Outline 2—March 2008
The Seven Trumpets
I. Outline of Revelation
A. The seven churches (Revelation 1–3)
1. The first three chapters of Revelation are about the seven churches of
2. This represents the period of time when the church is present and active.
B. The Rapture (Rev. 4:1 nkjv)
1. “After these things . . .” The church will be raptured and told, “Come up here.” The church is not mentioned again until Revelation 19. 2. Chapters 4–5 present the scene in heaven as the church worships the Lamb. The seven years of the Tribulation begin on Earth.
C. The seven seals (Revelation 6)
1. Jesus opened a book with seven seals. These seven seals comprise the first half of the Tribulation (3½ years). The first four are the same as mentioned in Matthew 24:4–9: deception, war, famine, and death. 2. The fifth seal shows the Tribulation martyrs, those saved during the first part of the Tribulation. 3. The sixth seal shows the sun turning dark and the moon to blood (see Matt. 24:29). The Tribulation is ending (first 3 ½ years), and the “wrath of the Lamb” is beginning (last 3 ½ years).
II. Seven trumpets (Revelation 7–10)
A. The 144,000 and the great multitude (Revelation 7)
1. Before the trumpets blew, John saw 144,000 (12 tribes x 12,000) Jewish converts who were sealed. They could not be harmed and preached worldwide. They were converted from the ministry of Moses and Elijah (Revelation 11). 2. From these 144,000 came a multitude of converts worldwide who were martyred because of their refusal to take the mark of the Beast. B. Seventh seal and the trumpets (Rev. 8:1–2)
1. The first trumpet brings hail, fire, and blood (v. 7). One-third of the vegetation perishes. 2. The second trumpet unleashes a falling meteor (v. 8). One-third of marine life and ships are destroyed. 3. The third trumpet brings a falling star, an asteroid or comet that hits the headwaters of 35 major rivers and turns the water to wormwood (bitter and deadly). 4. The fourth trumpet brings the darkening of heavenly bodies (v. 12). God darkened the sun in for three days and now will darken all light for a third of the day and night. 5. The fifth trumpet ushers in a locust army (Rev. 9:1–12). Satan releases this army to torment, not kill, for five months (lifespan of a locust). Apollyon, the name of the king of the army, means “destroyer.” 6. The sixth trumpet brings an army of 200 million horsemen (Rev. 9:13–19). This evil army kills one-third of the people. A total of over three billion people have now died. 7. Even after such judgments, the rest of mankind does not repent of idolatry, murder, and witchcraft. |
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