THE SEVEN TRUMPETS

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without the written permission of Morris Cerullo World

Evangelism.

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King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture references marked TAB are from The Amplified Bible

version Copyright © 1965 by Zondervan Publishing House.

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1971, 1972, 1975, 1977 by the Lockman Foundation.

Scripture references marked TLB are from The Living Bible.

Copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton,

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Published by Morris Cerullo World Evangelism

Copyright © 2000

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1992 on the Book of Revelation, available as art prints and visual

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Table of Contents

Introduction. .............................................................................5

CHAPTER 1

The Opening of the Seventh Seal. ....................................7

CHAPTER 2

The Sounding of the First Four Trumpets. ....................11

CHAPTER 3

The Fifth Trumpet—The First Woe. ...............................15

CHAPTER 4

The Sixth Trumpet—The Second Woe. .........................21

CHAPTER 5

A Heavenly Interlude. .....................................................27

CHAPTER 6

The Seventh Trumpet—The Third Woe. .......................33

INTRODUCTION

The Seven Trumpets When Will They Sound?

The Greatest Concert in History Revelation

Chapters 8-11

“The beginning of sorrows”— that is what Jesus called

the end-time signs we have studied so far as we have

progressed chapter-by-chapter through the Book of

Revelation.

As we learned in our previous studies, the structure of

this prophetic book is summarized in Revelation 1:19

where the Apostle John is commanded to "Write the things

which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things

which shall be hereafter."

In book one of this series, we analyzed the

supernatural vision God gave John— "things which thou

hast seen.” Book two, focused on the messages from the

Spirit to the churches—the things which are. In the third

book of the series we dealt with the first portion of

Revelation 4:1 where John is commanded to "come up

hither"— a key verse in understanding Revelation. As we

learned, the command to "come up hither" signifies the

rapture of the Church of Jesus Christ and it marks a

transition in the book. All that follows are "the things which

shall be hereafter" —events that occur after the rapture of the

Church from earth to Heaven.

In our last study, we actually entered the throne room

of God (Revelation chapters 4-5) and witnessed the

5

The Seven Trumpets

beginning of the end as a book with seven mysterious

seals was opened by Jesus (chapters 6-7). The following

chart summarizes the events which will occur when the

first six seals of the book are opened.

Seal Reference

What It Is

What It Represents

1 Rev. 6:2

Rider on a white horse False Christs

2 Rev. 6:3-4

Rider on a red horse

War

3 Rev. 6:5-6

Rider on a black horse Famine/pestilence

4 Rev. 6:7-8

Rider on a pale horse

Death

5 Rev. 6:9-11

Altar with souls

Cry of the martyred

6 Rev. 6:12-17

Signs in heaven /earth Great day of Lord is

at hand

This book, The Seven Trumpets, is an intense analysis of

the events which occur when the seven trumpets of God's

judgment begin to sound. It all begins with Jesus opening

the seventh seal..

6

CHAPTER 1

THE OPENING OF THE SEVENTH SEAL

1

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. 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.

And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of

the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

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. And the

seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared

themselves to sound. (Revelation 8:1-6)

When Christ opens the seventh seal, there is absolute

silence in heaven for about a half an hour. No earthquakes,

no thunder, no lightening, no voices, no praise and

worship—just total silence.

I have never been in a storm where a tornado has

struck, but I am told that just before it strikes, there is a

tremendous hush. The air is motionless. There is no

movement anywhere, not even the rustling of leaves.

During this silence, it seems as if the wind, rain, and

elements of nature are gathering momentum before their

fury is unleashed.

This is similar to the silence John witnessed in this

tremendous vision. For a period of about half an hour

there was a solemn, breathless silence as God prepared to

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The Seven Trumpets

pour out His judgments upon the earth. Can you imagine

the thoughts which must have flooded John's mind during

this time? What will the opening of this seventh seal

reveal? Will there be more fearful-looking horsemen

riding forth to bring judgment upon the earth? Will the

earth be destroyed? What will be the final events signaling

the end?

Some time during this profound silence, seven angels

assemble before God and each of them is given a trumpet.

Then another angel comes and stands at the altar, having a

golden censer and incense symbolizing the prayers of the

saints. Many times the word "angel" will be used for a

man, since it means "messenger." Other times it is used for

the angels in heaven. This particular references says, "And

another angel came and stood at the altar" to minister. This

would seem to indicate that this angel is Christ in His

present ministry as our high priest ".. even Jesus, made an

high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec" (Hebrews

6:20). The censer is always mentioned in connection with

the high priest (Leviticus 16:12).

As the prayers of the saints ascend before God filling

heaven with a sweet-smelling aroma, the angel fills the

censer with fire from the altar and casts it down upon the

earth (Revelation 8:4-5).

