Intro

Description Of Study

Think the Book of Revelation is too scary or confusing? Think again!

Revelation is the only book in the Bible that explicitly promises a special blessing just for reading and listening to it. Don't let fear rob you of that blessing. God wrote the unveiling of Jesus Christ to reveal hope, not to hide it in an unsolvable puzzle. Learn how Revelation transforms the Gospel hope we have in Jesus and can help us with anxiety.

Join us in the interactive and weekly walkthrough to discover a beautiful message of hope, courage, and ultimate victory!

Welcome to our study of the Book of Revelation. Few books in Scripture have generated more fascination, confusion, and debate, it is widely considered the most intimidating book in the entire Bible. Yet Revelation was not written to obscure God's truth but to reveal it. The very word revelation means "unveiling" or "revealing." God did not give this book to hide the truth from His people, but to reveal it. Given to encourage and strengthen believers, this book reminds us that Jesus Christ reigns over history and that His victory is certain, no matter how chaotic the world may appear. This is why is one of the only books in the Bible that promises a blessing to those who read, hear, and obey its words.

To understand Revelation, two keys are essential.

The most important key to understanding Revelation is the Old Testament. With over 500 references, John's visions are filled with symbols, images, and themes drawn directly from the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings to communicate God's message.

Second, Revelation is best understood through its structure. Like much Hebrew literature, it follows a chiastic pattern in which themes are arranged around a central focal point. Of which the entire Bible climax's into this final line,

Revelation 12:10 - NKJV

¹⁰Then 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, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.

Revelation's central message and the real ending of the Bible as a whole is not fear—it is the victory of Christ and the assurance that He has already won.

As a quick reminder, we aren't going deep into the signs and symbols yet because we are doing an overview of the full book before we continue.

Passages

D1 (8:2–11:19) [Third Septet] Seven Trumpets

Intro (8:2-8:6)

A (8:7) Trumpet 1 - The land is set on fire
B (8:8-8:9) Trumpet 2 - The sea is turned to blood
C (8:10-8:11) Trumpet 3 - The rivers and springs become bitter
D (8:12-8:13) Trumpet 4 - The heavenly bodies are dimmed
E (9:1-9:12) Trumpet 5 - Demons released from the pit
F (9:13-9:21) Trumpet 6 - Demons released from Euphrates

Interlude (10:1-11:14): The nature of prophecy
G (11:15-11:19) Trumpet 7 - The seventh trumpet seems to comprise all of the fourth septet

Revelation 8:2-11:19

D1: Third Septet – Seven Trumpets (8:2–11:19)

Introduction to the seven trumpets – God ordains victory for the church through prayer 8:2-8:6

2 And I saw the seven angels who stood before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer. He was given lots of incense so that he could offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar that is before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints went up before God out of the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it at the land. And there were noises and thunders and lightnings and an earthquake. 6 And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to trumpet.

Seven Trumpets

Trumpet 1 - The land is set on fire 8:7

7 So the first one trumpeted, and there appeared hail and fire mixed with blood, and it [the mixture] was thrown at the land, and a third of the earth was burned up; that is, a third of the trees was burned up and all green grass was burned up.

Trumpet 2 - The sea is turned to blood 8:8-8:9

8 So the second angel trumpeted, and something like a great burning mountain was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9 And a third of the creatures with souls in the sea died. And a third of the ships were destroyed.

Trumpet 3 - The rivers and springs become bitter 8:10-8:11

10 So the third angel trumpeted, and a great star fell out of the sky, burning like a torch, and it fell upon a third of the rivers, and on the springs of waters. 11 The name of the star is called Wormwood; so a third of the waters were turned into wormwood, and many people died from the waters because they were made bitter.

Trumpet 4 - The heavenly bodies are dimmed 8:12-8:13

12 So the fourth angel trumpeted, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them was darkened; so a third of the day did not shine, and the night likewise.

