The first trumpet is the opening announcement of the seven-trumpet judgment series, signaling that God is now unleashing the next level of wrath on the earth.
Scripture shows the first angel sounding brings hail and fire mingled with blood, burning a third of the trees and all green grass. Les Feldick teaches that these seven trumpets are angelic trumpets given to seven angels, and they simply announce the next event in a sequence of escalating judgments beginning at the midpoint.
Revelation 8:7 — This verse records the first trumpet judgment itself, showing the hail and fire mingled with blood that strike the earth.
Revelation 8:1-2 — This passage introduces the seven angels and seven trumpets after the seventh seal, providing the context for the first trumpet.
In Revelation 8, after the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. John then saw the seven angels who stood before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. An angel with a golden censer offered much incense with the prayers of the saints before the throne, then took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and cast it into the earth. There were voices, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake. The seven angels prepared themselves to sound. When the first angel sounded, there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth; the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
Les teaches that the seven trumpets are angelic trumpets, plural, given to seven angels after the seventh seal. He distinguishes them from the singular trump of God connected to the Rapture of the church. The trumpets are God's way of indicating that it is time for the next judgment to fall, and they begin at the midpoint of the seven-year period. Les says these trumpet judgments are worldwide, not isolated to the Middle East, and they keep getting closer together and worse until the final seven bowl judgments.
Scripture records that when the seventh seal was opened, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Les explains that even the angelic hosts were aware of the awful things about to come on the earth. It is in this sober atmosphere that the seven angels are given the seven trumpets, making the first trumpet a dramatic opening to the judgments that follow.
Les makes a strong distinction: Revelation 8:2 shows seven angels given seven trumpets, plural. Paul's teaching about the Rapture speaks of the trumpet of God, singular. Les says the seven angelic trumpets cannot be the same as the trump of God reserved for the calling out of the Body of Christ.
Les places the trumpet judgments at the midpoint, right after the seventh seal. The first trumpet begins this series, and the judgments are not isolated to one region but are worldwide. They will come closer together and increase in severity as they move toward the seven bowl judgments.
The Seventh Seal Silence and the Giving of Seven Trumpets
Les explains that after the seventh seal there was absolute silence in heaven because of the awesome judgments about to come, and then seven angels were given seven trumpets that simply announce the next event.
Trumpet Judgments Begin at the Midpoint
Les says the trumpet judgments begin at the midpoint, are worldwide, and will keep getting worse until the final seven bowl judgments.
Trumpet Events Come One Right After the Other
Les describes the trumpet events as following one right after the other at this point, becoming closer together and increasingly catastrophic.
The Bowls Follow the Trumpets
Les contrasts the trumpet judgments with the seven bowl judgments that come after them, which are more severe and lead up to Armageddon.
Not the Trump of God
Les teaches that the seven angelic trumpets in Revelation cannot be the singular trump of God in Paul's Rapture passage; God has a trumpet reserved for the calling out of the Body of Christ.
Seven Trumpets, Plural
Les emphasizes that in Revelation 8:2 the seven angels were given seven trumpets, not the trump of God, and this distinction matters for understanding end-times prophecy.
Revelation 4 & 5 Explained: The Throne Room & the Scroll
Yes, Israel was brought to convocations and congregational call by the trumpets, no doubt. But you see God has His own trumpets as well, and you have the angelic trumpet. But here you see John hears a trumpet from heaven, and as a trumpet it says, "...come up hither." Now I like to picture that as a symbolic view of what's going to happen to the church.
What Really Happens at Armageddon — Revelation 16 & 19
He poured out his bowl into the air, and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven from the throne saying, what? It is done. This is the finale. And there were voices and thunders and lightnings, and there was a great earthquake such as was not since men upon the earth so mighty an earthquake and so great. And again, I don't feel that this is an isolated one.
Revelation 8:1: And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
This silence precedes the giving of the seven trumpets and highlights the seriousness of the coming judgments.
Revelation 8:2: And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
This introduces the seven angelic trumpets, including the first trumpet that follows.
Revelation 8:5: 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.
The casting of the censer fire sets the stage for the trumpet judgments.
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.
This is the first trumpet judgment, the event this page explains.
1 Corinthians 15:52: In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Les contrasts this singular trumpet with the seven plural angelic trumpets of Revelation.
The first trumpet judgment is when the first angel sounds and hail and fire mingled with blood are cast upon the earth. This burns up a third of the trees and all green grass, as recorded in Revelation 8:7.
No. Les Feldick teaches that the seven trumpets in Revelation are angelic trumpets, given to seven angels, and are plural. The Rapture trumpet is the trump of God, singular, and is not an angelic trumpet.
Les places the trumpet judgments at the midpoint of the end-times events, following the seventh seal. They increase in frequency and severity as they lead toward the seven bowl judgments.
Watch the Teaching: What Happens When Satan Is Cast Out of Heaven?