Revelation, Part 5: Seven Angels, Seven Trumpets

Brian Behrends, Creative Pastor

Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Revelation 10:8–9
Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”
     So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it.”

Revelation 8:6–12
⁶ Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.
        ⁷ The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.
        ⁸ The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, ⁹ a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
        ¹⁰ The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water— ¹¹ the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.
        ¹² The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.

Revelation 11:3–7
“And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” ⁴ They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.” ⁵ If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. ⁶ They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
       ⁷ Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them.

Revelation 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 Messiah,
        and he will reign for ever and ever.”

Small Group Questions

1. In what areas of your life do you struggle most with fear?
2. Read Revelation 10:8-9. Why do you think the angel would tell John to eat the scroll? How can we encourage one another not just to look for answers, but to become the answer to what God wants to do in this world?
3. Despite all of judgement and war that gets referenced in these chapters, where do you find hope? Where do you see Jesus?
4. How can we be unified as a group even when we have differences of opinion about the symbolism of Revelation and what it all means?
5. Do you find hope in knowing that the God of the Old Testament is the same God of Revelation? In what ways?
6. How can we pray for you right now and throughout the week?