READ THE FIG LEAVES
Signs of the Times
STUDY 6
PART 6 THE LAST THREE and ONE-HALF YEARS OF TRIBULATION—Continued
Time-Frame Five: The Last Three and One-half Years—Armageddon
TOPIC 35—THE SEVEN TRUMPETS
Prologue
The sounding of the seven trumpets may be in rapid succession. However, some scholars believe they will last about two and one-half years, I agree. They start sounding after the events of mid-Tribulation and end about one year before Tribulation ends—that is when the bowls of wrath are poured out. The first four trumpets bring devastation to earth, sea, streams and fountains of water, and the heavens. After the sounding of the fourth trumpet, John looked and heard an eagle crying with a loud voice and flying directly overhead proclaiming three woes to those on earth. A woe is over after the events that each of the fifth, sixth, and seventh trumpets annunciate. These last three trumpets seem to hurt mankind more than they hurt the earth.
These seven trumpets are differing trumpets than those mentioned in other scripture in the Bible.
The Trumpets—Prepare to Sound
Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. REVELATION 8:2
Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them. REVELATION 8:6
Some believe the seven trumpets and the seven bowls parallel each other and are simultaneously sounded and poured out. Although some are similar, [the second and third trumpets and the second and third bowls affect the same things] they are neither parallel nor simultaneous. I am convinced that with each judgment or plague intensity increases. Further, all judgments—the seals—the trumpets—and the wrath of God, the plagues—the bowls—are literally going to happen. Others believe all are symbolic. As I stated in the introduction at the beginning of this study, every scripture has great depth. Great sermons based on their spiritual meaning can be preached and great stories can be told from their literal meaning. So to say a passage is literal and has no symbolic or spiritual meaning or to say a passage is symbolic or spiritual and has not literal meaning is to limit the scope of God’s Word. And no one can fathom the depth of His Word. I believe the trumpets are literal.
Trumpets are used to annunciate important events. God is using these particular trumpets to announce his last judgments. They are the beginning of God’s more serious judgments. All of the God’s judgments are meant as punishment—to bring people to repentance. When this time of trumpet judgments is finished, then he will pour out his wrath. The wrath of God will separate people from God. Being cast away from God is an eternal death sentence. After the angels pour out the Bowls of His wrath, then all evil will be physically destroyed by Jesus Christ at His second coming.
It is hard to determine from scripture the extent of destruction on the whole world; for it is hard to determine if “upon the earth” means all of the earth or a certain portion of the earth. Even a careful study cannot always distinguish between a portion of the earth or the whole world. A scripture in John makes it clear the whole world lies in the power of the evil one; I JOHN 5:19 but other scriptures, on the judgments and on His wrath, do not make it so clear. It is possible “the earth” means the whole world; but again, there are differing beliefs. Regardless, all evil will be punished.
One thing is certain, God uses the natural things he has created for destroying his creation—the earth; for it has become the habitation of evil; and after the sounding of each of the first four trumpets the destruction is catastrophic. The weapons of God bring destruction to earth, sea, rivers and fountains of water, and the heavens; but he does not use the weapons of man. He uses hail and fire after the sounding of the first trumpet.
To me, it is amazing that God asked Job, “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war?” JOB 38:22-23 The effectiveness of the weapons in God’s arsenal of weapons is without precedent. Although He used some of the hail from his storehouses against Egypt, He chooses to use His one-hundred pound hailstones in the end-time. When you think of all of those things which happen in the end of times, it is even more amazing that God’s storage of war materials is snow balls and hail stones. You may think this is strange; but I do not.
Again, God does not need man’s weapons of mass destruction; for He has his own weapons of mass destruction. What ever weapon he choses can be a weapon of mass destruction. He used one of those weapons after the second trumpet sounded—a great mountain burning with fire which he cast into the sea. I believe this could be an asteroid. Allow me to tell you about this type of God’s weapon of mass destruction. First, we need a back story. Most people are familiar with this weapon and it is a cause of study and concern by some scientists—asteroids hitting the earth; for scientists agree the impact of a large asteroid could destroy the earth. One of those scientists was Gene Shoemaker.
