Seventh Trumpet: Beginning the Second Coming Procession
Armageddon and The Second Coming of Christ
14 The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly. 15 Then the seventh angel sounded:
and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms (empires, nations) of this world have
become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” 16 And the
twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying:
“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, because
You have taken Your great power and reigned. 18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the
prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who
destroy the earth.” 19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was
seen in His temple. There were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.
(Revelation 11:14-19)
I. INTRODUCTION
A. In Revelation 11:14-19, John describes what happens at the 7th Trumpet and the Second Coming of Jesus. God
releases His sovereign power to take over the nations of the world as He initiates the Millennial Kingdom. The time comes
to pour wrath on the nations, to pronounce judgment on unbelievers who have died, to reward the saints and to destroy the
people who have destroyed the earth. In other words, In Revelation 11:14-19, John focuses on the impact of the
7th Trumpet without giving the terrifying judgment details until Revelation 15-16.
B. The main theme of Revelation 11:14-19 is the prophetic proclamation of God’s triumph over the antichrist and his
empire. He takes leadership over all the nations of the earth (verse 15)
C. God has always had the power to rule the nations, but chose in His sovereignty to restrain His power to allow His
mysterious plan (Revelation 10:7) to unfold through 6,000 years of human history. His plan has been to create the context
to bring forth voluntary lovers of God for eternity that are empowered with gratitude knowing the details of their sin, God’s
love and the eternal judgment. The mystery of God or the plan of God is to prepare a Bride to rule the earth with Jesus.
This plan will be complete at the 7th Trumpet, which is the same Trumpet referred to in Revelation 10:7.
D. The voices in heaven announce that God decided that the situation was right to manifest His authority over the
nations of the earth. Jesus told His disciples that the way and time of His coming was established by the Father’s authority
(Acts 1:7)
9 Having made known to us the mystery (hidden plan) of His will … 10 that in … the fullness of the times He
might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth –in Him.
(Ephesians 1:9-10)
E. The Father is the King (Deuteronomy 10:17; Psalm 136:2-3) yet gives this title to Jesus (Revelation 17:14; 19:16).
14 Until … Christ’s appearing 15 which He (Father) will manifest in His own time, He (Father) who is the …
only Potentate (Ruler), the King of kings and Lord of lords … (1 Timothy 6:14-15)
F. The control of the nations since Adam’s sin in the garden of Eden until now has been under satan’s rule (Luke 4:6).
This will all be changed at the Second Coming of Jesus. The leadership of the nations come under God’s authority forever.
5 The devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world… 6 The devil said
to Him, “All this authority I will give You … for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.
(Luke 4:5-6)
G. Jesus called satan the ‘ruler of this world’ (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). Paul called satan the ‘god of this world’
(2 Corinthians 4:4) and the ‘prince of the power of the air’ (Ephesians 2:2). The Apostle John said the ‘whole world lies
under the sway of the wicked one’ (1 John 5:19)
H. In Revelation 11:14-19, John describes the scene when the angel sounded the anticipated 7th Trumpet. John was
told that seven angels were prepared to sound seven Trumpets (Revelation 8:1, 6) and he gave the description for the first
six Trumpet judgments (Revelation 8:7, 8, 10, 12; 9:1, 13). An angel spoke to John about the 7th Trumpet
(Revelation 10:7) saying that God’s mystery or hidden plan, would be fulfilled in the days when the 7th Trumpet sounded.
Then he interrupted the chronological story line of the Book of Revelation by inserting two parenthetical passages
(Revelation 10:1-11 and Revelation 11:1-14) which both emphasize God’s promise to release prophetic clarity to guide,
empower and protect the End-Time Church. The Seventh Trumpet releases the seven bowl judgments that are introduced
in a vision of God’s throne-court room.
I. Jesus begins His Second Coming Procession in the sky and the Rapture of the Church at the 7th Trumpet. The 7th
Trumpet is also called the Last Trumpet (1 Corinthians 15:52) because it is the last of the seven Trumpets numbered in
Revelation. Jesus called it a great Trumpet (Matthew 24:31; Isaiah 27:13). The first to be raptured may be the Two
Witnesses in Jerusalem (Revelation 11:12) followed by the rapture of all the living saints worldwide.
