I. What Exactly Do the Seven Trumpets Foreshadow?
In the Book of Revelation, there is an extremely mysterious and awe-inspiring prophecy—the seven trumpets.
In a vision, the apostle John saw seven angels standing before God, each holding a trumpet. As the trumpets sounded, the earth, the sea, the rivers, the sun, the moon, the stars, and the human world were violently shaken. Then came visions of wars, judgment, and the appearance of the Kingdom.
For two thousand years, many Christians have been pondering: What exactly do the seven trumpets foreshadow? What do these visions have to do with the last days? When will the seven trumpets sound? And what do they have to do with the second coming of Christ?
Today, we see wars continuing, earthquakes, floods, droughts, fires, extreme weather, and various other disasters occurring one after another, while the situation around the world is becoming increasingly turbulent. Faced with all this, it is easy for people to fall into fear, yet few stop to consider: Why does God allow these things to happen?
If these upheavals are reminding humanity that the time of the last days has come, then what we most need to focus on is not merely what the next disaster will be, but whether “the trumpets of the last days have already sounded, whether the prophecies of Christ’s return have already been fulfilled, and whether God has begun His work of saving mankind in the last days today.”
To understand these questions, we need to return to the Book of Revelation and understand the true significance of the seven trumpets.
II. The Seven Trumpets in Revelation: End-time Disasters and the Upheavals of the Era
Chapter 8 of the Book of Revelation records that after the seventh seal was opened, John saw seven angels standing before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
When the first trumpet sounded, hail and fire mixed with blood fell upon the earth, and a third of the earth and the trees were burned up.
When the second trumpet sounded, something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood.
When the third trumpet sounded, a massive burning star fell from heaven, contaminating the rivers and the sources of water.
When the fourth trumpet sounded, the sun, moon, and stars were struck, and both day and night were affected.
When the fifth trumpet sounded, the bottomless pit was opened, and John saw a vision of locusts.
When the sixth trumpet sounded, wars and great disasters occurred.
When the seventh trumpet sounded, a loud voice in heaven said, “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).
From these visions, we can see that the seven trumpets do not merely depict seven isolated disasters, but present an overall picture of the upheavals, judgment, and ultimate appearance of the kingdom in the last days.
Therefore, when we see wars, earthquakes, famines, and various disasters occurring today, although we cannot simply equate a particular earthquake or flood in the real world with one of the trumpets in Revelation, neither can we ignore the Lord’s warnings concerning the last days.
The Lord Jesus once said, “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows” (Mark 13:8). “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity” (Luke 21:25). These prophecies continually remind us that the last days will inevitably be accompanied by various disasters and great upheavals.
Then why does God allow people to see these things? God’s words provide an important answer.
God says, “My seven trumpets sound, rousing those who slumber! Get up quickly, it is not too late. Tend to your life! Open your eyes and see what time it is now. What is there to seek? What is there to think about? And what is there to cling to? Have you never considered the difference in value between gaining My life and gaining what you love and cling to? Do not be willful or play around any longer. Do not miss this opportunity. This time will not come again!” (The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Utterances of Christ in the Beginning, Chapter 36) From God’s words, we can see that the significance of the seven trumpets is not merely about disasters, but also about awakening. The sounding of the trumpets is meant to awaken those who are asleep and to cause people to reconsider their lives, their paths, and their ultimate destination. Therefore, when faced with the upheavals that are constantly occurring today, we should not merely be afraid. Rather, we should be vigilant: Is God using these things to remind humanity that the time of the last days has come?
III. The Seven Trumpets Have Already Sounded: Christ Has Returned to Carry Out the Work of Salvation in the Last Days
Understanding the seven trumpets cannot stop at the disasters themselves. From the beginning of their sounding to their ultimate completion, the seven trumpets are not seven isolated events, but a complete process of the last days. They point to the old age coming to an end, as well as to the beginning and ultimate completion of God’s work in the last days.