Gene Shoemaker, a man who lived until the late 1990s, pioneered a new scientific discipline which is now called Astro-geology. He was looking for uranium in some of the craters which most thought were ancient volcanoes. He discovered a mineral in one of these craters—coesite, shocked quartz. Coesite can only be formed from an impact that generates extremely high temperatures and pressures. Gene concluded these were not ancient volcanoes but were in fact meteorite craters. This was also the conclusion of Daniel Barringer some fifty years earlier.
It took Gene Shoemaker some years to prove that hypothesis; but now it is commonly accepted there are one-hundred and ninety craters in the world that are from meteorites or asteroids—these are God’s big bombs. Some have hit the earth at more than twenty-five thousand miles per hour. The Vredefort Crater made a dent in the earth forty kilometers [24.8548 miles] deep and one-hundred kilometers [62.1371 miles] wide. Others have been wider. [1, 2, 3] These are God’s “bunker busters.” Nothing that man has created can do this. So why anyone would think God needs man’s weapons of mass destruction is a mystery to me. All God has to do is put His GPS on a big asteroid, with any spot he choses to destroy as the target, and you have “mass destruction.” [Note, I am not discounting man’s ability to use his weapons of mass destruction—they are very destructive; nor am I discounting the fact God can use man and his weapons to accomplish His purpose—only that God does not need them.] Now watch for the “weapons” God uses after the sounding of each trumpet.
Some people think God “needs” man-made things to accomplish His judgments and wrath on this earth and that he needs nuclear weapons to cause a humans’ flesh to rot while they are standing on their feet and their eyes to rot in their sockets and tongues rot in their mouth. He does not. It is one of his plagues. “And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths.” ZECHARIAH 14:12
TOPIC 36—THE FIRST FOUR TRUMPETS SOUND
First Four Trumpets
The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing 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 people died from the water, because it had been made bitter. The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night. Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!” REVELATION 8:7-13
First Trumpet—Devastation of Earth
After the sound of the first Trumpet the earth is devastated. Hail and fire mixed with blood are thrown down to earth. REVELATION 8:7 God has storehouses of hail that are reserved for a time of trouble and for the day of battle and war. JOB 38:22-23 Since most of the damage is from fire, perhaps he will not use the huge hailstones until later. REVELATION 16:21 In one of the plagues on Egypt, God sent hail and “fire flashing” such had never been in all the land of Egypt. EXODUS 9:24 And in the first Gog and Magog war he will use hailstones, fire and sulfur on those who are against Israel. EZEKIEL 38:22 There are other scriptures to show God’s use of hail and fire as judgment; but I could not find scripture other than this passage that had hail and fire “mixed with blood.” The “mixed with blood” could be the result of the bloodshed which would be the result of a storm of hail and fire upon mankind.
Some writers place this entire passage into the symbolic or spiritual realm for lack of an explanation of the “mixed with blood” part of the scripture; but a simple lack of supportive scripture is not a convincing reason to exclude the literal. Although I do not understand the “mixed with blood” part, I am convinced that at the sounding of the first trumpet hailstones and fire “mixed with blood” will fall from heaven and that a third of the earth and trees will be burned up and that all the green grass will be burned up.
A third of the earth on fire causes all major fires we have seen in California and other places to pale in comparison. A fire of this magnitude will not only affect creation and its purpose—trees and grass; but it will affect the oxygen level of the earth, the food supply and many other things. It will undoubtedly cause many people and animals to die from the fire and smoke. It will not cause “nuclear winter;” for God still has plans which do not yet include a severe winter.
Second Trumpet—burning great mountain thrown into sea
While the First Trumpet’s catastrophic events affected one-third of the earth, the Second Trumpet affects one-third of the sea. Much of the aquatic life is destroyed. What John describes is a big asteroid. [This sounds like one of God’s non-nuclear weapons of mass destruction.] Studies of ancient hits by asteroids cause scientists to conclude that a hit on earth by a large asteroid will not cause a nuclear explosion but would have some of the same effects as a nuclear explosion. So obviously, everything is destroyed in the one-third of the seas that is affected. That one-third of the sea “becomes” blood. REVELATION 8:8 A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. REVELATION 8:9 Although this disaster causes these named things, other things will be affected.
With one-third of the earth destroyed and one-third of the sea obliterated, the economies and food supply of the world will be affected making it easier for the beast to “sell” his mark and for those on earth to “buy” it.