Suddenly, the silence in heaven is shattered. Voices

sound, lightning flashes, thunder crashes, the earth

shakes, and the seven angels prepare to sound their

trumpets.

Prayer Is Vitally Linked With God's End-Time Plan

Beloved, it is so important for you to understand the

tremendous significance of the prayers of God's people

and how prayer is vitally linked with God's end-time plan.

8

The Opening of the Seventh Seal

In these verses—right before God's judgments are

poured out upon the wicked—the prayers of God's people

are offered to God on the golden altar before His throne.

The prayers ascend unto God, along with the incense, and

become a sweet-smelling savor in His nostrils.

You will remember that in chapter five—before Christ

opened the seven seals—the elders and cherubim also

lifted golden vials fall of odors symbolizing the prayers of

the saints. In both of these crucial times in the unfolding of

God's end-time plan, the prayers of God's people ascend

before His throne and activate the process.

Beloved, our prayers here on earth in behalf of the lost,

our cries to God regarding the wickedness and immorality

surrounding us, our intercession for God's intervention

against the evil forces unleashed on the world today are

not forgotten. They ascend before God as a sweet-smelling

incense in His nostrils.

In response to these prayers of the saints, the angel—

Jesus Christ takes the censer, fills it with fire, and casts it

down to the earth. The prayers of God's people release the

seven angels to sound their trumpets which unleash the

judgments of God upon the wicked.

Right now, throughout the world, God is pouring out

the last great anointing—the end-time prayer anointing.

He is bringing us to a new strategic level of warfare

prayer! Through this strategic level of prayer, the people

of God will be used mightily in this end-time to push back

the enemy in the nations, to tear down the strongholds

blinding the hearts and minds of the lost, and to release

those who are bound by Satan's power.

God has given to us—His Church—His power of

attorney. We are His delegated authority upon the earth.

As we enter into this new level of warfare prayer and

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The Seven Trumpets

begin to pray with authority, God will release His power

to fulfill His end-time plan. In response to the prayers of

God's people, we will see the greatest demonstration in

history of His mighty power—miracles of salvation,

healing, deliverance, and restoration—greater than we

have ever known!

So, from our study of Scripture it is clear that the seven

trumpets:

• Sound after the rapture (Revelation 4:1).

• Sound in response to the accumulated prayers of

God's people (Revelation 8:3-5).

• Bring God's judgment upon the earth (Revelation

8:5).

10

CHAPTER 2

THE SOUNDING OF THE FIRST FOUR TRUMPETS

2

The awesome silence in Heaven is shattered as the first

four of seven trumpets begin to sound in succession...

The First Trumpet:

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 8:7)

When the first angel sounds his trumpet:

• Hail and fire mixed with blood is hurled upon the

earth.

• One-third of the trees are destroyed.

• All of the green grass is destroyed.

This fierce storm will cause utter chaos on earth. The

storm will look like hail mingled with blood. The reddish

color may be a mixture of sand or pollution blown up into

the clouds by some of the most fierce winds ever

witnessed.

Think of the utter devastation when plants and food

supplies for both man and animal are destroyed and fertile

lands become barren as a result of the destruction of the

trees.

The Second Trumpet:

And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great

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The Seven Trumpets

mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the

third part of the sea became blood; And the third part of the

creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the

third part of the ships were destroyed. (Revelation 8:8-9)

When the second angel sounds his trumpet:

• Something like a huge mountain of fire is thrown

into the sea. The exact nature of the mountain is not

specified. It could be something supernatural that

God creates or it could be an erupting volcano.

• One-third of the sea is turned to blood. "Blood"

signifies that the water has turned red. We must

always remember that John speaks in the language

of appearance—he did not run a microscopic

analysis of the water. A similar event occurred in

Egypt with the first plague (Exodus 7:14-25).

• One-third of the living creatures in the sea die.

• One-third of the ships are destroyed. It is possible

that this occurs as a result of the tidal effect of the

mountain striking the water.

Imagine—the ensuing shortage of sea life for food, the

devastation to the fishing industry, and the interruption of

shipping commerce and trade!

It is interesting to note that this particular judgment

was predicted by the prophet Zephaniah centuries ago:

I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith

the Lord. I will consume man and beast; I will consume the

fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the

stumbling-blocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from

off the land, saith the Lord. (Zephaniah 1:2-3)

The Third Angel:

And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star

12

The Sounding of the First Four Trumpets

from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the

third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; And

the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of

the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the

waters, because they were made bitter. (Revelation 8:10-11)

When the third angel sounds his trumpet, a great star

—Wormwood—falls from the sky like a blazing torch and

one-third of the rivers and springs of water are

contaminated.

