you Welcome to the pulpit ministry of the Clearview Baptist Church in Redmond, Oregon. It is our sincere desire to magnify the scriptures, to glorify the Lord, to testify of the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, to edify the Christian, and to notify the sinner. Jesus Christ said, in answer to Satan, in Matthew chapter 4 and verse 4, It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. It's our desire to be a blessing to you today. With our Bibles open, we invite you to listen to today's message. Our Bibles are open to the book of the Revelation this morning, chapter number 8, and we have just concluded last week looking very brief. It will be just as brief today at the trumpet judgments. We looked at the seal judgments last Sunday, and so today we begin where we left off with the seventh seal, which actually is or reveals the seven trumpet judgments. So I remind you, these are the hard things in the earthly realm. Chapters 6 through 20 of the book of the Revelation, the judgment of God commences in the seals. The judgment of God continues in the trumpets and it will conclude in the vials. And this day is one of terror for the earth. It is one of trouble for Israel, and it is one of triumph for heaven. God bless you. will have the final say. So without any more delay, Revelation chapter 8. Let me just read verse 1, then I will pray and we'll get into the message this morning. Revelation 8 verse 1, and the Bible says, And when He had opened the seventh seal, I remind you, He is the Lamb, the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. When He had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour." So let's pray and then we'll begin the message. Father, thank You for the day. Lord, the truth that is before us, I ask for help and for grace to preach it. Lord, help for Your people to understand it. Give me clarity of thought and of words. And Lord, authority from heaven, liberty found only in the Spirit of God to preach Your Word. And Lord, that the Word of the Lord would prick the hearts of men and it would pierce and even divide asunder and reveal us to ourselves and bring us to the feet of Lord Jesus Christ and humble repentance and glad faith, for we will confess Him to be our Lord and our Savior if we do not know Him this morning. Give your people through these words, hope and assurance, Lord, peace and victory. And these days, knowing that the believer has the blessed hope, of escaping the tribulation, Lord, of being caught up together with our loved ones who have already departed to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. And in these words we find comfort. And know, Lord, that sorrow and persecution may be in our lot before you come again. So prepare us for those days. Help us to see through these pages the triumph of the Lamb of God. And remember that this world crucified Him. It rejected Him. It murdered Him. Yes, in the determinate counsel of God, it was determined. And by the hand of God, it was done. But Lord, men, men were involved. And this world that rejected Christ will reject Him again. And we'll see that today. So help us, Lord, to rejoice in Calvary, to remember it, to rest in that work of Jesus Christ, His death, His burial, His resurrection, knowing that I have no other argument, I have no other plea. It is enough that Jesus Christ died and that He died for me." So we plead the blood of Christ asking for help to preach. and help for your people in Jesus' name, Amen. All right, so the seventh seal is now opened in heaven there in Revelation 8, verse one. So in the first five verses, we find the seventh seal. Verse one, there is silence in heaven. We talked about that a little last week, but I'll just remind you what a solemn and sobering scene to have silence in all of heaven. Think about it, the worship of chapter 4, the worship of chapter 5, the revelation of the wrath of God being opened up seal by seal by seal, sorrows and judgment. What chaos seems to be, what noise there would have been, thunders, lightnings, voices in the heavens, but now all is silent. It doesn't mean that all is still. We see that's not true. But all is calm. And in this silence, I see the order and the perfection of heaven's rule. There's no panic around the throne of God. There's no panic in God's plans. There's no panic in God's presence. There's no panic in God's people. They're calm. They're quiet. They are reflecting on the judgment about to fall on the world. And they are respecting the Lord and the Lamb with deep reverence, with holy hush. They know Him and own Him to be King of kings and Lord of lords. So the scene in heaven, look at it in verse 2. 