Third Trumpet—great star falls from heaven
Although a number of Bible scholars consider Wormwood as symbolic, much of the drinking water on earth will be contaminated by this star—wormwood. “The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water.” REVELATION 8:10 All objects from outer space blaze like a torch when they enter earth’s atmosphere. This is a specific kind of star. It is Wormwood. “A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the water, because it had been made bitter.” REVELATION 8:11
This scripture literally tells us what will happen at the sound of the third trumpet. A blazing star will contaminate a third of the rivers and springs of water—drinking water. Scripture does not say all people died that drank the water; but many people did die. Wormwood has been used as an ingredient to flavor tea, wines and spirits and as an ingredient in medicines among other things; but when God uses it as a judgment many people die from its effects.
“Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will feed this people with bitter food, and give them poisonous water to drink.” JEREMIAH 9:15-16
Fourth Trumpet—one-third of sun and moon struck
The earth is darkened.
The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night. REVELATION 8:12
Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. MATTHEW 24:29
“When he opened the sixth seal…the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale.” REVELATION 6:12-13 “Behold, the day of the Lord comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it. For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light.” ISAIAH 13:9-10
“When I blot you out, I will cover the heavens and make their stars dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give its light. All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over you, and put darkness on your land, declares the Lord God.” EZEKIEL 32:7-8 Scripture says it best—no commentary necessary. Mankind may not know how much he misses the heavens and its light until they are affected by God’s judgments.
From this plethora of scripture witness it is obvious that sun, moon and stars will be affected more than once in the end-time—first when the sixth seal is opened. And now when the fourth trumpet sounds. Evil likes darkness, so God will give them much darkness.
TOPIC 37—THE FIFTH and SIXTH TRUMPETS SOUND
The Fifth and Sixth Trumpets Sound—Bringing Pain & Suffering & Death to Mankind
While the first four trumpet’s sounding brought devastation on earth and in the heavens, the sound of the fifth and sixth trumpets brings pain, suffering and death to mankind. The locusts of the fifth trumpet bring pain and suffering. The sixth trumpet brings death to one-third of mankind.
Three Woes
Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead, "Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!” REVELATION 8:13
Woe is defined as “great sorrow or distress.” The word “woe” is mentioned many times in the Bible, including several times in Revelation; but, specifically, a first, second and third woe are mentioned in Revelation. They denote times of intense sorrow and distress. The first woe happens after the fifth trumpet sounds. It is the invasion of demonic locusts. The second woe happens after the sixth trumpet sounds. It is an invasion of 200 million demonic horsemen led by four angels with a mission to kill a third of mankind. The third woe is the pouring out of God’s wrath on the earth and on the empire of the Antichrist.
Fifth Trumpet—Star [angel] Fallen From Heaven Given Key to Shaft of Bottomless Pit
And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them. In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, their hair like women's hair, and their teeth like lions' teeth; they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle. They have tails and stings like scorpions, and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails. They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon. REVELATION 9:1-11
Scripture is silent on why a fallen angel will be given a key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. [He is the devil or one of his angels; for only the devil and his angels are described as fallen stars.] This is the permissive will of God—His plan. To bring about the devil’s destruction, Jesus is using the devil against himself; for it is demonic locusts stinging [wounding] those on earth who belong to the devil. Jesus said, “… Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.” MATTHEW 12:25 The devil’s kingdom is going to fall; for now one of his angels is working against “his” people.
“He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.” REVELATION 9:2-4 These locusts were told they were not to do what locusts normally do, that is—destroy all vegetation—as they did in Egypt before the exodus. EXODUS 10:5 Their sting is not a sting of death. REVELATION 9:6 Instead they are allowed to torment mankind for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. REVELATION 9:5
John’s description, like all of his descriptions, of these locust is based on things he is familiar with. Parts of the descriptions he uses are used elsewhere in scripture—its teeth are lions' teeth. JOEL 1:6 And appearance like horses, and like war horses they run with the rumblings of chariots. JOEL 2:4-5
John seemed to be having difficulty describing these locust for he often used the word “like.” Like horses prepared for battle—like crowns of gold—like human faces—like women's hair—like lions' teeth—like breastplates of iron—like the noise of many chariots—and tails and stings like scorpions. REVELATION 9:7-10 Some scholars through intricate use of symbolism try to make these creatures into something other than locusts. Regardless of how they literally look and what symbolism is involved, they will be a plague of demonic locusts, that torture unbelievers. They are reserved by God for the end-time—with their duty limited by God to torture only.