Wormwood is the name of a very bitter herb. It became

a symbol of idolatry because of its bitterness. Idolatry is a

bitter taste for God to swallow, therefore He gives the

idolater the bitterness of wormwood judgment:

And the Lord saith, Because they have forsaken my law

which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither

walked therein; But have walked after the imagination of their

own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them:

Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel;

Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood,

and give them water of gall to drink. (Jeremiah 9:13-15)

Can you imagine the chaos and ensuing panic that will

result when there is a shortage of water?

The Fourth Angel:

And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the

sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third

part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened,

and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night

likewise. (Revelation 8:12)

When the fourth angel sounds his trumpet:

• One-third of the sun is darkened.

• One-third of the moon is darkened.

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The Seven Trumpets

• One-third of the stars turn dark.

• One-third of the day and night are without light.

Some kind of unusual eclipse will occur in the

heavens. Whatever it is, it is a judgment of God. He will be

behind it and it will strike fear in the ungodly of this

world. God has had enough!

Even in our wildest imaginations, we cannot picture

the horrifying scenes that John witnessed as these first

four trumpets sounded. He saw the very powers of heaven

shaken by Almighty God!

The rapture itself, which we previously studied about

in book three of this series, will cause tremendous

economic devastation on the earth. Think about it..

thousands of properties will be in foreclosure because

Christians who were making payments on these loans are

raptured. Many businesses will no longer have CEOs or

management personnel—they went in the rapture. There

will be a shortage of essential personnel—doctors, nurses,

fire-fighters, law enforcement officers—thousands of

them, gone in the rapture. Farmers, truckers, teachers,

lawyers, stock brokers—devastation and confusion will

result in every segment of society through the

disappearance of multitudes in the rapture.

But now, can you even imagine the added devastation

as the water supply and greenery of the entire earth are

affected? Many people will die. The ocean—the fishing

and shipping industries—will also be severely impacted.

The terrifying blasts of these first four trumpets are not

a figment of John's imagination. They are a REALITY.

Jesus prophesied that they would happen. As frightening

and awesome as they sound, the worst is still to come.

Three more trumpets are yet to sound.

14

CHAPTER 3

THE FIFTH TRUMPET—THE FIRST WOE

3

Can you just imagine John standing there, his face

pale, an ashen white? A terrible, sinking sensation has

gripped him, as God has unveiled His end-time plan

revealing four of the judgments that one day will come

upon the earth. As John stands there trembling at the

sights he has just witnessed, he tries to prepare himself for

the sounding of the next trumpet. What fearful judgments

are yet to come?

Anxiously, his eyes dart from one end of the heavens

to the other...

And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the

midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to

the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the

trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

(Revelation 8:13)

As the angel flies in midair, a loud warning is given.

Three "woes" are pronounced upon those living upon the

earth. These three "woes" are pronounced by reason of the

judgments that will occur at the sounding of the remaining

three trumpets.

As we will see, the three woes of the last three

trumpets are:

1. A plague of demon locusts: Revelation 9:1-12.

2. The plague of demonic horsemen: Revelation 9:13-

21.

3. The casting out of Satan to earth: Revelation 11:15-

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The Seven Trumpets

13:18.

The blasts of the trumpets in the Book of Revelation

are startling as they announce God's judgments that are

coming upon the earth. They strike terror in the hearts of

the wicked. But remember. . to the Christian these

trumpets are a sound of victory and triumph over evil. As

I have told you repeatedly—the purpose of prophecy is to

prepare, not to scare. Prophecy is given so we will be

ready for what happens in the future. When these

trumpets sound, believers will already be raptured and in

the presence of the Lord. The trumpets will be the glorious

signal that God is preparing to deal with sin and evil

according to His divine plan and in answer to the prayers

of His people down through the centuries.

Today, however, as God's end-time army, we have an

awesome responsibility. It is our duty to take our positions

as strong, mature, and fully equipped soldiers to sound an

alarm—to warn our co-workers, unsaved loved ones,

friends, and neighbors that the time is at hand. It is time to

prepare for Christ's coming! It is time to sound an alarm!

The Fifth Trumpet Sounds

And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from

heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the

bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there

arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace;

and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke

of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the

earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the

earth have power. And it was commanded them that they

should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing,

neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of

God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they

should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five

months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion,

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The Fifth Trumpet—The First Woe

when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek

death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death

shall flee from them. And the shapes of the locusts were like

unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it

were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.

And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were

as the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates, as it were

breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was as the

sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. And they

had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their

tails, and their power was to hurt men five months. And they

had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit,

whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the

Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. One woe is past; and,

behold, there come two woes more hereafter. (Revelation 9:1-

12)

The fifth angel lifts his trumpet to his lips and blows.

