The 7th Trumpet and 7 Bowls

The 7th trumpet commences with the first bowl and ends with the seventh bowl. This agrees with Romans 16: "Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:" (vv. 25,26). Revelation 11.15 refers to the end of the 7th trumpet, hence the kingdom immediately arrives: "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become [the kingdoms] of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever."

By comparing the "the wrath" in 11.15-18 with "the wrath of God" in 15.1 we can see that the seven bowls constitute the wrath of God.

Then 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!" And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 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. 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."

"And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God" (Rev. 15.1).

The opening of the seals is done in heaven in secret; the blowing of the trumpetds is meant as a proclamation to the earth for all to hear; and the pouring of the bowls reveals their contents without making a noise. The opening of the seals speaks of judgments during the gospel age such as famine, earthquake, war, and so forth, o which the world does not know their origin-only the believers know, hence it is secretive.

The blowing of the trumpets indicates that the dispensation has changed, for the gospel age has come to an end.

At the time of chapter 7 the children of Israel are sealed and the overcoming believers are raptured, and therefore by the time of chapter 8 comes the declaration of war. A trumpet has the nature of serving notice, and the bow signifies wrath. We find the cup of wrath in the Old Testament, but here it is the bowls of wrath-which are obviously much more severe than any cup of wrath.