The First Woe Has Passed
The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come. REVELATION 9:12
Sixth Trumpet—Release of 4 angels—200 Million Men Mounted Army
“‘Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, ‘Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.’ So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind. The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand; I heard their number. And this is how I saw the horses in my vision and those who rode them: they wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire [dark blue] and of sulfur, and the heads of the horses were like lions' heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths. For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are like serpents with heads, and by means of them they wound. The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, REVELATION 9:13-20
Their appearance is like the appearance of horses, and like war horses they run. As with the rumbling of chariots, they leap on the tops of the mountains, like the crackling of a flame of fire devouring the stubble, like a powerful army drawn up for battle. Before them peoples are in anguish; all faces grow pale. JOEL 2:4-6
Although some believe the Trumpets and Bowls are parallel and they happen at the same time, the only commonality between this sixth trumpet and the sixth bowl of God’s wrath is the River Euphrates. Further, after the mission of the four angels and the 200 million man calvary is completed, there is no scripture which connects them and this sixth trumpet with any other events in the Tribulation. They are not a 200 million man army from China who will complete this mission and appear again at the battle of Armageddon.
“Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, Release the four angels who are bound at the great River Euphrates.” REVELATION 9:13-14 Since the trumpet angels are those who stand in the presence of God, it is God who gives them their orders. This voice came from the four horns of this altar. No reason why this voice came from the four horns could be found in other scripture; but could it be the blood which was put on the horns of the altar crying out? Blood was applied to the horns of the altar in the Old Testament. EXODUS 29:12 And we have scripture for blood crying out in Genesis GENESIS 4:10 and in Hebrews we are told, “and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.” HEBREWS 12:24 Blood speaks! The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from our sins. I JOHN 1:7 But does it cry out from the horns of the altar for destruction of those who are evil?
That those four angels are bound points to the fact they are fallen angels who are prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, [and are] released to kill a third of mankind. REVELATION 9:15 Their mission is specific—kill one-third of mankind. Their release is temporary—until their mission is fulfilled. “And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day.” JUDE 1:6 Or until needed for a mission. These four angels have now been released to lead or assist this massive “calvary” in its mission. Scripture is not clear what the role of the four angels will be—only that they are prepared and their mission will be to kill a third of mankind. There will be two-hundred million mounted troops. John heard their number. REVELATION 9:16
[They are not a massive army from the east which crosses the Euphrates River that has been dried up by the sixth angel who poured out his bowl on the Euphrates to prepare a way for the kings of the East. That happens later for the assembling of armies for Armageddon.]
This is not a normal calvary. Remember one-third of an innumerable number of angels fell with Satan, so he has a large number of demons that he can deploy. This is another horde of demons, much like the locusts, capable of killing with “… fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of the mouths…” REVELATION 9:17 of their horses. By these three plagues a third of mankind will be killed—the fire, smoke, and the sulfur. REVELATION 9:18 The horsemen wear breastplates the color of fire [bright orange] and of sapphire [dark blue] and of sulfur. [yellow] REVELATION 9:17 This huge army is from the bottomless pits and the breast plates of the mounted troops reflect where they came from. God is still in control, even of demons in Sheol.
These horses kill with the plagues from their mouths, with the fire and smoke and sulfur. “For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are like serpents with heads, and by means of them they wound.” REVELATION 9:19 We have nothing to fear from serpents or scorpions for Jesus says “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.” LUKE 10:19 He is the God “who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions…” DEUTERONOMY 8:15 But when this massive army rides, the inhabitants of earth will have great reason to fear. There is nothing to restrain this demonic horde for the restrainer is gone.
After the fifth trumpet all the evil inhabitants of the earth will know the hurt a scorpion can give and before they recover from those hurts the sixth trumpet will sound. Then they will be wounded by the heads of serpents on the horses’ tails that these two hundred million demons are mounted on—if they survive the breath from the mouth of those demonic horses. Like the locusts, they will have a precise mission; but different in that they both hurt and kill mankind. The locust will have a king over them; these that will kill one-third of mankind will have the four angels who were released from bondage at the great river Euphrates leading them.