The loud blast of the trumpet echoes through the heavens.

The first thing John sees is a star falling to the earth. This

star is not an actual star, but is symbolic of a person.

The key to the bottomless pit is given to the "star." This

"star" is a divine agent, possibly an angelic being, who has

been dispatched to the earth on a special mission. He has

been authorized to unlock the bottomless pit.

Undoubtedly, this is an angel of God because Christ has

the key to the underworld:

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive

for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

(Revelation 1:18)

Later on, in Revelation 11:7, John sees the Anti-Christ

ascend out of this same pit. In Revelation 20:1-3, John

watches as an angel descends from heaven, binds Satan in

chains, and casts him into the bottomless pit for a

thousand years.

In Revelation 9:2, as this angel opens the bottomless

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The Seven Trumpets

pit, smoke billows forth like the smoke from a gigantic

furnace. The smoke is so thick that the sun and sky are

darkened by it. Out of this dense smoke comes a swarm of

what John describes as locusts. Throughout the Old

Testament, locust were symbolic of destruction. Bred in

the desert, they invaded cultivated areas in their search for

food. They often traveled in columns one-hundred feet

deep (the equivalent width of an eight-lane freeway), and

up to four miles in length!

Before God delivered Israel out of bondage, He sent a

similar plague of locusts upon Egypt, which devoured all

vegetation throughout the land:

And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and

rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they;

before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after

them shall be such. For they covered the face of the whole

earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every

herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail

had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees,

or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.

(Exodus 10:14-15)

The demonic locusts of Revelation are different from

the plague of locusts that came upon the land of Egypt,

however. They have a different mission:

1. They are commanded by God: Revelation 9:4.

2. They are given scorpion-like power: Revelation 9:3.

The scorpion is a large member of the arachnida

class, 4 to 7 inches in diameter including the leg

spread.

3. They are told not to hurt the grass, trees, or any

green thing: Revelation 9:4. Normally, locust

rapidly devour such greenery.

4. They are not permitted to kill anyone, but are to

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The Fifth Trumpet—The First Woe

torment those who do not have the seal of God on

their foreheads: Revelation 9:4-5. You will recall

that there are 144,000 who have God's seal of

supernatural protection on them (Revelation 7:2-4).

The locust can only harm those who do not have

this seal.

5. The duration of their torment is five months:

Revelation 9:5. We are not told why the plague

ceases after the fifth month. Perhaps the locusts die

off naturally, some chemical or mechanical method

of extermination is discovered, or God simply ends

the plague at that time.

6. Their sting is painful—like that of a scorpion:

Revelation 9:5.

7. They are pictured as long-haired, flying creatures

with the appearance of horses, teeth like lions,

breastplates of iron, and tails like scorpions:

Revelation 9:7-9. As this great swarm of locusts

assembles together, they resemble horses that are

prepared for battle. They are ready to attack. As

they fly through the air, their number is so great

that the noise of their wings is like a great

squadron of horses and chariots rushing into war.

The crowns on their heads are symbolic of the

power they are given to torment men for a period

of five months. Their breastplates of iron indicate

their invincibility. There will be no possible way of

striking them in a vulnerable spot. John describes

their teeth as being like lion's teeth, which

emphasizes their fierceness. They do not use their

teeth as a lion does to tear apart its victim,

however. Instead, they use their scorpion-like tails

to torment.

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The Seven Trumpets

8. They have a king named Abaddon, which is the

Hebrew word for destruction. In Greek he is called

Apollyon, which means destroyer: Revelation 9:11.

When the angel of Revelation 9:1 comes from heaven,

the evil angel bound in the abyss will be loosed. He will

take with him his demon locusts and torment men. God is

going to release this plague of demonic locust out of the

bottomless pit upon the wicked who refuse to repent of

their evil. God's purpose for sending this judgment is to

punish the wicked and to call them to repentance.

During this time when the fifth trumpet is sounding,

the wicked are going to be so tormented by the terrible

scorpion-like sting of these locusts that they will try to kill

themselves but will not be able to do so:

And in those days men will seek death and will not find

it; and they will long to die and death flees from them.

(Revelation 9:6, NAS)

Each trumpet judgment John has witnessed has been

more fearsome than the previous one. Now, as the horror

of this tormenting plague of locusts fades before John's

eyes, he waits for the two remaining trumpets that are yet

to sound. "One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes

hereafter” (Revelation 9:12).

