The Trumpets and the Plagues

The Seven Trumpets Seven angels with seven trumpets are introduced (Rev. 8:2) Preview: The rest of the story of the seventh trumpet (3 verses) The angels prepare to sound the trumpets (8:6) 1. Earth 2. Sea became blood 3. Rivers and fountains of waters 4. Sun 5. Air darkened 6. The great river Euphrates Spotlight: The development of God's movement (10:1-11:13) 7. Lightning, voices, thunder, earthquake, hail (11:14-19)

The Seven Last Plagues Seven angels with seven vials are introduced (Rev. 15:1) Preview: The rest of the story of the seventh vial (3 verses) The angels prepare to pour out the vials (15:5-16:1) 1. Earth 2. Sea became blood 3. Rivers and fountains of waters 4. Sun 5. Darkness 6. The great river Euphrates Spotlight: The development of Satan's movement (16:13-16) 7. Voices, thunder, lightning, earthquake, hail (16:17-21)

 

Comparing Chapters 10 and 14

10 11 12 13 14

Chapter 10: The calling of the remnant
Chapter 14: The message of the remnant

Notice the chiastic relationship between these two chapters:

• Christ clothed with a cloud (10:1-4)
  • Announcement of the fulfillment of a prophetic time period (10:5-7)
    • Messengers commissioned to many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings (10:8-11)
      • Focus of the message: Measure the temple, altar, and worshippers (11:1)

        ---

      • Fruit of the message: 144,000 worshippers before the throne (14:1-5)
    • Message addressed to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people (14:6)
  • Announcement that the hour of God's judgment is come (14:7-12)
• Christ sitting on a cloud (14:13-20)

Comparing Chapters 11 and 13

10 11 12 13 14

The Issue: Scriptural Authority vs. Human Authority

Chapter 11 Christ Gives Authority to Two Witnesses Prophesy 1260 days (v. 3) Fire proceeds out of their mouths (v. 5) Opposers must be killed (v. 5) Can withhold rain (v. 6) Can turn water to blood and do other signs (v. 6) At the end of the time, they are killed (v. 7) Brought back to life again (v. 11) Great fear fell on them which saw them (v. 11) 3 And I will give power [a supplied word, implied in the context] unto my two witnesses. 6 These have power [exousia, authority] to shut heaven, ...and have power [exousia] over waters....

Chapter 13 The Dragon Gives Authority to Two Beasts Continues 42 months (v. 5) Makes fire come down from heaven (v. 13) Opposers should be killed (v. 15) Can withhold economic trade (v. 17) Doeth great wonders and miracles (v. 13, 14) One of his heads wounded to death (v. 3) His deadly wound healed (v. 3) All the world wondered (v. 3) 2 And the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority [exousia]. 4 The dragon ... gave power [exousia] unto the beast. 5 And there was given unto him a mouth ... and power [exousia] was given unto him. 7 And it was given unto him to make war ... and power [exousia] was given him.... 12 And he exerciseth all the power [exousia] of the first beast. 14 ...miracles which he had power to do [literally, it was given him to do]. 15 And he had power [literally, it was given him] to give life unto the image....

 

A Summary of these Two Sections

8 9 10 11   13 14 15 16

The War Against Error

• When 4th-century Christianity in the Roman Empire is corrupted by paganism, God allows Arian barbarians to take over the empire (Chapter 8).

• When armies from the Eastern Roman Empire defeat key Arian kingdoms that have conquered Rome, God allows Moslem Arabs and Turks to take over the Eastern Empire (Chapter 9).

• When the beast from the sea blasphemes God and makes war with the saints, God's two witnesses prophesy in sackcloth until the beast receives a deadly wound and a remnant is raised up to exalt the truth of God's Word (Chapters 10, 11, and 13).

• When the beast from the earth makes an image of the first beast and enforces the mark of the beast, God's three angels' messages are proclaimed with power throughout the world until probation closes and the seven last plagues fall on all who refuse to respond to God's earnest appeal (Chapters 13-16).

The Outcome

• "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever" (Revelation 11:15).