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." So note the scene. When the seventh seal is opened, the trumpets are first of all presented, given to seven angels. But then the prayers of the saints come into our view. Verses 3 and 4, we find an altar. in heaven. We find an angel before the altar with a golden censer. And in the golden censer, he places incense alongside the prayers of what? All saints. This includes your prayers and mine if you pray. I suggest you pray. Amen? I want my prayers to ascend up to God one day in this offering. I want them to be remembered. I want them to be answered. I want to be a part of this worship scene in heaven that actually calls forth and casts down the judgment of Almighty God. So the altar and the prayers, the ascension of those prayers, the audience of these prayers, the prayers ascend up before God. I don't pray to Mary. I don't pray to a priest. I pray to God the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. You better pray in the right way. Amen. But then I see the storm in heaven. The answer of these prayers produces a storm. Look at verse 5. We're moving quick, so just come along with me. Verse 5, the storm in heaven. 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." Remember, that means judgment all through the book of the Revelation. So the storm of God's judgment, number one, will descend. It is cast into the earth. Number two, it will decide, for there are voices. Number three, it will discomfort, for there are thunderings. It will destroy, for there are lightnings. It will divide, because there's a great earthquake. God's judgment will leave nothing untouched. And so we find not only are the seven trumpets presented to the angels, but now the seven trumpets begin to sound. So if you look in your Bible this morning to verse six, there's just a quick preliminary description. The seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. There is a preparation in heaven. I say to you this, according to 1 Corinthians 14, 40, let all things be done decently and in order. A lot of people don't like order, organization. They certainly don't like decency. But did you know God is for decency and He is for order? And it is to be in the churches, according to 1 Corinthians 14, 40. Why? It's a reflection of what's in heaven. God presented these angels, these seven trumpets. There was the worship and the offering at the altar. There was the golden censer, there was the fire, there was the incense, there was the judgment of God descending, but then the seven angels who now held the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. They made themselves ready. And so now the trumpets begin to sound. We move to the progressive description. The rest of this chapter, In the chapter 9, verse 21, we will see six trumpets or hear six trumpets sound. Progressively, one by one by one, they sound all the way until chapter number 10. So in this judgment, the first four trumpets divide throughout the earth. We'll read it again and again, the third part, the third part, the third part, the third part. But in trumpets five, six, and seven, God is multiplying judgment in the earth. And the fifth, sixth, and seventh trumpets are actually the first, second, and third woes from heaven. War comes to the earth. Woe comes to the earth. And so the first trumpet in verse number 7, And the first angels 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. You think a dry, scorching heat in the central Oregon high desert takes care of the green grass? Wait till this day when all green grass is burnt up. The first trumpet speaks of great barrenness upon the earth. If you think back to Exodus 9, 22 through 29, you will recall the seventh plague upon Egypt. mighty thunderings in hell, and fire mingled with hell, and fire ran along the ground in Egypt." Very similar to this first trumpet. The second trumpet brings great bloodiness in the sea. Look at verse 8. The second angel sounded, and as it were a great 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 at life died, and the third part of the ships were destroyed. The first plague in Egypt were what? The waters were turned to blood, Exodus 7, 17 through 25. The third trumpet, verses 10 and 11, brings great bitterness upon the rivers and the waters. Verse 10, the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star 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." And so great bloodiness in the sea, great bitterness in the rivers. The fourth trumpet, there's great blackness of the sun, the moon, the stars. Look at verse 12. 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 shone likewise. In other words, God will add a third more darkness to this world. during these days. We come now to this phrase. I want you to look at verse number 13. And I beheld and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven. See how there's a brief break here after the fourth trumpet. And this angel flies through the midst of heaven saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, W-O-E. It is an exclamation of grief of horror, of terror, woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels which are yet to sound." There's woe, there's war, but there's a warning. In other words, he says, wait till the next judgment falls. God is multiplying. His judgment." You see this phrase, the inhabitants of the earth, if you'll trace it through the book of the Revelation, you'll find three phrases, them that dwell on the earth, the inhabitants of the earth, and then the phrase, the inhabitants