Revelation 8: 2 – 9: 21; 11: 15

In the Old Testament, among the reasons ancient Israel would blow a trumpet, would be for calling together the people to announce approaching danger and for holy wars..

The blowing of the seven trumpets is part of the seventh seal being opened. Seven angels blow their trumpets successively after an angel throws down a golden censer of fire upon the earth, signifying the end of earth’s probation.

The trumpets’ sounding is a signal for the four angels (Rev. 7: 1) to release the four winds of destruction. These winds represent the full power of Satan. They characterize his destructive nature. The events that happen during the blowing of the trumpets come solely from Satan, not God, who is simply allowing the events to happen.

The events only involve “those who dwell on the earth.” In Rev. 9: 4, we come to understand that the term “those who dwell on the earth” refers to those who do not have the seal of God upon their foreheads. When the trumpets blow, it will be only the unsaved affected by the events. Yes, I’m saying that Satan will care less about deceiving and destroying those who serve him. Of course, that’s true even now.

God allowing this to happen, and His later more direct poured out judgments, is a response to the prayers of His people; the slain saints underneath the altar in the fifth seal (Rev. 6: 9, 10) who asked, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will you not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

Now because the trumpet blowing occurs between probation’s closing and the Second Coming, the events depicted by the blowing are all future. The blowing, which is figurative, hasn’t occurred yet. Though in a sense they have and are. For as stated earlier, trumpet blowing in ancient Israel often was a warning of coming danger or to prepare for a holy war. So in that sense, the trumpets can be thought of as blowing right now; warning us as to what’s coming. This that we may prepare to be sealed, so that we can stand amidst these coming events. This should be  comforting, for it shows that God is in control.