The Great Tribulation is going to last three and one half years (Rev 12:14 ¹), during which time there are going to be some plagues, which appear to be wraths of God, that will not come near the Saint's house (Psa 91). The sounding of the first six of seven trumpets and first two of three woes occur before the Day of the Lord, during the forty-two month (Rev 11:2; 13:5) Tribulation (trouble, affliction, persecution). The Tribulation period will be so awful with terrorism, Christians dying for their faith, no peace, inflation, hunger, killing (Rev 6:1-11), and all the various plagues smiting the heaven, the earth and its inhabitants (Rev 8:1-21). During the Tribulation the two beast will have power over all (Rev 13), and the two witnesses' "...will have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will..." (Rev 11:3-6 KJV). The seventh trumpet and third woe (Rev 10:7; 11:14-15) occur after the Great (Mat 24:21) Tribulation (Mat 24:29) and the seven vials and last plagues (Rev 16:1-17) occur after the First Resurrection (Rev 20:4-6).

Note: Some of what is shown when the first five seals were opened (Rev 6:1-11), what was shown when the seventh seal was opened, which is the sounding of the first six of seven trumpets and first two of three woes and that what follows (Rev 8:1-21), and what the two witnesses do (Rev 11:3-6) occur in the same time frame. You will find that the various picture pieces in Revelation do not necessarily follow a chronological order.

After comparing what the two witnesses do, summarized in Revelation 11:3-6, with some of the things that happen after the sounding of the first six trumpets and first two woes, and then comparing them with other related detail in Bible prophecy, similarities can be seen that help establish the fact that those things happen during the Tribulation and not on the Day of the Lord. I believe most Christians who have ever studied Revelation can agree that the two witnesses' days of prophecy (Rev 11:3, 6) will be during the Great (Mat 24:21) Tribulation (Mat 24:29).

Two Witnesses

To begin confirming previous points, first, please carefully examine Revelation 11:3-9 about the two witnesses.

(Rev 11:3-6 KJV) "And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. {4} These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. {5} And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. {6} These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will."

Fire, blood and plagues are some key words used to describe some things happening during the witnesses' 1260 days of prophecy (Rev 11:3-9), which is 42 months (Rev 11:2), when divided by 30 days in a month, and three and one half years (Rev 12:14). The two witnesses are the two (anointed ones) olive trees (Rom 11:16-25) and the two candlesticks standing before (Lord) God of the earth (Zec 4:2-4, 11-14). If any man hurts them, fire proceeds out of their mouth, and devours their enemies. They have power to shut up heaven that it rain not, have power over waters to turn them to blood and to smite the earth with all plagues.

Seven Angels, Seven Trumpets, Woes

Second, please read the opening passage in Revelation 8:1-6 about the seven trumpets, the Saints on the golden altar, etc. and my comments.

(Rev 8:1-6 KJV) "And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. {2} And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. {3} And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. {4} And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. {5} And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. {6} And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound."

When the seventh seal was opened, there was silence in heaven for half an hour, seven trumpets were given and there were Saints upon the golden altar (Rev 8:2-5) ready to be killed for Christ like their fellowservants and brethren had (Rev 6:9-11). Paul beseeched the brethren in Romans 12:1 to present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God. That helps to establish the fact that the prayers that ascended up before God were for living Saints, unlike the souls under the altar in Revelation 6:9-11 who who were killed before the Tribulation, which means the rapture has not yet occurred, if you believe it is a one time event for all Saints.

Note: There was only one resurrection for Christ (Acts 2:30-31), and there will be only one resurrection for the body of Christ (1 Cor 10:16-17; 12:27).

Voices, Thunderings, Lightnings

When the words "voices, thunderings, lightnings" appear in such a group, the fearful presence of the LORD is near, and what proceeds are early warnings, like the time mountain Sinai quaked when He descended upon it in Exodus 19:16-21.

Note: Prophecy was sealed in Daniel 9:24 and 12:4, but not sealed in Revelation 22:9-10. The Lamb in Revelation 5:1-10 was able to open the book and loose (open) the seals (Rev 6:1-17; 8:1-2).

Some of the information in this study has been removed and re-edited, and will be included in the "Last Trump Gathering Bible Studies Volume Two or maybe Three." Some links may not work. Please forgive me for the inconvenience. Thank you for viewing these studies.

With love in Christ!
Al