The seventh seal is the seven trumpets and the first trumpet heralds The Day of the Lord, which is a one year period (based on a day for a year principle found in Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6) of God's wrath to punish the gentile nations that have rebelled against God's law. This comes after the Great Tribulation which is actually Satan's wrath unleashed upon the lukewarm church of the last days. In between these two events is the sixth seal of the Heavenly signs when thousands of meteors will fall from the heavens and a great earthquake will come upon planet earth. The book of Joel, Zephaniah and Matthew prophesied these events that are yet to be fulfilled. The way to understand all these prophecies is to let the Bible interprets the Bible. But those who remain faithful and obedient to the truth of His word will be found worthy to escape all these things (Luke 21:36).
The Day of the Lord will culminate in the Return of Jesus Christ to rule and reign over all the nations of the earth. But before the good news (Gospel of the kingdom of God) is to materialise, the people of the world will have to undergo untold sufferings such as the world had never seen or experienced before. But for the elect's sake, these sufferings will be shortened (Matt 24:22). Over thirty prophecies - mainly from the Old Testament - foretold of such terrible events, for God will ' punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity' (Isaiah 26:21), ' for they have sinned against the Lord' (Zephaniah 1:17). The book of Zephaniah records it succinctly - 'The great day of the Lord is near; It is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the Lord is bitter; There the mighty men shall cry out. That day is a day of wrath, A day of trouble and distress, A day of devastation and desolation, A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness' (Zeph 1:14-15). The prophet Joel penned the cosmic blackout just before the Second Coming of Christ thus, ' The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord' (Joel 2:31) - which is the sixth seal recorded by the Apostle John in Revelation 6:12-17.
There are four trumpets (Rev 8) and three woes (Rev 9:1-21 records the first two woes) that make up the seventh seal and the third woe (Rev 16:2-21) is made up of the seven last plagues. The first angel sounded the first trumpet and a third of the trees and all the green grass were burned up (8:6-7). The second angel sounded the second trumpet 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 (8:8-9). The third angel sounded the third trumpet and a great star (Wormword) fell from heaven that contaminates the rivers and drinking water turns bitter (8:10-11). When the fourth angel sounded the trumpet, a third of the sun, a third of the moon and a third of the stars became darkened and so will the days and nights on earth (8:12).
Following from the four trumpets judgment are the three woes (woe, woe, woe - Rev 8:13). Revelation 9 describes the fifth and sixth trumpets as the first and second woe respectively. The power that be from the 'bottomless pit' (9:2) refers to the seventh and last revival of the Roman Empire to be led by the beast power. The last (sixth) revival of the Roman Empire was led by Italy's Mussolini together with Adolf Hitler of Germany. The seventh and last revival of the beast power before the return of Jesus Christ will set to attack the 'king of the south' and the Holy Land - that is the first woe. They will overwhelm the 'king of the south' and set to control the Holy Land. Next the 'king of the east' will do a counter-attack with some two hundred million military force against the 'king of the north' - the beast power. Revelation 9:16 records the gathering of this mighty army set to wage war with the beast power that will emerge in due course according to God's timeline.
The third woe is all the seven last plagues that will inflict untold sufferings on planet earth that collectively, the three woes will kill a third of all mankind at that time (Rev 9:18). This reflect God's judgment upon the Babylonian system that had plagued all mankind in one form or another for millennia. The first plague will strike all those who had the mark of the beast and worship his image (16:2). The second plague is similar to the one performed in Egypt during the time of Moses when the sea turn to blood and all living sea creatures died (16:3). The third plague turns rivers and spring waters to blood (16:4) and the fourth plague turns on the sun's heat and scorch men with fire and men began to blasphem the name of God (16:8-9). The seat of the beast's government and power were attacked by the fifth plague and his kingdom became full of darkness and pain (16:10-11). On the sixth plague, the Euphrates River will be dried up for the armies from the kings of the east to cross over to the Holy Land to gather at Armageddon (16:12, 16) - which is north of Jerusalem. The seventh plague rounded up with a great earthquake and hailstorm (16:17-21).
The beast is end-time civil ruler influenced by Satan and the false prophet is the end-time religious leader associated with the end-time civil ruler. Together this unholy triad will form Babylon the great that God called them as the abominations of the earth (Rev 17:5). In these last days, they will perform signs to the kings of the earth and the whole world to deceive the multitudes that will untimately wage war with the Lord Jesus Christ at the battle of that great day of God Almighty (Rev 16:14) upon His return. Unwilling to submit to the Lordship of Christ and the government of God, they will form an alliance to wage war with Christ and all will be destroyed (17:14). Revelation 18 goes on to describe the destruction of the Babylonian system that had deceived all mankind since the time of ancient civilisation.
