SOME QUESTIONS
Having recognized the first vision to begin in the "end of the days" time period was The Woman, Man-Child and Dragon; and the visions of the Seals, Trumpets and Vials all must end at the same time and are fulfilled in some concurrent order; and the First Seal has been opened; we are faced with some pressing questions. Where are we in the sequence of the Seals, Trumpets and Vials? Has the angel sounded the First Trumpet, or poured out the First Vial?

THE BOOK IS OPEN
The Ceremony Of The Opening Of The Little Book may have began as early as 1820. "As early as," because we cannot figure out an exact date for any Heavenly event. For example, someone may claim World War One began at 9 am Local Standard Time on June 3, 1914. Even if that date and time are correct, we can not take it as conclusive evidence the Lord opened the First Seal at that exact time. After Y'Shua opened the First Seal and released Satan, there must have been a time delay while Satan made his plan and enlisted the aid of rebellious spirits and sinful men. We can't figure out any exact days or hours, nor will we attempt to do so.

SATAN IS LOOSE
The First Seal is open and Satan is loose to make war and to conquer. Rev. 6:1, 20:7. He was given a bow and a white horse. The horse is an instrument of war: Cavalry. What other instruments of war were familiar to men in John's lifetime? The spear, ax, battering ram, catapult, siege tower, chariot and galley.

Today's armies use jeeps in place of horses, tanks in place of the battering ram, and artillery for the catapult. The galley is now the aircraft carrier, battleship and submarine. The spear and sword are the rifle, bayonet and machine gun.

If we were painting a mural to communicate a message, would it be possible to represent all of these weapons of war with one pictograph? See pp. 173, 181.

THE GREAT SWORD
6:3-4: "...Opened the second seal... and there went out another horse that was red: and power was given him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword."

Is there a recognizable key word by which we can determine if the Lord has opened the Second Seal? Yes, it is the "great sword." Since it is possible to use "a sword" to represent any or all weapons of war, all we need to do is recognize which weapon is called a "great sword."

The first successful atomic chain reaction took place in Chicago, July 1942. (COLLIER'S ENCYCLOPEDIA, New York: Macmillan Educational Co. V. 17, p. 713-714.) The consequence was the Atomic Bomb. This great sword murdered the innocent of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. See pp. 173, 181.

If, in a metaphor (and Revelation is a book of metaphors) a sword may be any weapon of war, then "great sword" is certainly an accurate metaphor for a weapon which can kill a million men, women and children in less than a heart beat.

Therefore, if we (for convenience of reference) conclude the Lord opened the First Seal in about 1800, then we can agree He opened the Second Seal in about 1900. Again, we are not attempting to figure out any exact dates. These numbers are no more important to us than the numbers of the verses in the Book of Revelation.

The Cold War of the Fifties followed World Wars One and Two, and since then war after war. We have had World War, but not world peace: nor will we. The coming world peace will be false. As it is written, "by peace he shall destroy many."

FAMINE
Verse 5-6: "...Opened the third seal... and lo, a black horse... a measure of wheat for a penny..."

This is famine. Since 1950 (when nations tested atomic bombs in the atmosphere) it has become apparent the world's weather has become unstable. Volcanos (St. Helens in Washington and El Chichon in Mexico) have spewed gasses into the atmosphere. High altitude military and civilian aircraft also pollute the atmosphere. Use of Fluorocarbons and other contaminates has caused a depletion of the ozone layer. Industrial burning of fossil fuels has contaminated earth's air. The consequence is called "the Greenhouse Effect." The resultant instability of earth's weather has disrupted agriculture which, in turn, has brought famine. (TIME, Oct. 31, 1983, p. 19.) See pp. 173, 181.

There are, this very moment, millions of starving people in the world. As the worlds weather continues to fluctuate unpredictably, famine will spread. It is a sign of the end. ("Are We Close To The End?" Maranto, G. DISCOVER, Jan. '86, p. 29.)

DECADE OF THE EIGHTIES
We have arrived at the division of history and future -- the present. The Lord has opened the first Three Seals. He has not yet opened the Fourth Seal. What must take place before the Fourth Seal is opened? After He opens it, what must occur?

DEATH AND HELL LOOSED
6:7-8: "...Opened the fourth Seal... and behold, a pale horse: And his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him... power over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with the sword, and hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth." "Sword" is a metaphor for "instrument of war." If millions die ("a fourth of the earth") then this must mean that great sword, the atomic bomb, has been unleashed upon mankind. If so, the angel has sounded the First Trumpet. See pp. 173, 181.

FIRST TRUMPET
"The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth; and the third part of the trees was burned up." Rev. 8:2-7. See pp. 174, 181. The phrase, "Mingled with blood...," must mean the great sword has killed millions.

We know the use of nuclear weapons will cause the earth great harm.

BUT FIRST, THE MARK
However, in 7:3 we read, "Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees... till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads..." See Ezekiel Chapter 9. The marking of the servants must take place before the Lord opens the Fourth Seal and the angel sounds First Trumpet. See pp. 178, 181.