13 And I saw and heard an eagle flying in mid-heaven saying with a loud voice, three times: “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the land because of the remaining trumpet blasts of the three angels who are about to trumpet!” [The trumpet]

Trumpet 5 - Demons released from the pit 9:1-9:12

1 So the fifth angel trumpeted, and I saw a ‘star’ that had fallen out of the sky to the land. And to him was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. 2 So he opened the shaft of the Abyss and smoke went up out of the shaft, like the smoke of a burning furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke from the shaft. 3 And ‘locusts’ exited from the smoke into the land. And to them was given a capability just like the scorpions of the land have capability. 4 And they were told not to harm the grass of the land, nor any green plant, nor any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And it was designated to them [locusts], not to kill them [men] but, to torment them five months. And their torment is like the torment of a scorpion whenever it strikes a person. 6 And in those days the people will seek death but not find it; they will want to die but death will run away from them.

7 Now the appearance of the ‘locusts’ was like horses prepared for battle, and something like a golden crown was on their heads, and their faces were like human faces. 8 They had hair like a woman’s and their teeth were like a lion’s. 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle. 10 And, they have tails like scorpions and stingers precisely in those tails! They have the capability to hurt the populace five months, 11 having as king over them the angel of the Abyss—his name in Hebrew is Abbaddon, while in Greek he has the name Apollyon.

12 The first woe is past, behold, two woes are still coming, after these things.

Trumpet 6 - Demons released from Euphrates 9:13-9:21

13 So the sixth angel trumpeted, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates”. 15 So the four angels were released— they had been prepared for the hour and the day and month and year—so that they might kill a third of mankind. 16 And the number of the mounted troops was a hundred million (I heard their number). 17 And in the vision I saw the horses like this: those who rode them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue and sulfur yellow; the heads of the horses were like lions’ heads; out of their mouths came fire, smoke and brimstone. 18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone that came out of their mouths. 19 For the capability of the horses is in their mouths—and in their tails, because their tails are like snakes, having heads, and with them they do harm.

20 Yet the rest of the people, those who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as to stop worshipping the demons, even the idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; 21 and they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their fornication or their thefts.

Interlude before 7th trumpet: The closing off of prophecy & the nature of prophecy 10:1-11:14

1 I saw a mighty angel descending out of heaven, clothed with a cloud, and the rainbow on his head; his face was like the sun and his feet like pillars of fire; 2 and he had a little book open in his hand. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land, 3 and he cried out with a loud voice, just like a lion roars. And when he cried out, the seven thunders uttered their own voices. 4 Now when the seven thunders spoke I was about to write, but I heard a voice out of heaven saying, “Seal up the things that the seven thunders said”, and “You write after these things”. 5 And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to the heaven 6 and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created the heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there would be no further delay, 7 but in the days of the blast of the seventh angel, when he is about to trumpet, the mystery of God which was announced to His slaves the prophets would be finished.

8 Now the voice that I heard out of heaven was speaking to me again and saying: “Go, take the little book that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 9 So I went to the angel and said to him, “Give me the little book”, and he says to me: “Take and eat it up; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.” 10 So I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it up, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. 11 And he said to me, “You must prophesy again over many peoples, even over ethnic nations and languages and kings.”

1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood saying: “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who are worshiping there. 2 But leave out the outer court of the temple and do not measure it, because it has been given to the nations; and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. 3 And I will give authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

4 These are the two olive trees, even the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them fire comes out of their mouths and consumes their enemies. So if anyone wants to harm them he must be killed in this way. 6 They have authority to shut up the sky so that no rain falls during the days of their prophecy; and they have authority over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the land with every plague, as often as they wish.

7 When they finish their witness, the Beast of prey that comes up out of the Abyss will make war with them, overcome them and kill them 8 —and leave their corpses in the street of the great city! (which is called Sodom and Egypt, spiritually speaking), even where their Lord was crucified.

9 And those from the peoples, tribes, languages and ethnic nations look at their corpses three-and-a-half days, and will not allow their corpses to be buried. 10 And those who dwell on the land rejoice over them, and they will enjoy themselves and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the land.

