SG7TrumpC.jpg (19305 bytes)

THE STORY OF THE
"SEVEN TRUMPETS"

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Part I

      Prelude to the Trumpets

Part II

The 1st Trumpet
The 2nd Trumpet
The 3rd Trumpet
The 4th Trumpet
The 5th Trumpet
The 6th Trumpet
The 7th Trumpet

Divider.jpg (4236 bytes)

The Fifth Trumpet
and First Woe

CE 1378-1528

"And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit." Revelation 9:1

    John Wycliff is the messenger that sounds forth here. Those who criticized the church were cast out or ostracized. Such was the experience of Wycliff. To his good fortune, in 1378 there was a Great Schism in the papal hierarchy with two popes each claiming to be the head of the church. Papacy had so much internal strife that Wycliff's dissent appeared as a small brush fire.

Wycliffe03.jpg (10776 bytes)

Wycliff's Trial before the Council

Three papal bulls were issued before the Great Schism to deal with Wycliff’s alleged heresy.

At Wycliff’s trial, two powerful princes accompanied him, preventing the execution of the judgments against Wycliff.

We see how God intervened to prevent papacy from destroying Wycliff before his work was accomplished.

    The "key of the bottomless pit" represents the authority to unloose the truths being restrained by Satan.
    It is interesting to note how the devil succeeded in locking the Divine truths in the "bottomless pit" for a season, yet in the appointed time Satan himself will be locked in the "bottomless pit" along with his lies and deceptions. This is poetic justice in its finest form.
    We submit Revelation 9:2-11 as it is presented in the "Interpreted Rendering of Revelation" with some additions and variation. This will provide immediate explanations of the highly symbolic language.

    "And he [Wycliff] opened the bottomless pit [released suppressed and dormant biblical truths]; and there arose a smoke out of the pit [evidences that truths had been suppressed], as the smoke of a great furnace [this evidence was very pronounced]; and the sun [the Gospel according to the creedal teachings] and the air [influence of the evil spirits] were darkened [diminished] by reason of the smoke of the pit [evidence that truths had been restrained and suppressed in this dormant condition]." Revelation 9:2

    "And there came out of this smoke [evidence] locusts [truths which had been suppressed and restrained] upon the earth [stable society]; and unto them [the locusts or truths themselves which appeared unto society] was given power, as the scorpions [schoolsthe sting of a scorpion is very painful but generally not fatal] of the earth [society] have power [through teaching and education, bringing extreme discomfort and a desire for conversion which could not then be realized]." Revelation 9:3

Locust.jpg (8946 bytes)
LOCUSTS

Scorpions.jpg (8899 bytes)
SCORPION

 


Lollards.jpg (20674 bytes)

Wycliff's followers were known as "Lollards," who were represented by locusts with stinging scorpion tails in Revelation 9:9, 10.

 

    Wycliff engaged "poor" priests to teach his doctrines to the people. The ministry of Wycliff and his followers, along with the English New Testament, brought truths to light that were painful. This work was embraced by the Lollards who continued to speak the truths Wycliff had made known.

     "And it was commanded them [these truths were directed] that they should not hurt [bring pain to] the grass [common people] of the earth [society]; neither any green thing [with spiritual vitality], neither any tree [prominent people]; but only those men [professed Christians] which have not the seal [enlightenment] of God [the holy Spirit of God] in their foreheads [intellects]." Revelation 9:4

     "And to them [these locust truths] it was given that they should not kill them [or convert them], but that they should be tormented [troubled] five months [one hundred and fifty years from 1378 to 1528]; and their torment [trouble] was as the torment of a scorpion [teaching and education], when he striketh a man [causing pain because others saw through their errors and practices. A scorpion has two glands that supply his tail stinger. This could picture the teachings from the Old and New Testament]." Revelation 9:5

 

WycBible01.jpg (19010 bytes)
Page from Wycliff's Bible

WycBible02.jpg (6300 bytes)

Wycliff's Bible

 

     "And in those days shall men [those without the enlightenment of the holy spirit] seek death [a change or conversion from their position], and could not find it; and shall desire to die [be converted] and death [conversion] shall flee from them [the reforms were uncertain of being carried out for no one knew if reforms would be sustained or perish]." Revelation 9:6

    "And the shapes of the locusts [truths] were like unto horses [doctrines] prepared unto to battle [combat or debate with error]; and on their heads [the priests of these truths] were as it were crowns like gold [with divine authority], and their faces [appearance of these truth bearers] were as the faces of men [Christians]." Revelation 9:7

    "And they [the locust truths] had hair [justification] as the hair of women [an ample covering], and their teeth were [rending criticisms] as the teeth of lions [of divine justice]." Revelation 9:8

    "And they [the locust truths] had breastplates [righteousness], as it were breastplates [righteousness] of iron [which are impregnable]; and the sound of their wings [messages Scripturally supported by the wings of the Old and New Testaments, wings of an eagle] was as the sound of chariots [the message of organizations] of many horses [doctrines] running to battle [prepared for controversy]." Revelation 9:9

Wycliffe02.jpg (4032 bytes)

Wycliff before the Council

 

     "And they [the locust truths] had tails [teachings] like unto scorpions [were sponsored by teachers who were like scorpions who inflict painful irritations], and there were stings [painful irritations] in their tails [caused by these teachers]: and their power [ministry] was to hurt [afflict those men in the church who had not the enlightenment of the holy Spirit] five months [one hundred and fifty years of a very shaky reform and uncertain survival]." Revelation 9:10

     "And they had a king [these truths had a king, the Bible] over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit [the messenger of restraint and suppression to the unenlightened], whose name [king, Bible truths are destructive to entrenched errors] in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon [Destroyer], but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon [Destroyer]." Revelation 9:11

     "One woe [the fifth trumpet] is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter [by reason of the two remaining trumpet messages]." Revelation 9:12

 

Click to go to the following:

 

TOPICAL STUDY ON THE SEVEN TRUMPETS:
Prelude to the Trumpets - 1st Trumpet - 2nd Trumpet - 3rd Trumpet
4th Trumpet - 5th Trumpet - 6th Trumpet - 7th Trumpet

CHAPTER/VERSE BY VERSE STUDY ON THE SEVEN TRUMPETS:
1st through 6th Trumpet [Revelation 8,9] - 7th Trumpet [ Revelation 11:15-19]

 

         TOPICAL STUDY ON THE SEVEN SEALS:
Seven Seals Part I - Part 2
1st Seal - 2nd Seal - 3rd Seal - 4th Seal - 5th Seal - 6th Seal - 7th Seal

CHAPTER/VERSE BY VERSE STUDY ON THE SEVEN SEALS:
1st to 6th Seal [Revelation 6] - 7th Seal [Revelation 8:1]

 

TOPICAL STUDY ON THE SEVEN CHURCHES:
7 Churches Topical Study Home Page
Ephesus - Smyrna - Pergamos - Thyatira - Sardis - Philadelphia - Laodicea

CHAPTER/VERSE BY VERSE STUDY ON THE SEVEN CHURCHES:
7 Churches Verse by Verse Home Page
Ephesus - Smyrna - Pergamos - Thyatira - Sardis - Philadelphia - Laodicea

 

Topical Study Home Page - Chapter Study Home Page  
- Sinaitic Manuscript - Questions - Glossary.

E-Mail Day7000@sbcglobal.net  with comments.

Copyright 2001 John Class