20

CHAPTER 4

THE SIXTH TRUMPET—THE SECOND WOE

4

Four trumpets have sounded declaring the coming

judgments of God. John has seen and heard awesome

sights and sounds—hail, fire, and brimstone, and fearful

signs in the heavens. After the sounding of the first four

trumpets, he sees an angel flying through the heavens

pronouncing three woes that will come upon the earth at

the sounding of the final three trumpets.

In the last chapter, we learned when the fifth trumpet

sounds, the first woe is released upon the earth—the

plague of locust-like creatures. Now it is time for the sixth

angel to blow his trumpet and release the second woe

upon the earth:

And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the

four horns of the golden altar which is before God, Saying to

the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels

which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four

angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a

day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.

And the number of the army of the horsemen were two

hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.

And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on

them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and

brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of

lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and

brimstone. By these three was the third part of men killed, by

the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued

out of their mouths. For their power is in their mouth, and in

their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had

heads, and with them they do hurt. (Revelation 9:13-19)

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The Seven Trumpets

When the sixth angel blew his trumpet, John heard a

voice from heaven from the golden altar that is before

God, saying: "Release the four angels who are bound at the

great river Euphrates" (Revelation 9-14 RSV). God, who is a

God of purpose, plan, design, and objectivity, has

prepared four angels and kept them bound at the

Euphrates River specifically for this time of future

judgment.

Never forget—God has an end-time plan and a specific

timetable. There is a time set for every event that will take

place upon the earth in the last days. Once God's

judgments are set in motion—from the breaking of the

first seal, until the new heavens and earth are established

—nothing can stop them. Always remember-God is on the

throne and He is in control!

As these four angels by the River Euphrates are loosed,

John sees a great army extending across the horizon as far

as his eyes can see. The number of these horsemen is two-

hundred MILLION! Led by the four angels, this army is

given power to kill one-third of the world's population by

the fire, smoke, and sulfur that comes out of their horses'

mouths (Revelation 9:17-18). Who are these fierce

horsemen? Where are they from? How do they fit into

God's end-time plan?

The Invading Army

God promised Abraham and his seed that the land that

stretched from the Nile to the Euphrates was their

possession (Genesis 15:18). The Euphrates marked the

boundary between Israel and her chief enemies.

Throughout history, it has been identified as the ancient

boundary between east and west. The invading army is

approaching from the Euphrates River.

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The Sixth Trumpet—The Second Woe

The Euphrates runs a distance of approximately 1,800

miles, and it is extremely difficult and often impossible to

cross it. It is twelve hundred yards wide at points and

between ten to thirty feet deep.

In Revelation, chapter 16, when the sixth vial of God's

wrath is poured out, the Euphrates River will dry up so

that the "way of the kings of the east might be prepared"

(Revelation 16:12). In January, 1990, a recently-built dam

blocking the Euphrates River was closed by the President

of Turkey and the river dropped seventy-five percent in

one day.

This fierce-looking army that John has seen in his

vision is symbolic of a great, end-time, Oriental army that

will come from east of the Euphrates. When the sixth

trumpet sounds, the great Oriental army, 200 million

strong, will be given power to kill one-third of the world's

population.

When John wrote the Book of Revelation, such a

massive army was beyond comprehension. Today,

however, it is a real possibility. In China alone, there are

an estimated two-hundred million armed and organized

militiamen. China now possesses nuclear capabilities and

is emerging as a major world power.

In 1978, the Karakoram Highway extending from the

Singkiang Province in China over the formidable

Himalayan mountains into Pakistan was completed. This

super-highway covers a strategic area where the frontiers

of five countries converge: Pakistan, Afghanistan, China,

India, and the former Soviet Union. It is the only access

China has into Pakistan and the surrounding area.

The Karakoram Highway links up with the Grand

Trunk Road and other roads which extend as far as the

Euphrates River. The completion of this highway has now

23

The Seven Trumpets

made it possible for the "kings of the east" (as prophesied in

Revelation 16:12) to cross the Euphrates River to

participate in the Battle of Armageddon.

A Union of Kings

The "kings of the East" will join together with "the king

of the south" (Egypt and her African allies) and "the king

of the North" (including Syria and Turkey) to war against

the Anti-Christ:

And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push

at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a

whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many

ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow

and pass over. (Daniel 11:40)

When the sixth vial of God's wrath is poured out and

the Euphrates River is dried up, the alliance of kings and

their armies will march over the dry riverbed into Israel,

where they will fight the Battle of Armageddon.

A section of China's Karakoram Highway extends

through Pakistan to the Indian Ocean. A section of this

highway also runs through Afghanistan and Iran to Iraq,

where the Euphrates River runs from Turkey to the

Persian Gulf. We know that the nations of the earth will be

gathered together in the last days for the great battle of

Armageddon (Joel 3:2) and China will be among those

nations. The completion of the Karakoram Highway

makes it possible for the kings of the east to advance into

Israel for the great Battle of Armageddon!