Even after one-third of mankind is killed, they will not repent. Those “…who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.” REVELATION 9:20-21 Locust from the bottomless pit that will hurt them will not change them, neither will this horde of demonic horsemen and horses lead by four fallen angels.
It must be noted again, scripture says, “The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent…” REVELATION 9:20 This may sound like the only people left will be people who have not been sealed by God, evil people who will not repent; but “They [the locusts] will be told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.” REVELATION 9:4 So if any of those who are sealed by God are left on earth after the sixth trumpet, they will still be protected by God. [The 144,000 sealed by God will not be harmed.]
There is no Biblical evidence of how long this army will be on earth before it is gone nor of what happens to it; but those who attempt to put everything in a time frame say the mission of the 200 million will last about one year after the middle of Tribulation; but I believe that army comes at a later time but will not be a part of those who are assembled for Armageddon.
Again, this sixth trumpet has nothing to do with the sixth bowl of God’s wrath; yet many confuse this army of 200 million who will be lead by the four angels—who will be released at the Euphrates River with the future event of the sixth bowl being poured out to dry up the waters of the Euphrates River to make way for the kings of the east and their armies; but I believe these are unrelated events, except for the fact they both are the judgments and wrath of God. Further, although many place this 200 million man army at Armageddon, the mission of this 200 million man army is completed after they have killed one-third of mankind. This does not place them at Armageddon which is at the end of Tribulation. The armies assembled at Armageddon will be from the whole world; but there is no mention of a number of troops in those armies in scripture that I could find. And, no, this is not a 200 million man Chinese army. The second woe annunciated by the sixth trumpet will be over upon the completion of the mission of this 200 million man army and before the seventh trumpet sounds.
More
The fifth trumpet gives us demons from the bottomless pit which look like horses prepared for battle. “ In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle…” REVELATION 9:7 John calls them locusts but says they look like horse. The locust I am familiar with look nothing like horses; but these locusts have tails and stings like scorpions. They can only wound people which do not have seal of God in their forehead. They can and do make that distinction. They cannot kill anyone. The first woe is over.
The sixth trumpet gives us the release of four angels who have already been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year to kill a third of mankind. I believe they lead a 200 million man calvary. The troops and the horses which they are mounted on look like demons from the bottomless pit. The horses which appear after the sixth trumpet have heads “… like lions' heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths.For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are like serpents with heads, and by means of them they wound.” REVELATION 9:17-19 They kill with their mouths but wound with their tails. These horses are the weapons of those mounted on them and are evidently controlled by those who are riding on them. The only thing we know about the mounted troops is their number, they are mounted on these horses, and “…they wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur…” REVELATION 9:17 All sound like demons from Sheol to me.
The Second Woe Has Passed
The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is soon to come. REVELATION 11:14
TOPIC 38—A GREAT MULTITUDE
Prologue
If anyone holds the belief that Revelation is written in chronological order, then chapter seven should convince you otherwise; for in the first part of chapter seven the sealing of the 144,000 is told. Many believe they are sealed at the beginning of Tribulation. This Great Multitude is coming out the last one-half of Tribulation—the Great Tribulation.
A Great Multitude That No One Could Number, From Every Nation
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen. REVELATION 7:9-12
In this portion of scripture, John sees a great multitude of people from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes. It seems they are leading worship in heaven for they have palm branches in their hands, and are crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” When they do this all of the angels standing around the throne, the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fall on their faces and join in the praise and worship of God. That’s worship in heaven!
Who Are These, Clothed in White Robes, and From Where Have They Come
Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?" I said to him, "Sir, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” REVELATION 7:13-17
The souls under the altar, seen in the opening of the fifth seal, were … “each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.” REVELATION 6:11 These are those souls whom were killed later and those who died without taking the mark of the beast or denying their faith in Jesus Christ.
While scripture does not say these are martyrs, the elder tells John they are coming out of the great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. REVELATION 7:14 One way to escape the great Tribulation and be standing in the presence of God is to be martyred. Very few will die from natural causes during the great Tribulation because of all the devastation from God’s wrath which is happening. And the deaths at the hands of the evil empire. Jesus speaks about the great Tribulation in Matthew. MATTHEW 24:21 This great multitude is now sheltered in God’s presence and the Lamb. He will be their shepherd and will guide them to the springs of living water and wipe every tear from their eyes. They will be cared for by God. REVELATION 7:15-17
“… Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” REVELATION 20:4 To me, this scripture ties the souls under the altar and the great multitude together. They come to life in the First Resurrection.
