The 7 Trumpets in the Book of Revelation – Meanings

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The seven trumpets in the Book of Revelation are not easy to digest. Interpretations of their meaning vary. There are coherent interpretations, but also some outlandish ones. The following list shows the “classical” interpretation and a “spiritual” interpretation. It’s even possible that the two versions are not mutually exclusive, but rather complement each other.

7 Trumpets in the Book of Revelation

The description of the seven trumpets in Revelation extends from chapter 8 to chapter 11. The Bible treats all seven trumpets in sequence within four chapters, but not directly one after the other. Thus, especially for the last three trumpets, additional information is included within the sequence of the individual trumpets.

A Certainly Incorrect Interpretation

There are quite a few different interpretations regarding the meaning of the seven trumpets. One of these interpretations describes the first of the seven trumpets as occurring in our future. However, this interpretation certainly cannot be correct. This is especially true in connection with so-called futurism, which describes a future Antichrist who will appear for the first time and wreak havoc during a specific seven-year period of tribulation.

But before his appearance, the Christian community will be brought to safety in a (secret) pre-rapture. This is not biblical, but rather an invention from the second half of the 16th century as part of the Counter-Reformation promoted by the Jesuits (Info).

Different Times for the First Trumpet

Two other basic interpretations of the seven trumpets differ primarily in the beginning of the sequence. One version assumes that the first trumpet sounded at the beginning of Christianity, i.e., in the 1st century, while the other version places the beginning at the beginning of the 5th century.

The meaning and purpose of the Trumpets

Since nothing in the Bible is described or symbolized by chance, it makes sense to consider the original purpose and use of trumpets. These wind instruments were used primarily to announce the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). This Day of Atonement took place once a year, on the tenth day of the seventh month (10th of Tishri). The first trumpet was supposed to sound on the very first day of the month. In the following days, another trumpet was added each day. An announcement and, above all, an admonishing call to prepare for the eminently important Yom Kippur.

Another notable use of trumpets was in the campaigns of the people of Israel. The most famous of these was the fall of the Walls of Jericho (Book of Joshua, chapter 6). At this point, some striking parallels emerge with the seven trumpets of Revelation.

The city of Jericho and its inhabitants, who were hostile to the people of Israel, were defeated by the sound of the trumpet. The Ark of the Covenant was carried in front of the wall while the trumpets were blown. The wall fell. At the seventh trumpet in Revelation 11, the Ark of the Covenant also becomes visible in the temple in heaven. The Law of God and His Mercy Seat.

The first 4 trumpets – short sequence

The concise and short sequence of the first four trumpets is striking.

• Trumpet 1 in Revelation 8:7
• Trumpet 2 in Revelation 8:8-9
• Trumpet 3 in Revelation 8:10-11
• Trumpet 4 in Revelation 8:12

In verse 13 of Revelation 8, an angel follows, proclaiming a succinct message:
“And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!“

The triple “woe” is found at the end and beginning of the last three trumpets, respectively. Revelation 9:12:
“One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.”

Revelation 11:14:
“The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.“

The last three trumpets are more concise

The last three trumpets differ from the first four not only in that they receive a significantly greater description, but also in the special emphasis on their explosiveness (“woe”).

The connections described for each trumpet are also striking.
Trumpet 1: Hail, fire, mixed with blood
Trumpet 2: Burning mountain thrown into the sea
Trumpet 3: Burning star fell into rivers and springs, wormwood
Trumpet 4: Darkening (by one-third each) of the sun, moon, and stars

Trumpets as Punishments

History reveals some striking developments surrounding the “archenemy” of early Christianity: ancient Rome.

Trumpet 1: The city of Rome, untouched by enemies for many centuries, was conquered by the Visigoths in 410. At the time, this seemed completely surreal. Something unimaginable had happened.

Trumpet 2: Rome was not only a major military power, but also controlled the trade routes. Roman power controlled international trade. This changed dramatically in 439. The Vandals conquered the important region around Carthage and immediately began to seriously undermine Rome’s trade monopoly.

Trumpet 3: The “terror of his time,” Attila the Hun, advanced to the borders of the Roman sphere of influence. He also triggered a massive migration into the Roman Empire due to retreating or fleeing hordes. In 451, the great Battle of the Catalaunian Plains took place. There was no clear victor, but the Roman army suffered significant losses. This further weakened the security of the Roman borders.

Trumpet 4: The Western Roman Empire came to an end with the “unusual abdication” of the then Roman Emperor Augustulus Romulus in 476. The emperor, born in 462 in Pannonia (now in the Austrian region), was just 14 years old at the time. His opponent, Odoacer, had little difficulty deposing the adolescent. Historians disagree on whether Augustulus was deposed or whether he resigned of his own accord after “impressive recommendation.” Given the outcome, the difference lies only in the form.

