I. THE
SEVEN TRUMPETS IN CONTEXT
The Limits of this Study
Basic Observations
The Structural Context
The Old Testament Context
The Intertestamental Background
The New Testament Context
II.
EXEGESIS OF THE SEVEN TRUMPETS
The First Trumpet
The Second Trumpet
The Third Trumpet
The Fourth Trumpet
The Fifth Trumpet
The Sixth Trumpet
Interlude
The Seventh Trumpet
III.
THE THEOLOGY OF THE SEVEN TRUMPETS
The Problem of Evil
The Visitation of Wrath
The Kingdom Comes
Conclusion
IV. ADVENTIST
INTERPRETATION OF THE TRUMPETS
Approaches to the Book of Revelation
The Adventist Approach
An Inductive Historicism
Some Historicist Perspectives
The Trumpets and History
The seven trumpets clearly end with either verse 18 or verse 19 of chapter 11. While this cannot be decided with certainty the evidence of the book's structure suggests that verse 19 belongs to chapter 12 rather than the seventh trumpet.(5) Thus we will end this study of the seven trumpets at Rev 11:18.
The interlude, Rev 10:1-11:14, breaks up the natural flow of the trumpets
and prepares the way for what is to follow in Rev 12ff. The material in
this section has been rather thoroughly interpreted by Ellen White and thus
is less puzzling to Seventh-day Adventists than the rest of chapters 8-11.
This paper will concentrate on the most enigmatic portions, 8:7-9:21 and
11:15-18. The interlude does contain, however, one point of major interest
for our study of the trumpets. This is Rev 10:7 which relates the sounding
of the seventh trumpet to the finishing of the mystery of God.
The seven trumpets, like the churches and seals before them, are preceded by a view of the heavenly sanctuary (8:2-6). The scene in verse 2 is probably based on the fact that there were seven trumpet priests in the Old Testament cultus (1 Chr 15:24; Josh 6; cf. also 1QM 3:1-11; 7:7ff.).(6) Their trumpet calls represented the prayers of God's people for deliverance in battle and forgiveness of sin (Num 10:8-10). Thus the prayers of the saints in Rev 8:3-5 are probably cries for deliverance from the oppression visited by their enemies as depicted in the seven seals.
In Rev 8:3-5 "another" angel, presumably Christ, mingles incense with the prayers of the saints upon the golden altar which is before the throne.(7) After the smoke of the incense has ascended before the throne combined with the prayers of the saints, the angel takes the censer, fills it with fire from the altar and throws it to the earth. The result of that act is thunders, noises, lightnings and an earthquake. This is immediately followed by the preparation of the seven angels for the sounding of their trumpets. Thus the activity at the altar is connected to the judgments which follow. What is the nature of this connection?
Two basic ideas are portrayed in Rev 8:3-5, mediation and judgment. Through Christ's mediation in heaven it is possible for the saints to maintain a relationship with God and to survive the plagues of the seven trumpets. While the altar stands this mediation continues, but wherever the fire falls the powers of the enemy take control. This passage contains a symbolic reminder both of God's care and concern for the believer and of His active participation in the judgments that fall on those who reject the gospel.
The daily service in the temple to which this passage points included the ministration of incense, the throwing of the sacrifice in the fire and the blowing of the temple trumpets. The blowing of the trumpets indicated that the sacrifice was complete. For the author of Revelation the sacrifice par excellence was the death of Jesus. Thus the events of the seven trumpets need to be seen in the light of the cross. It is the cross that makes mediation possible. It is rejection of the cross that brings down the wrath of God. To the extent that the trumpets portray the author's viewpoint of historical events, the beginning point is certainly the cross of Jesus Christ.
The seven trumpets themselves are, like the seals, divided into a 4-3 pattern or, perhaps more accurately, a 4-2-1 pattern. Just as the four horsemen are explicitly tied together as a unit, so are the three woes (8:13; 9:12; 11:14). The first four trumpets are set apart by Rev 8:13 and share a much briefer format than the last three. While the four horsemen specifically affect humanity, the first four trumpets fall on the natural world.
Another aspect of the seven trumpets as a whole is the apparent escalation of judgment. They increase in intensity as they progress. From plagues on the natural world, the trumpets become demonic horrors which first harm (fifth trumpet) then kill (sixth trumpet) the inhabitants of the earth. They end in the consummation of God's wrath under the seventh trumpet.
There is a basic pattern shared by most of the trumpets. First an angel sounds the trumpet, then a form appears (hailstorm, falling star), then the effects are described (burning of greenery, defiling of the springs and rivers). Each plague is limited in its sphere of operation, usually in terms of a third of something.
The purpose of the seven trumpets is indicated by Rev 9:20,21 where the
lament is raised that those who were not killed by the plagues of the sixth
trumpet nevertheless failed to repent of their idolatry, sorcery or commandment
breaking. This indicates that while the trumpets portray judgments on the
enemies of God's people (cf. 9:4), their purpose is to lead to repentance,
even though they do not succeed in doing so with the unsealed. This, combined
with the partial character of the trumpets (affecting thirds of the earth
or humanity rather than the whole as in the seven bowls), leads to the conclusion
that they are preliminary or warning judgments which prepare the way for
the end-time judgments of the latter half of the book.
Relation to the Seven Seals
There is considerable recapitulation between the seals and the trumpets.
Both begin with a scene from the heavenly sanctuary, describe a series of
plagues and then end with a portrayal of the consummation. Rev 8:5 and 11:19
are parallel following each. Such recapitulation is typical of Hebrew style
and indicates that the seals and trumpets are in relationship with each other.(8)
However, there are also significant differences between them. For one thing there is much less reference to heavenly things in the trumpets than in the seals.(9) Second, the seals are on the whole normal, non-apocalyptic plagues, while the trumpet plagues are bizarre and demonic. Third, there is an apparent reversal of content. In the seals the general focus is on humanity with plagues on nature and heavenly bodies introduced only in the sixth seal. In the trumpets, on the other hand, plagues on the natural world are found in the first four while the fifth and sixth focus on humanity. Fourth, the seals affect quarter-portions of the earth (Rev 6:8) while the trumpets affect thirds.
Finally, and most significant, the seals clearly concern the people of God and their fate in a world that opposes the gospel.(10) As such they form the counterpart of the account of the Unholy Trinity (dragon, beast and false prophet) and the remnant of the woman's seed depicted in chapters 12-14. The trumpets, in contrast, describe judgments on those who have opposed Christ through their opposition to His people and their message. Thus, the relationship between the seals and the trumpets involves both parallels and contrasts.
This relationship is, perhaps, best understood by examining the apparent connection between the fifth seal and the introduction to the seven trumpets (Rev 8:3-5). In the fifth seal (Rev 6:9-11) John sees martyred souls under "the" altar crying out "How long, O Lord, the Holy and True One, do you not judge and avenge our blood upon those who live on the earth (tôn katoikountôn epi tês gês)?"(11) These souls are given white robes and told to rest a short while until "the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed."(12)
Since the question "how long" is not really answered in the fifth seal, the reader anticipates that things will be clarified later on in the book. Thus it is not surprising that there are later references to numbered groups of God's people (chapter 7), prayer (8:3-5) and those who dwell on the earth (8:13; 11:10; 13:8,14, etc.). Very significant is the reference in Rev 8:13, which stands at the structural center of the seven trumpets.(13) This verse indicates that the trumpet plagues fall on "those who live on the earth," the same group which was martyring the saints, referred to in 6:9-11 as the "souls under the altar." The spiritual connection between the trumpets and the fifth seal is made in Rev 8:3-5 where incense from the golden altar is mingled with "the prayers of the saints (tais proseuchais tôn hagiôn)."(14) This scene symbolizes Christ's intercession for His saints. He responds to their prayers by casting His censer to the earth, with frightful results.