Scripture says this great multitude which no one could number is from every nation, tribes, people and languages; and that they are coming out of the great Tribulation. Jesus tells Israel to flee at the mid-point of Tribulation, everything after then is “great” Tribulation; for he says, “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.” MATTHEW 24:21 The Jewish people have been dispersed to every nation and they speak the language of the nation of their dispersion. While this great multitude may be all Jews, I believe it is a mixed multitude.
I cannot find any scripture to confirm that the Gospel is still being preached in the great Tribulation; so the context of their conversion is not known. What is known is they were probably martyred for their conversion. Isaiah prophesied “…though your people Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return…” ISAIAH 10:22 This scripture in Isaiah could be referring to the return of Israel to their homeland, but the Apostle Paul puts this in the end-times in Romans. ROMANS 9:22-29 Some believe all of Israel will be saved because of scripture in Romans; and that this will happen when “…The Deliverer will come from Zion.” ROMANS 11:26 I believe that will be at Christ’s second coming.
Although no timeline is given for the appearance of this multitude, the wording of the elder who answers his own question to John—who are these and where did they come from—says, “…These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation.” The usage of the word “coming” indicates they are presently exiting the great Tribulation and the exit is not yet complete. Regardless of when this happens and contrary to what some may believe, a great number from every nation, tribes, people and languages will be saved in the great Tribulation—a time when God’s wrath is being poured out.
TOPIC 39—THE END HAS COME—The Seventh Trumpet Sounds
The Seventh Trumpet Begins The Third Woe
The second woe ends when the events after the sixth trumpet sounds are finished. The third woe will begin soon after the second woe had passed. The third woe includes all of the things which happen after the seventh trumpet sounds except those things which happen in heaven. It announces that the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ, and the beginning of the pouring out of the seven bowls of God’s wrath. The fifth trumpet, the sixth trumpet, and the seventh trumpet are all sounded before a woe; but the seventh trumpet causes a loud proclamation in heaven first, followed by worship and the opening of the temple in heaven. The third woe will follow.
The seventh trumpet alerts those in heaven that “…The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ…” REVELATION 11:15 Although Armageddon is still in the future, it was reaffirmed to those in heaven, after the seventh seal was opened and the scroll was rolled out during the half hour of silence, how it was all going to end. When the King of kings goes to battle there has never been a winner other than him. So all heaven proclaims, “…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.” REVELATION 11:17-18 Then he shows what the enemies of Israel have always dreaded—the ark of his covenant! REVELATION 11:19
The Seventh Trumpet—The End Has Come
Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” REVELATION 11:15
“And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, [that there should be time no longer— KJV] but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.” REVELATION 10:5-7
The angel swears by God that it is over. The mystery of God has been fulfilled. He never totally revealed his mystery to man; but now, no more secrets. No more trying to define the symbolism or seeking the spiritual. It is over! “‘Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.’” REVELATION 11:15 After the Jesus Christ returns, there will be no more evil on the earth nor in the heavens. Now the King of kings and Lord of lords will reign righteously forever.
The twenty-four elders worship him and give him praise—recounting what has just happened. “And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, ‘We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, [note who is to come is omitted for he has come.] for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.’” REVELATION 11:16-18 “The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.” PSALM 46:6
The Ark in Heaven
Now once more God displays the ark of his covenant and his power. Just as in Old Testament times the only thing needed to win the battle was to put God’s ark [his presence] on the battle front. “Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.” REVELATION 11:19 This is the only time the ark of His covenant is mentioned in Revelation. In the new heavens, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem it is not again needed for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of the New Jerusalem. REVELATION 21:22
The Son of Man Is Given Dominion
You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. HEBREWS 2:7-9
Everything is in His control. Now we see everything in subjection to Him. He is crowned with glory and honor. HEBREWS 2:7-9 It is finished! JOHN 19:30 Our prayers have been answered. “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” MATTHEW 6:10 He has rewarded his servants, prophets and saints, he has poured out his wrath on evil, and he has destroyed the destroyers of this earth. REVELATION 11:18 The end of evil has come. Although the blood of the grapes of his wrath have not fully been poured out, when God declares anything—it is done. The kingdom of the world has truly become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ and He shall reign forever and ever. REVELATION 11:15
Rejoicing in Heaven
And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed. REVELATION 15:2-4
TOPIC 40— THE HARVEST JUDGMENT—THE GRAPES of WRATH
The Harvest Judgment—The Grapes of Wrath
Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia. REVELATION 14:17-20
The judgments of God being will be poured out on the earth, and its people the first three and one-half years of Tribulation. The Judgments of God differ from His Wrath in that Judgments are meant to draw us to Him, to draw us to repentance. His Wrath that will be poured out in the Great Tribulation is a separation from God, a death sentence.