of the earth. Those three phrases, referring to the same group of people, can be found in chapter 3, verse 10, chapter 6, verse 10. Here in chapter 8, verse 13. Chapter 11, verse 10. Chapter 12, verse 12. Chapter 13, verses 8, 12, and 14. Chapter 14, verse 6. Chapter 17, verses 2 and 8. In other words, this group of people are those who have aligned themselves with the beast. with the Antichrist. They are in opposition to God and to heaven. They stubbornly persist in their iniquity and in their impenitence and in their insurrection to God's authority. They openly blaspheme the name of God. They have no use for heaven, no use for God, no use for Christ, nor any use for anyone or anything that is pertaining to God in heaven. They live only for this world, and their allegiance is only to the lies of the devil, to his beast, to his false prophet. There's nothing but wrath, war, and woe for these people. There is no salvation for them. They sealed that when they took the mark of the beast. And obviously, they will taste the brimstone of God's judgment, feel the intense heat of God's fiery wrath, as it descends upon the world in righteous indignation." And this group stands in sharp contrast to what the Bible says in the book of the Revelation, who are those, or the Bible rather says, them that dwell in heaven. There's two classes of men, those in heaven, those in the earth. This brings us to chapter nine, the fifth trumpet. And this is what I would call the infernal pit. During the days of the tribulation period, that 70th week of Daniel's prophecy, the supernatural element will truly become visible. It will come to life, so to speak. It's very active now, but it's unseen. But in this day, much will happen that does not happen today. And the infernal pit is opened. in the fifth trumpet. Verse one of chapter nine, the fifth angel sounded and I saw a star fall from heaven under the earth. And to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. and He opened the bottomless pit." You see, the pit is opened at the sounding of the fifth trumpet. We read in the rest of this chapter the multiplying of the whores and tares upon the earth in the next two trumpets. Woe comes and more woe comes and finally more woe in the seventh trumpet. But some commentators actually call this hell on earth. The pit is opened. The abyss is unlocked. I see the authority over this pit, verse 1. The key is given to this angel. I do believe it's a fallen angel because it's a star, which we learned earlier were angels, that falls from heaven. And so the authority of the pit doesn't belong to Satan. It belongs to Christ. Remember who has the keys of death and hell? Chapter 1 of the Revelation. Who is it? It's not Satan, it's Jesus. He's in authority over the pit. The key is delegated to this fallen angel. The pit is unlocked. Once it's unlocked, I see the advance of this pit. It's unlocked and it's open. Look at verse 2. And there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace. Hell's full of fire today. It's unquenchable fire. It's not a place of just, you know, bad times and let the good times roll and the party begin. No, you know, the hell bound rock and roll singers may paint a pretty picture of hell, but they're deceived. They're deluded. And those tonight that are not alive are already damned. Hell is no joke, friend. It's a real place, full of real fire, for real people who reject Jesus. You don't want to go there. And you don't have to go there. Study Luke chapter 16, where Lazarus is in Abraham's bosom. The rich man who knew Lazarus dies and he goes to hell and he says, I am tormented in this flame. It's a real place of real torment. So as the smoke of a great furnace, smoke rose out of this pit, and the sun and the air were darkened. by reason of the smoke of the pit. Verse three, there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth. So the pits open and smoke comes out. Smoke ascends from the pit, descends upon the earth, darkens out the sun, and now locusts come from the smoke. And unto them in verse three 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. So listen, the grass is regrown. What a mercy there is from God. He burned up all the grass earlier, if you remember, in that first trumpet. But now the grass has regrown by the days of the fifth trumpet. And they're not to hurt the grass this time. Because God's finished judging the earth for the moment. Now He's judging the men of the earth. Hell is released not on creation, but on the creatures that inhabit the earth. And so their power is what? Given to them. Verse 4, "...