This connection between the altar of 6:9-11 and that of 8:3-5 indicates that the seven trumpets are God's response to the prayers of the saints for vengeance on those who have persecuted and martyred them. The martyrs were anxious for the judgment to begin but it was delayed until all the seals had been opened.(15)
In verse 5 the altar which receives the prayers of the saints becomes the
source from which judgments are poured out on the wicked in response (cf.
9:13-15; 14:18-20 and 16:4-7). When the fire of purification from the altar
contacts the earth, it provokes disasters.(16)
The same fire which purifies can also destroy. The censer of judgment and
the censer of prayer become one. Thus the seven trumpets should be understood
as God's judgment-response to the prayers of the martyrs, resulting in justice
being done with respect to those who persecuted the saints.
Relation to the Rest of the Book
What relation do the seven trumpets have to the rest of the book of Revelation? In chapters 10 and 11, where the seventh trumpet is first mentioned, we have a vision which contains the first mention of a number of elements such as the "beast" and the "great city" which form a major part of visions in the latter half of the book. This element of "preview" is particularly prominent in 11:18 which offers a summary introduction of the final battle described in chapters 12 through 22.
Rev 11:18 contains five statements which point to five sections of the second half of the Apocalypse. "The nations were angry" (ta ethnê ôrgisthêsan) is elaborated in 12:17ff. where the dragon was angry with the woman (ôrgisthê ho drakôn) and went away to make war with the remnant of her seed by means of the sea and land beasts which he calls up in chapter 13.
The next statement in 11:18, "and your wrath came" (kai êlthen hê orgê sou), is a reference to the seven last plagues in their context (Rev 15-18). These bowl plagues are summarized in 15:1: "And I saw another great and wondrous sign in heaven, seven angels having the seven last plagues, because in them the wrath of God is consummated (etelesthê ho thumos tou theou)."(17) The two woes of Rev 9 are truly horrendous. The reader expects the most frightening plague of all with the arrival of the third woe in 11:15ff. But the seventh trumpet is mostly rejoicing and has only a minimal mention of negative events. Thus the third woe is the seven last plagues of the bowls.
With "the time to judge the dead" (ho kairos tôn nekrôn krithênai) we have an apparent reference to the judgment of the great white throne in Rev 20:11-15. This points the reader to the context of the millennium and its aftermath.
The time of rewards (dounai ton misthon tous doulois sou . . .) is mentioned again in 22:12 where Jesus rewards His faithful ones at His Second Coming. The contrasting reward "to destroy those who are destroying the earth" (diaphtheirai tous diaphtheirontas tên gên), is mentioned in 19:2 which summarizes the results of the plagues and the fall of Babylon.
It is clear from the above analysis that the seventh trumpet is a summary
statement in advance of the contents of the rest of the book of Revelation.
As such the seven trumpets have a certain structural relationship to the
events portrayed in chapters 12-22. This relationship is especially striking
in terms of the parallels and contrasts between the trumpets and the seven
bowls.(18)
The Three Series of Plagues
In a study of the seals, trumpets and bowls, then, there is a tension between recapitulation and contrast. As noted earlier, one of the most significant contrasts is in the territorial limitations of the seals and the trumpets as opposed to the bowl plagues.(19) Thus there is a dramatic crescendo of judgment in the seals, trumpets and plagues.(20) The seals and the trumpets are preliminary and partial in character in comparison with the bowls which consummate the wrath of God.(21)
Therefore, the trumpets should not be interpreted in terms of the final
consummation, although they lead up to it. They are limited territorially
to thirds of the earth, they are limited to periods of time (five months)
and they are limited in their destructive capacity (9:5,6). By contrast,
the bowls are an advancement in the state of God's judgments. They are called
the seven "last" plagues. In them God's wrath is for the first time brought
to its full completion. They are poured out with reference to the beast while
there is no mention of the beast in the trumpets until just before the seventh.
The result of the plagues is that the redeemed, the product of the Christian
era, stand by the sea. Thus the author intended the reader to see the plagues
as the consummation of the end-time while the trumpets point to a series of
events that lead up to the end-time.
Summary of Structural Context
The various structural elements that have been noted in the relationship of the trumpets to the material which precedes and follows indicate that chapters 4-11 of Revelation should be understood as parallel to 12-18. Both the seals and the crisis of chapters 12-14 are related to the experience of the church in its proclamation of the gospel despite severe persecution. The trumpets, on the other hand, are parallel to the bowls in their focus on the enemies of God's people who are being judged for their rejection of the gospel and their persecution of those who proclaimed it.
By way of contrast, however, the seals and the trumpets share a partial
and preliminary character in relation to the later descriptions. They are
not dealing with the consummation but are leading up to it. Thus the author
wants the reader to understand that the seals and the trumpets concern the
character of the age leading from his day to the end, while the crisis of
12-14 and the bowls are concerned primarily with the end-time consummation
itself.(22) This series of inter-relationships
in the heart of the book of Revelation can be illustrated by means of the
following table:
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Although there are nine different Hebrew words that refer either to the
act of blowing a trumpet or to the instrument itself,(23) there is only one root structure for trumpeting
in New Testament Greek.(24) This word group
is found 134 times in the Greek Old Testament. Through a careful study of
all the passages, the various usages have been grouped into the following
categories:
| Liturgy and Worship Worship in the Context of Battle Other Battle Usages Warning Coronations Signaling Theophany |
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Liturgy and worship involve the use of the trumpet in the context of the temple rituals, hymns and related activities of corporate worship. In addition the trumpet also had a liturgical significance in battle. The battle trumpets of Israel were to be handled only by the priests. General references to battle trumpets and incidents where someone other than a priest used the trumpet are combined under the category Other Battle Usages. The category of Warning arises primarily from Ezek 33, although it may well play a subsidiary role in some of the other usages as well.(25) The category of Signaling has primary reference to Num 10 which contains marching orders for the Israelite camp.(26) Trumpets were prominent also in the coronations of ancient Israel and in the enthronement Psalms (such as Ps 47) which looked forward to the time when God's kingdom would be established over the whole earth.(27) Trumpets were also associated with theophanies in Exodus 19 and Zech 9:14. While this association is rare in the OT, it becomes a predominant emphasis in the NT.(28)
Thus, the predominant usage of trumpets in the OT is in a liturgical context. The key theological passage is Num 10:8-10:
In addition to their background in OT trumpeting, the seven trumpets point back to such OT events as creation,(30) the Exodus(31) and the fall of Jericho.(32) There is also frequent reference to the book of Joel(33) and "thirds" appear in a number of places.(34) Joel and the "thirds" are most closely related to the themes of exile and return in the prophets, thus the seven trumpets point to aspects of the three major events of OT history, the Creation-Fall, the Exodus and the Exile/Return.(35)
In a subtle manner the author of Revelation combines the plagues on Egypt
with Joshua's attack on Jericho. As at Jericho, the trumpets precede the
fall of a great city (cf. Rev 11 and 18), and the entrance of God's people
into the promised land (cf. Rev 21 and 22). The trumpets, however, are also
part of what Strand has called the "Exodus from Egypt / Fall of Babylon"
motif.(36) While most of the plagues are
based directly on the Exodus motif, we really have a blending of the Exodus
with the Exile.(37) The extent of this blending
can be seen in the fact that in Revelation Jericho has become Babylon. It
is Babylon which falls after the blowing of the trumpet. As with the Exodus
and the Return from Babylonian exile, the trumpets are a covenant execution
on the part of God. He judges the wicked for their opposition to Him and
His people, in the process delivering the righteous and preparing the way
for their inheritance of the kingdom (cf. the shout of Rev 11:15).
