Revelation 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
Revelation 8:2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
Revelation 15:7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
(There are seven seals, seven, trumpets, and seven vials, and there are different views on when these occur.The preterist view is that these all happened in 70 AD, when Rome destroyed Jerusalem and the temple.The amillennial view is that these are allegorical descriptions of adversities in the church age, until the end of time.Then there is the futuristic view, that these all occur during the tribulation, which has not yet happened, but will happen.For the futurists, there four different views on when these occur during the tribulation: Series, Parallel, Telescopic, or Combined.
Series:(The series view is that everything happens in the chronological order that they appear in the book of Revelation.The thinking is that since one thing is written “after” something else, that it must then happen “after” the first.Also, the thinking is that phrases in the book of Revelation indicate that these must occur, one after another:)
Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
Revelation 7:1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
Revelation 15:5 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:
Revelation 18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
Revelation 19:1 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
(However, there is the perspective from John’s own experience:Sometimes John sees things from heaven, and sometimes he sees things from earth, as well as also from his present and future.Also, John is a finite, temporal human being, who can only practically experience one thing at a time.Often, when John says something like, “and after this …”, it is because he experiences one thing after the other.However, our temptation is to think that this means that he says that, because those things “will happen” one after the other.We often mistake that what he sees, or hears, after something else, means that in the future they must happen in that order.John cannot experience simultaneous events in heaven, and in different parts of the earth, all at the same time.Even though somethings will happen simultaneously, he cannot experience them simultaneously, nor write them simultaneously.He can only see or hear, like, “and after this …”, because he must see or hear separately, in order to experience all of it.He can also, only write one thing at a time.Yet, many of the things in the book happen simultaneously, in different places, some on earth, and some in heaven.)Then there is a problem with the sixth seal happening earlier on in the tribulation:)
Isaiah 13:9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
(Some things in Isaiah happened with king Cyrus, but others happen at the day of the LORD, at the time of his wrath.)
Matthew 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
(Jesus says that those things happen when the tribulation concludes.)
Joel 2:31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
(Joel wrote of things which already happened, also things Peter quoted, but also of things which will happen at the second coming.So, it appears that most likely, the 6th seal needs to happen towards the very end of the tribulation.)
Parallel:(This holds that the seals, trumpets, and vials all happen parallel with each other, that they are different views of the same things.This would be similar to the four gospels being four views of the same earthly ministry of Jesus, from four different perspectives.In this case, all the seals, trumpets, and vials start at the same time, and conclude at the same time.There is much validity with this view, yet there appears to be a problem when considering the ships in the sea.However, if the parallel view is correct, then the 2nd trumpet & the 2nd vial, do appear to line up perfectly:
Revelation 8:8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
Revelation 16:3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.
(Yet, if both happen together, in parallel, earlier on in the tribulation, then how can the following still be said, later in the tribulation?)
Revelation 18:17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
Telescopic:(This holds that with the last couple of seals, the seven trumpets occur, and with the last couple of trumpets, the vials occur.Similar to collapsible telescopes with 3 sections; out of the end of the 1st comes the 2nd, and out of the end of the 2nd comes the 3rd.One way has the 7th seal to be the 7 trumpets, with the 7th trumpet to be the 7 vials.This actually is another variant of "series", which has the 6th seal too early on in the tribulation.
Another variant has the trumpets & vials occurring during the 5th - 7th seal, with the vials occurring during the 5th - 7th trumpet,with the 7th seal, 7th trumpet & 7th vial simultaneous with the 2nd advent.
A 3rd variant has the trumpets & vials occurring during the 6th & 7th seal, with the vials occurring during the 6th & 7th trumpet,and again, with the 7th seal, 7th trumpet & 7th vial simultaneous with the 2nd advent.
Combined:(Similar to parallel, but this view actually holds that certain seals, trumpets, and vials are different perspectives of the same things.Not everything is necessarily linear, chronological, series or parallel; some seals go with some trumpets & with some vials.These groupings are not necessarily in order, or even one for one, however, they do have similar things in common.Here’s a few examples of these groupings, to see that there is some validity to this view:)
(The 1st seal, 5th trumpet & the 1st vial appear to go together.)They all have to do with the antichrist, the rider on the white horse, the king of the locusts being the angel of the bottomless pit,and the 1st vial being the sore upon those who had the mark of the beast & worshipped his image:)
Revelation 6:1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
Revelation 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
Revelation 16:1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.
(The 2nd seal, 2nd trumpet & 2nd vial all have do with blood, blood red:)
Revelation 6:3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to 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.
Revelation 8:8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
Revelation 16:3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.
(4th seal, 3rd trumpet, 3rd vial - two have to do with drinking deadly waters & death:)
Revelation 6:7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
Revelation 8:10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
Revelation 16:4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
(3rd seal, 4th trumpet & 5th vial have to do with darkness, black darkness)
Revelation 6:5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
Revelation 8:12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
Revelation 16:10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
(4th seal, 1st trumpet & 4th vial have to do with fire & hell)
Revelation 6:7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
Revelation 8:7 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 trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
Revelation 16:8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
(The 5th seal, 6th trumpet & 6th vial: apparently 2 have to do with an altar, a different 2 have to do with the Euphrates,a different 2 have to do with the LORD's servants, and 2 have to do with those who refuse to repent:)
Revelation 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
Revelation 9:13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.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.20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
Revelation 16:9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.2 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
(The 6th seal, 7th trumpet & 7th vial apparently have to do with great voices, earthquakes & the end:)
Revelation 6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Revelation 11:14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Revelation 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.