You are welcome to today’s service, and we hope that the review is a blessing to you. Amen. The Holy Spirit through His servant has been preaching on the subject; the Ministry of Angels, and today, we are considering a very critical sub-topic which is the Ministry of Angels in the Seven Trumpets and the Seven Vials, and our text would be taken from the book of Revelation 8:2,6.
Text: Revelation 8:2,6, Romans 9:22-23, Numbers 10:1, 1Corinthians 14:8, Revelation 15:7, Revelation 16:1, Revelation 1:4,16, Revelation 5:6
And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
Trumpets in the Old Testament have a number of significances; there are trumpets for gathering. This we see in Numbers 10;
Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee.When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward.When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys.But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.
The children of Israel were trained to recognize the sound of trumpets because, for each of the trumpet’s significance, there is a sound. That is why Paul said in I Corinthians 14:8: For if the trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
There is a trumpet for war and when the war is over, there is a trumpet as well, there is a trumpet for warning and there is a trumpet for a feast.
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. Leviticus 23:24-25
And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.
10 Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the Lord your God. Numbers 10:9-10
A vial is like a bow with something inside. These vials in our text will interweave with the trumpet, they will both operate at the same time. these vials are full of the wrath of God that He will pour on the earth during the Great Tribulation.
And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. Revelation 15:7
And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image. Revelation 16:1-2
When Cain and Abel sacrificed unto God, and unto Abel and his sacrifice God had respect, but not to Cain. God tried helping him, telling him if he does well, he would be accepted, but Cain refused, he believed his sacrifice was excellent enough for God not to correct. Why will a man refuse God when grace is presented to him? It shows the kind of person he was. Friends, no matter how weak you are, you must be partakers of the divine nature of God, otherwise, there is no proof that you are of God. Cain fulfilled the words of Paul in Romans 9:22; a vessel of wrath prepared for destruction, and though the longsuffering of God lasted on him, there was nothing in him to respond to God’s grace. There are many ‘Cains’ today, who upon hearing the word of God and behold themselves in the mirror of God’s word forget the manner of man they are -they hear the word of God but would not be doers. Upon such is the wrath of God coming in the Great Tribulation. The seven angels would pour out the wrath of God out of the vials. May we be vessels of mercy prepared for glory. Because, if in the time of grace, you wouldn’t deny the flesh to please the Lord, how will you when He pours out His wrath upon the earth?
To see God’s power, you must put faith to the test. The three Hebrew men took the risk called faith and stood for the word of God, and God who would not disgrace faith shew forth His power, and because these men refused to compromise with sin, they caused a revival in the land of Babylon. Same with Daniel and Joseph. If you take that same step of faith, despite the risk it may cost you, you will never be put to shame. Grace has been given to us, but we need to take the risk of Faith to see the power of God in front of sin and rebellion. You will never see the power of God to save you whatsoever if you do not take the step of faith. You should not hear the word of God and remain the same. Amen. We should be wise virgins who will not be partakers of the wrath of God when that will come.
Let’s talk about the seven angels with these trumpets:
And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
As we have been discussing, God has seven Spirits before His throne who are Seven special angels identified with several things in the Bible. These seven angels are working with God’s earthly messengers to carry out God’s special assignment-especially with God’s assignment for this last day. They are
- They are the Seven Eyes and Seven Horns of God. (Revelation 5:6). And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
- They are the Seven Seals of God (Revelation 5:1). And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
- They are the Seven Stars of God (Revelation 3:1). And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
- They are the Seven lamps of fire (Revelation 4:5). And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
- They are the Seven Thunders with the Mighty Angel (Revelation 10:3). And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices
- They are the Seven Trumpets which will sound after the rapture of the wise virgins (Revelation 8:2). And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
- They are the Seven Vials of God’s wrath (Revelation 15:7). And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
The responsibilities of these seven angels in the seven trumpets would be fulfilled immediately after the rapture because they are going to work with Moses and Elijah -the servants of God that will return the gospel to the Jews. Revelation 8:2-6
And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.
5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
If you read carefully, there are seven angels given seven trumpets to blow, but before they blew, there is another angel that came and stood at the altar having a golden censer and there was given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints. Who are these saints? They are the bride of Christ on earth before the rapture. The bride, because of the rebellious condition of the earth would have no greater hunger than for Jesus, their bridegroom to come. The condition of the world would have become unbearable to those that have the Holy Spirit of God in them. This is the prayer of the saints and it will take place before the trumpets will sound. The seven angels with the seven trumpets in verse 6 prepared themselves to sound, but will not sound until this angel with the golden censer offer the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. The prayers of the saints will be brought to effect when 2 Thessalonians 2 fulfills.
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Revelation 22:20. This then will be the prayers of the saints, and then the rapture will take place.
It is after the rapture that the seventieth week of Daniel’s seventy weeks will be fulfilled. The trumpets will not sound all at once, these trumpets, of course, will not sound literal, it is a spiritual heralding, when these seven angels will blow the trumpets up there, Elijah and Moses will echo their message to the world will carry it out on earth.
The temple would have been restored before the fulfillment of these trumpets because that is where the Anti-Christ will sit as God.
And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. Revelation 11:1
But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. Micah 4:1
When Moses and Elijah will start their ministry, it will be a message of warning, and they will only preach in the middle east to the Jews. God will vindicate their ministry with signs and wonders but these signs are not for healing, they are devastating signs. That is when the first trumpet will sound and signs will follow on earth.
6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. Revelation 8.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go.Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river’s brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand.And thou shalt say unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear.Thus saith the Lord, In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river. Exodus 7
And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. Revelation 11.
And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. 1King 17:1
The Anti-Christ in pretense will come as one that can make peace to the world and will make a covenant with the world, and many nations will sign an agreement with him. Well, things will look like what he promised in the first three and half years, this is why people will not listen to the warning of Moses and Elijah when they will be preaching against him. The message of the two witnesses will be to tell the Jews not to sign that covenant with him, but the political Jews would refuse; Moses and Elijah will be seen as agents of trouble because they are preaching against the man of peace so-called. This will continue until the beast (the European Community -the kingdom upon which the Anti-Christ will reign) will make war with them and kill them.
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. Revelation 11.
The world would think they have eradicated the people who are agents of trouble when they kill these two witnesses of God, but before they are killed, the two witnesses would have sealed one hundred and forty-four thousand manservants who will witness the gospel preached to them to the world, because these servants would heed the gospel, and it will not be possible for the anti-Christ to kill them –for a place has been prepared by God for her to flee. The world would rejoice at their death, and send gifts to one another -that’s how much they believed in the fake peace of this Man of Sin. But after three and half days, their dead bodies will resurrect and they will ascend up to heaven. No sooner than this is passed, the anti-Christ unleashes his terror on the Jews first before escalating to the world. It is at this point which is the last three and half years that the Great Tribulation will start.
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. Daniel 9
11 And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. Revelations 11.
This is when the vials will be poured on the earth, and the wrath of God will be poured on the inhabitants of the world. God is going to prove to the world that He is the Lord of the earth; because they choose the devil, God will give them the devil to drink. This is the time of repentance for us all to escape the wrath that is to come. You and I need to enter into Christ now before it is too late.
May the Lord help us. We will continue from here. Shalom.