As this army advances, the fire, smoke, and brimstone

issuing out of the mouths of their horses and their serpent-

like tails kill one third of all mankind.

Men Stil Refuse to Repent!

24

The Sixth Trumpet—The Second Woe

During the six trumpet judgments, God has been

pleading with men upon the earth, giving them additional

opportunities to repent and be saved from His wrath that

is yet to come. Even though the wicked know that God has

brought these judgments to call them to repentance, they

still harden their hearts:

And the rest of the men which were not killed by these

plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they

should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and

brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear,

nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their

sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

(Revelation 9:20-21)

Wicked men do not repent of their sins, despite the

judgments of God they have experienced. They continue

their idolatrous ways, they do not repent of their murders,

sorceries, fornications, or thefts. Thus, after the holocaust

of the seven seals and the first six trumpets, the world as a

whole clings fast to its sin.

It is not God's will that anyone should perish, but that

all should come to repentance:

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some

men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not

willing that any should perish, but that all should come to

repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

God is long-suffering and His mercy is from

everlasting to everlasting. However, in His eternal plan

there is a set period, forever established, in which He has

allowed time for men to repent. He will not go beyond

that point. When that time comes, the wicked will be cut

off. The declaration that will go forth will be:

He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is

filthy let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be

25

The Seven Trumpets

righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

(Revelation 22:11)

In the closing days of time, a line will be drawn and

the wicked will be forever separated from the righteous.

There will be no further opportunities given for

repentance. Instead of receiving mercy, the wicked will

receive the fury of God's wrath.

What a sobering thought! Beloved, that is why we

must blow the trumpet in Zion. We must warn people. We

must give of our material resources to advance the Gospel

as never before. We must go forth with the message of

salvation. We must intercede. We must weep and mourn

for sinners who face an eternity without God!

My dear friend, God is revealing His end-time plan to

you for a purpose. These are your "marching orders" for

this end-time harvest. Blow the trumpet in Zion!

The second woe is past. One third of all mankind

perishes. There is a third woe yet to come. But first, there

is an important Heavenly interlude...

26

CHAPTER 5

A HEAVENLY INTERLUDE

5

Before the seventh and final trumpet sounds, the scene

in John's vision once again changes. In chapter ten there is

a heavenly interlude and John hears seven thunders and

encounters an angel with a special book:

And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven,

clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and

his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:

And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right

foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, And cried with

a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried,

seven thunders uttered their voices. And when the seven

thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I

heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those

things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the

earth lifted up his hand to heaven, And sware by him that

liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things

that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are,

and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there

should be time no longer: But in the days of the voice of the

seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of

God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the

prophets. (Revelation 10:1-7)

John saw a "mighty" angel coming down from heaven.

This angel was clothed with a cloud, his face shone like

the sun, a rainbow was over his head, and his feet were as

pillars of fire. The angel was gigantic! He placed his right

foot on the sea, his left foot on the land, and he gave a loud

shout like the roar of a lion. In response, seven thunders

27

The Seven Trumpets

"uttered their voices."

Throughout the Book of Revelation, the sounding of

thunder is associated with God's punishment being

poured out upon the wicked:

• Thunder sounds before the seven trumpet

judgments: Revelation 8:5.

• Thunder is heard before the first vial of God's wrath

is poured out: Revelation 11:19.

• Thunder sounds as the seventh vial of God's wrath

is released: Revelation 16:17-18.

In Revelation 10:4, we learn that John heard seven

different messages given by the thunders and began to

write down what he had heard. Suddenly, a voice from

heaven commanded John to "Shut up the things which the

seven thunders uttered, and write them not” (Revelation 10:4).

In the beginning of John's vision, Christ had instructed

him to write down all the things he had seen, the things

which are, and the things that were yet to come

(Revelation 1:19). But now, John is told not to reveal the

meaning of these seven thunders.

Why? What was the purpose of these seven thunders?

Why did they sound? Why did God instruct John not to

reveal the messages? Did the seven mysterious messages

reveal seven additional end-time judgments?

The key to understanding these thunders is TIMING.

God has determined a time when the messages of these

seven thunders will be revealed. Until that time they will

remain a mystery to us.

God revealed information concerning end-time events

to Daniel approximately six-hundred and thirty years

before John's vision, but he was told to "shut up the words,

and seal the book, even to the time of the end" (Daniel 12:4).

28

A Heavenly Interlude

Daniel heard and saw things he did not understand and

the meaning of these things was "sealed till the time of the

end" (Daniel 12:8-9).

