The Dramatic Summit of Prophecy – Rev. 8 and 20
The stage is set, all of the heavens are gathered to watch as the seven trumpet blasts sound from heaven to announce the opening of the book containing the completion of God’s revelation to mankind.
The first six trumpets will correspond with the following series of tragedies upon the earth:
Hail and fire falls upon earth burning up a third of the trees and all green grass; mountainous burning mass is cast into the sea, turning a third of the sea into blood, killing a third of the sea creatures, and destroying a third of the earth’s ships; a great blazing star falls from heaven, poisoning a third
of the waters and causing the death of many men; a third part of the sun, moon and stars are smitten, bringing partial darkness to the whole earth; a fallen star and locusts (most likely Satan and his demons – fallen angels) torment the inhabitants of the earth for a period of five months – described as woe number one; four angels are empowered to lead an gargantuan army against the inhabitants of the earth for a period of one year, one month, one day, and one hour (most likely fallen angels of high standing who lead an army of demons). They kill a third part of mankind with fire, smoke, and brimstone. The survivors still refuse to repent before God, and following seven thunderous messages, which are not revealed by John, the second woe is completed.
By the sounding of the seventh trumpet (Recorded in Revelation 11:15-19 and referred to as the third “woe”), all the contenders in the final episode of the Earth, as we know it, will be in place for the final determination of the ownership and control of the earth.
These contenders are described in a series of parenthetical passages in chapters 11,12, 13, 14, 17, and 18 of the Book of Revelation. God sends two witnesses with divine protection to stand in opposition for three and a half years to the Anti-Christ, who openly revolts against God and sets himself up as the ruler of this world through the supernatural empowerment of Satan (the dragon in chapter 12 who aligns himself against Israel, symbolized by the woman, and unsuccessfully attempts to do away with Jesus, symbolized by the woman’s seed). God sends an angel to place the seal of God upon twelve thousand Jews descended from each tribe of Israel, which protects them from the Anti-Christ’s attempt to destroy the remnant of Israel.
The frustrated Anti-Christ then initiates a seal of his own and attempts to wipe out everyone on earth who refuses to accept his seal of citizenship in either their hand or forehead.
Angels are sent: (1) to announce that Jesus is ready to lay claim on the earth as His rightful inheritance and bring the long awaited judgment – wrath and destruction to sinners and fulfillment of promises to those who submit themselves to the authority and rule of God; (2) to announce the fall of Babylon – a world power which will join in an alliance with the Anti-Christ and ten kings to rule the world, but will eventually be destroyed by the Anti-Christ and his allies; and (3) to warn the inhabitants not to take the mark of the Anti-Christ. The two witnesses of God will finally be killed and left lying in the streets for the world to see and gloat over, but suddenly the whole world will witness them resurrected back to life (possibly over world-wide satellite) and whisked up into heaven. Jesus will appear in the heavens (with the army of those redeemed from the earth following Him) ready to descend into battle for the ownership of the earth. Finally, the seventh trumpet will sound – followed by lightning, voices, thundering, earthquakes and great hail descending upon the earth which will cause men’s hearts to fail them for fear of what is coming.
You can choose to humble yourself before Christ and follow Him as Lord or else accept the eventual alliance with Satan; but you have to serve one or the other.
These events, though impossible to comprehend at this time, are not science-fiction. They were revealed to the apostle John by the God who created the heavens and the earth that mankind would know there is a day of reckoning coming, and John described them as best as was possible in human terms. Our interpretation may be faulty, but the day of reckoning is certain. Joshua 24:15, “… if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.