Study of Revelation: Revelation 8–9

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Brief Summary of Revelation 1–7

Revelation 1 The Introduction: ­Scene: Earth.  Time: Past (ca. 95 AD).

John introduces the book of prophecy with an explanation of the circumstances surrounding the Revelation. John was exiled on the island of Patmos when Jesus sent and communicated the vision of things which must soon take place. John is commanded to write and send the book to the seven churches in Asia.

Revelation 2-3  Messages to the Angels of the Seven Churches in Asia: 

Scene: Earth. Time: Present (to original readers in Asia).

Jesus sends a unique message to each of the seven churches in the western part of the Roman province of Asia: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.  The cities are listed in the order of the geographical circuit that the messenger of the book would naturally travel as he delivered the letters.

Revelation 4–5 Prelude of Praise:

Scene: Heaven. Time: Future (Onset of the Great Seven-Year Tribulation which will complete the present age, conclude with Jesus’ return, and usher in the Millennium).

Revelation 4-22 records events that will take place in the future. Three consecutive periods of judgment lead to the second return of Jesus Christ: 7 Seals; 7 Trumpets; and, 7 Bowls. A prelude of praise in heaven precedes the onset of each three sets of 7 consecutive judgments. Revelation 4-5 records the initial heavenly prelude of praise that will precede the opening of the 7 Seals of judgment in Revelation 6, ushering in “a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will” (Matt 24:21).

Revelation 6 Seven Seal Judgments

Scene: Earth. Time: Future (Chronology moves forward.)

The seven seals contain the judgments of the Great Tribulation, concluding with the return of Jesus. The seventh Seal contains the seven Trumpet judgments, and the seventh Trumpet judgment contains the final seven Bowl judgments. The Trumpet and Bowl judgments are all contained within the seventh Seal, unfolding consecutively through the seven-year Tribulation Period. Through judgment, Jesus becomes King of all the nations.

Revelation 6 records John’s vision of the Lamb breaking the first 6 of 7 Seals:

§  Seal #1:     First Apocalyptic Horseman (White Horse): Conqueror

§  Seal #2:     Second Apocalyptic Horseman (Red Horse): Removes Peace

§  Seal #3:     Third Apocalyptic Horseman (Black Horse): Famine

§  Seal #4:     Fourth Apocalyptic Horseman (Ashen Horse): Death and Hades (over ¼ of earth killed)

§  Seal #5:     Cries of the Martyrs for Judgment and Vengeance

§  Seal #6:     Earthquake, Blackened Sun, Blood-like Moon, Falling Stars, Split Sky, Moving Mountains and Islands, Hiding Men, Great Day of Wrath

The seventh seal remains unbroken at the end of Revelation 6. Before the Lamb breaks the seventh seal (Rev 8), the foreheads of 144,000 from the 12 tribes of Israel are sealed.

Rev 7:1-8 Sealing of 144,000 from 12 Tribes of Israel: Scene: Earth. Time: Future.

The angels are commanded to refrain from harming the earth, sea, or trees until the bond-servants of God are sealed on their foreheads with the seal of the Living God. The 144,000 include 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Rev 7:9-17 Prelude of Praise by Multitude in Heaven: Scene: Heaven. Time: Future.

Before the Lamb breaks the 7th Seal, containing the 7 Trumpets and 7 Bowls, there is a prelude of praise in heaven by a great, countless multitude from every nation, tribes, peoples, and tongues. The multitude, clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands, stands before the throne and before the Lamb as they cry, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” (7:10). The heavenly court responds in worship. One of the elders explains to John that the multitude came out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes, made white in the blood of the Lamb.

Introduction to Revelation 8–9

Revelation 8–9 Trumpet Judgments

Scene: Earth. Time: Future (Chronology moves forward, Second Half of Tribulation)

After the sealing of 144,000 from the twelve tribes of Israel and a prelude of praise by a great multitude in heaven, the Lamb breaks the seventh seal. In response, heaven is silenced for half an hour. The seventh seal contains the seven trumpets, the second of three 7-judgment series that are consecutively released during the Great Tribulation.

At Christmas, I would often wrap gifts so that they could not be guessed. I would wrap a small box in a larger box, and both of them in an even larger box. This concept can be used to demonstrate the three series of judgment. The seven bowls are wrapped in the seventh trumpet. The seven trumpets are wrapped in the seventh seal.