Today, God is pouring out revelation knowledge upon

His people as prophecy is being revealed to us. More and

more will be revealed as Christ's coming draws nearer.

No More Delay

After the seven mysterious messages were sealed up,

the powerful angel standing with one foot on the land and

one foot on the sea lifted his right hand to heaven and

made a solemn oath: "There shall be no more time!" The

word "time" here means delay.

• The disciples once asked Jesus, "... what shall be the sign of

thy coming, and of the end of the world?" (Matthew 24:3).

• In a vision, Daniel saw an angel who asked the

question, " How long shall it be to the end of these

wonders?" (Daniel 12:6).

• The martyrs in Revelation 6:10 asked, "How long, O Lord,

holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on

them that dwell on the earth?"

At this point in God's end-time plan, the seven seals

have been broken, six trumpets have sounded, and the

seven thunders have "uttered" their voices. Now—at this

point in time—the angel proclaims that there shall be no

more delays in fulfilling God's end-time plan. The

" mystery of God" which He declared to His servants the

prophets will be fulfilled.

These verses pinpoint the exact time of the end. At the

sounding of the seventh trumpet, the " mystery of God" will

be accomplished and God's purposes will be fulfilled.

What Is This Mystery?

29

The Seven Trumpets

The Apostle Paul told the Ephesians,

And he made known to us the mystery of his will

according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,

to be put into effect when the times will have reached their

fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth

together under one head, even Christ. (Ephesians 1:9-10,

NIV)

When this last great alarm resounds throughout the

heavens and earth, it will signal the fullness of time—the

end of the world as we know it—and will announce God's

final triumph over evil!

At that time, God is going to establish Christ's

Kingdom upon earth and give Him dominion over all the

nations. God's people will possess God's literal kingdom

upon this earth, where we will rule and reign with Him.

Daniel saw this in a vision and prophesied:

I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of

man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient

of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was

given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all

people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his

dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass

away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

(Daniel 7:13-14)

Take It and Eat It!

Up to this point in his vision, John had been observing

and hearing awesome sights and sounds as God's end-

time plan was revealed. Now the time had come when he

must become actively involved:

And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me

again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in

the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon

30

A Heavenly Interlude

the earth. And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give

me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up;

and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth

sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel's

hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey:

and as soon as 1 had eaten it, my belly was bitter. And he said

unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and

nations, and tongues, and kings. (Revelation 10:8-11)

A voice from heaven commanded John to take the little

book from the angel's hand and he immediately obeyed.

He took the book and ate it. The phrase "eat the little book"

is a type of Hebrew expression for the reception of

knowledge. The effect the book had upon John is sufficient

proof that the book contains catastrophic events that are to

transpire upon the earth. The revelation was sweet to

receive, but the content was bitter.

When John had finished eating, the angel gave him his

"marching orders." John was commissioned to prophesy

before many peoples and nations (Revelation 10:11). The

Greek word used here and translated "before" should be

translated "concerning." It means that John would

prophesy again concerning peoples, nations, tongues, and

kings—which is exactly what he did in the remainder of

the Revelation.

It was not sufficient for John to merely hear and

observe the revelation of God's end-time plan—he had to

reach out and TAKE it. He had to ingest it into his

innermost being and share it with others.

Revelation Is for a Purpose

Being able to understand what will happen in the last

days is exciting, but it is not enough for you to merely

observe and hear the revelation of God's end-time plan.

Before the power of this revelation can be realized in your

31

The Seven Trumpets

life, you must appropriate it.

Just as John was instructed to take the little book and

eat it, you must take the revelation God is giving you and

eat it-ingest it into your inner spiritual being. This is a new

day! God is pouring out revelation understanding in these

last days as we have never had before. The revelation God

gives must become part of you. Head knowledge is not

enough. It must penetrate deep down into your spirit.

Along with the revelation God has given you, there

comes a solemn responsibility. Not everyone is called to

prophesy as John was, but God does expect you to take the

revelation He has given you and share it with others to

prepare them for what is ahead.

After John had eaten the book, he said: "It tasted as

sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my

stomach turned sour" (Revelation 10:10). The prophecies in

the Book of Revelation are both sweet and bitter. To the

Christian they are sweet, but to the ungodly they are

bitter. They reveal the glories of heaven and the rewards

that are waiting for all those who are faithful unto the end.

They also reveal the fearful judgments of God that are

coming upon all those who reject God and do not apply

the blood of Jesus to their lives.

Remember:

REVELATION

MUST

BE

APPROPRIATED BEFORE IT PRODUCES POWER! You

must take the revelation you are receiving, eat it, make it

part of your life and share it with others. You must be

faithful to share both the bitter and the sweet truths that

God has shown you in this revelation of His great end-

time plan.