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." It implies only those men who have the mark of the beast on their hand or in their forehead. "...To them it was given," verse 5, "...to these locust-like demons, that they should not kill them, that is, the sons of men who have not the seal of God in their foreheads, but that they should be tormented five months." Again, hell on earth. Torment. Five months. And their torment was as the torment of the scorpion when he strike of the man. And in those days, verse 6, shall men seek death, and shall not find it, and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. What's man trying to do right now? He's trying to find the elixir of life, isn't he? He's trying to find the fountain of youth. He's trying to find every way medically, scientifically possible to extend man's life. Whether it be through herbs, whether it be through, you know, uploading your consciousness to the, you know, to the web, to the cloud, all sorts of crazy things. Man is trying to find eternal life in all the wrong places because men don't want to die. I don't blame them. But it's appointed unto men once to die, but after this, the judgment. So deep within the heart of man, he knows he's judgment-bound. So he seeks to evade death, seeks to escape death, seeks to extinguish death. But at this day, the torment is so bad on the earth that men desire to die. But for five months, you know what won't happen? Nobody will die. Again, the judgment of God. Now they wish they could die. They don't die. Remember earlier, we saw a fourth of the world's population in the seals die. We saw the third part of... or we're going to see the third part of men here in a minute die. But now they can't die. Death flees from them. Again, death is not its own master. Death is the last enemy that shall be destroyed, but even death is under the authority of Christ. He holds the keys of hell and of death. So I don't have to fear death, because I know Jesus is Lord and Savior. Do you? Amen? You can. He longs to save you this morning. He loves you. He gave His life for you. He shed His blood for you. Took your sins in His body to the tree, and He took them all away. Suffered all this wrath of God against our sins in His own body, and now we don't have to feel the wrath of God. We can be delivered, thank God, through the blood of Christ. And so we move on. Verse 7, the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared into battle, and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. Notice verse 8, 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." The Bible is not ambiguous and unclear. The Bible clearly distinguishes the difference between men's and women's hair. Point is this, their faces were like men, which also, our faces are much different than the ladies' faces, our features, it's just different. Our hair is different. But look at these demon creatures from the pit. Their faces, resembled that of men, but their hair was as the hair of women. What do we find today in many places, especially within contemporary Christian music, that industry? We find men whose hair is long like women. I don't advise this, but when you go and you look up and you study, The occult and Satanism, the symbols, it's what's called an androgyny. Faces of men, but the hair is always that of a woman. A mixture, a blending of the two. It's ungodly. It's demonic. It's satanic. It's occultic. And I will declare the difference between the genders. There's but two. There is a difference. And men, women, we ought to declare that difference personally, lest we resemble these creatures. Side note, rabbit trail, call it whatever you want to, I believe it needs to be said. But in this day, coming to this world, these fierce locust-like creatures, I didn't say this earlier, but you remember there was also the eighth plague of the locust. in the book of Exodus chapter 10, verses 4 through 19. And those locusts have no king. They need no king. But look now to verse 9. They had breastplates as it were, breastplates of iron. 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, not kill men, but hurt men. Five months. Death would be a mercy in this moment. You see, so God torments them instead. Gives them a taste of hell. Since they've rejected heaven, He gives them a taste of hell. Since they've rejected Jesus, He gives them a look and taste of Satan, the one they love, the one they worship. Verse 11, 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. And there's a study there, whereas Nimrod and Greek gods and Babylonian gods have assumed these very names and they're looking for this man to return. And there is a demon by the name of Apollyon, by the name of Abaddon. And look up those two words and they mean the same thing, destroyer. The destroyer. Verse 12, One woe is past, and behold, there come two woes more hereafter. And thus we have the sixth angel sounding in verse 13. And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God. This takes us back to chapter 8, verses 3 and 4. where there is the golden altar, where the offering of the prayers of the saints of the incense and the fire of the altar ascends to God and brings forth the judgment of God. Here is another answer. The sixth angel, in verse 14, saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels, which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And so I remind you that there are certain fallen angels presently locked up in chains according to Peter and Jude reserved to the day of judgment. At least four of them are released right here. And not only are they released, look at verse 15, the four