Max's Weekly Musings
Vol. 9, No. 39, for the week of November 12-18, 2006
Revelation 8

 

I want to begin by wishing each of you and your families a most blessed Thanksgiving.  I trust you will take time during these next few days to rejoice in the many blessings you have received from God.  I would encourage you to read Psalm 103 and Ephesians 1 as tools to help you begin your list of blessings.  God has given so much to us.  Marlys and I look forward to a few days with all our kids and grandkids in Rochester, MN, over the Thanksgiving weekend.  We will also be celebrating our family Christmas, so there will be lots of excitement.  Because of our time in Rochester, there will not be another Musing until the following week.  But, don't neglect your own time in the Word of God.

 

This week our study in Revelation takes us to Chapter 8 and a consideration of the first four trumpets that signal, I believe, the second half of the Tribulation, commonly known as "Jacob's Troubles."  It is a time in which God Himself begins to pour out His wrath upon a sinful world that continually rejects His message of truth.  We must not fail to heed the warnings here.  Before we look at the trumpets, I want to focus for a few moments on the seventh seal that is opened in heaven.  We read about it in the first two verses.  And the statement is a significant one.  When the last seal is opened, all heaven comes to a time of absolute silence for a half hour.  Thirty minutes is a long time to be silent...just ask a bunch of teenagers.  Why this statement regarding a time of silence?  I believe it indicates the gravity of that which is about to come upon the whole world.  It is almost as if the heavenly hosts can hardly believe what God is about to do.  They are stunned.  There is a lesson here for us.  God does take sin seriously.  And, whenever sin goes unrepented, God's judgment is most severe.  As I look out over the moral landscape of our nation today, I am driven with the thought of how God must see us.  Our sins are becoming like a stench before Him.  I ask myself the question of how much longer before God comes and deals with us ever so severely for turning against Him and the teachings of His Word.  We do need a revival today.  Now, for the trumpets:

 

I.  The first trumpet - Revelation 8:7

 

    A.  When this first trumpet is sounded, judgement will be rendered on the vegetable kingdom, with 1/3 of the trees, grass, etc. of the world being destroyed.

 

    B.  The judgments of the first 4 trumpets are entirely inflicted upon natural objects and the judgments of the fifth and sixth trumpets are inflicted entirely on man.

 

    C.  In Genesis 1:11-12, God created plant life as one of the first creative acts after separating the heavens and the earth.  Now, the plant world is the first to receive the judgment of God.

 

    D.  This trumpet resembles the 7th plague of Egypt in Exodus 9:22

 

II.  The second trumpet - Revelation 8:8-9

 

    A.  When this second trumpet is sounded, judgment will be rendered on the sea and its life and on navigation of the sea, with 1/3 of the sea becoming blood and 1/3 of all sea life and of all ships being destroyed

 

    B.  This trumpet resembles the first plague of Egypt in Exodus 7:20-25

 

III.  The third trumpet - Revelation 8:10-11

 

    A.  When this trumpet is sounded, judgment will be rendered on the fresh water supplies of the world, with 1/3 of drinkable water becoming bitter

 

    B.  This trumpet parallels the experiences of Israel at Marah in Exodus 15:23-25

 

IV.  The fourth trumpet - Revelation 8:12

 

    A.  When this trumpet is sounded, judgment will be rendered on the heavenly bodies.  I believe that at this time, the day will be shortened by 1/3 from 24 hours to 16 hours.  I believe this will fulfill what Jesus said in Matthew 24:22 about none of the elect surviving unless the days had been cut short. 

 

    B.  This trumpet parallels the ninth plague of Egypt in Exodus 10:21-23

 

Thoughts to Ponder:  There is a phrase found twice in this chapter (verses 3 and 4) and found earlier (Revelation 5:8) that I find intriguing.  I'll be honest, I am not absolutely sure what it means.  Perhaps this little phrase - "bowls full of incense which are the prayers of all the saints" - was the foundation for the teaching of the Medieval Church that there was merit in praying to the saints.  Are our prayers stored in heaven?  What happens to our prayers after they have been answered?  The only thing I can state with confidence is that God uses prayer as a tool to defeat the enemy in the end times.  So, we should keep on praying.

 

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: There's one thing for which you can be thankful - only you and God have all the facts about yourself.  (Dub Nance)