There are too many evidence that the Seven Trumpets are connected with the Seven Plagues. It means the Seven Trumpets cannot be considered as recapitulation with the Seven Churches and the Seven Seals.

It is very clear that the Seven Churches and the Seven Seals parallel each other in that of internal ( Seven Churches) and external condition (Seven Seals) over the dispensation.

Notice that the Seven Trumpets are given to the Seven Angels who have final duty to pour out the Seven Plagues (See Rev. 15:6-7 and 16:1). Those angels are standing before the throne of God and observing the ministry of Jesus, His final work in the Most Holy Place. At the casting of ashes, they come out with the bowls of the Seven Plagues to pour out.

The Seven Trumpets message is never blown by the Seven Angels because by the end of the close of probation, the message is already proclaimed by the people of God. That is why it is said, "the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound" (Rev. 8:6) after Jesus finish the intercessory work.

I'd be cautious Karen. Scripture and Ellen White agree, the angels will sound the trumpets loud and clear. What we don't know at this point is whether the wicked will understand them but it seems like they can't deny them any more the Pharaoh could deny the ten plagues. It's instructive to see though that Pharoah wavered between belief and unbelief about whether they were sent of God until his first born was slain and even then he changed his mind as soon as his son was buried and attempted to re-enslave God's people. Revelation 11 says this history is about to be repeated.

The initial "plagues" of the two witnesses are very likely the seven trumpets, or they are at least a significant part of the "every plague" that the witnesses choose to inflict. Ellen White is clear that this chapter, chapter 11, applies especially to the future.

We're about to see a repeat of Moses' demand to Pharoah - let my people go. This time, the call to freedom is given in three messages. Our original church logo was correct - three angels blowing trumpets.

Scripture says the Seven Angels awaited while Jesus offers prayers before the throne of God until He cast the ashes into the earth. Then they "prepared themselves to sound" (Rev. 8:6). It is crystal clear that they did not blow the Seven Trumpets until the close of probation, which the casting down ashes signify.

The "first angel" and the "second angel" so on till the "seventh angel" messages denote the close of probation. Just like the three angels message in Rev. 14, the Seven Angels' message has to be proclaimed by God's people.

The three angels message is emphasized by "angel fly in the midst of heaven ... saying with a loud voice" (Rev. 14:6-7) parallels with the Seven Angels' message, which says, "angel flying through the midst of heaven ... saying with a loud voice" (Rev. 8:13). We know that no real angel flies in heaven to proclaim the message but God's people must carry the proclamation.

When E.G. White mentioned "angel", that could means "messenger". She called one of the 24 Elders as "angel" (See Manuscript Releases, Vol 12, pp. 296, 297 and Signs of the Times, Dec. 22, 1887).

Moses and Aaron were the prophets, the servants of God, to Pharaoh. They delivered the message of the ten plagues upon Egypt prior to exodus. Like manner, God's "servants the prophets" must deliver the message of the close of probation to the world. The Seventh trumpet message is already made known to the servants of God: it is declared to them (see Rev. 10:7). This passage indicates that the close of probation will come when His servants complete the task of proclamation.

Knowing that the seven angels do not blow the trumpets until the casting of ashes, which denotes close of probation. We, God's sealed people, must deliver the message of the seven angels, approaching the end of probationary time.

The message of the close probation directs our eyes to Christ who ministers in the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary. The book I recently read explains very well what it mean to keep our eyes on Jesus. It is called "Ransom and Reunion" by Elder Frazee.

https://www.amazon.com/Ransom.../dp/194450107X/ref=sr_1_1...

https://wdfsermons.org/product/books/randsom-and-reunion/

In Rev. 11, we are told to "measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein". There is a reason for this careful caution because the beast is going to attack these three things: "And he opened his mouth in blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven" (Rev. 13:6).

1) the temple of God ---> blaspheme his name ---> Sabbath
2) the altar ---> his tabernacle ---> Jesus intercession
3) them that worship therein ---> them that dwell in heaven ---> true church

We find Gentiles tread the holy city under foot forty and two months. This is when the beast (Papacy) ruled 1,260 years during the Dark Ages. The Papacy is ready to repeat the same history. His wounded head is healed and all the world wondered after the beast.

I agree that the seven angels symbolize seven messages just as the three angels of Rev 14 symbolize three messages. The seven trumpets are both end-time judgments and end-time messages. I think your understanding in that is scriptural and it is important to understand the trumpets as messages as well as judgments.

