Three Woes Described

Review—Introspective Challenge of the Judgment

The six seal judgments (see Rev. 6) and the first four trumpet judgments (Rev. 8:1-12) will wreak havoc on the heavens and the earth in the future tribulation period. The Apostle John has yet to reveal the most horrific judgments that God will impose on those refusing to repent of their sin and turn in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ.

In this new article and the next, we will examine the three woes pronounced upon the earth and its inhabitants. These piercing facts must force each of us to examine ourselves and ask, “Am I in a right relationship with Jesus Christ?”

Have you ever accepted God’s free gift of salvation through faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:3-4; Eph. 2:8-9: Tit. 3:5-6)? If yes, are you living a life that exemplifies your love for the soon returning Jesus Christ at the rapture of the church age saints (Eph. 2:10; 1 Thess. 4:13-18)?

Introduction to the Three Woes

Imagine that you are in the midst of the most horrific time of your life, suffering like never before, and someone walks in and states that what you are experiencing now does not come close to the catastrophic conditions you will indisputably encounter in the immediate future. The pain and fear you face is beyond comprehension, and life loses all positive value.

The Apostle John laid out the seven seal judgments and the first four trumpet judgments that will result in the deaths of more than one fourth of the world’s population, under devastating worldwide conditions. The thought that might come to mind at this point is, “How could it get any worse?” Yet, John now reveals that the past judgments pale in severity compared to the judgments he is ready to reveal.

Revelation 8:13 states:

And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”

The Announcer Described

John states that he hears an “angel” or “eagle” (ESV), flying in heaven. The word angel (ἄγγελος, pronounced ang’-el-os), can be translated as angel or messenger.[1]

Mal Couch believed that ἄγγελος may more appropriately be translated “eagle,” or even more probable under the context, “vulture.”[2] God’s chosen messenger, while “flying through the midst of heaven,” prepares to make a devastating proclamation in a loud voice.

This is an announcement that must be heard, and cannot be ignored.

Here we stand; we cannot, and must not, be moved from this distinctive dispensational doctrine.

(Read Part 37)

Dr. Richard Schmidt is a church ministries representative for the Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry and the founder of Prophecy Focus Ministries, having previously served as a pastor and church planter. His love for the prophetic Scriptures resulted in writing a doctoral dissertation on a dispensational perspective on the mystery church age existing between the 69th and 70th weeks of Daniel. Dr. Schmidt offers seminars on a variety of prophetic topics to local churches and conferences. We are very excited to involve him as a contributing author to Dispensational Publishing House.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV® Bible
(The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®),
copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
May not copy or download more than 500 consecutive verses of the ESV Bible
or more than one half of any book of the ESV Bible.

[1] Joseph Thayer, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, “ἄγγελος,” Database WORDsearch Bible, 2014.

[2] Mal Couch, in Exploring Bible Prophecy from Genesis to Revelation, editors Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson, (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2006), p. 519.