Ch 8b-11 The cycle of 7 trumpets and the unsealed scroll

Question 1

What does John do with the 7th trumpet?

Answer 1

John backs up and retells the story again with images from the Exodus story.

Question 2

What do the first 5 trumpet blasts replay?

Answer 2

The plague sent upon Egypt.

Question 3

What is released with the 6th trumpet?

Answer 3

The 4 horsemen that came from the first 4 seals.

Question 4

What does John observe about the nations despite the plagues?

Answer 4

The nations did not repent, similar to Pharaoh in the Exodus story.

Question 5

What does John do after describing the plagues?

Answer 5

He pauses the action with another intermission.

Question 6

What does the angel bring to John?

Answer 6

The unsealed scroll that was opened by the lamb.

Question 7

What is John instructed to do with the scroll?

Answer 7

He is told to eat the scroll and then proclaim its message to the nations.

Question 8

What do the contents of the scroll reveal?

Answer 8

How God’s kingdom will come here on earth.

Question 9

What does John see in the first symbolic vision of the scroll?

Answer 9

God’s temple and the martyrs by the altar, and he is told to measure and set them apart.

Question 10

What happens to the outer courts in the city?

Answer 10

They are excluded and trampled down by the nations.

Question 11

What do some believe the trampling of the outer courts refers to?

Answer 11

A destruction of Jerusalem that happened in the past or will happen in the future.

Question 12

What is more likely the interpretation of the outer courts being trampled?

Answer 12

It symbolizes how Jesus’ followers may suffer persecution by the nations.

Question 13

What do the 2 witnesses represent?

Answer 13

They are prophetic representatives to the nations.

Question 14

What do some think about the 2 witnesses?

Answer 14

They believe it refers literally to 2 prophets who will appear in the future.

Question 15

What does John call the 2 witnesses?

Answer 15

Lampstands, which symbolize the churches.

Question 16

What is the role of Jesus’ followers according to the vision?

Answer 16

To take up the mantle of Moses and Elijah and call nations to turn back to God.

Question 17

What happens to the witnesses when the beast appears?

Answer 17

The beast conquers the witnesses and kills them.

Question 18

What does God do after the witnesses are killed?

Answer 18

He brings them back to life and vindicates them before their persecutors.

Question 19

What is the outcome of the witnesses’ vindication?

Answer 19

Many among the nations finally repent and give glory to the Creator God.

Question 20

What did God’s warning judgments fail to generate?

Answer 20

Repentance among the nations.

Question 21

How did the Lamb conquer his enemies?

Answer 21

By loving them and dying for them.

Question 22

What does the message of the Lamb’s scroll reveal?

Answer 22

The mission of his army, the church.

Question 23

How will God’s kingdom be revealed?

Answer 23

When the nations see the church imitating the loving sacrifice of the Lamb.

Question 24

What is the surprising claim about repentance?

Answer 24

It is God’s mercy shown through Jesus’ followers that will bring the nations to repentance.

Question 25

What does John place at the center of the entire book?

Answer 25

The message of the open scroll.

Question 26

What happens after the last trumpet sounds?

Answer 26

The nations are shaken as God’s kingdom comes here on earth as it is in heaven.

Question 27

What questions remain after the first half of the story?

Answer 27

Who was the terrible beast that waged war on God’s people and how will the story turn out?