Therefore, saying that “the seven trumpets have already sounded” does not mean mechanically matching every disaster that occurs today to the first, second, or third trumpet. Rather, it means that the trumpets of the last days have already sounded, and that God’s work of awakening, judging, and saving mankind has begun and is continuing toward its ultimate completion. This raises a key question: If the seven trumpets have already sounded, where is the work of the returned Christ?
Many people believe that the Lord will certainly return, but they have always kept their eyes on the sky, waiting for the day when the Lord will openly descend on a cloud. However, the prophecies concerning the Lord Jesus’ return do not speak only of His public appearance.
The Lord said, “Behold, I come as a thief” (Revelation 16:15). “Be you therefore ready also: for the Son of man comes at an hour when you think not” (Luke 12:40). The Lord Jesus also prophesied, “I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:12–13). “Sanctify them through Your truth: Your Way is truth” (John 17:17). These words show us that Christ’s second coming is not only about His appearance, but more importantly, about the expression of the truth, the purification of human life, and the sanctification of man.
According to God’s work in the last days, Christ returns by first appearing among mankind in the flesh as the Son of man, expressing truth and carrying out the work of judgment and salvation in the last days. He does not come merely to tell people when disasters will occur, but to resolve the most fundamental problem of mankind—sin.
Although people’s sins are forgiven through the redemption of the Lord Jesus, they still often live in a cycle of sinning, confessing their sins, and sinning again. Corrupt dispositions such as jealousy, lies, arrogance, selfishness, covetousness, and hatred still hold sway within them. Therefore, Christ in the last days needs to express truth to reveal people’s corrupt nature, judge their sins, and cleanse their corruption, so that people can truly break free from sin and become people who submit to God and fear God. This is the important connection between the seven trumpets and Christ’s second coming: The seven trumpets awaken people in the last days, while Christ’s second coming brings the truth of the last days and the work of thoroughly saving mankind.
God says, “Stand up right away, be able to train yourself in exercising your spirit, and be able to use various tools to see through and thwart Satan’s many plots and ruses, and triumph over Satan, so that your life experience may be deepened and you may live out My disposition, so that your life may become mature and seasoned and you may always keep up with My footsteps. Be neither discouraged nor weak, but move always ahead, step by step, straight until the end of the road!” (The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Utterances of Christ in the Beginning, Chapter 36)
This is God’s urgent call, reminding people not to remain asleep and not to focus only on when disasters will occur, but to seek God’s voice, investigate the truths expressed by God in the last days, seek the footsteps of Christ’s second coming, and accept God’s salvation in the last days.
IV. The Seven Trumpets Are Both Judgment and Salvation
The seven trumpets have another very important significance: They are both trumpets of judgment and trumpets of salvation.
God says, “When the seven trumpets sound again, it will be the trumpet blast of judgment, judgment of the sons of rebellion, judgment of the myriad nations and peoples, and each nation will yield before God. God’s glorious countenance will surely appear before the myriad nations and peoples. Everyone will be convinced utterly, and endlessly call out to the true God. The almighty God will be more glorious, and My sons and I will gain glory and reign together, judging the myriad nations and peoples, punishing the evil, saving and having mercy on those who are chosen by Me, and making the kingdom solid and stable. Through the sound of the seven trumpets, a great many people will be saved, returning before Me to kneel and worship with constant praise!” (The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Utterances of Christ in the Beginning, Chapter 36) These words reveal the two aspects of the significance of the seven trumpets. For those who are willing to hear God’s voice, seek the truth, repent, and turn to God, the seven trumpets are a call to salvation; for those who reject the truth, rebel against God, and resist God’s work, the seven trumpets signify judgment. Therefore, when faced with disasters, people should not merely be afraid, nor should they merely pray for God to keep them safe and at peace without reflecting on their relationship with God. For the true refuge is not merely a way to temporarily escape a disaster in the flesh. True salvation is for people to gain the truth through God’s work in the last days, break free from sin, and return before God. Therefore, the seven trumpets are both judgment and salvation. They not only proclaim people’s outcomes, but also bring everyone to a choice: Will you accept God’s salvation in the last days, or will you continue to reject God?