angels were loose which were prepared. Again, they act as those under the authority of Christ. They can only go as far as He lets them go. But they are prepared for an hour and a day and a month and a year, for to slay the third part of men. Now, many of those who desire to die will die. They will. And so for 13 months, one day and one hour, these four angels are loosed and prepared. God is very detailed. and what He says and what He's going to do. Verse 16, And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand, and I heard the number of them. We move quickly right into this description of a two hundred million man army, which in my mind is a demon possessed demon-led army, basically by the four angels. And so, there will be a world war in this day like no other. Two hundred million men, some men connect this war with that battle of Russia coming down to descend upon Israel and Ezekiel 38 and 39. I'm not exactly sure where to put it. I would put it there with that one before I would with Armageddon. It doesn't really match up with Armageddon. That comes later. And so the point is there will be a terrifying army. that comes, where I see their description in verse 17. 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." There's a lot of descriptive symbolic language, and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. By these three was the third part of men killed. By what? The fire, by the smoke, by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. For the powers in their mouth and in their tails, their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt. 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." You see, God's answer to man was judgment. And when you would think men would be ready to repent, man's answer to God is still, no. We refuse to repent of our sorceries, our idolatries, our satanic worship, and our sins. No, God, no. No wonder the psalmist proclaimed it twice at the mouth of the Spirit of God. The fool has said in his heart, there is no God. That's what men who have rejected Christ have said for ages, and they will say it again in this day. And so we come to chapter 10. We would expect here, the seventh trumpet to sound, but as the order with the seals, it does not happen." So we move from a progressive description of one through six trumpets to a parenthetical description. Now we have explanation. We have details. The gaps are filled in. And in chapters 10 and 11, we find these two thoughts. Number one, that heaven is not without its Word. in all of this chaos. Heaven will speak. Heaven will not be without its witness in all of this chaos. In verses or in chapter number 11, heaven will preach upon the earth. So heaven is not without its word in chapter 10. Look at verse 1 please. 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 right 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." Now you may see somebody different, but I see the Lord here. I see Christ here. Yes, He is referenced as a mighty angel. But even in the Old Testament, the Angel of the Lord, the Angel of Jehovah, most likely was Jesus Christ coming and ministering and working. But either way, it's a mighty angel. I do believe it's the Lord. There is a word of exclamation as He cries from heaven as a lion roars. But then in verse 3 we continue, When He had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, John says, I was about to write. Now think about it, seven sills, seven trumpets, but now John hears seven thunders, and he's about to write what he's hearing. But listen what the Bible says, And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Sill up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. As far as I know, we never find out what were in the seven thunders. They were sealed up. And I'll just leave that one right there. Okay? But that's a word of interruption. The point is, John was not in control at what he was writing. That point I will make. Christ, the Holy Ghost, God, was in control of what John was writing. So in verse 5 through 7, we find a word of communication from heaven. The angel which I saw stand upon the sea, and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, and swear by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that are in 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 servant the prophets." In other words, you know what heaven communicated to earth? It's gonna happen just like God said it would. God decreed it, God declared it, God designed it, God told you, God prophesied it, and it will be finished as He hath declared to His servants, the prophets. And then we find the word of instruction from heaven, verses eight through 11. I'm not gonna deal with it, but John's told to go and take the book. John's told to take and eat the book. I'll give you this, verse 11. And he said unto me, thou must prophesy again before many peoples and nations and tongues and kings. I wonder what that means. I'll throw this out there, food for thought. As I was reading through this, I thought about this, and then I even heard a preacher preach it later, but I thought, thou must prophesy