In this message, I’d like to walk us through four key images in Revelation chapters 8-11 – one from each chapter – and then find an application in each for our lives.

When Revelation chapter 8 begins, Jesus opens the seventh and final seal on the scroll of God’s ultimate plans for mankind. This triggers the 7 Trumpet Judgments.

Before the first trumpet sounds, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. All of heaven seems to be holding its breath. Why? Because the prayers of God’s people were being poured out.

What prayers? Likely the prayers of the saints back in Rev. 6 when the martyrs prayed for vindication. “How long, Lord? How long?”

Now, at last, God answered those prayers…and acted.

God’s plan is to bring us into partnership, and the point of that partnership is prayer.

Your prayers matter more than you could ever know.  As Walter Wink says, “History belongs to the intercessors.”

• Am I willing to engage in the responsibility of intercession?

In answer to the prayers of the saints, God’s judgments now fall on earth.  As each trumpet sounds, a plague is poured out upon the world - the wrath of a holy God upon a people who had chosen to give its allegiance to the Antichrist rather than to His Son.

In each of these plagues, we read of the destruction of 1/3 of the earth. Why? Why not just destroy it all? I think it’s a sign of God’s mercy.

God’s desire is to bring about repentance, and sometimes pain is the only way to get people’s attention.

• Is there any pain in my life that God is trying to speak to me through?

The third image comes from Rev. 10. John is given a small scroll and told to eat it. The scroll tasted sweet in his mouth but turned sour in his stomach. The scroll symbolizes God’s Word.

God’s Word is all truth, but it’s not all easy or pleasant.

• Do I feed on God’s Word, obeying the hard commands as well as enjoying the happy promises?

Finally, we come to the 2 witnesses in Rev. 11. Whether these are 2 literal people or they represent God’s people faithfully witnessing in these last days, the reality is, the cost of their witness was death.

God’s call is for us to be courageous and faithful in our witness, not necessarily successful.

• Am I willing to take my stand for Christ even when it costs me?

Text: Revelation 8-11

Originally recorded on April 30, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.