Some believe the second half of the Tribulation will be divided into two parts—two and one-half years of Great Tribulation and one “year of the Lord,” the year of the Lord being a time when God’s wrath is being poured out without measure, undiluted and unmixed—full strength on the earth—the Seven Bowls of God’s wrath. Regardless, all three and one-half years will be terrible.
The trumpets will sound and the seven bowls of God’s wrath will be poured out after the abomination of desolation—in the great Tribulation. His wrath will not end until the kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ. The blood of the clusters of grapes which are harvested from the earth will flow from the winepress of the wrath of God. REVELATION 14:19 God will tread the winepress of his wrath for it is “… full. The vats overflow, for their evil is great.” JOEL 3:13 He treads the grapes of wrath until His robe appears to be dipped in blood; REVELATION 19:13 but his followers are all in white! “… And the armies of heaven, [are] arrayed in fine linen, white and pure…” REVELATION 19:14 He has no help with treading his winepress of wrath. No one else has any “blood” on their clothes. Now God is pouring out his wrath.
Harvest of the VINE—The Harvest of the Grapes of God’s Wrath
“Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar…” REVELATION 14:17-18 The angel with the sharp sickle will harvest the grapes of God’s wrath; but he is waiting for the angel from the altar who has authority over the fire to give the word “… Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe;” REVELATION 14:18 for God is ready to judge and avenge the blood of those souls under the altar on those who dwell on the earth. REVELATION 6:9-10 “… He called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, ‘Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.’ So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.” REVELATION 14:18-19
The “blood” from these grapes of wrath is God’s wrath which is poured out in the last months of Tribulation, The Great Tribulation, full strength, not mixed nor diluted. Further, Jesus is the one who tramples this winepress. The blood of the grapes of his wrath flows from the winepress as high as a horse’s bridle. REVELATION 14:20 The depth of this “blood” of the grapes of His wrath shows that the extent of his wrath is great. This is not literal blood of those armies which are slain at Armageddon. People, armies and Armageddon are not even mentioned in chapter fourteen of Revelation.
“Who is this who comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, he who is splendid in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.” Why is your apparel red, and your garments like his who treads in the winepress? “I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath; their lifeblood spattered on my garments, and stained all my apparel. For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and my year of redemption had come. I looked, but there was no one to help; I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold; so my own arm brought me salvation, and my wrath upheld me. I trampled down the peoples in my anger; I made them drunk in my wrath, and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.” ISAIAH 63:1-6
“From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations… He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.” REVELATION 19:15 From these verses we see it is Jesus Christ who will tread the grapes in the winepress of God’s wrath; and his garments were bloodied by the grapes of wrath. “He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.” REVELATION 19:13 No one helped him for the garment of those who were following are still white and pure.
The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. Binding his foal to the vine and his donkey's colt to the choice vine, he has washed his garments in wine and his vesture in the blood of grapes. GENESIS 49:10-11
He will slay those assembled for battle by the sword in his mouth—by His Word. If the Word sword in his mouth slays the army at Armageddon like a steel sword, then men’s blood flows deep at Armageddon; but it is God’s wrath which is as deep as a horse’s bridle; for his anger is great.
It probably should have been mentioned sooner; but now is better than never. Some of the prophecy in the Old Testament that has historically been fulfilled is still of significance for the future; for much of the end-time events are repeats of past events. So the prophecy still stands. One very significant difference is, this time things are going to end—the end will come!
Written by Mallard E. Guy Jr.
Over a Period of Two + Years
Finished October 28, 2023
Last Edited August 2025