April 27, 2008
“The Seventh Trumpet”
Revelation 11:15-23

I. Important Review
1. The Book of Revelation is a Book full of symbolism “signified it” Revelation 1:1
2. The number seven is God’s number
3. It is a God given measure of time, one week is seven days, seven years, etc… Genesis 1; Daniel 9:
4. The number seven is the number of completion and perfection – Genesis 2:1-2; Exodus 20:8-11
5. In the Book of Revelation one of the most important things the number seven symbolizes is the completion and perfection of God’s Kingdom, which we see here with the sounding of the seventh trumpet – Revelation 11:15

II. The structure of most of this Book is built around three sevens:
1. A. Seven seals – Revelation 5 – 8:1;
B. Seven trumpets – Revelation 8:2-11:19 (related material thru chapter 14)and
C. Seven bowls (or last plagues) Revelation 15 -16 (related material thru chapter 20)
2. These all portray history from the time of Christ until the end of the world, so that the SAME PROPHECY is told three times with a different emphasis each time.
3. This repetition of visions, dreams and prophecy is something we see elsewhere in Scripture: Daniel 2 & 7; Joseph’s two dreams – Genesis 37:1-11; The Prisoners’ two dreams – Genesis 40; and Pharaoh’s two dreams – Genesis 41 (Notice Pharaoh’s two dreams involve seven year periods)
4. Note, Joseph provides a principle of interpretation – Genesis 41:32 “And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
I believe the same principle may be applied to the Book of Revelation …. “And the vision (about the consummation of God’s Kingdom) is repeated to John (and us) three times because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
5. Though they portray the same general prophecy, respectively: The Seals; The Trumpets and The Bowls, each grouping of seven has its own EMPHASIS:
A. The EMPHASIS of the SEALS is normal judgment / the end is not yet, “wars and rumors of war” etc…
B. The EMPHASIS of the Trumpets is upon the end being near – think Jericho – Joshua 6:1-5
C. The EMPHASIS of the Bowls is upon the end being HERE – these emphasize final judgment!

III. Note the importance of this seventh trumpet –
1. God’s / Christ’s Kingdom has come - :15
2. Behold His worship - :16-17
3. God’s battle is won - :18a
4. Judgment will be done
A. Dead refers to non-believers - :18b
B. Servants and saints are Christians - :18c
C. Yet, even the planet will be judged - :18d; 2 Peter 3:10-13
5. Ultimately God will be glorified before all and by all – Revelation 11:19
6. This near end time is further explored in chapters 12-14