But the good news is that the kingdom of God will appear soon after all these cataclysmic events ended. It will be a wonderful world of peace, happiness and prosperity operating on God's law of the give way of life.
The Day of the Lord will culminate in the Return of Jesus Christ to rule and reign over all the nations of the earth. But before the good news (Gospel of the kingdom of God) is to materialise, the people of the world will have to undergo untold sufferings such as the world had never seen or experienced before. But for the elect's sake, these sufferings will be shortened (Matt 24:22). Over thirty prophecies - mainly from the Old Testament - foretold of such terrible events, for God will ' punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity' (Isaiah 26:21), ' for they have sinned against the Lord' (Zephaniah 1:17). The book of Zephaniah records it succinctly - 'The great day of the Lord is near; It is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the Lord is bitter; There the mighty men shall cry out. That day is a day of wrath, A day of trouble and distress, A day of devastation and desolation, A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness' (Zeph 1:14-15). The prophet Joel penned the cosmic blackout just before the Second Coming of Christ thus, ' The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord' (Joel 2:31) - which is the sixth seal recorded by the Apostle John in Revelation 6:12-17.
There are four trumpets (Rev 8) and three woes (Rev 9:1-21 records the first two woes) that make up the seventh seal and the third woe (Rev 16:2-21) is made up of the seven last plagues. The first angel sounded the first trumpet and a third of the trees and all the green grass were burned up (8:6-7). The second angel sounded the second trumpet 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 (8:8-9). The third angel sounded the third trumpet and a great star (Wormword) fell from heaven that contaminates the rivers and drinking water turns bitter (8:10-11). When the fourth angel sounded the trumpet, a third of the sun, a third of the moon and a third of the stars became darkened and so will the days and nights on earth (8:12).
Following from the four trumpets judgment are the three woes (woe, woe, woe - Rev 8:13). Revelation 9 describes the fifth and sixth trumpets as the first and second woe respectively. The power that be from the 'bottomless pit' (9:2) refers to the seventh and last revival of the Roman Empire to be led by the beast power. The last (sixth) revival of the Roman Empire was led by Italy's Mussolini together with Adolf Hitler of Germany. The seventh and last revival of the beast power before the return of Jesus Christ will set to attack the 'king of the south' and the Holy Land - that is the first woe. They will overwhelm the 'king of the south' and set to control the Holy Land. Next the 'king of the east' will do a counter-attack with some two hundred million military force against the 'king of the north' - the beast power. Revelation 9:16 records the gathering of this mighty army set to wage war with the beast power that will emerge in due course according to God's timeline.
The third woe is all the seven last plagues that will inflict untold sufferings on planet earth that collectively, the three woes will kill a third of all mankind at that time (Rev 9:18). This reflect God's judgment upon the Babylonian system that had plagued all mankind in one form or another for millennia. The first plague will strike all those who had the mark of the beast and worship his image (16:2). The second plague is similar to the one performed in Egypt during the time of Moses when the sea turn to blood and all living sea creatures died (16:3). The third plague turns rivers and spring waters to blood (16:4) and the fourth plague turns on the sun's heat and scorch men with fire and men began to blasphem the name of God (16:8-9). The seat of the beast's government and power were attacked by the fifth plague and his kingdom became full of darkness and pain (16:10-11). On the sixth plague, the Euphrates River will be dried up for the armies from the kings of the east to cross over to the Holy Land to gather at Armageddon (16:12, 16) - which is north of Jerusalem. The seventh plague rounded up with a great earthquake and hailstorm (16:17-21).
The beast is end-time civil ruler influenced by Satan and the false prophet is the end-time religious leader associated with the end-time civil ruler. Together this unholy triad will form Babylon the great that God called them as the abominations of the earth (Rev 17:5). In these last days, they will perform signs to the kings of the earth and the whole world to deceive the multitudes that will untimately wage war with the Lord Jesus Christ at the battle of that great day of God Almighty (Rev 16:14) upon His return. Unwilling to submit to the Lordship of Christ and the government of God, they will form an alliance to wage war with Christ and all will be destroyed (17:14). Revelation 18 goes on to describe the destruction of the Babylonian system that had deceived all mankind since the time of ancient civilisation.
But the good news is that the kingdom of God will appear soon after all these cataclysmic events ended. It will be a wonderful world of peace, happiness and prosperity operating on God's law of the give way of life.
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