J. The Second Coming Procession involves a 3 stage process including many events. This Procession begins
in the sky at the 7th Trumpet with the Rapture and ends on the earth after the 7th Bowl to end the Armageddon campaign
with an astonishing victory over the armies of the antichrist at Jerusalem. (Revelation 19:11-21; Zechariah 12:1-13:6;
14:1-9).
K. Stage #1: Jesus’ procession across the sky: to rapture the Church (Matthew 24:30-31; Revelation 1:7)
L. Stage #2: Jesus’ procession on the land: traveling from Egypt through Jordan (Isaiah 63; Habakkuk 3)
M. Stage #3: Jesus’ procession into Jerusalem: to the Mount of Olives followed by His coronation
N. Revelation 11:14-19 has three main sections. First, a prophetic proclamation of God’s triumph over the antichrist and
all the nations of the earth (v 15). Second, the 24 elders answer the proclamation with a hymn that thanks God for judging
the wicked and rewarding the righteous (vv 16-18). This hymn describes the response of the enraged nations. Third, is the
opening of the Temple in heaven (v 19).
II. OUTLINE OF REVELATION 11:14-19
A. The proclamation of the Third woe or the 7th Trumpet (v 14)
B. The prophetic proclamation hymn of God’s triumph on earth (v 15)
1. The 7th Trumpet is sounded by the angel (v 15a)
2. The heavenly choir proclaims God’s triumph with loud voices (v 15a)
3. Hymn: the nations of this world are taken over by the Father and His Son (v 15b)
4. God’s reign on the earth will continue uninterrupted forever and ever (v 15c)
C. The hymn of thanksgiving by the 24 elders (v 16-18)
1. The 24 elders fall down before God to worship Him with thanksgiving (v 16)
2. Their hymn of thanksgiving to God (v 17-18
3. The Father’s title: the Lord God Almighty, who is and who was
4. The five reasons for their hymn of thanksgiving (v 17b)
a. God received great authority and began to reign
b. God’s wrath against the angry nations (v18a, b)
c. God’s judgment of the dead (v 18b)
d. God’s reward of the prophets and the saints who fear God (v 18c)
e. God’s destruction of those who destroy the earth (v 18d)
D. The temple of God in heaven opens (v 19)
1. The ark of God’s covenant is seen (v 19b)
2. The manifestations of God’s glory (v 19c): lightning, rumbling, thunder, earthquake, hail
III. PROPHETIC ANNOUNCEMENT OF ONE MORE WOE COMING SOON
The second Woe is past. Behold, the third Woe is coming quickly. (Rev. 11:14)
A. The angel sounded the anticipated 7th Trumpet also called the Third Woe or the Last Trumpet (1 Corinthians 15:52).
The Third Woe is the 7th Trumpet which releases the seven bowls (Revelation 15-16)
B. John revealed that the last three Trumpets were also called the three Woes.
13 I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the
inhabitants of the earth, because of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three
angels who are about to sound!” (Revelation 8:13)
C. John described the two Woes. The First Woe is the Fifth Trumpet (Revelation 9:1-11). The Second Woe is the Sixth
Trumpet (Revelation 9:13-21). John told us when they passed (Revelation 9:12; 11:14).
IV. PROPHETIC PROCLAMATION OF GOD’S TRIUMPH OVER ALL NATIONS
15 Then the seventh angel sounded: there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms (empires) of
this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”
(Revelation 11:15)
A. One primary theme in Revelation is establishing God’s Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. The announcement of
establishing God’s authority over the nations is also in Revelation 12:10; 19:6, 16.
B. God has always possessed the ultimate sovereign authority over His creation. John hears the voices in heaven
announcing that the time has come in which God has decided that the situation was right to begin to manifest His sovereign
authority.
C. Usually in the NT the term “Lord” refers to Jesus exalted but here it points to the Father.
D. Christ is the Greek word for Messiah, or God’s anointed One. Therefore, Jesus is called “His Christ” (His Messiah
or His Anointed) in both Revelation 11:15 and Revelation 12:10 as well as being used by David and the apostles, etc. )
Psalm 2:2; Acts 3:18; 4:26; Luke 2:26). The title emphasizes Jesus’ subordinate relationship to the Father. God and His
Anointed rule in love together forever.