32

CHAPTER 6

THE SEVENTH TRUMPET—THE THIRD WOE

6

In Revelation 8-9, six trumpets sound. In Revelation 10,

there is a heavenly interlude during which John hears

seven thunders and encounters the angel with the book.

Then, in chapter 11, John receives a very powerful

revelation of the Tribulation period which we will discuss

in depth in the next book in this series.

After this...

... 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. And the four and twenty elders, which sat

before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped

God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O 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. And the temple of God

was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark

of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and

thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail. (Revelation

11:15-19)

At the sounding of the seventh and final trumpet, a

great declaration is made in heaven concerning God's final

triumph over evil. John hears loud voices in heaven

declaring,

33

The Seven Trumpets

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)

The sounding of this seventh trumpet brings to a

conclusion the purpose and plan of God. The twenty-four

elders fall on their faces before God in worship and praise

for His mighty power and the great victory He has won. In

Revelation 10:7 in The Amplified Bible, we read,

But that when the days come that the trumpet call

of the seventh angel is about to be sounded, then God's

mystery—His secret design, His hidden purpose—as

He had announced the glad tidings to His servants the

prophets, should be fulfilled (accomplished, completed).

When the seventh trumpet sounds, it is a wonderful

time in Heaven but a terrible time on earth. The time has

come for the Great Day of the Lord, when God's wrath

will be poured out upon the wicked. It is the time for

Christ to reward the saints and destroy the wicked:

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. (Revelation

11:18)

In the concluding verses of Revelation 11, the

sanctuary of God in heaven is thrown open. The Ark of the

Covenant is revealed and there is an awesome

manifestation of God's great power. Lightning flashes,

there are loud roars of thunder, another earthquake, and a

great hail storm.

When that great seventh trumpet sounds "... The

kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord,

and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever"

34

The Seventh Trumpet—The Third Woe

(Revelation 11:15). The end of all things is at hand.

Beloved, in view of these things we are learning, I

encourage you to live every day with a sense of

expectancy, preparing yourself and others for that day

when you will see Jesus Christ returning in the cloud:

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what

manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and

godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day

of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved,

and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless

we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new

earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved,

seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be

found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. (2 Peter

3:11-14)

Be sure to obtain your copy of the next book in this

powerful New Millennium 2000 Prophetic Series, The

Great Tribulation.

In volume six of the Morris Cerullo New Millennium

2000 Prophetic Series entitled The Great Tribulation, you

will learn...

• The identity of the tribulation temple.

• The tribulation time-line.

• The two divisions of the tribulation.

• The identity and ministry of the two witnesses.

• The meaning of the olive trees and candlesticks.

• The purpose of the tribulation.

• Who will go through the tribulation.

• How you can minister in the spirit and power of

Elijah in these end times.

35

The Seven Trumpets

Morris Cerullo World Evangelism

P. O. Box 85277

San Diego, CA 92186-5277

Morris Cerullo World Evangelism of Canada

P. O. Box 3600

Concord, Ontario L4K1B6

Morris Cerullo World Evangelism

P. O. Box 277, Hemel Hempstead, HERTS HP2 7DH

Tel: (858) 277-2200

Website: www.mcwe.com

36

Document Outline

- The Seven Trumpets

- Table of Contents

- Introduction

- The Seven Trumpets When Will They Sound?

- The Greatest Concert in History Revelation Chapters 8-11

- 1 The Opening of the Seventh Seal

- Prayer Is Vitally Linked With God's End-Time Plan

- 2 The Sounding of the First Four Trumpets

- The First Trumpet:

- The Second Trumpet:

- The Third Angel:

- The Fourth Angel:

- 3 The Fifth Trumpet—The First Woe

- The Fifth Trumpet Sounds

- 4 The Sixth Trumpet—The Second Woe

- The Invading Army

- A Union of Kings

- Men Still Refuse to Repent!

- 5 A Heavenly Interlude

- No More Delay

- What Is This Mystery?

- Take It and Eat It!

- Revelation Is for a Purpose

- 6 The Seventh Trumpet—The Third Woe

Table of Contents

Introduction.

The Opening of the Seventh Seal.

The Sounding of the First Four Trumpets.

The Fifth Trumpet—The First Woe.

The Sixth Trumpet—The Second Woe.

A Heavenly Interlude.

The Seventh Trumpet—The Third Woe.

The Seven Trumpets

Table of Contents

Prayer Is Vitally Linked With God's End-Time Plan

The Third Angel:

The Fourth Angel:

The Fifth Trumpet Sounds

The Invading Army

A Union of Kings

No More Delay

Take It and Eat It!

Revelation Is for a Purpose