The Lord has opened the Third Seal, and (as this is being written) we are waiting for nuclear war to break out. We must conclude the marking of the Lord's servants is taking place now. Events depicted in the Seventh Chapter of Revelation are current events. We will study the Sealing of His servants in the Chapter "THE MARK OF GOD." See p. 101.

The Fourth Seal means death for millions of mankind by famine, plague, earthquake, flood, nuclear war, and the beasts of the field. The First Trumpet depicts the consequences of nuclear war on the Earth; and death to millions due to the breakdown of earth's ecology.

RADIOACTIVE WASTE
8:8-9: "The second angel sounded... great mountain burning... cast into the sea... a third of the creatures died, and a third of the ships..." "Burning mountain" is a metaphor for the contamination from nuclear war; and collectively all the poisons poured into rivers, lakes and seas by man -- which will bring death to earth. ("As some species plunge further into decline..." Steinhart, Peter. "Portrait of a Deepening Crisis" NATIONAL WILDLIFE, Oct/Nov. 1989, V. 27, N. 6, p.4.) See pp. 174, 181.

A "third of the ships" will be military cargo and oil tankers, and the escort vessels and submarines which will destroy them and each other. Tactical nuclear weapons will be used, at sea and on land, at this early date. Unusually powerful storms at sea will also destroy many ships.

WATERS POISONED
8:10-11: "The third angel... great star fell upon a third of the rivers and ...fountains... wormwood... waters bitter... many men died." If men die from "bitter waters," then "bitter" must be a metaphor for "poison," (that is, contamination). The world's water supply is poisoned by nuclear contamination and DDT, PCB's, ad infinitum. (Stranahan, Susan Q. "Living in the Shadow of Poisonous Air" NATURAL WILDLIFE, Aug/Sep. 1987, V. 25, N. 5, p. 30.) See pp. 174, 182.

Shadows of this coming reality are in fact already visible to those who have courage to see. In the Duwamish River, Washington; the Buffalo River, Ohio and Torch Lake in Michigan, from 30 to 80 percent of Cat Fish have detectable to grossly visible cancers. (SCIENCE DIGEST, April 1984.) This is a sign of the coming event; as are Times Beach and Love Canal, forests dying of acid rain, the Rhine River spill and Russian nuclear reactor disaster. And for those who can see, there is more.

THE SUN TURNED OFF
8:12-13: "The fourth angel sounded... the third part of the sun was smitten..." From the time of the Fourth Seal, when the Great Sword is released to harm the earth, nations will fight a number of local limited nuclear wars -- the smoke of which will darken the sky. New and reawakening volcanos will add their smoke to the atmosphere. Yet, this thickening of the air is not the reason for the dimming of the sun. It was not the atmosphere smitten when this Trumpet was sounded, it was the sun itself. It has grown old and used up its fuel. Like an ember, it will turn red as it dies. See p. 174.

Modern scientists ridicule this truth today, but in their own lifetime their laughter will turn to tears. Mat. 24:29, Luke 21:25. ("Long Term Downward Trend In Total Solar Irradiance," Willson, R. C., et al, SCIENCE, V. 234, Nov. 28, 1986, p. 1114. And see: "The Solar Neutrino Problem" or "Missing Solar Neutrinos," I. Peterson, "Making Sunshine" SCIENCE NEWS, V. 136, Oct. 28, 1989, p. 280.)

MODERN SOPHISTS AND FALSE PROPHETS
Modern Alchemists deny they have had anything to do with what is coming upon the earth. They will, of course, blame God. False prophets will ridicule those of us who warn that these events are signs of The End. (NIGHTFALL, Isaac Asimov, ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION, Sept. 1941.) After all, "the visions of John are only the dreams of a very old holy man." And "there is no conclusive evidence that acid rain kills trees, or radioactive ash kills grass."

We have looked at the consequences of the first Four Trumpets, which the angel will sound after the Lord has marked the Servants of God and the Lord has opened the Forth Seal. We will consider the Fifth Seal next.

OUR BROTHERS IN CHRIST
6:9-11: "...Under the alter the souls of them who had been slain for the testimony..." "...Until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were..." Rev. 12:11. Who is this under the alter? The Early Saints who were murdered by the pagan god of Rome for their testimony. James 1:19, Luke 21:12-16. See pp. 173, 182.

Who are these "fellow servants" who will be killed as they were? "With all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours..." 1 Cor. 1:2. "Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God..." Rom. 1:7, Gal. 1:2-5, Col. 1:1-7, 1 Thes. 1:1-4. Brothers of mine, you know we are brothers because we have the same Father and Savior, because we serve the same Lord. Those who lived and died in those early centuries are our brothers in Christ.

THE PLAIN TRUTH
Here, in plain and unmistakable terms, our Lord warns us that, as they died, we must die. In plain words only those who refuse to believe Truth could deny, our Lord tells us as the pagan god of Rome murdered our fellow servants, the pagan god of Rome reborn will murder us.