V. The Seven Trumpets Sound Again: The Age Is Moving Toward Its End
If the trumpets mentioned earlier bring awakening and judgment, then what the seven trumpets ultimately point to is the end of one age and the beginning of another.
God says, “When the seven trumpets sound once again, it will be the coda of the age, the trumpet blast of victory over devils and Satan, the salute that heralds the beginning of living openly in the kingdom on earth! How lofty a sound, this sound reverberating around the throne, this trumpet blast shaking heaven and earth, which is the sign of My management plan’s victory, and which marks Satan’s judgment; it sentences this old world entirely to death, to be relegated to the bottomless pit! This trumpet blast signifies that the gate of grace is about to close, that the kingdom’s life will begin on earth, which is right and proper. God saves those who love Him. Once they return to His kingdom, the people on earth will face famine and pestilence, and God’s seven bowls and seven plagues will be set loose in succession. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My word shall not!” (The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Utterances of Christ in the Beginning, Chapter 36)
God’s words further reveal the deeper significance of the seven trumpets: The age is moving toward its end. Therefore, the seven trumpets are not a prophecy that can be studied indefinitely without ever requiring a response, because they concern people’s outcomes and destinations. God’s words specifically warn that “This trumpet blast signifies that the gate of grace is about to close,” which means that our opportunity to welcome the Lord and accept God’s salvation in the last days is not unlimited. Today, we are still able to hear God’s reminders, seek the footsteps of Christ’s second coming, and investigate His work in the last days. This is a precious opportunity bestowed upon us by God. However, if one persists in thinking, “I’ll deal with it later,” “there’s no need right now,” or “I’ll only seek God when the disasters truly arrive,” they may lose their last chance at God’s salvation.
Therefore, now that the seven trumpets have sounded, we cannot remain mere onlookers forever. The age is moving forward, God’s work is moving forward, and people must also make their own choice.
VI. Conclusion: God’s Reminder and Exhortation—Do Not Miss the Final Call
Why does God remind people again and again? Why does He allow people to see in advance the disasters, judgment, and outcome of the age in the last days? Because God does not want people to perish, but is waiting for them to turn back.
God says, “No one knows that the reason for God’s repeated reminders and exhortations toward mankind is that He has prepared in His hands catastrophes like never before, those that will be unbearable to the flesh and soul of man, that will not merely punish the flesh, but will target the soul of man. You need to know this: What kind of anger will God unleash when His plan falls through, and when His reminders and exhortations are not repaid? It will be like nothing that has ever been experienced or known by any created being. And so I say, these catastrophes are without precedent and will never be repeated. For God’s plan is to create mankind only this once and to save mankind only this once. This is the first time, and it is also the last. Therefore, no one can appreciate the painstaking intentions and fervent anticipation with which God saves mankind this time” (The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. God Is the Source of Man’s Life).
God’s words show us that behind His repeated reminders to people lies not only judgment, but also His painstaking care for mankind and His urgent expectation. Therefore, when upheavals continue to occur throughout the world, what we should truly consider is not where the next disaster will occur, but what God is saying to people through these things. The seven trumpets have sounded—have we awakened? The work of Christ’s second coming has begun—are we willing to actively seek? God has expressed the truth of the last days—are we willing to earnestly investigate it and listen to His voice?
For people in the last days, the real danger is not merely facing disasters, but remaining asleep when God has already issued His call, and refusing to seek when God has already granted salvation.
May we all hear the sound of the seven trumpets, cherish the opportunity God gives us today, actively seek God’s work in the last days, accept the saving grace brought by Christ’s second coming, receive God’s protection amid increasingly severe disasters, and ultimately return to God’s kingdom.
The trumpets have sounded. May we not be those who hear the sound yet remain in slumber.