Trumpets were also associated during this period with signaling in battle,(43) and prayer,(44)
but these themes play a minor role in the thought of the period as far as
we can reconstruct it from the extant literature. The association of trumpets
with judgment and the eschaton is the predominant emphasis with overtones
of liturgical war, so common in the OT, only in the War Scroll of Qumran.
In the NT the salpigx/salpizein word group has taken over all the
Greek and Hebrew meanings of trumpet and trumpeting which the NT writers
considered pertinent to their writings. These two words appear in the NT
a total of 23 times. Of these, two can be ignored for the purposes of our
study.(45) Of the other 21 usages, 14 are
found in Rev 8-11. Before we look at that passage we will study the other
seven usages, which appear to fall into two groups.
Trumpets as theophany
Heb 12:19 alludes to Exod 19:13-19. The cloud, the darkness and the storm
are all theophanic phenomena. The author of Hebrews contrasts the security
of the one who accepts Christ (v. 22-24) with the terror and gloom of the
mountain of the law. Another theophanic use of the trumpet can be found
in Rev 1:10 cf. 4:1. In both passages there is a movement from theophany
to Christophany. The NT writers came to equate Jesus Christ with the Yahweh
of the OT.
Trumpets and the Parousia
Trumpets appear four other times in the NT in connection with passages dealing
with the Parousia (Matt 24:31; 1 Cor 15:51,52; 1 Thess 4:16,17). The trumpets
may have been understood as a symbol of the voice of Christ that awakens the
dead (cf. John 5:28,29). In these four passages the language of theophany
is associated with the Parousia and the end-time resurrection of the dead.
Thus the predominant usage of trumpets in the New Testament outside the seven
trumpets is in relation to theophany or, more accurately, Christophany.
New Testament Use of the Old
The interpreter of the seven trumpets must not only be aware of allusions to the NT in the seven trumpets but of the general impact the NT has on the use of the OT in the book of Revelation. Unless we see how the NT transforms the history and the symbolism of the OT we will tend to interpret Revelation in terms of the OT background rather than seeing the unique use that John has made of this OT material.(46)
In the NT, the things of Yahweh and the things of Israel tend to be applied to Jesus Christ. Theophanies become Christophanies. The Day of Yahweh becomes the day of Jesus Christ. As the blowing of trumpets in the OT related to the things of Yahweh and Israel, so in the NT they are related to Jesus and His people.
The Exodus from Egypt is applied in the primary sense to the death of Christ on the cross and in a secondary sense to the experience of every believer in Christ (Rom 6:3-6; 1 Cor 10:1-13). As do the plagues of Egypt, the trumpet plagues precede an exodus, but it is not the exodus of ancient Israel or of the Jews of the author's day, it is the exodus of the church from exile in spiritual Babylon that is preceded by the trumpets. As the history and the imagery of the OT is freely applied to Christ in the NT, the things of Israel are just as freely applied to the church. Instead of a literal-local-ethnic Israel surrounded by literal enemies such as Babylon, the NT Israel is a spiritual-worldwide-universal body of believers who have spiritual enemies such as spiritual Babylon which consists of all those who actively refuse to accept Christ and thus seek to persecute those who follow Him.
Thus when John, in the seven trumpets, alludes to the experiences of Israel
in the OT, he has the church in mind. When he alludes to Yahweh, he generally
has Christ in mind. When he alludes to Babylon, Egypt, Assyria or Edom he
has the opposers of the gospel of Jesus Christ in mind. Thus, the author
of Revelation is able to update the entire OT and make it relevant for the
situations faced by followers of Jesus. The seven trumpets have a Christian
message that was relevant to the churches in Asia Minor as well as to us.
Thus, it is the task of this chapter to unlock the meaning of the language
used in the seven trumpets as it would have been understood in the first
century. The interpretation of the passage from a 20th century perspective
will be left for the next chapter. To accomplish this exegetical task, each
trumpet will be translated into English, then relevant allusions and symbols
drawn from other literature will be listed. Finally, an attempt will be made
to show the deeper meaning behind the symbols that an intelligent first century
reader would have understood.
| 7:1-3 | 11:19 |
| 8:5 | 14:18 |
| 9:4 | 16:21 |
| 11:5 | 20:10,14,15 |
| Ezod 9:23-26 | Ezek 38:22 |
| Isa 10:16-20 | Zech 13:8-9 |
| Ezek 5:1-4 |
Moderately Certain
| Exod 7:17ff. | Isa 30:30 |
| Deut 32:22 | Jer 11:16-17 |
| Ps 18:13 | Jer 21:12-14 |
| Ps 80:8-11,15,16 | Ezek 15:6-7 |
| Ps 105:32 | Ezek 20:47-48 |
| Isa 28:2 | Joel 2:30-31 |
Symbolic Concepts (Echoes)
| Hail | Earth |
| Fire | Trees |
| Blood | Grass |
Contemporary Literature
4 Ezra 5:8 in context
Sib Or V:376-378
Wis Sol 16:16-24
New Testament Allusions
Reasonably Certain
Matt 3:10
Luke 12:49
Luke 23:28-31
Uncertain
Rom 8:20ff.
1 Cor 3:13-14
Jude 11-12
Exegetical Meaning
In the first trumpet John draws on the imagery of God's judgments on Egypt
(Exod 9:23-26), Assyria (Isa 10:16-20), Gog (Ezek 38:22) and Jerusalem (Ezek
5:1-4). It is clear that the language of the first trumpet describes an act
of God's judgment against a power that opposes Him. In the OT these judgments
were covenant related, thus could be turned on God's own people when they
broke the covenant (Deut 32:15-22). The later prophets, especially, applied
the hail and fire of God's judgments more and more to Israel and Judah (Ps
80:8-16; Isa 28:2; Jer 11:16,17; 21:12-14; Ezek 15:65,7; 20:47,48).
In the OT, hail and fire symbolized weapons of God's wrath used in judgment on His enemies (Exod 9:23-26; Job 38:22; Ps 18:13; Isa 10:16-20; 28:2; 29:1-6; Jer 21:12-14).(47) Blood symbolized violently destroyed life (Gen 9:5,6; 1 Kgs 2:5; Ps 79:3; Mic 3:10). The earth symbolized the habitable portion of the planet, and in contrast to the sea, the land of Israel itself (Isa 28:2; Lev 26: Jer 9:10-12). Fresh grass was a symbol of God's people while dry grass portrayed the fate of evildoers (Isa 44:3,4; Ps 37:1,2). Fruitful trees were particularly associated with the faithful followers of Yahweh (Ps 1:3; 52:8; 92:12,13; Isa 61:3) while dry or wild vegetation symbolized the unfaithfulness of Israel (Isa 5:1-7; Jer 2:21; Ezek 15:6,7; 20:47,48; Hos 10:1).(48)
In Revelation, as in the OT, hail and fire are associated with heavenly things and with God's judgments on His enemies (Rev 16:21; 20:10,14,15) and the enemies of His people (8:5; 11:5). Greenery is also a symbol of God's people who are usually protected by His seal (7:1-3; 9:4). Thus the greenery here represents followers of God who are not protected and thus have probably forsaken the covenant. The thirds are best understood as portions of Satan's kingdom which has three parts (Rev 16:14,19).(49)
Thus the first trumpet portrays a judgment of God, in response to the prayers
of the saints, which falls on a portion of Satan's kingdom that may once
have given allegiance to God's kingdom. Do we have any idea with whom the
readers of the Apocalypse would have identified this judgment? In Matt 3:10
trees were a symbol of fruitless Jews who had rejected John the Baptist's
message and thus were exposed to the fire of Messianic judgment that Jesus
would pour out (Matt 3:12; Luke 12:49). In Luke 23:28-31 Jesus applied the
imagery of dying trees to the destruction of Jerusalem. If a righteous man
such as He can be treated as He was what will be the fate of a rebellious
and wicked nation, who crucifies its redeemer? These NT references make it
virtually certain that John intended his readers to see in the first trumpet
the fate of the Jewish nation that had rejected Jesus as its Messiah.
