Chapter 2
Seals,
Trumpets, Bowls, Proclamations, Woes
The Seven Seals of The Scroll
First Seal –
6:1-2 “Now I saw when The LAMB opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the
four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, ‘Come and see.’ And I
looked, and behold a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was
given him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.” Depending on how you
understand it this seal could be now, at the beginning of the seven years of
the Great Tribulation or it could be at the beginning of the second three and a
half years of the Great Tribulation in enhanced intensity. Some make a deal
about the fact that the rider has a bow but arrows are not mentioned; I believe
that when a bow is given as a weapon it always includes arrows.
Second Seal
– 6:3-4 “When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature
say, ‘Come and see.’ Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to
the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill
one another; and there was given to him a great sword.” Again this could be
today or yet to come enhanced in intensity during the Great Tribulation.
Third Seal –
6:5-6 “When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say,
‘Come and see.’ So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it
had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four
living creatures saying, ‘a quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of
barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.” Again this could
be today or yet to come during the Great Tribulation. We have droughts, wars
floods and government corruption that have and continue to cause famine throughout
the world.
Fourth Seal
– 6:7-8 “When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living
creature saying, ‘Come and see.’ So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the
name of him who sat on it was death, and hades followed with him. And power was
given them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with
death, and by the beasts of the earth.” This has been going on since the
beginning of time, yet it could be enhanced during the Great Tribulation.
The effects
of the first four seals have been present in the world since Adam’s sin!
Fifth Seal –
6:9-11 “When He opened the fifth seal I saw under The Altar the souls of those
who had been slain for the Word of GOD and for the testimony which they held.
And they cried with a loud voice saying, ‘How long, O LORD, Holy and True,
until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ Then a
white robe was given to each one of them; and it was said to them that they
should rest a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants
and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.” While
people have been killed for their faith and testimony since the fall of man this
specifically could be during the second half of the Great Tribulation, during
the sixth trumpet and bowl.
Sixth Seal –
6:12-17 “I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great
earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became
like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops it’s
late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind…’For The Great Day of His Wrath
has come, and who is able to stand.’” This is during the time of the reaping in
14:14-20, during the seventh trumpet and bowl.
Seventh Seal
– 8:1-6 “When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in Heaven for about
half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before GOD and to them were
given seven trumpets. Then another angel having a golden censor came and stood
at the Altar. He was given much incense that he should offer it with the
prayers of all the Saints upon the Golden Altar which was before The Throne.
And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the Saints, ascended before
GOD from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censor, filled it with fire
from the Altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings,
lightnings, and an earthquake. So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets
prepared themselves to sound.”
The Seven Trumpets
First
Trumpet – 8:6-7 “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.”
Second
Trumpet – 8:8-9 “Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great
mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea
became blood. And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third
of the ships were destroyed.”
Third
Trumpet – 8:10 “Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from
heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the
springs of water. The name of the star is wormwood. A third of the waters
became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.”
Fourth Trumpet
– 8:12-13 “Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a
third of the moon and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were
darkened. A third of the day did not shine and likewise the night. And 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!’”
Fifth
Trumpet and First Woe – 9:1-12 “Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star
fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless
pit. And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the
smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the
smoke from the pit. Then out of the pit locusts came upon the earth. And to
them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. They were
commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree,
but only those men who do not have the seal of GOD on their foreheads. And they
were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months.
Their torment was like the torment of the scorpion when it strikes a man. In
those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die
and death will flee from them. The shape of the locusts was like horses made
ready for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their
faces were like the faces of men. They had hair like a woman’s hair, and their
teeth were like lions teeth. And they had breastplates like breastplates of
iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sounds of chariots with many
horses running into battle. They had tails like scorpions, and there were
stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months. And they had as
king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is
Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon. One woe is past. Behold, still
two more woes are coming after these things.”
Sixth
Trumpet – 9:13-21; 11:14 “Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice
from the four horns of the Golden Altar which is before GOD, saying to the
sixth angel who had the trumpet, ‘Release the four angels that are bound at the
great river Euphrates.’ So the four angels who had been prepared for the hour
and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of humanity. Now the
number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million. I heard the number
of them. And thus I saw the horses of the vision those who sat on them had
breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of
the horses were like the heads of lions and out of their mouths came fire, smoke,
and brimstone. By these three plagues a third of humanity was killed–by the
fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. For the
power is in their mouth and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents,
having heads; and with them they do harm. But the rest of humanity who were not
killed by these plagues; did not repent of the works of their hands, that they
should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood,
which can neither see nor hear nor walk.