When the Lamb breaks the seventh seal, He is actually initiating the seven trumpets. Once the seventh seal is broken, the seven trumpet judgments occur consecutively. Revelation 8–9 records the consecutive release of six of the seven trumpet judgments.

o   Trumpet #1: Hail, Fire (upon earth)

o   Trumpet #2: Burning Mountain (upon sea)

o   Trumpet #3: Wormwood (upon waters)

o   Trumpet #4: Sun, Moon, Stars (upon heavens)

o   Trumpet #5: Demonic Locusts (upon people)

o   Trumpet #6: Horsemen (upon people)

o   Trumpet #7: Announces 7 Bowls

STUDY QUESTIONS:

Rev. 8:1   When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.  2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

Rev. 8:3   Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne.  4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.  5 Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

Rev. 8:6   And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them.

1.   What is the immediate response in heaven when the Lamb breaks the 

      seventh seal? (8:1) (D) Discuss the possible reasons for this response?

2.  Who is standing before God? What is given to them? (8:2)

3.  What is given to another angel who came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer? (8:3)  (D) What are the bowls full of incense (Rev. 5:8)?

     Where does the incense go? (8:4)

4.  After the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, goes up  

      before God, what does the angel take and throw to earth? (8:5)

      Following this, what happens on earth? (8:5)

5.  What do the seven angels prepare to do? (8:6)

6.  What do you learn about God from Rev. 8:1-6? How could this transform your life?

Trumpets #1-4

Rev. 8:7   The first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

Rev. 8:8   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,  9 and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed.

Rev. 8:10   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 waters.  11 The name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter.

Rev. 8:12   The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.

1.  What happens when the first trumpet sounds? What is the result? (8:7)

2.  What happens when the second trumpet sounds? What is the result? (8:8-9)

3.  What happens when the third trumpet sounds? What is the result? (8:10-11) (D) What does the term “wormwood” mean in the OT? (Deut. 29:18;  Prov. 5:4; Jer. 9:15; Jer. 23:15; Lam. 3:15, 19; Amos 5:7; 6:12) How does this  meaning apply to the use of “wormwood” in Rev. 8:10-11?

4.  What happens when the fourth trumpet sounds? What is the result? (8:12)

5.  What do you learn about God in Rev. 8:7-12? How could this transform your life?

Rev. 8:13   Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”

1.  What does John do after the fourth trumpet? What does John hear?

2.  How many times does the voice say, “Woe”? To whom are the woes spoken? 

3.  Why are the woes spoken?

Trumpet #5:

Rev. 9:1   Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him.  2 He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit.  3 Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.  4 They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.  5 And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man.  6 And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them.

Rev. 9:7   The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men.  8 They had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions.  9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle.  10 They have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months.  11 They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon. Rev. 9:12   The first woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things.

1.  What does John see after the fifth angel sounded the fifth trumpet? What is given to him? What   

does he open and what is the result (9:1-2)?

2.  What comes out of the smoke that comes from the bottomless pit? What is given them? What are they permitted/not permitted to do? How long are they allowed to torment? Describe it. (9:3-5)

3.  What will men seek and long for in those days? (9:6)

4.  Describe the locusts. For how long do their tails have power to hurt men? (9:7-10)  (O) Do you think the locusts are symbolic, a first-century description of future military weapons, or unique apocalyptic creatures?

5.  Who do they have as king over them? What is his name? (D) What is the significance of his name

being translated into Hebrew and Greek? (9:11)

6.  What is past? What is still coming? (9:12) (D) What is the relationship between the three woes and the seven trumpets? (Rev. 8:6; 8:13; 9:1)

7.  What do you learn about God in Rev. 9:1-12? How could this transform your life?

Trumpet #6:

Rev. 9:13   Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,  14 one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”  15 And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind.  16 The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them.  17 And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone.  18 A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths.  19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm.

Rev. 9:20   The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk;  21 and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.

1.  What does John hear when the sixth angel sounds? From where does the voice come? What does one say to the sixth angel who had the trumpet? (9:13-14)

2.  Who are released? Why are they released? (9:15)

3.  Describe the armies. What proceeds out of their mouths? (9:16-17)

4.  How many are killed by these three plagues? What are the three plagues?  (9:18)

5.  Describe the horses. (9:19)

6.  List five things that the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, refuse to repent? If they had repented of the works of their hands, what would they have ceased to do? (9:20-21)

7. What do you learn about God in Rev. 8–9? How could this transform your life?

Write a prayer response to Revelation 8–9.

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