Jesus Christ. This is Satan's final plan
APPLICATION:
We have a peek into the future. A future we will not have to endure because of the promise of the rapture. Which is not to say we can not suffer persecution in the days prior. But because we have a glimpse of the end, it should encourage us to live our lives for God, in repentance, in a manner that would glorify him, in a manner that causes others to see the difference. Israel failed to be a witness during its day. It became so much like the world around it, that no one could see the difference. Even if our friends don't respond to the gospel, will they see enough of a difference that they respond before their hearts are hardened. You may or may not see many come to Christ, but will your legacy endure after you? Will anyone come to Christ during the tribulation because of you witness?
[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984.
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