11 And after three-and-a-half days a breath of life from God entered them and they stood on their feet, and a great fear fell on those who were watching them. 12 And I heard a loud voice from the heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them. 13 And in that day there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city fell, and seven thousand individuals were killed in the earthquake. And the rest became fearful and gave glory to the God of heaven.

14 The second woe is past. Behold, here comes the third woe!

Trumpet 7 - The seventh trumpet seems to comprise all of the fourth septet 11:15-11:19

15 So the seventh angel trumpeted, and there were loud voices in heaven saying: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” 16 And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones in God’s presence, fell on their faces and worshipped God 17 saying: “We thank You, O Lord God Almighty, He who is and who was and who is coming, because You have taken up your great power and begun to reign. 18 The nations were angry and your wrath came, even the time for the dead to be judged and to give the reward to Your slaves the prophets, and to the saints and those who fear your name, small and great, and to destroy those who have corrupted the land.” 19 And the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of the covenant of the Lord was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings and huge hail.

D2 (15:2–16:17) [Fifth Septet] Seven Bowls of Wrath Containing the Seven Plagues

Intro (15:2-16:1)
A (16:2)Bowl 1 - On the land
B (16:3) Bowl 2 - On the sea
C (16:4-16:7) Bowl 3 - On the waters
D (16:8-16:9) Bowl 4 - On the sun
E (16:10-16:11) Bowl 5 - On the throne of the beast
F (16:12-16:16) Bowl 6 - On the Euphrates
G (16:17) Bowl 7 - On the air: this bowl seems to introduce all of the next septet

Revelation 15:2-16:17

D2: Fifth Septet – Seven Bowls of Wrath Containing the Seven Plagues (15:2–16:17)

Introduction to the seven plagues – angels preparing for warfare; temple filled with God’s glory 15:2-16:1

2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who prevailed over the Beast and over his image and over the number of his name, standing on the glassy sea, having harps of God. 3 They sing the song of Moses, the slave of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: “Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the nations! 4 Who could not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? Because You alone are holy; because all the nations will come and do obeisance before You, because Your righteous judgments have been manifested.”

5 After these things I looked, and the sanctuary of the tabernacle of the testimony in the heaven was opened. 6 And out from that heaven came the seven angels, the ones having the seven plagues; they were clothed in pure bright linen and were girded around the chests with golden belts. 7 Then one of the four living beings gave the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the fury of God, the One who lives forever and ever. 8 The sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to go into the sanctuary until the seven angels’ plagues were completed.

1 And I heard a loud voice from the sanctuary saying to the seven angels, “Go, pour out the bowls of God’s fury on the land.”

Seven Bowls

Bowl 1 - On the land 16:2

2 So off went the first one and poured out his bowl on the land, and a foul and malignant ulcer appeared in the people who had the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image.

Bowl 2 - On the sea 16:3

3 Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood, like a dead person’s; so every living soul in the sea died.

Bowl 3 - On the waters 16:4-16:7

4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying: “How just You are! The One who is and who was, the holy One, because You have judged these things. 6 Because they shed the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve it!” 7 And I heard one from the altar saying: “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty! Your judgings are true and just!”

Bowl 4 - On the sun 16:8-16:9

8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was granted to him to burn the people with fire. 9 So the people were burned with severe burns, and they blasphemed the name of God, who has authority over these plagues. And they did not repent to give Him glory.

Bowl 5 - On the throne of the beast 16:10-16:11

10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the Beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness; so they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. 11 And they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains, and because of their ulcers; yet they did not repent of their deeds.

Bowl 6 - On the Euphrates 16:12-16:16

12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way for the kings from the sun’s rising might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits, like frogs, coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the Beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole inhabited earth, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15 (“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who watches and guards his clothes, so that he not walk about naked and they see his shame.”) 16 So he gathered them to the place called in Hebrew, Armagedon.