A law against God’s commandment

The ancient Roman Empire was never a “best friend” of true Christianity. After all, the “fiery red dragon” in Revelation 12 that pursues the newborn child specifically represents the power of Rome.

This did not change even after the end of the great, ten-year persecution of Christians under Emperor Diocletian, who died in 313. Although Emperor Constantine recognized Christianity, in 321 he established a cornerstone that still resonates today. He issued a Sunday law for the “honorable day of the sun.” In doing so, he created a synthesis between the Church in Rome, which was no longer faithful to the Gospel, and the prevailing paganism (Mithras cult – Info).

In 325, Constantine convened the Council at his summer residence in Nicaea. There, the most important decisions were made, primarily concerning the relatively young Roman Catholic Church’s change to a Sunday date for Easter. Sunday, the first day of the week, was defined as a day to be sanctified and had already been designated the “Lord’s Day.” This was followed by the Council of Laodicea, which prohibited the observance of the biblical Sabbath (the seventh day of the week).

Even the Pharaoh felt the effects.

The result in the second half of the 4th century: Sabbath observance was forbidden under penalty, while Sunday observance was obligatory. This was under the rule of Rome (or the Eastern Roman Empire, Constantinople) and the growing power of the Bishop of Rome (later the Pope). This is reminiscent of the Pharaoh of Egypt during the time of Moses. The prophet chosen by God was initially not supposed to lead his people Israel out of Egypt, but rather to encourage them to a weekly festival and simultaneously cessation of all work (the Sabbath). The Pharaoh rigorously refused this and forbade the observance of this holiday, even condemning the people to even more work.

The result is well known. The plagues of Egypt followed, a total of 10. Only the 10th plague led to the Pharaoh not only granting the people of Israel, but virtually throwing them out, including “throwing” enormous fortunes at them. The fact that Pharaoh regretted this decision for a short time and chased after the departed people of Israel along with his military ultimately led to the final defeat of the Egyptian army, including Pharaoh.

It is certainly no coincidence that the 7 trumpets bear striking similarities to the plagues that fell upon Egypt and also to the final “7 bowls of wrath” (Info).

The seven trumpets are therefore to be understood as judgments and executions against the enemies of God and His people. With the enforcement of the Sunday law and the subsequent prohibition against observing the Sabbath (God’s Fourth Commandment), the last straw was reached. One after the other, at short intervals, the first four trumpets followed. They were just as brief and concise as their descriptions in the Bible.

Trumpets 5, 6, and 7

The three following or final (“woe”) trumpets, however, have a more extended character. The respective periods after the 5th (Revelation 9:1-12) and 6th trumpets (Revelation 9:13 to Revelation 11:14) receive significantly more attention than the first four trumpets. The description of the events relating to the 7th trumpet, on the other hand, is again relatively brief (Revelation 11:15-19).

The meaning of trumpets 5 through 7 actually constitutes the main component of the “classical interpretation.” A fundamentally false assumption, and one that is not uncommon, is the literal interpretation of the events described, and especially the symbols used. For example, in Revelation 9, the fifth trumpet speaks of “a bottomless pit, smoke rising from it, locusts, and scorpions.” By no means does anyone need to waste their time waiting for locusts and scorpions to actually emerge from a smoky pit. They will not come.

God Controls ALL Things

Just as God controlled things in the succession between the ancient world empires of Babylon and Medo-Persia (Daniel 7), so too did the former Roman Empire. After all, God called the Medo-Persian king, Cyrus, the “Anointed One,” because he represented a type of liberation for God’s people, from exile in Babylon. No matter how confusing and incomprehensible things may seem, God is in control and is controlling them because this obviously MUST happen (e.g., Revelation 4:1).

The “rest” of Rome is in trouble

With the fall of the Western Roman Empire, however, the Roman Empire was not yet completely eliminated. Although no longer on the same scale, the Roman emperor still resided in Constantinople (Eastern Roman Empire) as a major power. While in Rome the papacy steadily grew in power, finally expanding its newly acquired monopoly at the ecclesiastical and state levels from 538 onward, after the defeat of the last Ostrogothic holdouts, in the East the emperor still held the reins.