So let me suggest this thought to you Karen of how it works. Since the word "It is done" announcing the close of probation is in the seventh plague, probation is not closed for everyone until that plague. Judgment begins at the house of God and closes there first. When the censor is thrown down just before the trumpets sound, probation for some will be over. To them it will be the time of the plagues because they will have no opportunity to repent. But for others the same events will be as a trumpet that awakens them.

That probation is open during the trumpets for some is shown by the command to the four angels holding the four winds: "Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads." Rev 7:3 This is the same command given to the angel of the fifth trumpet. "And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads." Rev 9:4. So we can see that for some, probation is still open for the first five trumpets.

And we can also see that probation is open for some until the sixth trumpet because the four angels are not permitted to let go the four winds until this time. The reason they do not fully release the winds is because salvation still lingered up to that point for some of the 144000 who are being sealed. But for some, I agree, the censor was thrown down at the start of the trumpets and their probation ends then.

As an aside, in the months leading up to the fall of 2015 I made some statements to the effect that I thought major judgments could occur then. I was wrong. But I have reason to think it won't be long before we in the wealthy west (Europe and North America) do experience what Ellen White terms "an overwhelming surprise". To the unwise virgins it will be overwhelming, to the wise it will be almost overwhelming but will be the great wake up call. After their rude awakening they rally their energies, trim their lamps and joyfully go out to welcome the bridegroom.

Casting down of ashes occurred only once when a high priest finished the Day of Atonement ceremony. Like you stated it, the close of probation comes only after Jesus announce "It is done": it will never close early for some classes and later for some other classes.

It is not that God does not give opportunity to repent, but because people harden their hearts. God's mercy endures forever until the end for every souls. Repent and their is a hope for anyone because Jesus is still interceding for us in the heavenly sanctuary. He did not cast the censer.

When the four angels let go of the four winds, then the close of probation comes, which occurs simultaneously with the declaration of "It is done". The close of probation does not arrive for anyone until this time of the period.

The seven trumpets are not historical timelines. It is about one theme: close of probation with seven parts of description. The close of probation occurs only once when Jesus finishes His mediatorial work.

The seven angels await until Jesus is done with His ministry, then they "prepare themselves to sound" (Rev. 8:6). If the first trumpet sounded by the one of the seven angels after Jesus is done His ministry, how would you interpret the language of the symbols of "hail and fire mingled with blood" that cast upon the earth?

This passage is definitely related with health issues upon the mankind of the end-time generation. Trees and green grass depict mankind and "burnt up" by the hail and fire mixed with blood indicate physical devastation on them. This is one of the seven aspects at the time of close probation.

The second trumpet depicts sea water pollution by unstoppable devastation like "great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea". As the result, the sea creatures die. This is second of the sevenfold message about the close of probation.

The third trumpet sound depicts fresh water pollution problem: "many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter".

The fourth trumpet depicts the heavenly bodies disturbances: "the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars". When the heavenly bodies exhibit signs, it means Jesus is coming. (see Rev. 6:12-14).

The fifth trumpet portrays extreme spiritual torments: "in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them".

In the sixth trumpet, 200 million angelic horsemen released to slay men. When the ministering angels stop their protecting work upon the earth, evil angels will bring evils. This occurs at the close of probation.

The seventh trumpet's announcement will come at the close of probation: "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord".

The seven angels will not sound these seven trumpets because they only come out from the temple with the vials of the seven plagues when Jesus finishes the sanctuary work. (See Rev. 15:6).

God's people are to sound the seven trumpets message before the close of probation suddenly arrives. "angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth" (Rev. 8:13).

Sister Karen, the bolded part of your statement concerns me because I'm afraid you're putting your opinion above revealed truth. The parable of the ten virgins, the vision of Ezekiel 9, Ellen White's statement that the time of God's judgments will be a time of mercy for those who did not have the opportunity to know the truth but that the door of mercy will be shut during this same time to those who knew but did not obey the truth, all of these and many more inspired sources confirm that the close of probation comes earlier for some than others.

It is true that no-one is above falling to temptation until the very end, but it is equally true that some will have closed their probation by hardening their hearts before the door of mercy is shut to everyone.

Please read in context.


God's hand is still stretched out as long as the casting down has not happened (close probation). The door is closed because they would not enter, not because God shuts the door by casting down the censer.