Roughly 2000 years ago John the apostle wrote:
1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified [it] by his angel unto his servant John:
1:2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
1:3 Blessed [is] he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is a hand.
A serious question in all this "reconsideration" is how does it reveal to us Jesus Christ and His testimony? A testimony that enables us to overcome the dragon by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony. Rev. 12:11
How can turning Revelation from a historicist view point, into a futuristic view point make it a reliable prophecy? There needs to be a foundation in order to find understanding,
Has anyone considered that the trumpets lay out the history for us to look back upon and learn, because, yes, HISTORY will repeat, (not prophecy but history repeats) and we all know the saying, it is those who refuse to learn from history who are bound to repeat it.
Each of the trumpets reveals something about people's response or rather distortion or rejection of the gospel, throughout history and it's non-redemptive and destructive results.
Now it is true that in the end every form of evil power will unite to overthrow truth. But what are these key forms of power? I believe the trumpets have already revealed them.
"Every form of evil is to spring into intense activity. Evil angels unite their powers with evil men, and as they have been in constant conflict and attained an experience in the best modes of deception and battle, and have been strengthening for centuries, they will not yield the last great final contest without a desperate struggle." {Mar 257.4}
What are the "modes of deception" that evil angels have developed as the best modes of deception over the centuries?
The fact that the plagues allude to them all being active in the last struggle does NOT mean they were not developed in historic sequence in the past. We don't have to destroy their relevance in the past, to know every form of evil is to spring into intense activity in the end.
However, as we look at the historic progression it can "remind us that other believers also have drunk of the cup and been baptized with the baptism.
He who sustained these early witnesses to the truth will not forsake His people in the final conflict." {CTr 314.2}
Revelation is very much about Christ and the sanctuary truths -- but where in this reconsideration is Christ, as He takes His place as our high priest, and pours out the first Pentecost upon His church, and begins His ministry in the heavenly sanctuary? Rev. 4 and 5 is not about judgement, it's all about Christ beginning the sanctuary message of DELIVERANCE. It begins with great consternation (NOT about who will execute judgment on sinners, as all sinners are already doomed due to their sin) the consternation shows that all hope of salvation is gone if no one is found to open the book of covenant. Then Jesus Who has completed the sacrifice, ratifying the covenant with His own blood, opened the door of salvation. "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." Everyone rejoices with great joy, singing His praises day and night!
Revelation 8:2-5 also gives an outline of Christ's whole sanctuary work. Beginning with His work in the Holy Place before the altar of incense as He mediates for the saints, then He takes the coals from the altar and puts them in the censor. Something that was done every year by the high priest BEFORE He entered the Most Holy Place. He would carry the censor with Him into the Holy Place, as it poured forth smoke of incense throughout the Most Holy. It's only once that phase ministry is done that the censor is cast down . Thus we see Christ, first in Holy Place, then preparing to enter the Most Holy, it's only once He is finished and comes out, that the censor is thrown down.
And notice: The angels were given the trumpets already in verse 2. These are two sequences, that happen at the same time, they run parallel. All the time the trumpets are warning people to turn away from evil, Christ is ministering in the sanctuary, mediating for the people, it's not until the END of the seventh trumpet that we see both these sequences ending with thunder, lightning, earthquake, etc. (Rev. 8:5 and Rev. 11:19) They start together and end together.
Revelation covers the WHOLE sanctuary doctrine, repeatedly, not just the investigative judgment. The churches, seals, and trumpets all announce the investigative judgment at the end of their sequence, they cover both the time of Christ's ministry in the holy and then the Most Holy.
Churches -- 6th church, Christ moves to open one door of the sanctuary and closes the first. Indicating the time of the great disappointment when Christ moves from the Holy to the Most Holy. The seventh is the church living during the investigative judgment who are either "spewed out" if not with Christ, or promised to sit with Christ on His throne if they cherish His presence here on earth.
Seals -- 5th seal has martyrs, who have not yet received judgment, they are crying out for judgment, given "white robes" told to wait. The 6th seal reveals the signs announcing the beginning of judgement, and revealing the outcome, with the unsealed running in terror from Christ, while the sealed receive salvation and stand on the sea of glass.
7th Trumpet -- the time has come of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward... the Most Holy Place is opened to view.
They all cover the full time from Christ's return to heaven until His second coming.
THE ROLE OF THE LAST CHURCH
Where is the prophecy concerning the development of the last church in all of this?
Did God raise a last church with a special message?
That prophecy is there in a powerful way, IF one sees things in a historicist manner.
The church with the three angel's message, comes into existence AFTER the sixth trumpet.
The great disappointment, the formation of the Adventist church, and it's sanctuary message, as well as it's 3 angel message, is clearly revealed in Rev. 10 and the first part of 11. God's last church (Seventh-day Adventist church) is formed after the 1260 years have ended.
This is all clearly confirmed in Ellen White's writings, who also clearly tells us the seventh trumpet began in 1844.
She identifies the "seven thunders" in Rev. 10 as beginning in 1842, involved in raising awareness of the coming "judgment hour" (ushering in, and obviously part of the seventh trumpet).
The special light given to John which was expressed in the seven thunders was a delineation of events which would transpire under the first and second angels' messages. It was not best for the people to know these things, for their faith must necessarily be tested. In the order of God, most wonderful and advanced truths would be proclaimed. The first and second angels' messages were to be proclaimed, but no further light was to be revealed before these messages had done their specific work. This is represented by the angel standing with one foot on the sea, proclaiming with a most solemn oath that time should be no longer. {1MR 99.3}
This time which the angel declares with a solemn oath, is not the end of this world's history, neither of probationary time, but of prophetic time, which should precede the advent of our Lord. That is, the people will not have another message upon definite time. After this period of time, reaching from 1842 to 1844, {1MR 99.3}
The temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in His temple the ark of His testament." Revelation 11:19. The ark of God's testament is in the holy of holies, the second apartment of the sanctuary. In the ministration of the earthly tabernacle, which served "unto the example and shadow of heavenly things," this apartment was opened only upon the great Day of Atonement for the cleansing of the sanctuary. Therefore the announcement that the temple of God was opened in heaven and the ark of His testament was seen points to the opening of the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary in 1844 as Christ entered there to perform the closing work of the atonement. {GC 432-433}