E. Jesus is God’s agent of government in the Millennial Kingdom yet it is God’s authority that Jesus operates under. The
subject of “He shall reign forever and ever” is singular (the Father).
F. This presentation of the Kingdom in the Scripture does not always distinguish between the Millennial Kingdom of
Jesus and the Father’s reign on the New Earth. Paul saw two distinct periods in establishing the Kingdom on earth. The first
is Jesus’ reign between His ascension and “the end” (1 Corinthians 15:24). That is, the end of the Millennium which is also
referred to as the consummation when Jesus delivers the Millennial Kingdom to His Father (1 Corinthians 15:24-28) and
when the Father dwells face to face among His people on the New Earth (Revelation 21:3; 22:4)
G. The unidentified loud voice also proclaimed God’s leadership over the nations in Revelation 12:10.
I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the
power of His Christ have come (Revelation 12:10)
H. John hears the two announcements that “the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord.” And
that the “kingdom of our God and the power of His Christ have come.” The verbs are in the past tense. In other words, it is
as if God’s authority over the nations was a fact of history. John used the “prophetic perfect”, of a future event referred to
as a past event because of the absolute certainty of it occurring. Some refer to this as a prophetic (proleptic) statement.
V. THE RESPONSIVE THANKSGIVING HYMN OF THE 24 ELDERS
16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,
17 saying: “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is to come
because You have taken Your great power and reigned. 18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has
come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the
prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who
destroy the earth.” (Revelation 11:16-18)
A. The response of the 24 elders (government of heaven) is seen in their proclamation with a hymn that thanks God for
judging the wicked and rewarding the righteous (vv 16-18). This hymn describes the response of the enraged nations.
B. The theme of God’s leadership was further developed in the second hymn by the 24 elders who sitting on thrones
near God (Revelation 4:4, 10) fell on their faces before God as they were undone with gratitude and awe as they witnessed
the prophetic certainty of Jesus taking over the leadership of all the nations of the earth. In God’s heavenly court, God is
always seated (1 Kings 22;19; Isaiah 6:1; Daniel 7:9) and is surrounded by a court that is always standing (1 Kings 22:19;
Isaiah 6:2; Daniel 7:10)
C. As John describes the 7th Trumpet, he highlights five specific dimensions of God’s plan and activity that the 24
elders thank God for.
1. First, for taking or manifesting His great power to reign over the nations of the earth. The Lord will rise to rule
the earth. (Isaiah 2:21)
2. Second, for pouring out wrath (7 bowls) against the angry nations (Revelation 15-16) who hate Jesus’
leadership. The response of the nations is anger at God’s wrath in the Seals and Trumpets and God’s insistence on
installing Jesus as King in their place. King David prophesied of this specific scenario (Psalm 2:1-12). Telescoping:
The 7th Trumpet contains and thus releases the 7 Bowls of Wrath.
3. Third, for sentencing the unrighteous dead as guilty. They will be judged (evaluated and pronounced guilty)
and sent to Hades (their temporary prison for 1,000 years) until they are thrown in the Lake of Fire
(Revelation 20:11-15)
4. Fourth, for vindicating and rewarding His servants (prophets and saints) before all. The time comes to reward
the saints. In this parenthetical section (Revelation 17:1-19:10), the saints are rewarded with garments that reflect
their righteous choices during their time on earth. In other words, in this scene, they are already raptured and
rewarded in preparation to be with Jesus as He approaches Jerusalem to destroy the armies of the antichrist that
surround Jerusalem (Revelation 19:11-21).
D. Fifth, for destroying the individuals who destroyed the earth.
VI. RAPTURED BELIEVERS WILL BE REWARDED WHEN JESUS RETURNS.
18 The time … that You should reward Your servants … (Revelation 11:18)
27 For the Son of Man will come … then He will reward each according to his works (Matthew 16:27
12 Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one … (Revelation 22:12)
10 Behold, the Lord GOD shall come … behold, His reward is with Him … (Isaiah 40:10)
11 Surely your salvation is coming; behold, His reward is with Him … (Isaiah 62:11)
A. Raptured believers will be quickly evaluated and rewarded when Jesus returns (Matthew 16:27; Revelation 11:15, 18;
22:12; Isaiah 40:10; 62:11). Their immediate reward will affect the glory they possess in their resurrected bodies
(1 Corinthians 15:41-42) and the type of garments they are given which will reflect their measure of obedience on the earth
(Revelation 19:8). The saints have their heavenly garments by the time they are with Jesus at the conclusion of the
Armageddon campaign as described in Revelation 19:11-21. (They may not receive their Millennial position until later).
1 The Lord Jesus Christ who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing … (2 Timothy 4:1)
8 The crown of righteousness, which the Lord … will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all
who have loved His appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8)
8 To her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of
the saints. (Revelation 19:8)
B. The saints are here with Jesus to rescue the city of Jerusalem that is surrounded by the armies of the antichrist
(Zechariah 12-14). The saints will wear garments that reflect the rewards they were given at the time of the 7th Trumpet
(Revelation 11:18; 19:8).
11 Behold, a white horse. He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righeousness He judges
and makes war … 14 the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white
horses. (Revelation 19:11-14)
VII. THE OPENING OF THE TEMPLE IN HEAVEN (V 19)
19 Then the Temple of God was opened in heaven, and the Ark of His covenant was seen in His Temple.
And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail. (Revelation 11:19)
A. God “opens” seven things in Revelation
1. Open Door (Revelation 4:1)
2. Open Seals (Revelation 6:1-9)
3. Open bottomless pit (Revelation 9:1-2)
4. Open Little book (Revelation 10:2)
5. Open Temple in heaven (Revelation 11:19; 15:5)
6. Open Heaven (Revelation 19:11)
7. Open Books (Revelation 20:12)
B. Heaven’s Temple is opened to signify an open heaven over God’s people at the time of the Rapture and the 7th
Trumpet. Immediately at this, the Temple is filled with the smoke of God’s glory and power to such a degree that no one
could enter the Temple until the Seven Bowls of wrath were finished (Revelation 15:8)
C. The heavenly temple opened. This unveiled the Ark to John who saw the manifestations of God’s glory including
lightning, noises, thunder, an earthquake, and great hail (Revelation 11:19). The storm of power surge breaks out in heaven
but is manifest on earth.
D. The Temple opened and the Ark of the covenant was revealed. In other words, In Revelation 21:3, god is dwelling
with His people and releasing His presence (significance of the ark) and walking out His covenants forever with His people.
E. The Ark of the Covenant is seen in the heavenly Temple which is the habitation of God. The Ark was in the Holy of
Holies. God gave Moses the revelation of the Ark on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 25:10-22; 37:1-9). The Ark was called the “Ark of
the Testament, or Covenant, or Testimony” (Numbers 10:33). It was the first article of furniture to be constructed because it
spoke of God and His Throne and was the place that the Shekinah Glory was manifest on earth. The contents in the Ark
were Aaron’s rod that budded, the Golden Pot of Manna and the Tables of God’s Law (Hebrew 9:4; Exodus 16:33-34;
Deuteronomy 31:26; Numbers 17). Blood was sprinkled on the Mercy Seat over the Ark only once a year, on the Day of
Atonement (Leviticus 16) which was on the tenth day of the 7th month. The High Priest would only do this through the
incense cloud.
F. When the Ark was used the first time in battle, it went on a three day journey with Israel (Numbers 10:33-36). On
this occasion, Moses cried, “Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered” (Number 10:35). David used Moses’ prayer in
a time of war (Psalm 68:1). The Ark was the only piece of furniture on which God’s Glory dwelt. The Ark spoke of Jesus who
is filled with the fullness of God in bodily form (Colossians 1:19; 2:9).
G. The Ark brings both life or death, blessing or cursing or mercy or judgment. When Israel finally arrived at the land of
Israel (promised land), the Ark went 2000 cubits ahead of them through the Jordan River. The Ark was used by God to split
the waters so that Israel could pass on dry ground. Joshua took 12 stones into Jordan and 12 stones out of Jordan. The
first twelve stones point to first twelve tribes of Israel and the next twelve point to the Apostles of the Lamb. The Millennial
Kingdom is our promise land (Joshua 3-4).
H. The Ark released God’s judgment on sin. For example, the Ark killed the enemy in Ashdod (1 Samuel 5:1-7), in Gath
(1 Samuel 5:8-9), in Ekron (1 Samuel 5:10-12), in Beth Shemesh (1 Samuel 6:1-20) then in Kirjath Jearim (1 Samuel 6:21;
7:1-2). It brought blessing to Obed-Edom’s house (2 Samuel 6:1-11; 1 Chronicles 13;11-14).
I. The significance of the Ark at the 7th Trumpet is that the veil that keeps us from God’s presence will be drawn back so
all will see God as Jesus comes in the sky in the Second Coming Procession to initiate His Millennial reign. The Ark brings
judgment to the ungodly.
J. The Ark speaks of God’s power, victory and the fulfillment of all of God’s covenants.
K. The Ark speaks of God’s power to judge God’s enemies.
L. Under the 7th Trumpet, the earth’s Jubilee and atonement will be manifest. Therefore, the Jubilee Trumpet will be
heard on the Day of Atonement in the 7th month. The result will be lightnings (Revelation 8:5; 10:3; 16:18; 19:6), sounds or
voices (Revelation 11:19), thunderings (Revelation 4:4), and earthquake (Revelation 8:5; 16:19) and great hail
(Revelation 16:18-21).
M. One of the greatest prophetic types of the Ark happened when the seven trumpets were blown in Israel’s victory over
Jericho (Joshua 3-6). God told Joshua to give seven priests each a trumpet to carry the Ark into the battle. First, send two
spies to Jericho (Two Witnesses), then march seven times around Jericho, then blow all seven trumpets on the seventh day
with a great shout and an earthquake. The promise land of the Kingdom was in the process of being given to Israel
(Millennial Kingdom).
VIII THE 7TH TRUMPET RAPTURE ENDS THE TIME OF TRIBULATION FOR THE SAINTS
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its
light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the
Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of
Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great
sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the
other (Matthew 24:29-31)
A. The key is to define what is included in the “tribulation of those days” which is defined earlier as the worst in history
for the saints who are raptured at the 7th Trumpet. Jesus does not include the sun and moon darkening with falling stars
and powers of heaven shaking in the “tribulation of those days” because it comes after the Rapture.
B. The ‘they’ who see Jesus in the clouds after the tribulation is clearly the unbelievers worldwide. The Bowls would not
be included in the “tribulation of those days.”.
C. What is meant by the “tribulation of those days?” In context, Jesus is emphasizing the dangers to the saints in
Israel related to the Abomination of Desolation occurring in the Jerusalem temple.
D. The focus of the Tribulation in Daniel 12 and Matthew 24 is a tribulation against the saints by the antichrist not the
tribulation on the people in the antichrist’s systems by God’s judgments (which is the focus of the Book of Revelation). The
Tribulation against the saints is over after 1,260 days which is the 7th Trumpet. The tribulation on the people with the
antichrist continues another 30 days according to Daniel 12:11.
E. The “tribulation of those days”, does not include the great slaughter of the antichrist’s armies which leaves blood
flowing for 200 miles (Revelation 19:19-21; 14:20) along with the great plague that will strike all the people who fought
against Jerusalem causing their flesh, eyes and tongues to dissolve. This plague also strikes their horses, mules, camels,
donkeys and all the cattle in their camps (Zechariah 14:12-15). Jesus will destroy the antichrist with the brightness of His
coming (2 Thessalonians 2:8).
F. The Two Witnesses are raised after they ministered 1,260 days. I believe their resurrection initiates the Rapture of
the saints. The earthquake here is not the same earthquake as seen in Zechariah 14:4 which will open a way of escape for
the besieged Jews in Jerusalem. In Zechariah 14, after earthquake, Jesus comes with all His saints to fully defeat the forces
of the antichrist.
11 Now after the 3 ½ days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet … 12 and they
ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. 13 In the same hour there was a great
earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. (Revelation 11:11-13).
4 In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives … (it) shall be split in two … making a very large valley
… 5 You shall flee through My mountain valley. (Zechariah 14:4-5)