Seven trumpets

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Seven trumpets: an easy overview

What are the seven trumpets?
In the Book of Revelation, seven angels sound seven trumpets one after another. Each trumpet blast brings a new apocalyptic event described in Revelation chapters 8–11. The trumpets come after the breaking of the seven seals and are part of a larger vision John of Patmos sees about the end times.

Background
- The word for trumpet in ancient Greek is salpinx. These are simple bronze trumpets, not modern valves.
- Before this vision, Moses made two silver trumpets (the chazozra) in the desert, and the shofar was the traditional Hebrew horn.
- The seven trumpets are a sequence of escalating signs and plagues meant to wake people up, calling for repentance.

A quick look at each trumpet

1) First trumpet
- Hail and fire mixed with blood are hurled to Earth.
- A third of the trees and all green grass are burned up.

2) Second trumpet
- A great mountain burning with fire is thrown into the sea.
- A third of the sea becomes blood; a third of sea life and a third of ships are destroyed.

3) Third trumpet
- A star named Wormwood falls to Earth and makes a third of the freshwater sources bitter.
- Many people die from drinking the poisoned water.

4) Fourth trumpet
- A third of the light from the sun, moon, and stars is darkened.
- A third of the day and night are without normal light.

5) Fifth trumpet (first woe)
- A plague of locusts comes from the smoke and torments people for five months.
- The locusts have strange features (like a mix of creatures) and the power to hurt people with their tails, but they’re not allowed to kill anyone.

6) Sixth trumpet (second woe)
- Four angels are released at the great river Euphrates, unleashing a huge army of 200 million.
- Fire, smoke, and brimstone come from their mouths and kill a third of humanity.

7) Seventh trumpet (third woe)
- The seventh trumpet announces the final and complete victory of God and His Messiah.
- Heaven proclaims that the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of the Lord and of His Christ, who will reign forever.

What do people think about these trumpets?
- Christian interpretations vary. Some see the blasts as wake-up calls urging repentance; others view them as events that fit specific historical moments.
- Preterist views link the trumpets to first-century events like the Jewish wars.
- Futurist views see some events as future catastrophes and signs before the end.
- Post-tribulationists see the rapture as occurring after the tribulation, connected to the sequence of the seventh trumpet.
- Some other traditions offer different symbolic readings, including non-Christian perspectives that relate the imagery to their own beliefs.

Why these trumpets matter
- They’re meant as warnings and calls to turn away from wrongdoing.
- Each trumpet increases the scale of hardship, building anticipation for God’s ultimate plan.
- The seventh trumpet shifts the focus from warning to the declaration that God’s reign has begun.

In short, the seven trumpets are a sequence of escalating signs in a biblical vision, challenging people to reflect, repent, and look toward God’s final, victorious plan.