Bowl 7 - On the air – note that this 7th bowl seems to introduce all of the next septet 16:17

17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a great voice came out of the sanctuary of heaven, from the Throne, saying, “It has begun!”

Just as the Seven Seals and Seven Condemnations parallel each other as the beginning and end of God’s covenant lawsuit, the Seven Trumpets and the Seven Bowls form another matching structural pair.

Recap

Last week, we established that Revelation’s judgments proceed only as a direct response to the cries of the suffering saints and of God’s broken covenant. He will judge according to that broken covenant.

What Are The Trumpets and the Bowls?

🎺 The Seven Trumpets

The King Is Coming

Revelation 8:2

2 And I saw the seven angels who stood before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

We saw last time that these trumpets are caused by God responding to the prayers of His saints. From there, we see 1/3 of the land, sea, rivers, stars, and even mankind are affected by judgement. It's curious to the see that before they are complete, the Bible takes time to show us something. Notice in verse 20 it tells us that people didn't react correctly to them.

Revelation 9:20-21

Remember that we saw last week that these judgements were for a broken covenant. Once again, He is explicitly pointing us back to the Ten Commandments.

The First Table of the Law (Our duty to God): Verse 20 says they refused to repent of the "works of their hands" and continued to worship demons and idols of gold, silver, and stone. They are breaking the very first commandments, repeating the exact same idolatry as their ancestors at Mount Sinai with the golden calf.
The Second Table of the Law (Our duty to man): Verse 21 says they refused to repent of their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immorality, and their thefts. They completely harden their hearts, just like Pharaoh did in Egypt. They refuse to drop their idols, and they refuse to stop shedding innocent blood.

Discussion Question: Why does God limit the destruction to one-third?

We can see just from the text of Revelation itself that the point is to repent. And this is a reminder of my first lesson where I talked about all Biblical prophecy is to point us to repentance. Let's see where John got this idea of trumpet judgements for repentance in the Old Testament.

Numbers 10:2-10 - NKJV

²“Make two silver trumpets for yourself; you shall make them of hammered work; you shall use them for calling the congregation and for directing the movement of the camps. ³When they blow both of them, all the congregation shall gather before you at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. ⁴But if they blow only one, then the leaders, the heads of the divisions of Israel, shall gather to you. ⁵When you sound the advance, the camps that lie on the east side shall then begin their journey. ⁶When you sound the advance the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall begin their journey; they shall sound the call for them to begin their journeys. ⁷And when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow, but not sound the advance. ⁸The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; and these shall be to you as an ordinance forever throughout your generations. ⁹“When you go to war in your land against the enemy who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the LORD your God, and you will be saved from your enemies. ¹⁰Also in the day of your gladness, in your appointed feasts, and at the beginning of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be a memorial for you before your God: I am the LORD your God.”

The trumpets --summon-- the community together for assembly, and they serve as an alarm of --war-- that reminds God to intervene and save His people. Trumpets were also blown in the days of gladness, during --appointed-- feasts.

Joel 2:1 - NKJV

¹Blow the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the LORD is coming, For it is at hand:

Trumpets will sounds when a --Day of the Lord-- is coming.

1 Corinthians 14:8 - NKJV

⁸For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?

Amos 3:6 - NKJV

⁶If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the LORD have done it?

A trumpet is a clear signal that warns a city of coming calamity and calls soldiers to prepare for battle. The people will be --afraid-- for the Lord is sending a --calamity--.

Hebrews 12:18-19 - NKJV

¹⁸For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, ¹⁹and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.

At Mount Sinai, the people heard a --trumpet-- that made them beg that no further word be spoken to them.

1 Kings 1:39 - NKJV

³⁹Then Zadok the priest took a horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. And they blew the horn, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!”

A trumpet announced the public enthronement of a --King--.

Revelation 11:15 - NKJV

¹⁵Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

At the sounding of the --seventh trumpet--, heaven declares that the --kingdom-- of the world has become the kingdom of Christ.

