The Seven Trumpets of Revelation

Chapter 13

-- An Interlude with Jesus –

The Event that Ends Time

“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 servants the prophets” (Revelation 10:7).

Jesus is still speaking. These words continue this amazing oath between two divine Beings! This verse refers to the culmination of redemption’s plan. Daniel asked, “How long will it be?” The answer: there was “time and times and half a time” (Daniel 12:5-7). But Jesus went on to tell him that this time period would not be understood (it was sealed) until the “time of the end” (Daniel 12:8-9). Here in Revelation 10:6 we just noted with that book being unsealed that time now would no longer be delayed. That three and a half year period now begins. The time for the deliverance of God’s people and special resurrection will bring it to an end.

These three and a half years are the tribulation period (Revelation 11:2, 12:14, 13:5) and the final time the gospel goes to the whole world (Revelation 11:3). Now a new dimension is added. When the seventh Trumpet sounds, the “mystery of God” would be finished!

Did you observe something exciting? Verse 6 begins the three and a half year period and this verse ends something! We must find out more. Does that Trumpet blast end the three and a half years? Jesus already told Daniel what would end that time period. There must be something beyond the deliverance of God’s people and that special resurrection (Daniel 12:1-2).

What is that “mystery of Godliness? Some see it as the eschaton (or when Jesus comes), others when God’s people are delivered. Many perceive it to be when the new heavens and earth are recreated. It is when the sin issue has come to its conclusion! That draws on Day of Atonement language when God’s people are holy and sealed and Satan (the scapegoat) is given all the covenant people’s sins. Then the issues of redemption are complete. As in the Day of Atonement in the ancient Jewish theocracy, when everything was atoned for and the scapegoat received all the sins, ready to be driven into the wilderness, the camp was pure. It was a signal that the end of dealing with sin had come. Rightness then filled the camp. The “mystery” of the sacrificial animals, the priest’s work, the blood and sin was solved.

“And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 3:9).

“To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory ... That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ” (Colossians 1:27, 2:2).

“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory” (I Timothy 3:16).

When analyzing these wonderful verses, we discover that the “mystery of Godliness” is fellowship or “knitting of hearts” between His people, Christ in us, the restoration of oneness with Jesus (what He prayed for in John 17). What does this all spell out? The finishing of the everlasting covenant! This is so beautifully portrayed in Jeremiah 31:33 (cf. II Corinthians 6:16; Hebrews 8:10, 10:16).

This is described in these beautiful words:

“When we seek for appropriate language in which to describe the love of God, we find words too tame, too weak, too far beneath the theme, and we lay down our pen and say, ‘No, it cannot be described.’ We can only do as did the beloved disciple, and say, ‘Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.’ [1 John 3:1.] In attempting any description of this love, we feel that we are as infants lisping their first words. Silently we may adore; for silence in this matter is the only eloquence. This love is past all language to describe. It is the mystery of God in the flesh, God in Christ, and divinity in humanity. Christ bowed down in unparalleled humility, that in his exaltation to the throne of God, he might also exalt those who believe in him, to a seat with him upon his throne. All who look upon Jesus in faith that the wounds and bruises that sin has made will be healed in him, shall be made whole.”¹

“I feel an intense interest that all should comprehend, as far as possible, the love of God. We cannot afford to draw away our attention from this subject, for in it is contained the mystery of God,–the plan of salvation. We may put to the stretch every power of our mind, and yet we shall not be fully able to comprehend the heights and depths of the love of God; for the human mind is not capable of understanding its full significance. It is our privilege, however, to obtain clearer and more distinct views of the plan of salvation. We should not be content with a superficial knowledge of this wonderful plan, but we should seek to behold it in all its greatness, that as far as possible we may understand the love of God.”²

There is a wonderful clue tucked right inside this verse. It says “when he [the seventh Trumpet angel] begins to sound.” Most feel the correct  translation is: “When he is about to sound” (NASV, NIV, etc.). That helps and does make a difference. The word for “days” (hemerais) here is plural. In the days of “time times and half time” – in that period of time.

Just before the Trumpet begins to sound, “the last trump” (I Corinthians 15:52), the sin issue comes to an end. Daniel talked about that time: “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand” (Daniel 12:10).

So did Jesus talk about this:  “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward [is] with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last” (Revelation 22:11-13).

Isn’t that interesting? Even Jesus said that when the sin issue is finished, He would come quickly. Everywhere in the Sacred Text, again and again, by the order of the messages, we can discover the sequence of the great end-time events! The seventh Trumpet announces the eschaton, Daniel’s timing period and all the associated events (seven thunders) immediately precede that grand event – Jesus’ return. That will be the culmination of all gospel messages.

There is another part of this verse that is quite important. It refers us back to the Mystery of God that was previously given to God’s servants the prophets. In these “last days” we now grasp more fully what those great messages meant. But, it doesn’t end there. The Greek word for “declared” is euengelisen. The same word (euengelisen) is used by John in Revelation 14:6 when the gospel is to be preached to all the world. The prophets declared the message of Jesus and redemption to come. It is to be carried to the world by His end-time servants [144,000 (14:1-5)] under the great banner of the three angels’ messages. Then comes the harvest (Revelation 14:14-20). The “mystery of God” will then be finished.

From what we have gone over thus far, we can see links between Daniel 12, Revelation 10–11, 14 and 22. With those amazing ties we can now see that there is a very final end-time application to those three angels’ messages.

Another interesting tid bit of when these all apply come in the next chapter. When the gospel message is working its way through the world, the angel said, “the woe [final Trumpet] is coming quickly.” Jesus, in this Danielic and apocalyptic time period is expectant!

References:

¹Christian Education, p. 77.

²The Signs of the Times, 11/18/1889.