Revelation chapter 8 begins with: “And when He had opened the seventh seal there was silence in heaven for the space of half an hour.  And I saw the seven angels which stood before God, and to them were given seven trumpets” which they were to sound to warn the inhabitants of earth, upon whom another angel cast fire as they angels prepared to sound their trumpets.  The Great and Terrible Day (year) of the Lord had arrived.

In verse seven we find the first angel blowing his trumpet, causing hail mingled with blood to pound the earth, killing one-third of the trees and all green grass.  The Devil having had his time (2 1/2 yrs) to afflict sinning mankind during the Great Tribulation, the Almighty would now pour out His wrath on them.

The second angel sounded (vs 8), causing a great mountain to catch fire on earth.  The flaming mountain was then cast into the sea, causing one-third of the world’s above-ground water to become blood, thereby killing one-third of all sea creatures and destroying one-third of all ships.

When the third angel sounded his trumpet (vs 10), another star fell from heaven upon one-third of the earth’s rivers and upon the underground fountains of water, making them bitter and poisonous.  Many men died from drinking the water made poisonous by the star which is called “Wormwood.”  Ironically, the word “Wormwood” in the Russian language is “Chernobyl,” which is the name of the Russian city that, in 1986, suffered the meltdown of its nuclear power plant, causing horrendous damage to not only the people in the area, but also the animals.  I recently read that radiation above the area is still so powerful that it affects the film used to take pictures of the plant site from an airplane.

The fourth angel sounded (vs 12), causing one-third of the sun, moon and stars to grow dark for a day and a night.  Following this horror, an angel flew through the midst of heaven proclaiming the coming of three “woes” (curses) upon the people of the earth.  Each of the three remaining angels would send forth a “woe” with their trumpet blasts.

In the nineth chapter we find the fifth angel sounding its trumpet (vs 1), causing another star to fall to the earth.  To the fifth angel was given the key to a “bottomless pit.”  Upon opening the pit, black smoke billowed out, causing the sun and the air to turn black.  With the smoke came locusts having the power of scorpions when they sting their victims.  The angel commanded the locusts to torment sinning men for five months, but not to kill them.  Men would wish to die, but would not be able to.  Notice in verse 4 that these men would be those who did not have the seal of God in their foreheads.  Question: who would have the seal of God in his forehead during the terrible Day of the Lord?  God’s Very Elect would have been in their place of safety since the beginning of the Great Tribulation some 2 1/2 years earlier.  The answer is found in the series titled Who Will Comprise the Great Multitude of Revelation 7:9.  Key word–Multitude.  I recommend that you read this study.  It will give you hope for your friends and loved ones who have died, along with those who will die without God in the future.  This group includes all Catholics and Protestants.  Also read The Three Resurrections.  Key word–Three.

In verse 12 we find the sixth angel sounding his trumpet thereby unleashing the second woe on sinning mankind.  At this point a voice is heard coming from the four horns of the golden alter which stands before God.  This voice commands that the four angels which are bound in the Euphrates River be loosed upon mankind.  These angels will be in charge of a 200,000,000 man army that will kill one-third of mankind.  Today, China has a standing army of over 200,000,000 soldiers.  Incredibly, those who have survived the Great Tribulation and are now in the Day of the Lord will refuse to repent of their sins.  Sound familiar?  This is what happens each time God “speaks” to sinning man using such horrors as disease, war, earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, floods, droughts, famines, depressions, recessions, accidents, social unrest, mental problems, etc. and refuse to hear God’s apostles, believe and obey God’s Word.  As we are told in 2 Corinthians 4:4, Satan is the god of this world and its religions.

It is during the second woe that we find two men coming onto the world scene (11:3).  God calls these men His  “witnesses.”  Read the series by that title.  Key word–Witnesses.  These men will fearlessly defy Satan who rules the people left alive on earth.  These two men will possess unlimited power from on high for the duration of their ministries.  Anyone who tries to kill them will be killed by fire coming out of their mouths.  They will have power to shut up heaven so that it will not rain for the duration of their time on earth.–three years.  They will turn any standing water remaining on earth into blood.  They will smite the earth with plagues according to their will.  Then, when they have finished their ministries, they will be killed.  Their bodies will lie in a Jerusalem street for three days while all of mankind rejoices and sends presents to one another in celebration of their deaths.  Then the world will hear a voice from heaven telling the witnesses to “Come up hither.”  They will then come to life and be taken up into the heavens.  Following this terrifying event, a great earthquake will destroy one-tenth of the city and kill seven thousand men.  Seeing this, survivors in the city will give praise to God.  The second woe has now passed, followed quickly by the third woe.

The seventh angel sounds (vs 15) and great voices are heard in heaven proclaiming that soon the world would soon come under the power of almighty God Who, along with His Son, would rule it and the people on it forever.  This proclamation  will be followed by lightnings, voices, thunderings, an earthquake and great hale.

To learn what happens after these events read The Kingdom of God.  Key word–Kingdom.  At the end of the Day of the Lord Christ will return.  Upon His arrival His Very Elect will be resurrected from the dead and will rise to meet Him in the air.  Those who are alive and in the place of safety will then follow them.  All will join Jesus and His angels in the air.  From there they will descend to the Mount of Olives.  They will then enter Jerusalem where they will establish the Kingdom of God.  For the next 1000 years they will rule the earth.  Following the removal of the surface of the earth and the heavens above it a new earth and new heaven will replace them.  Following the arrival of New Jerusalem God, Christ and their Very Elect will rule the universe forever from there.  Read God’s Very Elect: Future Caretakers of the Universe.  Key word–Caretakers.  L.J.