Trumpets 1 to 4.

1. Trumpets 1 to 4. • 8:7-13 Concern events in Western Empire centred in Rome. • Revelation also highlights involvement of Christ in lives of his saints. • Message is strong inwarnings and judgments - opportunity for sinners to repent from wrong deeds whilst still time.

2. Reasons for God’s Warnings. • Christians in Roman Empire - having compromised with Paganism - now in perilous position - professing name of Christ forcibly converting others to new teachings. • Persecution and destruction brought on those disagreeing - eg Donatists. • The Lord God of heaven would bring judgments. • Opening seventh seal - vista of future events and perils revealed in form of seven trumpets.

3. Silence in Heaven. 1 ¶ “And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour”. Rev 8

5. Background. • On opening seal - silence ensued for about half an hour. • Symbol of general peace - characterized last 14 years of Constantine’s reign. • “Sevens” and “trumpets” form strong echoes of ‘walls of Jericho’ - imply warnings of judgment.

6. 1 ¶ “And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. 3 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”. (Rev 8)

7. Perilous Times. • Prayers of saints associated with sounding trumpets. • Special need for Prayer to God - only weapon of defence for true believer - in view of forthcoming events. • An “Earthquake” ensued - Julian came to throne - attempted to restore paganism. • Civil war, bloodshed ensued - perilous times.

8. 4 “And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. 5 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. 6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound”. (Rev 8)

9. Trumpets Signify Final Judgments. • First four trumpets concern one third(Western) part of Roman Empire. • Gibbon, records four major eventscontributing directly to further decline - and fall of Western third - in AD 476. • Under Theodosius - Empire divided in two. • Sounding of Trumpets announce God’s judgments bringing divided empire to its end - not just chance events.

12. Hail Fire and Blood. 7 ¶ “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.” (Rev 8)

13. Summary. Just as the Seals foreshadowed the downfall of Paganism, the first four Trumpets are to bring the downfall of the Western Empire and the fifth and sixth, that of the Eastern Empire.