Trumpets gather God's people. Trumpets announce war against God's enemies. Trumpets warn that the Day of the Lord has arrived. Trumpets are a clear warning of coming judgment. Trumpets announce God's terrifying presence. Trumpets proclaim the arrival of a new King.

So when we think of a Trumpet being a clear sound for a war/judgement we should immediately call to mind one of the most obvious Old Testament trumpet scenes:

Joshua 6:2-5 - NKJV

²And the LORD said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. ³You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days. ⁴And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. ⁵It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.”

In the fall of Jericho, seven priests carried trumpets for six days.

Discussion Question: Why did God make them wait 6 days to overtake Jericho?

The Trumpets are God's public warnings and final "last call" before total destruction falls.

Covenant Curses

God promised that if Israel refused to repent, His judgments would come in stages, each one more severe than the last.

Leviticus 26:18 - NKJV

¹⁸‘And after all this, if you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.

Leviticus 26:21 - NKJV

²¹‘Then, if you walk contrary to Me, and are not willing to obey Me, I will bring on you seven times more plagues, according to your sins.

Leviticus 26:23-24 - NKJV

²³‘And if by these things you are not reformed by Me, but walk contrary to Me, ²⁴then I also will walk contrary to you, and I will punish you yet seven times for your sins.

Leviticus 26:28 - NKJV

²⁸then I also will walk contrary to you in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.

First, God warns that continued rebellion will result in punishment --seven times-- more (v.18).
If they still refuse to listen, He increases the --plagues-- seven times more (v.21).
If they are not --reformed-- by these punishments, He again escalates the punishment (v.23).
Finally, they will face His --fury-- (v.28).

This repeated pattern shows that God progressively intensifies His covenant curses, giving opportunity after opportunity for repentance.

🥣 The Seven Bowls of Wrath

The Blood of Mercy

The bowls are the chiastic mirror to the trumpets. However, because the trumpets warnings were ignored, the Bowls are poured out and 100% of the sea and rivers turn to blood and die.

Revelation 15:6–8

6 And out from that heaven came the seven angels, the ones having the seven plagues; they were clothed in pure bright linen and were girded around the chests with golden belts. 7 Then one of the four living beings gave the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the fury of God, the One who lives forever and ever. 8 The sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to go into the sanctuary until the seven angels’ plagues were completed.

Just as the trumpets began with priestly imagery, the bowls do too. The angels come out of the sanctuary, clothed in pure bright linen, and they receive golden bowls. To understand how terrifying this is, we have to look at what these specific bowls were used for in the Old Testament.

Exodus 24:6-8 - NKJV

⁶And Moses took half the blood and put it in basins, and half the blood he sprinkled on the altar. ⁷Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient.” ⁸And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you according to all these words.”

The “basins” / “bowls” refers to vessels used for collecting and applying sacrificial --blood-- in rituals.

We learn in 1 Chron. 28:17 that these same bowls were made of gold. The seven golden bowls were most famously used for the purification offering. If the whole nation of Israel sinned and the land was defiled, the priest had to make atonement using these bowls of blood (Exodus 27:3)

Leviticus 4:15-18 - NKJV

¹⁵And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the LORD. Then the bull shall be killed before the LORD. ¹⁶The anointed priest shall bring some of the bull’s blood to the tabernacle of meeting. ¹⁷Then the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, in front of the veil. ¹⁸And he shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar which is before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of meeting; and he shall pour the remaining blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

The priest took the bowl and sprinkled the blood --seven times-- and then --poured it out-- at the base of the altar to bring mercy and reconciliation to the nation.

The Blood of Wrath

But in Revelation, the process is completely reversed. The seven angels take the seven bowls, but instead of pouring the blood on the altar for forgiveness, they step out of the temple and pour out the blood of vengeance directly onto the land. The bowl/cup of God’s wrath is already a familiar Old Testament image:

Psalm 75:8 - NKJV

⁸For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, And the wine is red; It is fully mixed, and He pours it out; Surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth Drain and drink down.