again. When did John prophesy again? Maybe John the Beloved will be one of those two witnesses that we read about in chapter 11. Just a thought, okay? So, I don't know. Some people believe it's gonna be Moses and Elijah. Some people believe it'll be Enoch and Elijah. Some people believe it'll just be, you know, two somebodies in the spirit of these men. I don't know who they are. I would lean toward Moses and Elijah myself, or maybe Moses and John. the Beloved. But at any rate, whoever they are, let's read about them. Heaven will not be without its witness. God is never without a witness. In the darkest days the world has ever known before the flood, God raised up who? Enoch and Noah. Enoch preached judgment. You learn that from the book of Jude. He proclaimed that ten thousands of God's saints will come with him again, and God will enact vengeance upon the world. Noah was a preacher of righteousness. He also preached judgment that the flood was coming, that men should repent, no doubt, and come into the safety of the ark, and trust in the Lord God, Jehovah. But in the darkest days of Israel's apostasy, who was raised up? Elijah, and Elisha. Well, guess what will happen again in Israel's history? The darkest, worst day ever in their history. God raises up two more witnesses. I do believe they're literally two men and not just representative of a host of people, of a witness within Israel of the remnant, this, that, and the other. I believe it's two men. And so God will have a witness. And this is again, a parenthetical section explaining the two witnesses. Some believe they witnessed during the first half. Some believe they witnessed during the second half. I lean toward the fact that they're witnessing during the first half of the first three and a half years of this week. And from their witness and from their preaching, is where that 144,000 Jewish evangelist virgin men are gathered because they believe this preaching. Either way, Let's read chapter 11. And there was given me a reed like unto a rod, and the angel stood, saying, Rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court, which is without the temple, leave out, and measure it not. For it is given unto the Gentiles, and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. Now, pause right here. In verse one, he speaks about a temple that needs measured. That means the temple is already built. He speaks about the court in verse 2. Don't measure the court. Why? Because for 42 months or three-and-a-half years, the Gentiles will tread underfoot the court of the temple. Now, I believe this reveals that the tribulation will see a temple rebuilt in Jerusalem. Has to be. Worship will be happening. Sacrifices will be offered, which is again a declaration of Israel's rejection of Christ and His sacrifice 2,000 some odd years ago when He was slain and crucified in Jerusalem on a hill called Golgotha. That being said, This temple will... the Antichrist will come into this temple at the midpoint. We talked about that last week and maybe the week before, the abomination of desolation. And then the Jews who do receive the Lord Jesus Christ, believing on Him, they will be cast out. They will be persecuted. They will be hunted down. and all pretense will be thrown to the wind. And for 42 months the beast and his empire will march with power and precision and seek to overrule everything and defy God and His judgment and deny God and His rule. And for 42 months he will be given power. This temple will be visited by God with, I believe, destruction later in this chapter. We read about it. Verse 3, He says, And I will give power unto My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand, two hundred, and threescore days. Remember, three and a half years of thirty day months. that prophetic calendar of God used by the ancients, both Jews and Babylonians. But a 30-day month, three and a half years, renders 1260 days. But they will prophesy clothed in sackcloth. They certainly will not preach like Joel Osteen does. They certainly will not smile and laugh and cut up like Oprah Winfrey does. They will magnify God by declaring the truth of God. I personally believe that they will stand in the court of this tribulation temple. That's what I believe. And I say that because Jeremiah the prophet, where was he placed by God? In the court of the Lord's house, He would stand and proclaim and preach the Lord's message. The court is mentioned, the temple is mentioned, the witnesses are mentioned, it's trodden underfoot. There's a good chance these men are actually trodden underfoot and trampled to death. So, just a thought. Verse 4, these are the two olive trees. That takes us back to Zechariah chapter 4. And the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. They are His witnesses. They are bearing light, wearing sackcloth, preaching judgment, announcing the gospel of the kingdom, that the kingdom of God is at hand, that judgment is coming, that Jesus is coming. And you must repent and believe the gospel. Verse 4, they stand before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceeded out of their mouth. Remember those demon creatures? Fire and brimstone. Those four angels, the 200 million man army, fire and brimstone. Well, guess what God gives these men the power to do? Fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies. And if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. And so they're gonna have quite a bit of power. These have power to shut heaven, but notice the power was given to them. Verse 6, these have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy. That takes us back to Elijah, doesn't it? And have power over waters. That takes us back to Moses, doesn't it? To turn water to blood and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will. Notice verse 7, though, when they shall have finished their testimony, The beast that sent out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them and shall overcome them. and kill them. So we see in verses 1 through 6, we see the temple of God and the truth of God. But in verses 7 through 13, we see the testimony of God. The testimony of God's witnesses is in verses 7, 8, 9, and 10. Notice verse 8, their dead bodies, that is of the two witnesses, they're killed. The beast has given power enough to kill them, overcomes them. Again, I said that they probably would be trampled to death. I don't know that for sure, just a thought. Verse 8, their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city. which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, notice, where also our Lord was crucified. Right here, the Holy Spirit of God inserted and said, John, you write down where our Lord was crucified. You don't go far in the Scriptures before you catch a glimpse of Calvary. amidst all this chaos, and amidst all this death, and all the ravaging of men, all the judgment of God, when God has His Word, when heaven has its witness, where do our minds go? To the fact that our Lord was crucified. These men were given the message. These men, their ancestors, and these men were given the opportunity. They rejected the Lord in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago. When He should have been crowned king, they knelt Him to a tree, crucified Him, like a villain and a criminal and a blasphemer. Cast Him out, crucified Him. What are they going to do here? Probably trod under their feet the two witnesses that He sent. At the very least, they will be killed, they will be martyred, And then guess what happens? Their dead bodies will lie in the street. Imagine if two men sit on the street corner here in Redmond for three and a half years, 1260 days. They were killed and their dead bodies just laid there. Nobody picked them up. Verse 9, And they of the people, and kindreds, and tongues, and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and a half. So wonder how this could happen. Seems kind of odd, doesn't it, in John's day. But there's no No oddities anymore. Pick up your smartphone. Pick your favorite news app. You know what you would find? The news coverage, live. The two witnesses, they're dead. Their bodies lying in the street. Look, we want you to see. Every kindred, every tongue, every nation, see their dead bodies and rejoice with us. Heaven is silent. God's witnesses are dead. The beast is running. The devil is king. I don't know what they're going to say, but it'll be something like that. and blasphemy against God, they will celebrate the death of His witnesses. Look at verse 10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another, because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. Sounds a lot like Christmas time, doesn't it? They're going to make merry, they're going to send gifts. After three days and a half, the Spirit of life from God entered into them and they stood upon their feet." Guess what that news coverage would look like? All of a sudden, those two dead devotees are standing upright on their feet. I say, glory. I say, that's not odd, that's God. I'm serious. The world's gonna see it. This is gonna be visible. They're gonna see these two dead men rise up and stand on their feet. Bible doesn't say they say a word though, does it? Their testimony was finished. God has nothing more to say. The end has come. They're resurrected, but then they're raptured. The only one that speaks now is a voice from heaven, verse 12. Let's back up and finish verse 11. And after three days and a half, the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet, and no wonder, listen, and great fear fell upon them which saw them. Imagine the camera will probably hit the ground, the news anchors will go running, the broadcast will just continue, the camera will be upside down. I don't know what's going to happen. but fear will descend upon the world again. All their merriment will go down the drain to the sewer where it belongs." So we come to verse number 13, "...in the same hour," you know, verse 12, "...and they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither." Sounds like Revelation chapter 4 verse 1, doesn't it? There's rapture. Not only resurrection, there's rapture. "...And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies beheld them." So they're going to watch them go up. So at least one of the cameras is gonna be live, you know, in the right direction. God or God somehow gonna supernaturally show the world this. But look at verse 13, not only resurrection and rapture, but recompense. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell. And in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand, and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. You see, I believe in that earthquake, God will probably destroy that temple. because the millennial reign will have a different temple. And so, God's gonna destroy all this in wrath, in judgment, in vindication. And the remnant, they're so affrighted that they give glory to the God of heaven. The second woe, verse 14, has passed. And behold, the third woe cometh quickly. And the seventh angel, now we've come to the seventh trumpet, 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 forever and ever. And the four and twenty elders which sat before God in their seats fell upon their faces and worshipped God, saying," Look at verse 17, please. "'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." Notice a different temple. 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. Hail proceeds from the presence of the throne of God. So in the seventh Temple, the seventh trumpet rather. I gave you that preliminary description, that progressive description, that parenthetical description. But in this seventh trumpet, I want to call this the powerful description. This is the seventh trumpet. This is the third woe. In the seventh seal, there was a great pause in heaven. Silas ensued. Pause. But in the seventh trumpet, there's a great proclamation in heaven. There's no panic, there's no chaos, just like with the seventh seal, the silence. But here there's no silence. Now there's worship. And heaven is worshiping, is rejoicing, is revering the God of heaven and earth. So in this, and I'll be done briefly, we see the Kingdom of God in the earth, verses 15 through 18. The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord. I know the Lord Jesus Christ is reigning presently, seated at the right hand of the Father. But the book of the Revelation does call Him the Prince of the kings of the earth. And by the end of the book, in chapter 19, where we find the actual fulfillment of all this, He will be King of kings, Lord of lords. And His rule will be established on the earth, in the earth. It's proclaimed and recognized here as being in the earth and over the earth. He has taken to Him His great power and He has reigned. So all power has been given unto Him, but He has not yet exercised that power in judgment and exerted His rule and jurisdiction over every man. He is extending in His long-suffering mercy the invitation for all men to repent and believe the gospel of the grace of God and be born again. But that's the announcement in heaven. There is the adoration in heaven, verse 16, 17, 18. The four and twenty elders representing the redeemed, no doubt the church of God, come off their seats, fall on their faces, they worship God, they give thanks to Thee, O Lord God Almighty, the One which art and was and art to come. But notice in verse 18, in contrast to heaven's adoration, the nations were angry. Heaven announces and recognizes that the world remains angry at God. The wrath of God has come. Brings me to verse 19, where the temple of God is opened in heaven. And I believe we find two things here, a reminder as to God's covenants. The temple of God is open in heaven. There was seen in His temple the ark of His testament. That's another word for covenant. We have the Old and New Testaments in our Bible, don't we? We have the Adamic covenant, the Noahic covenant, the Abrahamic covenant, the Mosaic covenant, the Davidic covenant, the New covenant. God will fulfill everything He's promised. The Ark of His Testament is in the true temple of God in heaven. Not only a reminder as to God's covenants, but then He says in verse 19, and I conclude here, there were lightnings and voices and thunderings and an earthquake and great hail. This is a reminder as to what's coming. The seals commenced the judgment of God. The trumpets continue the judgment of God, and the vials conclude the judgment of God upon the earth. But just as with the seventh seal, we go into a time of parenthesis, and then in the trumpets there's a parenthesis. That's where we are right now. The seventh trumpet is announced, but we continue with parenthetical explanations. I would ask you to stand, give just a brief moment of invitation. And if you have a need, why don't you come and why don't you pray? We want to thank you for listening today. This is Pastor Benjamin Cooley. We're meeting above the restaurant next to Sleep Inn in the North Redmond Event Center, located at 1857 Northwest 6th Street, Redmond, Oregon 97756. Sundays we begin our morning worship at 11, and our midweek prayer service is Wednesdays at 7, all at the same location. Reach us, clearviewbaptistatproton.me, or look on the internet, www.clearviewbaptistredman.com.