And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their
sexual immorality or their thefts. The second woe is past, behold, the third
woe is coming quickly.”
Seventh
Trumpet – 11:15-19 “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices
in Heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the Kingdoms of our
LORD and of His CHRIST, and He shall reign forever and ever!’ And the twenty
four elders who sit before GOD on their thrones fell on their faces and
worshipped GOD, saying: ‘We give You thanks, O LORD GOD Almighty’ The One who
is and who was and who is to come. Because you have taken Your Great Power and
Reigned. The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the
dead that they should be judged. And that You should reward Your servants the
prophets and the saints; and those who fear Your Name, small and great, and
should destroy those who destroy the earth. Then The Temple of GOD was opened
in Heaven, and there and the Ark of His Covenant was seen in His Temple. And
there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.”
The Seven Bowls
First Bowl –
16:1-2 “Then I heard a loud voice from the Temple saying to the seven angels,
‘Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of GOD on the earth.’ So the first went
and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon
the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image.”
Second Bowl
– 16:3 “Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became
blood as of a dead man, and every living creature in the sea died.”
Third Bowl –
16:4-7 “Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of
water, and they became blood, and I heard the angel of the waters saying: ‘You
are Righteous oh LORD, The One who is and who was and who is to be, because You
have judged these things. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,
and You have given them blood to drink. For it is their due.’ And I heard
another from the Altar saying, ‘Even so, LORD GOD Almighty, True and Righteous
are Your judgments.’”
Fourth Bowl
– 16:8-9 “Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was
given him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and
they blasphemed the Name of GOD who has power over these plagues; and they did
not repent and give Him glory.”
Fifth Bowl –
16:10-11 “Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast,
and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because
of the pain. They blasphemed The GOD of Heaven because of their pains and their
sores, and did not repent of their deeds.”
Sixth Bowl –
16:12-16 “Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river
Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the
east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out
of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth
of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which
go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the
battle of that great day of GOD Almighty. ‘Behold, I Am coming as a thief.
Blessed is he who watches and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they
see his shame.’ And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew,
Armageddon.” The frogs are not visible to humanity, they are the demonically
empowered words that are spoken by the dragon, the anti-christ and the false
prophet.
Seventh Bowl
– 16:17-21 “Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud
voice came out of the Temple of Heaven, from The Throne, saying, ‘It is done!’
and there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great
earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake, as had not occurred since men
were on the earth. Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the
cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before GOD, to
give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. Then every island
fled away, and the mountains were not found. And great hail from heaven fell
upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed GOD
because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.”
The Three Proclamations:
In Chapter
14 between the presentation of the One Hundred Forty Four Thousand sealed with
the Mark of GOD and the final reaping of the fruit of the earth there are three
proclamations, these proclamations take place during the seventh trumpet the
sixth seal and the sixth bowl. In fact all of chapter 14 takes place during the
seventh trumpet event.
First
proclamation – 14:6-7 “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of Heaven,
having the everlasting Gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth–to
every nation, tribe, tongue and people–saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear GOD and
give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come, and worship Him who
has made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.’”
Second
proclamation – 14:8 “And another angel followed, saying, ‘Babylon is fallen, is
fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of
the wrath of her fornication.’” (See 17:1-19:4)
Third
proclamation – 14:9-12 “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud
voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on
his forehead or on his hand, he himself also shall drink of the wine of the
wrath of GOD, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His
indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of
the holy angels and in the presence of The LAMB. And the smoke of their torment
ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the
beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. Here is the
patience of the Saints; here are those who keep the commandments of GOD and the
faith of JESUS.’” (See 20:11-14)
The Three Woes
Chapter
8:12-13 is the fourth trumpet and the announcement that there are three woes
coming. “And 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!’”
Chapter
9:1-12 is the fifth trumpet which is the first woe.
Chapter 9:13-21 is the sixth trumpet and chapter 11:1-14 are the two
witnesses, these are the second woe.
Chapter 11:15-18 and chapters 15-19 are the seventh trumpet
which is the third woe.
The Seven Thunders
Chapter 10:1-4 there are seven thunders that John is not allowed to write down their utterance. "Now when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from Heaven saying to me, 'Seal up the things the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them down.'"