Jeremiah 25:15 - NKJV

¹⁵For thus says the LORD God of Israel to me: “Take this wine cup of fury from My hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it.

The Siege and Exile

If we look closely at the Trumpets and the Bowls, we notice they target the exact same things in the exact same order:

The Earth: (Trumpet 1: Rev 8:7 / Bowl 1: Rev 16:2)
The Sea: (Trumpet 2: Rev 8:8 / Bowl 2: Rev 16:3)
The Rivers/Springs: (Trumpet 3: Rev 8:10 / Bowl 3: Rev 16:4)
The Sun: (Trumpet 4: Rev 8:12 / Bowl 4: Rev 16:8)
The Abyss/Throne: (Trumpet 5: Rev 9:1 / Bowl 5: Rev 16:10)
The Euphrates: (Trumpet 6: Rev 9:14 / Bowl 6: Rev 16:12)
The Air/Kingdom: (Trumpet 7: Rev 11:15 / Bowl 7: Rev 16:17)

Discussion Question: Why do these specific judgments look so familiar? Where have we seen water turn to blood, terrifying darkness, locusts, and giant hail before?

They are the plagues of Egypt. But why would these covenant curses appear again in this pattern?

Revelation 11:8

8 —and leave their corpses in the street of the great city! (which is called Sodom and Egypt, spiritually speaking), even where their Lord was crucified.

This is the great city where the Lord was crucified is described as spiritually called --Sodom and Egypt--.

Like Egypt, the target has rejected the true Passover Lamb and was actively opposing God’s purposes so both the trumpets and the bowls therefore mirror the Exodus plagues.

Everything Moses Warned About

These covenant curses were not unexpected; they were explicitly outlined in the covenant warnings. In Deuteronomy, Moses describes that covenant rebellion would result in a reversal of Egypt’s plagues:

Deuteronomy 28:27 - NKJV

²⁷The LORD will strike you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors, with the scab, and with the itch, from which you cannot be healed.

In a future lesson, we will go back to Moses's warnings and see how he tells us about the events of Revelation and how they would reach their climax (Deut. 28:52–57).

Returning to Jericho

Let's go back to the picture of Jericho because the connections are deeper than you would see at first.

Jericho is not just a city under judgment—it is the first city of the Promised Land. God is is taking possession of what He already promised to Abraham (Genesis 15:16).

Genesis 15:16 - NKJV

¹⁶But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”

We can see judgement on a nation waited until the --iniguity-- is complete.

Recall the story of Rahab, a prostitute that lived in a wicked city, she choses to align herself with Israel and betray the city. She states her reason:

Joshua 2:8-14 - NKJV

⁸Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, ⁹and said to the men: “I know that the LORD has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. ¹⁰For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. ¹¹And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. ¹²Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the LORD, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father’s house, and give me a true token, ¹³and spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.” ¹⁴So the men answered her, “Our lives for yours, if none of you tell this business of ours. And it shall be, when the LORD has given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you.”

Before the siege even began, the people of Jericho already knew what God had done.

They had heard about the --Red Sea-- and the defeat of --Sihon-- and --Og--. God had already given them abundant warning before the first trumpet ever sounded.

God gave Jericho repeated warnings before judgment.

God delayed the city's destruction for six days while the trumpets continued to sound.
The seventh trumpet brought the complete judgment fall.

Everyone in Jericho had the same information. Rahab heard and believed. The rest heard and hardened themselves. Likewise, after the trumpets, Revelation says the rest of mankind did not repent (Rev. 9:20–21). The judgment of Jericho is tied to God’s promise to give Abraham’s descendants the land. The delay of hundreds of years shows that God was waiting until the iniquity of the nations was complete. When the trumpets sound at Jericho, it is the signal that the inheritance has begun and the kingdom is advancing into its territory. The question is never whether God is in control, but how people respond when His Kingdom comes.

Discussion Question: *How do we remain faithful to God like Rahab when we are surrounded by a society that is hardened against God?