However, the Eastern Church, with its patriarchs, had adopted the essential doctrines, also advocated by the Bishop of Rome. This applies particularly to the continued sanctification of the first day of the week instead of the seventh (Sabbath). Added to this was the veneration of Mary and the saints, thus the worship of the dead (idolatry, spiritualism). The “Eastern Schism” (1054), the division into the Western and Eastern Churches, was caused not only by differences of opinion over sacrificial rituals (the Eucharist) but also primarily by the megalomania of the Pope in Rome. He wanted to assert primacy over the entire Church.

The Fifth Trumpet Against Byzantium

The Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium), with its Eastern Church also steeped in paganism, was just as much an enemy of the people of God as the now-defunct Western Roman Empire. But as history and probably also the prophecy in Revelation had predicted, Constantinople’s days were numbered. The conquests of the Ottoman Empire played a crucial role here. Islam was spreading.

For the 5th trumpet, there is even a temporal prophecy given in Revelation 9:10:
“And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.“

“Five months.” In prophetic time, that’s literally 150 years (Info).

The Ottoman Empire began in 1299. Although historians don’t entirely agree on this point, the evidence strongly points to July 27, 1299. The day of the great battle against the Byzantine Empire.

The beginning of the Ottoman Empire in 1299 plus 150 years (3 prophetic months) equals the year 1449. In 1453, Constantinople officially fell, and with it the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium). Constantinople became Istanbul. Until then, however, this step was already expected. In 1449, the Eastern Roman Empire had already been subjugated to the Ottomans, as Constantine XI had requested his empire from the Ottoman Sultan Murad II. Whoever granted permission actually held the reins. The positions of power were clearly assigned.

The bottom line is that the end of the Eastern Roman Empire at the hands of the Ottoman Empire also meant the end of the Fifth Trumpet.

The 6th Trumpet Against the Ottoman Empire

After the end of the 5th Trumpet, the 6th Trumpet immediately follows, and the Bible also provides a further time reference for this in Revelation 9:15:
“And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.”

“Hour, day, month, and year.” Prophetically resolved, this information yields the following:
1 year = 360 days (biblical year) = 360 years
1 month = 30 days = 30 years
1 day = 1 year
1 hour = 1/24th of a day = 1/24th of a year = 15 days
Result: 391 years and 15 days

The Ottoman takeover of Byzantine rule in 1449 plus 391 years and 15 days results in a time frame within the year 1840. Taking these (actually day-accurate) prophecies as written, the following results:
– Battle of Bapheus on July 27, 1299
– plus 150 years
– results in July 27, 1449
– plus 391 years and 15 days
– results in August 15, 1840

What happened on August 15, 1840?

Geopolitical interests and claims to power, especially in the context of trade routes, have always been the driving force behind ongoing upheavals and corresponding changes. This was also the case in the 19th century. On July 15, 1840, a conference took place in London (Treaty of London 1840). – Source). Great Britain, Austria, Prussia and Austria were involved. The aim was to end the Oriental Crisis.

The crisis arose from the Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid I’s dispute with the Viceroy of Egypt, Muhammad Ali Pasha. These disputes concerned claims to northern Syria, Crete, Cilicia, and regions on the Arabian Peninsula. The London Conference intended to support the Ottoman Sultan.

Europe takes the lead

This was already evident in the significantly weakened Ottoman Empire. It was not the Sultan who presented the Egyptian ruler with an ultimatum, but the European delegation. The Ottoman Foreign Minister was chosen to deliver the ultimatum document. This happened on August 5, 1840. The ultimatum was delivered in Cairo on August 11, 1840. From this point on, when the Ottoman Empire was clearly dependent on the military strength of European countries, the term “the sick man of the Bosporus” emerged.

The Ottoman Empire still existed on maps and paper, but it had become a toothless tiger. From then on, its geopolitical goals served the European powers. In light of emerging industrialization and the associated increased energy demand, the thirst for oil increased from the second half of the 19th century onward. The first oil well drilled took place on April 24, 1858. “Funnily enough,” it wasn’t drilled anywhere in today’s typical oil-producing regions, but in Germany, in the town of Wietze, a small village in the Lüneburg Heath.

Further Events During the 6th Trumpet

The beginning of the 6th trumpet is described in Revelation 9. The end of the 6th trumpet is described at the end of Revelation 11. In between are chapters 10 and the first part of Revelation 11.

In Revelation 10, an angel appears with one foot on the sea and the other on the earth, roaring like a lion. This angel had the face of a sun and his feet were like pillars of fire. This is an unmistakable description of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ delivers God’s message

Before there’s any “gasp.” The term “angel” does not automatically refer to the angelic being, which would certainly be a reduction of the nature of Jesus Christ. The Greek word for angel is “angelos,” and this does not mean “angelic being,” as we might imagine, but simply “messenger.” Thus, all seven letters to the seven churches (Revelation 2 and 3) refer to “the angels of the church,” meaning the “messengers” of the church (Info).

