The Sounding of the Seven Trumpets of Revelation 8 and 9

THE SEVENTH ANGEL, OR THIRD WO

1. The seventh angel is the last of a series of symbols, and, for this, and several other reasons, is not the same as the “trump of God,” [1 Thessalonians 4:16,] and “last trump,” [1 Corinthians 15:52,] which is to raise the just. SSTR 67.5

2. The sounding of the seventh angel occupies a period of days. “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel,” etc. Revelation 10:7. These days are doubtless prophetic, meaning years, in harmony with the time of the sounding of the fifth and sixth angels. But when the trump of God is heard, the sleeping saints come forth from their graves, and the living righteous are changed to immortality, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,” and are caught up to meet their descending Lord. SSTR 67.6

3. Under the sounding of the seventh angel a series of events transpires. This was also the case with the other six. The events of the seventh angel necessarily cover much time. Among them we find mentioned, “The nations were angry”—“Thy wrath is come”—“The time of the dead that they should be judged”—“Give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great”—“Destroy them which destroy [margin, corrupt,] the earth.” SSTR 68.1

While we may speak of fulfilled prophecy with positiveness, we would apply unfulfilled prophecy with becoming modesty. We may, however, suggest that the anger of the nations will be immediately followed by the wrath of God, or seven last plagues; [see Revelation 15:1;] that the judgment of the dead refers not to the judgment of the righteous, for that takes place before the plagues are poured out, but to the judgment of the wicked during the 1000 years of Revelation 20; that the full reward of the righteous will be given when they inherit the New Earth, at the close of the 1000 years; and that at that very time God will destroy by the second death all who have corrupted the earth. And why may not the sounding of the seventh angel continue until the end of the 1000 years? and the third wo, cover all wo till sin and sinners cease to be at the close of the seventh millennium? SSTR 68.2

~J. W.