Seven Angels and Seven Trumpets
The opening of the seventh seal leads neatly to the next series of sevens.
We begin with an angel holding a censer of the prayers of God’s people. When these prayers are poured out on the world, judgment begins—God has responded to his people’s cries. Is vengeance the response they were looking for?
Trumpets serve to get attention and could be warnings. The Book of Enoch (not canonical, but influential in Jewish and Christian thinking) lists seven archangels: Gabriel, Michael, Raphael, Uriel, Raquel, Remeil, and Sarauael. They are also mentioned in the Book of Tobit in the Apocrypha. The trumpets announce the arrival of disasters which echo the ten plagues of Egypt which God used to free Israel from slavery (Exodus 7-12). But while the ten plagues in Exodus affected only Egypt, now God’s judgment is on the whole earth. The first four go together (like the first four seals), and their impact is on the creation, not just humanity. The last three bring “woes,” bitter judgment on those who torment the saints and reject the truth. Like Israel in Egypt, God’s people will be rescued from the suffering.
The first woe brings locusts worthy of a horror movie. The locusts are under the command of a fallen angel (star), not Satan, but Abaddon, “the destroyer.” His name in Greek is similar to Apollo, the Sun God, whose name the Emperor Domitian had taken for himself. The next woe also brings supernatural beings, this time war horses. Destruction has escalated with the seven trumpets—1/3 of everything is destroyed, in comparison to the ¼ of the fourth seal. The voice from the altar connects this woe with the cries of the martyred souls under the altar. Apparently they don’t need to wait any more to be vindicated. The location by the Euphrates echoes language from Daniel 5, meaning that John may have been expecting Rome (Babylon) to be destroyed by Parthians (Persians). Like the plagues of Egypt these six plagues do not inspire repentance—humanity continues its idolatrous worship and all the other sins that stem from it.
Issues to consider:
This portion is perhaps the most disturbing part of Revelation. Justice seems to have been replaced with vengeance, and death is all around—even the creation is under attack. No wonder that we don’t read this section of Revelation in church—where’s the Good News? God’s will is salvation, but it isn’t easy to see at this part of the story.
The first four trumpets offer signs to be seen, although no one seems to be impressed; a situation that parallels the story of the plagues in Egypt. Natural disasters don’t seem to be the most effective way to bring people to faith. How would we say God is present in natural disasters today? Are they a sign of God’s wrath?
The locusts bring torture. John makes it clear that they are led by a fallen angel, one with a pagan-sounding name. Given that idolatry continues even after all this pain, the vision reveals the truth that the people of earth are their own worst enemies, bringing destruction down upon themselves. How does this truth connect to the truth of the Gospel? How might repentance come about?
An interruption: (Revelation 11)
The seventh trumpet, like the seventh seal, is delayed. John sees an angel, much like three angels seen by Daniel. John’s vision turns to his own prophetic role. He is commanded to eat a scroll, just like Ezekiel (2:8-3:3) and Jeremiah (15:6) before him. Like those prophets, John finds the scroll sweet to eat, but bitter to digest. For Ezekiel and Jeremiah, eating the scroll symbolizes how the prophet internalizes God’s message until he cannot help but speak it, even though the message be bitter. Perhaps the scroll has the same effect on John. Once he has eaten the scroll, he is supposed to continue his prophetic work of denouncing kings and powers. In Daniel (12) the scroll is rolled up and sealed until the end of time. While John can’t record the words of the thunder, his scroll is open for anyone to read. It’s short because the time for prophecy is short.
John then is given the task of measuring the Temple. Again, Ezekiel did this earlier, measuring a renewed temple where God’s presence would dwell. John’s task reminds us that God’s people are safe in the inner court, while the outer court has been given over to the Gentiles for 3 ½ years (a broken time, half of that perfect 7). John may have actual events in mind here. The Jewish historian Josephus records that during the rebellion, with rebels occupying the Temple as the Romans advanced, some claimed that God would save them there. John has taken over that prophecy in a symbolic way. The Temple is not only the place to worship God, it also symbolizes the people who worship, where God now dwells. Whether or not John measures the Temple, God’s people are safe within.
Two Witnesses: If John is referring to actual people or expectations, those have been lost. In Jewish 
thinking, two figures stood for the whole of God’s faithful people: Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and prophets. Their presence in the story of the Transfiguration demonstrates this representational function. Moses and Elijah both performed miracles identical to the powers of these two. Perhaps the witnesses represent the whole faithful people of God; the lampstands are the churches. They are called to be witnesses to the truth as Jesus was, that is, to the death. Their witness will succeed where the plagues failed: following divine vindication and more destruction, people will give glory to God. In other words, they will recognize their creator and worship. Whoever the two are, their ministry finally brings people to repentance.
The seventh trumpet now is blown, bringing a conclusion: the kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of God. Again, despite all the rebellion, we return to the victory of the lamb. We could end here, but John has more to show us. His focus returns to the heavenly worship scene, and we get ready to hear the story from a different perspective.
Issues to consider:
How can the word of God be both sweet and bitter? Is this an experience you recognize? Can you think of an example of faithful living today that is both rewarding and difficult? How about in your own life?
In our day, there are many who enjoy the travails of the church, just as the people of Jerusalem gloat over the death of the two witnesses. Ultimately these people will repent—the only ones that change their ways in all of Revelation. How should the church today respond to its detractors? What do you think the church can do to inspire outsiders to come to faith?
John understands martyrdom to be necessary to the witness of the church. Are we missing out because we are not persecuted? How do we witness when we don’t die for the faith?