| 6:12-17 | 17:16 |
| 12:12 | 18:8,9,18 |
| 16:4-6 | 18:17-19 |
| 17:1-3 | 18:21 |
| 17:9 | 18:24 |
Old Testament Allusions
Reasonably Certain
Gen 1:20,21
Exod 7:19-21
Exod 19:16-20 Ps-J
Jer 51:24,25,41,42
Moderately Certain
Ps 46:2-3
Isa 10:16-18
Symbolic Concepts
| Mountain | Blood |
| Fire | Sea Creatures |
| Sea | Ships |
Contemporary Literature
| 1 Enoch 18:13-16 | 2 Baruch 10:1-3 |
| 1 Enoch 21:3-10 | 2 Baruch 11:1 |
| 1 Enoch 108:4-6 | 2 Baruch 67:7 |
| 4 Ezra 3:1,2,28-31 | Sib Or V:143,158,159 |
| 4 Ezra 13:21-24 |
New Testament Allusions
Matt 21:21
Matt 13:47-50
Luke 5:1-10
Luke 21:25
Exegetical Meaning
While the burning mountain might have brought the eruption of Vesuvius in
79 AD to the first century mind, the second trumpet is built primarily on
the Old Testament. Gen 1:20,21 is the source of the language with which the
author describes the fish that are destroyed in the sea. The bloody water
and the dead fish are reminiscent of the plagues on Egypt (Exod 7:19-21).
The Pseudo-Jonathan Targum to the Penteteuch causes one to suspect that
John may have had the theophany on Sinai in mind as he wrote here (Exod 19:16-20
Ps-J). The most significant Old Testament allusion in the second trumpet is
the reference to Jer 51. Just as the Euphrates River is the means by which
the original Babylon fell, so the sea here swallows up another Babylon. In
Isa 10:16-18 the reference is to the fall of Assyria. While the Old Testament
background of the first trumpet suggests that the plague falls on a power
that once followed God but has now broken the covenant, the Old Testament
background to the second trumpet points to a judgment on Gentile nations rather
than an apostate Israel.
As with the first trumpet, there are six symbolic concepts in Rev 8:8,9. A mountain can symbolize a nation (Isa 13:4; Jer 51; Isa 10), God's throne (Isa 2:2,3; 14:12-14; Ezek 28:14) or an obstacle to faith (Zech 4:7-10). Of the three the first is the most relevant to the context of the second trumpet. Fire, as in the first trumpet, is a symbol of violently destroyed life. In 1 Enoch (18:13-16; 108:4-6) the burning of a mountain indicates that it is subject to God's judgment as was the case with the mountain of Babylon in Jer 51. The sea is most likely to be understood in terms of nations in opposition to God (Isa 57:20; 17:12,13; Jer 51:41,42; cf. Rev 13:1ff.; 16:12; 17:15). Sea creatures are a symbol of people (Ezek 29:5; Hab 1:14). The destruction of fish is symbolic of God's judgment upon evildoers (Hag 4:3; Zeph 1:3). Ships are symbolic of the sources of a nation's wealth and its pride in being able to take care of itself (Ezek 27:26; 2 Chr 20:37; Isa 2:16). The destruction of ships leads to economic chaos resulting in the humiliation of that nation (Rev 18:17-19).
In Revelation "great mountain" clearly points to ancient Babylon as a symbol of the end-time opposers of Christ and His people (17:1-3,9; 18:21). This end-time Babylon is symbolically destroyed by fire as was the first (Rev 17:16; 18:8,9,18). The fact that there is only one mountain in Rev 8:8 and seven mountains in Rev 17:9 indicates that this plague does not fall on the end-time Babylon of Rev 17 but on a preliminary manifestation of that Babylon.(50) The blood in the second trumpet probably represents a reversal of the persecution of God's people by the wicked (cf. Rev 16:4-6; 18:24). They receive in kind for what they have done. The sea appears to be a reference to the Euphrates, the waters of Babylon (9:14; 16:12; 17:1,15). In summary, the second trumpet is a judgment of God, in response to the prayers of the saints, which falls on an enemy of God's people. This enemy is represented by a great burning mountain which is identified with ancient Babylon.(51) In judgment God burns the mountain and casts it into the sea of wicked nations, resulting in economic and commercial chaos for the ancient world.
Do we have any idea with whom the readers of the Apocalypse would have identified this judgment? It was common in first century Judaism to use Babylon as a cryptic reference to Rome.(52) Would John have been likely to do the same? Matt 21:21 relates the moving of mountains to Christian faith. A mountain is any power that opposes the establishment of Jesus' kingdom. In Luke 21:25 the unruly sea represents the wicked nations of the world in an unsettled state. In Luke 5:1-10 and Matt 13:47-50 the fish of the sea represent individuals to whom the gospel is preached. Thus the symbols are used similarly to the OT but in a Christ-centered context.
The mountain facing Jesus and His disciples in Matt 21 was the opposition
of the Jewish nation to Jesus. By the time Revelation was written a far
larger mountain had erected itself in the path of Christ's kingdom, Rome.
Rome was not the end-time Babylon for John, but its persecution and ridicule
hindered the preaching of the gospel and tempted many Christians to apostatize
from the faith. Given the weight of evidence it is likely that a first century
reader would understand the second trumpet as a prediction that the Roman
Empire was soon to fall along with its entire social order. Although the Empire
was used by God as the executor of His covenant on the Jewish nation, its
hostility toward Christ and his people, and its persecution of them called
for its ultimate downfall. When that time came it would apparently be as the
result of universal revulsion. She would sink beneath the waves of a sea
of nations. The result would be the devastation of the whole economic and
social order.
Rivers and fountains, when pure, are sources of life in the Old Testament (Deut 8:7,8; Ps 1:3). Thus they became symbols of spiritual nourishment (Ps 36:8,9; Jer 17:8,13; Prov 14:27; Ezek 47:1-12). Impure fountains, on the other hand, would have the opposite spiritual effect (Prov 25:26). Bitter water cannot sustain life and growth.
Wormwood and bitterness are associated together in Lam 3:15,19. In Deuteronomy wormwood represents anyone who turns away from Yahweh into idolatry (Deut 29:17,18). In Jeremiah it symbolizes the punishment Yahweh was planning to mete out because of Judah's apostasy (Jer 9:15: 23:15). The Marah experience is also a close parallel to the third trumpet (Exod 15:23). The children of Israel were dying of thirst. With great anticipation, they approached the spring-fed oasis of Marah only to find that there was no life in the bitter water.
Other parts of the New Testament also contain parallels to the third trumpet. In Luke 10:18 Satan is the one who fell from heaven. Similar imagery is used in Rev 12 where the dragon's tail sweeps a third of the stars of heaven to earth before being thrown to the earth himself (Rev 12:3,4,9). In the Gospel of John "living" spring water is a symbol of what Jesus brings to the believer through the Holy Spirit (John 4:10-14; 7:37-39).
What was John trying to say with by means of these images? The overwhelming flavor of this account is one of apostasy. Stars and fountains are positive images in Scripture but here John drew on passages such as Isa 14 and Deut 29 where a good thing becomes evil due to apostasy. The little horn of Dan 8 also encourages apostasy in its usurpation of the sanctuary service. Such apostasy is the first step on the road to spiritual death in that it results in a distortion of the source of spiritual nourishment, the Word of God. Through distorted views of God the Scriptures are made of no effect in giving life to the people.
The early church was aware that apostasy loomed large in its future (Acts
20:28-31; 2 Thess 2; 1 Tim 4:1ff.). It was also aware that pure doctrine
can only be maintained with diligent effort (1 Tim 4:1,2; 1 John 4:1-3; Jude
3,4). The message of the third trumpet underlines these convictions. The removal
of Rome and Judaism as effective opponents would have seemed to open the
way for the church's advancement and growth. But John warns in apocalyptic
language that such a removal only diverts Satan's attack. He then will concentrate
on destroying the church from within, knowing that if the church's life-giving
message can be subtly distorted, mankind will fail to find the spiritual nourishment
it needs, but instead will find only bitterness. Indications that this iniquity
was already at work in John's lifetime are found in New Testament books such
as 1 Corinthians, Galatians, Colossians and Hebrews.
This passage is strongly based on the darkness of the ninth plague on Egypt (Exod 10:21-23) and the lamentation over Pharaoh in Ezek 32:2-8. Darkness is one of the curses of the covenant (Deut 28:29). The sun is a symbol of the Word of God in the Old Testament (Ps 19; 119:105). The moon represents beauty and fertility (SS 6:10; Deut 33:14). Stars represent angels and the people of God (Dan 8:10; 12:3). The choice of symbolism points to a partial obliteration of the Word of God resulting in spiritual darkness.
John seems to be pointing to an attack on God's word and His people that is of a different nature than that of the third trumpet. While wormwood represented a distortion of the Word of God the fourth trumpet results in the obliteration of that word. It is no longer visible. In the third trumpet people continued to drink from the springs, hoping to gain life, in the fourth trumpet the very presence of the life-giving sources is removed.
John seems to be pointing to a new power which would oppose the truth and the people of God in a more direct way. Perhaps the model for such a power can be found in the Pharaoh of the Exodus, who denied the very existence of Yahweh (Exod 5:2). It is difficult to know what kind of movement John would have had in mind, likely he was pointing to something completely new.
There is a seeming contradiction in that the trumpets are judgments of God
on the enemies of His people, yet the third and fourth trumpets seem to be
attacks on the gospel and those who proclaim it. But God's judgments come
in two forms in the Bible. There is the judgment of open intervention as in
2 Kgs 19 where 185,000 Assyrians were slain. Similar is the sending of Cyrus
to defeat Babylon in order to free Israel. On the other hand, as in Rom 1,
God's judgments often come in the form of permitting people and nations to
reap the consequences of their own actions (cf. Hos 4:17). Thus, while the
direct enemies of the church are removed in the first two trumpets, God permits
an apostasy which results in two new enemies, one from within and one from
without. In its apostasy the church, as with Judaism, becomes an enemy of
God's true people.
Transition
That God also had a hand in the unlocking of the abyss is clear for a number of reasons. 1) The divine passives (vv. 1,3,5). 2) The star fell from heaven. 3) The locusts receive exousia. 4) In Exod 19:18 the "smoke of the furnace" arises from the presence of Yahweh on Mt. Sinai. 5) Locusts in the Old Testament are a symbol of God's judgment.
The abyss is a symbol that has reference to the past, the present and the future. It is reminiscent of the earth in its precreation chaotic condition (Gen 1:2). Thus it could represent those who are in opposition to God's re-creation in Christ. On the other hand, the abyss is the abode of demons in the present (Luke 8:28-31). It also looks forward to the fate of the wicked (Gen 10:22 Pal Targ) and is associated with the beast of the end-time (Rev 11:7; 17:8).
The smoke which arises out of the abyss does not dim the sun, it eclipses it. The sun is still there but is no longer seen by the "earth-dwellers." This darkness is a connection to the fourth trumpet, which depicted the rise of a power which sought to blot out the knowledge of God. In Gen 19 the smoke of a great furnace describes the destruction of godless Sodom (cf. 11:8).
Verse 3 introduces locusts which have the power of scorpions. Locusts would symbolize quantity while scorpions symbolize harmfulness toward mankind. This heightens the terror of the description. In the ancient Near East locusts and scorpion men were symbols of the rulers of the underworld (cf. v. 11). The locusts here are not literal for they attack men, not vegetation, and they have a king over them, unlike natural locusts (Rev 9:4,11 cf. Prov 30:27).
Locusts are used in the Old Testament as symbols of God's judgments (Ps 78:46; Deut 28:42,45; 1 Kgs 8:37). These are often directed at those who have apostatized from following Him (Joel 1:4-18; 2:1-11; Jer 4; Gen 6-9). As such they could only be turned back through repentance at the Sanctuary (1 Kgs 8:35-40; 2 Chr 7:13,14; Joel 2:12-17).
The locusts of the fifth trumpet arise from the abyss, which is devoid of vegetation (cf. targum to Gen 1:2), in order to turn the earth into an abyss like their own. But this God does not permit (Rev 9:4). God's people are safe from the demonic forces of Satan (Luke 10:17-20; 8:28-31) which arise out of the abyss. God has given them a mark of protection (Gen 4:15 cf. Ezek 9:4). On the other hand, the fate of those who have rejected Christ is horrible. The king of the abyss torments his own subjects as with scorpions (2 Chr 10;11,14). These torments are to be understood as spiritual not physical. In Ps 71:20,21 the abyss is paralleled to "many and bitter troubles." Death is sought by those in bitterness and grief, for whom life has lost its meaning.(54) This torment is to some degree self-inflicted. Their unbelief has driven them into foolish practices which reap a harvest of despair (Rom 1:21-26).
It is possible to make too much of the elaborate description of the locusts. Perhaps they symbolize human beings inspired by Satan (Rev 9:7,8,11). Whether man or demon, these fiends "are as strong as horses, as powerful as kings, as cunning as the wiliest man, as seductive as a beautiful woman, and they can cause pain like a scorpion."(55) In verse 11 Satan's names (Apollyon and Abaddon) are personifications of death, the fate of the wicked (Job 26:6; 31:12; Ps 88:11). This fits in with the character of one who was a murderer and a liar from the beginning (John 8:44). He exercises his lies through the tails of the locust-men (Isa 9:15). Just as his confinement to the abyss (Rev 20:1-3 restricts his deceptions, so the opening of the abyss is the release of his deceptions to do their deadly work. In those who reject Christ the light of truth is extinguished by Satan (cf. 2 Thess 2:9-12--with God's permission).
John apparently foresaw a time when the darkness of the fourth trumpet would
become total and worldwide, limited only by a period of time (five months).(56) With God and truth totally eclipsed, sinful
mankind is left to the demonic torment of suicidal desires. Here in graphic
terms the author of Revelation has portrayed the ultimate results of apostasy
and opposition to God. In all this the only safety belongs to the sealed.
In Christ they are free from darkness and despair. Regardless of when John's
readers thought this plague would appear they would perceive a powerful appeal
to stay true to the gospel no matter what the temporal consequences.
Transition
In verse 14 there is an interesting contrast to Rev 7:1-3. Four angels are bound at the great river Euphrates. Their release brings great evil to mankind. On the other hand, in chapter 7 the angels are at the extremities of the earth and restrain evil by holding it back. Thus these two groups of angels are not the same. Since the winds of Rev 7 and the angels of 9:14 are both restrained and produce evil results when released, they may well be symbols of the same thing. If so it is likely that the sixth trumpet reveals a later development of the situation in Rev 7:1-3. Thus, the events of this plague take place in the very shadow of the consummation.
The Euphrates River was the northern border of the land promised to Abraham (Gen 15:18; Josh 1:4, etc.). The language here is reminiscent of Isa 8:7,8 where the Assyrian invasion of Judah is described in terms of the Euphrates River overflowing its banks and flooding Palestine. Here again the Euphrates is the source of a great assault against God's people. This plague appears to be a gathering of the forces of evil for the final battle (cf. 16:13-16; 20:7-9).
It is arguable whether the hour, day, month and year of 9:15 are to be understood as successive periods of time or as the point of time at which the angels are released. The grammar leans in favor of the latter. In either case the time of release should probably be associated with the decisive moment of Rev 10:6 when chronos comes to an end.
As in Rev 7:4, John doesn't see 200,000,000 horsemen in 9:16, he hears the number. This is Satan's host in contrast to the sealed of God who number 144,000. In verses 17-19 the horsemen are equipped with material from the lake of fire. This plague is a composite with the fifth trumpet, for the horsemen not only harm men with the fire, smoke and sulphur which comes out of their mouths but with their tails, which remind one of 9:10. The flavor of these images reminds one of the beasts of chapter 13 and the frogs which come out of their mouths in 16:13. Thus the sixth trumpet is related to the account of the final crisis in Rev 13-16.
In Rev 9:20,21 there are many references to the fall of Babylon in the Old Testament. The images of idolatry are drawn from Dan 5:4,23; a description of Babylon just before the Euphrates River dried up! Verse 21 is based on Isa 47:9-12, a prediction of Babylon's fall.
In summary, this trumpet is based on imagery that points in two directions.
There are references to Babylon in the Old Testament and its river, the
Euphrates. And there are many connections with the three-fold Babylon of
the end-time crisis. Since the closest parallels are with Rev 16:12,13 it
seems reasonable to suggest that John was here portraying the gathering of
Satan's host which precedes the battle of Armageddon. With this plague we
clearly enter the arena of final events.
The view of Satan's host in Rev 9:13-21 is balanced by a view of the experience
of God's people during this period in Rev 10:1-11:14. They are seen in terms
of the fulfillment of Daniel's time prophecies (Rev 10:6 cf. Dan 12:7). Their
task is the proclamation of the gospel to the world so that the end can come
(Matt 24:14; Mark 13:10).
The seventh trumpet irreversibly sets the final events in motion. The Godhead reclaims the kingdom of the world to the rejoicing of heaven. The nations, led by the dragon, make their last attempt to prevent this. The battle of Armageddon, between the wrath of the nations and the wrath of God, is fought. The result is victory for Almighty God, reward for the saints and destruction for their enemies.
Thus the seventh trumpet contains a summary foretaste of the final victory
of God and a summary introduction of the third woe, the climax of all evil.
The seventh trumpet has set the stage for the complete outline of final
events that begins in chapter 12.
In his Theology of the New Testament George Eldon Ladd suggests that
there are three main elements in a theology of the book of Revelation: the
problem of evil, the visitation of God's wrath and the coming of the kingdom
of God.(57) While these suggestions sound
a bit thin for the Apocalypse as a whole, they seem to summarize the basic
theology of the seven trumpets quite well.
As has been pointed out, the trumpets are to be understood as a response to the prayers of the souls under the altar in the fifth seal. The cry "how long" has a rich background in the OT.(58) It is used there to represent how God's people feel when He seems slow to fulfill His promises to deliver them from their oppressors. "How long" summarizes in two words humanity's age-old complaint against God, "If You are so good, why does evil reign? How long will You permit it to continue? Are You evil Yourself, or just powerless?"
The problem was acute enough in OT times. But the NT heightens and intensifies the questioning. A change has come, the last days have arrived, a "new age" has dawned. All power has been given to Christ (Matt 28:18). The prince of this world has been cast out by the cross (John 12:31,32). Yet in spite of all these claims, evil still seems to reign. The NT would be a farce if it did not address this question. The intensity of the problem is certainly recognized in the book of Revelation:
"Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
`Now have come the salvation
and the power
and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Christ.
For the accuser of our brothers,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down.
They overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony
they did not love their lives so much
as to shrink from death.
Therefore rejoice, you heavens
and you who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea,
because the devil has gone down to you!
He is filled with fury,
because he knows that his time is short.'"
Here the tension is directly portrayed. Yes, the cross has fundamentally changed the order of the universe. Yes, the accuser of our brothers has been cast down. Yes, he is overcome. Nevertheless, he is still alive and his sting can still be felt, even unto death (verse 11). There are still martyrs and great tribulations. There are churches like Smyrna who are all but crushed out for the faith. What answer does the book offer to the question "how long?"
The seals and the trumpets seem designed to deal with this issue. Rev 5 sets the stage with the symbolic depiction of the cross followed by the enthronement of the Lamb (vv. 6,9-14). The scenes described are so glorious that one would expect them to lead to the climax of all world history, the end of suffering and death. But it is immediately clear that this is not the case. Chapter 6 opens with a series of horsemen who spread carnage over the earth. That this carnage affects the Christian community is apparent from the fifth seal. How long will this carnage go on? Why is there a delay in enthroning the Lamb over the entire earth?
The flow of the book suggests that the seven trumpets provide the answer
to the problem of evil as expressed in the fifth seal. The trumpets open
the veil of history to show that God's hand is still in control in spite
of the fact that, to human eyes, the world is out of control. Nothing is
done without His permission. The very events of history which seem to indicate
that things are out of control are seen to be under His control. The answer
of the book of Revelation to the question of the fifth seal lies in the other
theological themes of the seven trumpets.
God's judgments of wrath have a long history in both the Old and the New Testaments. OT judgments consisted primarily of historical acts of God. Such judgments were always in relation to God's covenant with His people, and provided an anticipation of the great final day of judgment.
In the NT the final judgment is divided into two great phases centered around the cross and the Parousia. In both cases judgment is in relation to Christ and the gospel. The judgments of the seven trumpets are also related to Christ. They are in response to the prayers of the saints; those who are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb (5:9,10 cf. 21:11). The dividing line between the wicked and the righteous is drawn in relation to the cross of Christ. Judgments fall on those who have rejected Christ and His cross, while those who have accepted his seal (cf. Eph 1:13 and 4:30) are not harmed by these judgments (Rev 9:4-6).(59)
Judgment in the trumpets is also covenant-related. Thus if God is acting in judgment in the trumpets, it is for the purpose of delivering the righteous. Although this is not explicitly stated in the passage, we must not forget that the trumpets are in response to a cry for deliverance. In the judgments on His enemies God is acting to bring justice and deliverance for His people.
Last, but not least, the judgment plagues of the seven trumpets of Revelation are all anticipations of the great final judgment. They are moving toward a climax. This is shown by the intimate relationship they bear to the seven bowls, which are the consummation of the wrath of God. Each trumpet is a foretaste and a warning of the great final judgment.
In these judgments, the author of Revelation has sought to provide an answer
to the problem of evil; although the saints cannot perceive it, God is in
full control of history and nothing touches His people but with the permission
of infinite love. Although invisible the kingdom of God is real. The divine
passives clearly indicate that the trumpets are from God and are under His
control. Although the saints suffer, God is still in sovereign control over
history and both suffering and judgment are limited for the sake of His people.
The climax of the seven trumpets comes with Rev 11:15:
"The seventh angel sounded his trumpet,
and there were loud voices in heaven, which said:
`The kingdom of the world
has become the kingdom of our Lord
and of His Christ,
and He will reign for ever and ever.'"
This depicts the enthronement of God and Christ over all the nations of the world. The passage finds its root in Exod 15:18 where Yahweh is said to reign forever and ever as a result of the crossing of the sea. Prior to the events of the poem the Israelites were subjected to bitter bondage. God could not be enthroned as the ruler of His people until the oppression of the Egyptians had been brought to an end. Exod 15 was the celebration of that event.(60)
This enthronement theme is expanded in a number of Psalms which have, therefore, been called "Enthronement Psalms." These Psalms have a "now and not yet" feature. Although in a sense Yahweh is already the king over all the earth, He is not yet acknowledged as such. The enthronement Psalms look forward to a time when God will be enthroned over all the nations and receive their willing obedience.(61)
In the NT this "now and not yet" feature is carried a step further. In Christ, God is enthroned over the nations and the usurper is cast out (John 12:31,32). The gospel becomes the proclamation that Jesus Christ is Lord. All who are willing to acknowledge His rule and obey His will are accepted as subjects of that kingdom. Yet even here it becomes clear that most individuals have not accepted God's rule over them personally. Phil 2:9-11 points to a future time when Christ's exaltation will be acknowledged by all.
The book of Revelation maintains this "now and not yet" feature right up
to the consummation at the Parousia. Christ is already enthroned but that
enthronement will not be acknowledged by all until the consummation (Rev
3:21; 5:9-14). He reigns in the hearts of His people but not publicly. The
making public of the reign of God is pre-eminently the subject of the latter
portion of the book of Revelation. But already here in the seven trumpets
there is a marvelous foretaste of the final enthronement of Christ which
will result in the complete subjugation of all that is evil and the permanent
exaltation of all who are righteous (Rev 11:15). Thus the process of divine
enthronement that began with a song by the Red Sea ends with the same song
by another red sea (Rev 15:2-4).
The theology of the seven trumpets is a marvelously constructed unity. It consists of a question which recalls to our minds the problem of evil. It concludes with two answers to that question. The first is summed up by the theology of judgment which indicates that, although they are unaware of it, the prayers of the martyrs under the altar are already in the process of being answered by the judgment wrath of God on those who have persecuted and slain them.
The second answer to the question raised in the prayer of the saints is summed up in the foretaste of the final enthronement which is found in the seventh trumpet. The mystical victory of God became a reality in the cross of Christ. Soon that victory will become a public event. In the glorification of Christ the saints will also be glorified. The saints are encouraged to be patient in the light of the glory to come.
In short the seven trumpets of Revelation are a fearful message of doom
and warning to those who have rejected the gospel and persecuted the people
of the Lamb, thus they are also a message of comfort to all who have sacrificed
everything in order to follow Him, yet must endure suffering a little while
longer. They are encouraged not to focus on the things of earth but rather
on the songs of heaven, the sound of which is ever nearer as the long awaited
consummation approaches.
Few commentators on the book of Revelation are content merely to outline
what the book might have meant to its original audience in first century
Asia Minor. As a part of the Biblical canon the Apocalypse invites us to
search for the meaning in the book which is especially relevant today. To
discover that meaning commentators have approached Revelation from three
basic perspectives: preterist, futurist and historicist.
Preterism
The preterist approach treats Revelation little differently than it does the rest of the New Testament. Rather than being a prediction of the future, Revelation is considered a message to a particular group in a particular time and place. As such it needs to be exegeted primarily in terms of its original context.
If the preterist interpreter does not recognize any divine element in the production of the book of Revelation, he/she will usually dismiss the book as one man's response to a crisis situation. Thus Revelation's value for today is judged by the interpreter's own present experience. He/she may even judge, as Adela Yarbro Collins does, that the author of Revelation exhibits a "failure in love," oversimplification, and vengeful aggression.(63)
But many preterist interpreters do believe that Revelation is inspired by
God and thus bears authority for our situation today. For them, Revelation
is a pictorial unfolding of basic principles in the relationship between
God, humanity and the forces of evil. Thus Revelation teaches truths that
are applicable to any similar situation. This method of interpretation is
similar to that used to contemporize other New Testament books such as Matthew
and Romans, the main difference being the figurative nature of Revelation.
Many readers will recognize in this brief description what some have called
the idealist school of prophetic interpretation.
Futurism
At the opposite end of the spectrum is futurism which takes its cue from
Revelation's repeated concentration on the consummation of all things (6:15-17;
11:15-18; 14:14-20; 19:11-21, etc.). Thus futurist interpreters contend that
the bulk of the visions in Revelation focus on the end-time and are future
from the interpreter's own perspective. Thus, in the direct sense, the book
of Revelation is primarily relevant for the last generation of the earth's
history. However, much as idealists do, futurist interpreter's find present
meaning in the promises and general principles implicit in the end-time events
described in Revelation.
Historicism
Historicist interpreters, seeing no indication in the book that the events
of Revelation were to be confined to either the distant past or the distant
future, argue that the book covers the entire history of the church and
the world from the cross until the second coming. Historicism sees Revelation
as portraying major events of history. In this way Revelation is made relevant
to the reader who finds his place in the flow of history. Nevertheless,
much of the book is thus made irrelevant to the reader unless he too, like
the preterist and futurist interpreter, adopts an idealist approach to much
of the book.
Summary
Since the idealist approach is common to every interpreter who wishes to
find present-day relevance in the book of Revelation, we are left with three
basic approaches to the Apocalypse. The interpreter can approach it as a
work of the past in a specific historical setting, as a prophecy of end-time
events or as a prediction of the course of historical events during the Christian
era.(64)
Traditionally, Adventism has shown little interest in preterism, futurism or idealism. The main Adventist approach to the seven trumpets has arisen out of our concern for our place in the flow of history. We see ourselves as a prophetic movement which has arisen at a certain point in history and is validated by the visions of Daniel and Revelation. Thus Adventist interpreters have been attracted to the seven trumpets primarily because they have seen in the sixth trumpet events that are related to the birth of our movement.(65) As a result, little interest has been shown in exegetical issues or historical context where the study of the trumpets was concerned. With the exception of evangelistic sermons,(66) Adventist preachers have neglected the seven trumpets, not finding spiritual principles or timeless truths there.
Until recently Adventist interpreters have rejected any futurist understanding of the first six trumpets. In the last few years, however, some have suggested that the seven trumpets have an end-time fulfillment, either in addition to or in place of the historical understandings of the past.(67) This interpre-tation finds support in Ellen White's statement in letter 109, 1890,
Solemn events before us are yet to transpire. Trumpet after trumpet is to
be sounded, vial after vial poured out one after another upon the inhabitants
of the earth. Scenes of stupendous interest are right upon us.(68)
C. Mervyn Maxwell's newly published commentaries on Daniel and Revelation are basically historicist in orientation. However, the very title of the pair, God Cares, indicates Maxwell's concern that every portion of these apocalyptic books speak as well to the everyday situation of Christians and their families. His book on Revelation thus shows an openness to idealism which has not generally been manifested in previous Adventist interpretations.
The scholarly world now considers historicism, the main approach of previous centuries, to be thoroughly discredited. The reasons generally given include the following: 1) The chaotic mass of conflicting interpretations offered by historicists. 2) Most historicist interpretations would have had absolutely no relevance to the original readers. 3) Old Testament prophecies of general scope were rarely fulfilled in the exact and detailed manner so typical of historicist interpreters.(69) 4) Historicist interpretation requires too much extra-Biblical knowledge to be evaluated by most people. 5) There is no evidence in Revelation that the author anticipated long ages of history. In the light of these powerful assaults on historicism many Adventist scholars have become more and more reluctant to affirm our traditional interpretations of prophecy and have become inclined to do the basic exegesis and leave the interpretation to the evangelists.
While the above arguments, especially two through four, carry considerable weight, the denigration of historicism is primarily due to certain understandings of the doctrine of revelation and inspiration. It is the contention of critical scholarship today that the authority and canonicity of the Bible can no longer be assumed but should be evaluated according to the scholar's critically interpreted present experience.(70) If, as most critical scholars believe, traditional concepts of inspiration should not be applied to Revelation, then John could not possibly have known a detailed outline of 2000 years of history ahead of time.
A more moderate denial of traditional understandings of inspiration is found
in encounter theology. Encounter theology can allow for God's involvement
in the production of Scripture while denying that propositional truths (doctrines)
are necessarily communicated there. Encounter theology has much to say about
God's involvement in human experience as long as you can't put your finger
on any details. Such theology finds offense in historicism's assertion that
a) God is active in specific historical events and b) He revealed what He
was going to do in specific terms before it happened. To summarize, it is
evident from the above that SDA students of Revelation are exploring a number
of options in search of solid ground on which to base their interpretations.
Is it time to discard historicism and move toward a futurist, idealist or
preterist approach? Or should historicism be rescued from the dust bin of
tradition and history?
This is not the place to argue the issues of revelation, inspiration and authority. Seventh-day Adventists need to settle many of these issues for themselves. At this point in time, however, there is still a general consensus among us that the Bible is the Word of God and that, subject to the human frailty of the various writers, it succeeds in communicating truth about God that transcends what human beings could learn on their own.(71) Thus, while being grateful for the genuine contributions of critical scholarship, we must not accept conclusions that are based primarily on presuppositions about revelation and inspiration that we do not hold.
If we believe that the book of Revelation portrays genuine visions inspired by God then the key to our approach must be based on an inductive study of Revelation itself. The author, through the text, must be allowed to guide us in our approach to interpreting the book. It is possible that various approaches to the material may be called for in various passages.(72) What evidence is there in the seven trumpets that can point us to the proper approach to interpreting them for our situation today?
The fact that the author has portrayed the blowing of seven trumpets indicates his intention to point the reader to an interpretation in terms of successive historical periods. For one thing, the major images from the OT are drawn from settings in which successive events in time are depicted. The creation takes place on seven successive days with a Sabbath climax. The Exodus is made possible by a series of ten plagues which wear down the Egyptians so that the Israelites can escape. Seven trumpets are blown at the battle of Jericho where the people march in silence for seven successive days, on the seventh of which the city falls.(73) The Feast of Trumpets climaxes a series of seven new moon feasts which are celebrated at the beginning of each month. The Jubilee trumpet sounds after seven periods of seven years each. Thus, a series of successive time periods lies within the intention of the author of Revelation in his construction of the seven trumpets.
Another evidence of the author's intention lies in the nature of biblical judgment. Since the seven trumpets are expressions of God's judgments on the wicked, they can be expected to express God's continuing judgment activity in the NT era. God's judgments in the OT were always seen as historical acts. The wars of Joshua, for example, were understood in terms of a covenant execution (Deut 9:4-7 cf. the plagues of Egypt--Exod 6:6; 7:4). When God acted in judgment He often used people such as Nebuchadnezzar and the kings of Egypt and Assyria as His instruments in history. The Synoptic Apocalypse portrays God's judgments in a historical sense in the NT era as well. The armies of Titus are God's agents to judge the leaders of the nation for their rejection of Christ (Matt 23:29-39). Thus the writer of Revelation evidently intended the trumpets to signify God's guiding hand leading history on to its climax at the Parousia.
As has been shown earlier, the trumpets begin with the cross and end with the consummation. Thus the writer of Revelation appears to be outlining a series of seven judgments that are to fall on the wicked during the Christian era. These judgments are not general in nature but follow one another in a chronological sequence. Whatever meaning the original writer may have seen in the trumpets, the extension of time for some 2000 years points us to look for the major interventions in history that God wanted His people to recognize through the inspired vision of John. But can any historicist interpretation overcome the five major criticisms listed earlier?
1) It is true that historicist writers of the past have often failed to agree on the fulfillments of the trumpets, but this does not prove that there is no correct view. A misuse of a method does not invalidate the method.
2) It is true that the book of Revelation must have had meaning for the original readers. Thus histori-cist interpretation must arise out of the original meaning of the passage. This will prove to be a safeguard against fanciful interpretation.
3) It is also true that Old Testament prophecies of general scope were rarely fulfilled in an exact and detailed manner.(74) Thus, we must beware of an overly literal one-for-one correspondence in history for every detail of the trumpets. The overall flavor of each account will correspond to a major trend in history.(75)
4) To be meaningful the interpretation should be readily discernible to anyone with a basic understanding of history, it must not hinge on obscure events or statements. The outline of history should be accurate and readily accessible to layman and historian alike.
5) It is probably true that none of the disciples foresaw the enormous length of the Christian era. The Lord certainly could have come in the first century. But the passage of time has opened up new vistas in terms of the Lord's patience and purpose. Having foreseen the delay, would not God prepare His people to understand the great events by which He is bringing history to its climax? Our lack of foresight should certainly introduce an element of tentativeness into any historicist interpretation. Only from the perspective of the Parousia will history speak with perfect clarity. If time should last another 2000 years (God forbid!) the trumpets, which run from the cross to the second coming, will be stretched out beyond anything we could recognize now. Nevertheless, each generation must make the attempt to understand Revelation or risk being surprised by God's final acts (Rev 16:15 cf. 1 Thess 5:1-6).
What kind of historicist interpretation will do justice to the Biblical material? Certainly not the traditional variety which emphasizes minute details and "newspaper" exegesis while ignoring the plain meaning of the symbols in their original context. Perhaps it is time to introduce a "modified historicism." While God's judgments in the Old Testament were historical in nature the parallel between Old Testament and New Testament judgment is not exact. The Christ event has created fundamental changes in the way God deals with mankind. His people are no longer a geographical, ethnic nation but are now a world-wide spiritual church whose existence and character are often invisible to human eyes. Thus the "historical" events for which we are looking are not likely to deal with politics and nations and ethnic groups as much as they deal with ideas and philosophies and great trans-national movements throughout the New Testament era. The message of the seven trumpets is that history is not an endless round of cause and effect, it has a purpose. While God's hand is not necessarily visible to the secular historian, it is discernible to the eye of faith. As the prophetic portion of the New Testament, the book of Revelation reveals in broad outline the great movement of nations and ideas over the expanse between the cross and the second coming. These events are alluded to for the purpose of showing their theological significance, so that God's people might be comforted with the knowledge that God is in full control from beginning to end regardless of what the historian might record as to the fate of God's people on earth.
This "modified historicism" is not at variance with Biblical revelation as a whole. God's judgments have always been historical in nature. A secular Westerner who experienced the exodus or the cross would be hard-pressed to see either the hand of God or any theological significance in them. These events would be seen as the execution of a suspected revolutionary and the mass escape of a ragged bunch of slaves, taking advantage of a series of natural calamities. What makes these events signifi-cant to the student of the Bible is that they are seen as God's hand acting in judgment. Nevertheless both are historical in that they could be reported essentially as the Bible records them in the local newspaper but without the theological significance that revelation invests in them.
Thus Biblical prophecy has two main aspects. A historical event is mentioned, and an interpretation of that event is given. Whether the event is future or past is immaterial, the account is still considered prophecy. Unquestionably both testaments portray a God who is active in the affairs of men. It is pointless to pray for those in authority if God doesn't take an active role in history (cf. 1 Tim 2:1-4). Thus, the historicist view is, in principle, true to the way God's acts are portrayed in Scripture.
Is the author of Revelation open to a double fulfillment in which the trumpets would have an application, along with the seven bowls, to the end-time crisis? This appears to be excluded by the fact that the seven bowls are the third woe of the seventh trumpet. This clearly places the trumpets prior to the bowls chronolo-gically . The trumpets lead up to the end, they are not the end itself.(76)
Since the text of the trumpets calls for a historicist interpretation the last two sections of this paper will provide an analysis and critique of previous Adventist attemp