129
The Revelation of Jesus Christ
THE SEVENTH TRUMPET-THE THIRD WoE 11 :15-18
According to our plan for this lesson, as stated in the be ginning, let us skip over the parenthetical vision recorded in 10:1-11 :14, and consider the seventh trumpet. In verse 14 we read, "The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly." Immediately we read further: "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" (verse 15 ). With the sounding of the seventh trumpet, we come to the end of the great tribulation and to the beginning of the millen nial period. Jerusalem, which shall have suffered so cruelly at the hands of her enemies, will once again have the favor of God upon her, and become the seat of Christ's earthly king dom. "And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God" (verse 16). You will remember, in our study of chapter four, we found that the elders represent, not angels, but those re deemed by the shed blood of the Son of God. They are the saints of the Old Testament days and the saints of the New Testament days, translated, washed, clothed in white raiment, and singing praises of God. Here again we have them bowing on their faces before God, worshipping Him, rejoicing in the fact that He is coming into His own, and saying: "We give thee thanks, 0 Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath Is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be Judged, and that thou shouldest· give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth" (verses 17, 18). With the sounding of the seventh trumpet, as we have said, comes the end of the period of tribulation. But though John gives to us here a brief picture of the end of those seven years when God is dealing with apostate Christendom and apostate Israel. and with those who have turned to Him dur-
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker