Everlasting Good News of Yahweh

The Day of Yahweh

The first six seals have concluded in order and the seventh and final seal is now opened in Rev 8:1. The results of opening this last seal are many beginning with the first trumpet and ending with the seventh last plague. Everything that takes place between Rev 8:7 and Rev 19 is the result of the seventh seal being opened. It opens with silence in heaven because the inhabitants of heaven realize what is about to take place; the great and terrible Day of Yahweh’s wrath. The prayers of the saints for their delivery from the wicked have ascended up to Yahweh long enough and now His vengeance begins.

The First Trumpet

Yahweh’s first act of vengeance is recorded in Rev 8:7. It is my belief that at least the first four trumpets are to be taken literally. Yahweh literally rained hail mixed with fire upon the Egyptians before the Exodus so He can easily do the same again with the addition of blood. The destruction of 1/3 of the trees will result in a shortage of fruit, lumber, paper products, etc.. Without any grass there will be no place for cattle to graze leading to a massive destruction of livestock, resulting in famine.

The Second Trumpet

Having 1/3 of all sea life destroyed will lead to famine among those that rely on the sea for food. One third of all ships being destroyed will lead to chaos and hardship among merchants and among those that rely on the shipping of goods to overseas markets.

The Third Trumpet

The word “star” in Greek can mean a fixed star, planet, or meteor. A meteor would be the most likely meaning based on the context of this verse. The earth has been hit by many meteors in the past, but this one will be the most destructive. The poisoning of 1/3 of the water supply will result in dehydration and death among animals and people. It would also have major repercussions in the food processing industry.

The Fourth Trumpet

Without sufficient sunlight the remaining 2/3 of plant life would suffer and they may not be able to produce enough oxygen for living things to breathe (plants take in CO2 and give off O2).

We can look back and see that these four trumpet judgments affect natural objects, the necessities of life; water, food, air. The last three trumpets, called “Woes” in Rev 8:13, affect men’s lives directly with pain and death. “Woe” in Hebrew and Greek is an exclamation of grief.

The Fifth Trumpet

The fifth trumpet sounds in Rev 9:1 beginning the first woe. We can see that this trumpet is not to be taken literally because a key is given to a star falling from heaven which is literally impossible. Therefore we must view it in a symbolic sense. A star represents an angel in Rev 1:20b. The word “fall” is in the past tense in Greek so it should read “fallen.” The fallen angel represents either Satan or one of his demons. The “bottomless pit” is the “pit of the abyss” in Greek. This abyss is spoken of in Lu 8:31 as a place where a demon called Legion didn’t want Yeshua to send him and his fellow demons that were possessing a man from Gadara. This abyss is also spoken of in 2 Pe 2:4 and Jude 6 where the “judgment of the great day” is the “Day of Yahweh” or the “Day of Judgment” that has recently begun. Satan is permitted to loose these demons for the purpose of afflicting men, but not killing them, just as Yahweh permitted him to afflict Job and yet not kill him.

Rev 9:2,3 describe these demons as locusts. We know they are not literal locusts based on their description in verses 7-10. Their power is given to them by Almighty Yahweh to carry out His will. Real locusts would destroy anything green, however, these locusts only hurt wicked people. The 144,000 who are sealed will remain safe (vs 4).

We read in verse 5 that they will torment men for five months. The word “month” in Greek means to “measure the moon.” So these symbolic locusts will torment men for five months beginning on a new moon and ending five moons later. Some people use the “day equals a year” theory converting this to 150 years. If that is the correct procedure when dealing with prophetic time then Ezek 39:11-15 would be hard to imagine. There will be many wicked people destroyed at the Battle of Armageddon, but it certainly will not take 210 years to bury them, working full time to do it. (Seven months equals 210 years using that theory). Remember, this trumpet takes five months to complete. It will help in understanding that when the seventh trumpet sounds to resurrect the dead, it will not stop sounding, or it will not end until seven years later.

It is important to note verse 12. When the fifth trumpet ends, the first woe ends. Two more woes are yet to come. This brings us to the sixth trumpet.

The Sixth Trumpet

Most fallen angels were imprisoned in the abyss, some were free to possess men and four were imprisoned in the Euphrates River. They are set free at the appointed time for which they were prepared to carry out the Almighty’s end time judgments. Rather than just hurting the wicked as in the fifth trumpet, they are commanded to kill 1/3 of them.

A parallel prophesy is found in the book of Joel. Joel 1:4 begins by speaking about locust. They are said to be innumerable and with the teeth of a lion. Joel 2:1-4 calls them a nation that burns up everything in their path with fire and that appear like horses with riders mounted.

Returning to Rev 9:16, 200 million may be a literal number or it may be an innumerable number as in Joel 1:6. Notice they appear as an army of horsemen as in Joel 2:4. These horsemen sit atop horses that have heads like lions as in Joel 1:6. They snort out fire as in Joel 2:3. We also saw the demon locusts of the fifth trumpet having bodies like horses and teeth like lions (vss 7 & 8).

As in the fifth trumpet, these horses have tails that can hurt although one is pictured as a scorpions tail and the other as a serpent’s head. Joel 2:8 states that these locusts cannot be wounded. They are unstoppable until their job is complete. They are said to be Yahweh’s army in Joel 2:11, for He raised them up to do His will just as He used the Assyrians and the Babylonians as His instruments of destruction against Israel.

It is my belief that Joel’s locusts, the fifth trumpet locusts, and the sixth trumpet horses are all referring to the same demonic nation that was let out of the bottomless pit. They all refer to the fallen angels. The four angels that were freed from the Euphrates River will lead this nation in battle against the wicked. Despite all the ensuing plagues from this nation, the wicked still won’t repent of their idolatries and other sins (vss 20 & 21).

Notice that the second woe or the sixth trumpet does not end until after the events of chapters 10 & 11 (Rev 11:14). That means Rev 10 & Rev 11 are part of the sixth trumpet. Since Rev 11 occurs over a period of 42 months or 1260 literal days (Rev 11:2,3), we now know that the sixth trumpet will last at least 3 1/2 years. Rev 10:7 speaks about “the days” when the seventh angel shall begin to sound the seventh trumpet. Those days will last for seven years beginning with Rev 11:15 and ending with Rev 19.

Since the utterances of the seven thunders of Rev 10:4 were sealed, there is no use in conjecturing what was said. Therefore, let us go directly to the account of the two witnesses of Rev 11.

The time element of Rev 11:2,3 is to be understood literally as was mentioned previously. The events do not necessarily take place in Jerusalem, “where also our Master was impaled” (vs 8), however, they do conclude there with the death of the two witnesses. These witnesses are literal men who will come upon the scene during the time of the sixth trumpet. They will eventually be killed and left unburied in the streets of Jerusalem. Three and 1/2 literal days later they will resurrect from the dead, in sight of the people in the area, and ascend to heaven. Notice they are resurrected before the sounding of the seventh trumpet. This sets a precedent in understanding Heb 11:39-40 which says, “And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: [Yahweh] having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” These verses do not teach that those who lived by faith prior to Yeshua’s first coming will be resurrected at the exact same time as those who lived by faith after his death and resurrection. The word “without” should have been translated “apart from.” In other words, Yahweh will not perfect one group unless He also perfects the other group, though that perfecting can occur at different times as is the case with the two witnesses.

The termination of the sixth trumpet woe coincides with the termination of the 42 months or 1260 days of Rev 11:2,3. The question is, “Does that 3 1/2 year period begin at the start of the sixth trumpet or can it begin earlier; perhaps at the start of the first trumpet?” Since the two witnesses “have the power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will,” it is not unreasonable to believe the six previous trumpet plagues were the result of their power. Therefore, the 3 1/2 year period of Rev 11:2,3 may begin in Rev 8 upon the opening of the seventh seal. Shortly afterward the first trumpet plague would be called down by the two witnesses. You may choose to reject this possibility, however, you must agree that the sixth trumpet woe ends at the same hour the two witnesses are resurrected and ascend to heaven. Therefore, the two witnesses prophesy before Messiah’s return, before the beast of Rev 13 reigns, and before the seven last plagues are poured out.

The Seventh Trumpet

Rev 11:14 says, “The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe comes quickly.” Upon the sounding of the seventh angels trumpet in verse 15, the third woe begins. Many events will take place as a result of this trumpet beginning with the opening of the temple in heaven revealing the ark of the covenant. As mentioned previously, seven years remain between the blowing of the seventh trumpet and the return of Messiah in Rev 19. Since the return of Messiah to set up the Kingdom of Yahweh directly follows the seventh plague, this will be the last seven years of earth’s history under the rule of man-made governments. From then on Yeshua will be King over all the earth.

Three main reasons why this heavenly temple is now opened after 19 centuries are;

1) To allow Messiah to return to resurrect the dead.

2) To allow the resurrected saints to enter the temple in heaven and stand before Yahweh’s throne.

3) So Yahweh’s High Priest can fulfill the next portion of the Day of Atonement. That is, to come out of the sanctuary to make an atonement for the altar (Lev 16:17-19).

Since the first two reasons involve lengthy discussions, let’s begin by explaining point #3.

As the Apostle Paul revealed in Col 2:16,17, each of Yahweh’s holy days are a shadow of something to come in the future. The seven trumpets of Revelation, for example, are foreshadowed by the Day of Trumpets spoken of in Lev 23:24,25. Ten days after the Day of Trumpets is the Day of Atonement. It is considered to be the holiest day of the year. It was on that day that the earthly High Priest entered the Most Holy Place of the earthly tabernacle to cleanse it with the blood of Yahweh’s goat that was chosen by lots (Lev 16:7-16).

The book of Hebrews tells us that the heavenly tabernacle was also in need of cleansing but with better sacrifices than that of animals (Heb 9:21-23). It also says that Messiah’s blood is the cleansing agent (Heb 9:12) and that he now acts as Yahweh’s High Priest to do the cleansing (Heb 9:11,24-26) that fulfills the shadow of Lev 16:7-16. But what was the earthly High Priest to do next? He had to leave the earthly sanctuary, “go out unto the altar that is before Yahweh, and make an atonement for it;” (Lev 16:18). This portion of the shadow, as well as the events that follow it, has not yet been fulfilled by Messiah, the new High Priest. Yeshua has been sitting on Yahweh’s right hand since entering the Most Holy Place and has yet to leave the heavenly sanctuary (Heb 8:1,2;10:12).

The earthly High Priest had to sprinkle the blood of animals upon the horns of the altar with his finger “seven times” to cleanse it and restore its holiness. This will be fulfilled by Messiah during the last seven years of earths history under man’s rule.

As in Dan 4:16 & 23 and Rev 12:14, a “time” is understood to equal one year. Therefore, “seven times” in Lev 16:19 can be understood to mean seven years as the reality of the shadow. The symbolism of the “finger” is similar to that spoken of in Lu 11:20 and Mt 12:28 where the “finger of [Yahweh]” equals His Holy Spirit power. Yahweh’s High Priest, through the power of the Holy Spirit, will cleanse the altar for seven years. What is the altar? Traditionally, the altar was the location where animal sacrifices took place. It was located directly outside the entrance to the Holy Place. If Yahweh’s throne is located in the “Holiest of all” (Heb 9:3,4) and heaven itself is said to be the Holy Place (Heb 9:24), then the area directly outside the Holy Place (or heaven) would be earth (or the altar). In Rev 6:9, John saw the souls of slain saints “under the altar.” Where are slain saints now? All sleep in the grave until the resurrection, therefore, all are under the earth.

Before the earthly altar was put into use it had to be sanctified. This was accomplished by making an atonement for it seven days at which time it would become “most holy” (Ex 29:36,37). This can also refer to a seven year prophetic meaning using the “day equals a year” theory. But what is even more interesting is the designation “most holy.” Once the altar was cleansed for seven days it became “most holy” and was then “anointed.” Is it possible that Dan 9:24, “and to anoint the most holy” is a reference to the final act of cleansing the earth for seven years to conclude the “seventy weeks?” Once the seventieth week is concluded, which coincides with earth’s last seven years under man, Messiah will establish the Kingdom of Yahweh on a sanctified, cleansed earth.

The reference to the “horns of the altar” in Lev 16:18 pertains to the four horns that were constructed on each corner of the earthly altar (Ex 27:1,2). The symbolic meaning would be a cleansing of all the earth, from north to south and from east to west.

Part 1; Part 2