"The... horn made war with the Saints and prevailed against them." Dan. 7:21. "And shall destroy the Holy People..." Dan. 8:24, 11:31-35. "Yet they shall fall by the sword..." Mat. 24:9. "...And shall kill you..." "...Shall make war against them, and shall kill them." Rev. 11:7. Dan. 9:27, 12:11-12. Mat. 24:15-21 and Rev. 13:14-15. See pp. 159.

LOOK FOR INTERNAL CLUES
These scriptures reveal that the war against the Saints occurs within the last 1,290 days of human history; and, the Beast's kingdom has been established. We will consider the evidence concerning the time of the rebirth of Rome in the Chapter "BEASTS FROM THE SEA." See p. 109.

The angel is to pour out the First Vial upon the Beast's kingdom. Thus, the Beast must re-establish the Roman empire before the Fifth Seal.

THE LOCUSTS LOOSED
9:1-11: "The fifth angel sounded... he opened the bottomless pit..." Who are the locusts? To answer this question we must consider recognizable clues contained within this vision and compare them with those in other visions and prophecies. For example, Isa. 14:15-19. See pp. 174, 182.

THE BOTTOMLESS PIT
The first key word is the bottomless pit. "I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit..." (20:1.) God kept Satan in the pit. Who else? "And the angels who kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgement of the great day." Jude 1:6.

HELL'S ANGELS
The locusts are the "stars of heaven" whom Satan swept down with his tail. The stars are angels. 9:1, 12:4. Who are the Locust? The angels who rebelled against God and followed Satan. The angels who have been locked in the pit with the Evil Spirit they chose to follow.

THE MARK IS A CLUE
There is another key word in verse 4. "But only those men who have not the seal of God in their foreheads." By this negative connotation it is indicated that, first, the servants of God have been marked. And second, they are still on earth. It is therefore evident this event (the Fifth Trumpet) occurs after the events depicted in 7:1-3 but before 6:9-11, 11:7-10. After the Lord has marked His servants, but before they die for their testimony.

The Beast's kingdom has been established, and he is making war against the Saints. Dan. 7:7, Rev. 13:1. The Lord released the locusts, Satan's angels, to torment those who will not believe the truth. It is about this time the angel pours out the First Vial upon the beast's kingdom.

THE VIALS POURED OUT
16:2: "And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell... upon the men who had the mark of the beast... which worshiped his image..." This First Vial is poured out upon the Beast's kingdom and those who reject the Son of God. It is not poured upon those who love the Truth. This event takes place after the events depicted in Revelation 13:16 and Daniel 11:21-24.

THE FRUIT OF TECHNOLOGY
These sores are what one would expect from the contamination of nuclear war and the loss of the ozone layer. See pp. 174, 182.

The Second, Third and Fourth Vials are the results of the contamination of nuclear war and pollution of the atmosphere, lakes, rivers and seas. Those who have destroyed the earth will now wallow in their own waste. ("THE LONG TERM WORLD WIDE ATMOSPHERIC CONSEQUENCES OF NUCLEAR WAR," Carl Sagan, Dr. P. Ehrlich, et al, 1983.)

THE FIFTH VIAL
16:10-11: "And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the Beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness..." If, by this, the Lord meant literal physical darkness, like when the sun goes down on a moonless night, then all they would have to do is turn on their (atomic reactor produced) electric lights. Yet that kind of darkness is not painful. This darkness is the same kind which men endured during the Dark Ages, and yet worse. This is a complete lack of moral or spiritual values. But darkness of any kind cannot hide the death pangs of this dying Earth and universe. Luke 21:26. Isa. 44:18, 2 Peter 1:9. See pp. 174, 182.

THE FINAL BATTLE
The Sixth Seal, and Sixth Trumpet and Vial must occur at about the same time, as they have to do with the same river, Kings and war -- the battle of Armageddon. Rev. 16:12-16, 9:14-19. The armies of the world gather for the last battle. Isa. 34:1-3. See pp. 174, 183.

THE SEVENTH TRUMPET
The Seventh Seal, Seventh Trumpet and Seventh Vial are also events which take place in the same general time because they are all events which occur at the end of this world. Now Babylon drinks her cup. Rev. 16:17-21. "...Sun black... moon turns to blood... stars fall, a great earthquake..." Heaven opened like a scroll, men try to hide from God. Isa. 2:10-22. Rev. 11:18, 20:9-12. "It is done." A great earthquake, cities fall. The "time of the dead, that they should be judged." The Seventh Trumpet is THE LAST TRUMPET! Mat. 24:31, 1 Cor. 15:51-52. "Thy wrath has come ...destroy them who destroy the earth." See pp. 174, 183.

When the Seventh Seal is opened all the hosts of Heaven will wait in reverent silence for The End.

The Seventh Trumpet is sounded when the Lord comes to defeat His enemy and gather His elect. Two events will take place after the Seventh Trumpet: First, The Judgment. Rev. 19:11-21, 20:9-15. Dan. 7:26, 12:1-3. Second, The Kingdom (His Chosen People) will inherit the Kingdom (the New Heaven and Earth). Isaiah 65:17-25, Ezekiel 40 to 48. Psalms 98, Zechariah 14, Revelation 20 and 21.