In Revelation 1, Jesus Christ is also clearly presented as the “messenger” of the message of God the Father, verse 1 (more information Revelation 1):
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:“.

6th Trumpet in Revelation 10

In Revelation 10, Jesus, portrayed as the bearer of God’s message (as well as Revelation as a whole), thus as an angel, raises His hand to heaven and swears (Revelation 10:6-7):
“And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.“

Striking here is the statement, “there will be no more time,” which, moreover, comes at the moment when the seventh angel will sound his trumpet. The “mystery of God” sounds mystical, but it isn’t. It is simply the gospel. Already here, an announcement is made that the seventh trumpet will sound in only a short time. The statement “there will be no more time” is addressed further below.

6th Trumpet Revelation 11

Revelation 11, the chapter with the two witnesses and the first appearance of the beast from the abyss, reflects a time in the second half of the 18th century. Initially, and this in the local area of ​​France, it was the French Revolution (Info). This lasted between 1789 and 1799. Meanwhile, in 1798, the political papacy came to a (temporary) end.

The 7th Trumpet for the End of Things

The 7th trumpet also represents the convergence of the two characteristics of the trumpets: first, as judgment upon the enemies of the people of Israel, and second, as the warning announcement of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). With the last of the seven trumpets, the Day of Atonement is almost reached. In 1840, the 6th trumpet was immediately complemented by the 7th trumpet. This is the day on which the voice of the 7th angel will be heard and the “mystery of God” will be completed, as described in Revelation 10.

Such a short time between the beginning of the 7th trumpet and the onset of the Day of Atonement would also be the period from 1840 to 1844. A significant year, because 1844 was already announced by Daniel in chapter 8, verse 14:
“And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.“

On the Day of Atonement, the sanctuary (tabernacle or temple) was precisely cleansed by the High Priest of the accumulated and repented(!) sins of the people over the past year. With Jesus Christ’s assumption of the position of High Priest in the Heavenly Sanctuary, the once earthly model will be fulfilled in the “heavenly original.” The Day of Atonement began on October 22, 1844 (Info). This exact date is determined solely by the Hebrew calendar. For on this day was the “10th of Tishri,” Yom Kippur.

Striking things about the 7th trumpet

Striking descriptions of the 7th trumpet can be found in Revelation 11:18:
“And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.”“

“Angry nations.” True, since around the middle of the 19th century, military conflicts have been on the rise. Be it revolutions, skirmishes, or full-scale wars, such as World War I and World War II, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine, etc., etc. A so-called “hot spot” is constantly occurring somewhere in many parts of the world.

Since 1844, this world has been within the “sound” of all seven trumpets. In other words, judgment is already underway. For when Jesus Christ returns, He will “reward each one according to his works.” The judgment is therefore logically determined at the Second Coming of Jesus. What follows the seventh trumpet? No more trumpets. As Revelation 11:15-19 reveals, the final judgment of God’s wrath upon humanity will follow through the poured-out vials of wrath, i.e., the last seven plagues.

Beim Studieren der Verse über die Posaunen darf man lediglich nicht den Fehler begehen, anzunehmen, dass die Abfolge der Ereignisse ebenso schnell verlaufen, wie diese Stellen in der Bibel gelesen sind. Die Relation ist dennoch sichtbar. Posaunen 1 bis 4 in schneller Abfolge und ebenso “schnell und kurz” in der Bibel beschrieben. Während die Posaunen 5 und 6 wesentlich umfangreicher sind und auch einen entsprechend längeren Zeitraum in der Historie einnehmen.

Summary of Trumpets 1 to 7

The historical sequence of the 7 trumpets would thus be as follows:
1st Trumpet – the year 410
2nd Trumpet – the year 439
3rd Trumpet – the year 451
4th Trumpet – the year 476
5th Trumpet – the year 1299
6th Trumpet – the year 1449
7th Trumpet – the year 1840
(Cleansing of the Sanctuary according to Daniel 8:14: the year 1844)

“There should be time no longer”

There is controversy over Jesus Christ’s statement in Revelation 10, “there will be no more time.” Interpretations are quite open to interpretation. Some say it means there will be absolutely no more temporal prophecy. Others argue that there will still be temporal prophecy afterward. This applies especially to Daniel 12:11-12 and the 1290 and 1335 days. However, these two references to the end of time are no longer prophetic, but should be treated as literal.

But another interpretation would also be conclusive, in connection with another statement in Revelation 10:11:
“And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.“

After John ate the book in his vision, which tasted sweet like honey in the mouth but became bitter in the stomach, the angel invited him to receive further prophecies. A comforting, joyful message that nevertheless led to bitter disappointment.

7 Epistles to the Churches as a Model?

The 7 Epistles to the 7 churches (Revelation 2 and 3) can serve as a model here. These letters were literally sent within a short period of time to actual locations with the corresponding Christian churches. Nevertheless, these letters and their contents are also prophetic announcements about the circumstances, difficulties, and challenges of the Christian church over the centuries. The last of the 7 churches, Laodicea, is already present. It originated or developed in this way around the middle of the 19th century.

In other words, a politically and socially visible perspective and a prophetic, spiritual perspective. Why not also in relation to the seven trumpets? The interpretation of the sequence of the seven trumpets can be historically documented. One only needs to look back. “There will be no more time” and “you shall prophesy again” could herald such a transition from the historically verifiable interpretation of the seven trumpets to a spiritual perspective. Only in a faster sequence.

The fundamental principle, and this is certainly observable, is the repetition of history. In the past, it happened on a local scale, such as the French Revolution, and is repeated on a much larger, if not global, scale.

If the sequence or conclusion of the 7th trumpet were to be followed, the Second Coming could have already occurred based on “gut feeling.” In this regard, there were significant developments in the USA around 1888, which emerged as the so-called “Blue Laws.” A bill that would have made Sunday a mandatory day of rest was rejected at the last minute. However, such a Sunday law is now once again a topic of discussion (Project 2025 – Info).

In addition, Sunday is being touted everywhere as a day of rest for the family, a day of climate protection, and a day of worship for (Sunday) churches in particular. The advertising drums for Sunday are constantly churning. In addition to such a Sunday law, there would be a ban on observing God’s Fourth Commandment (the Sabbath). The (local) model would be Constantine’s Sunday law and, in consequence, the ban on observing the Sabbath, initiated by the Bishop of Rome.

The spiritual view of the 7 trumpets

For this possibility of examining the 7 trumpets after the historical, comprehensible sequence and then also as a faster sequence in the spiritual sense, it was again sufficient to look at the individual Bible statements and the developments surrounding the “spiritual state” of the churches as well as of general society.

The choice of words in Revelation is certainly symbolic (Info). For example, the sea represents peoples, multitudes, and nations; trees represent righteous believers, and grass represents the people. The tail (of a scorpion) symbolizes the false prophet (Isaiah 9:15).

The apostasy from the gospel on the part of the (formerly) Protestant and Lutheran churches at the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th centuries was massive. “Bible criticism” in the light of the “Age of Reason” spread. This was followed by the theory of evolution and a move closer to, or rather, a return to, the Roman Catholic Church within the framework of ecumenism. Heresies abounded. Spiritual death raged, so that a quarter or even a third of the living (symbolically) died.

Fitting the 7th Seal

With a “spiritual” sequence of the 7 trumpets at the end of time, the (supposed) problem that the first trumpet only sounds with the opening of the seventh seal (Revelation 8:1-6) was also solved. The first verses of Revelation 8 also clearly point to the sanctuary service of Jesus Christ. Incense was brought to the golden altar. This can only refer to the incense altar within the sanctuary, because the altar in the outer courtyard is made of bronze.

A “hint” that the chronological sequence may well be accurate is the announcement in the 6th seal (Revelation 6:12-14) that “the stars of heaven will fall to the earth.” One such event, and one with a subsequent media spectacle, was the massive meteor shower on the night of November 16-17, 1833. Up to 200,000 “shooting stars” were observed. The resulting brightness was sufficient to read a newspaper.

The year 1833 fit perfectly into the timeframe shortly before the sounding of the 7th trumpet (historical sequence) in 1840, the opening of the 7th seal, and thus the repetition of the seven trumpets for the subsequent “spiritual” interpretation (“thou must prophesy again”). The announcement of the “global” Yom Kippur, the cleansing of the sanctuary.

From Local to Global

The major difference in the final era, however, lies in the fact that the events and effects will be worldwide, and this is entirely understandable. The local in the type becomes the global in the antitype. It began with the chosen people of Israel. On a larger scale, the ancient Roman Empire followed, and the papacy subsequently severely affected the people of God.

“And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.” (Revelation 18:24).

Ultimately, it affects every human being on this planet, not just in the context of one particular event. All people are thus faced with the choice of deciding for or against God’s laws (Info), or following the (false) authority of the papacy. It affects everyone.

Bible verses from King James Version (1611)