1. At the sound of the fourth trumpet of Revelation, the following scene is presented: «The fourth angel sounded. And the third of the was smitten, and the third part of the , and the third part of the , so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.» The Word of God will give us the keys we need to understand the symbolism of that trumpet.

2. To find out the meaning of the darkening, the fading light reported in the fourth trumpet of Revelation, we must first discover the source of this light. According to the Bible, the source of light is:
   the traditions of men.
   the Ten Commandments.
   the Virgin Mary.
   Jesus Christ.

3. These words from God, addressed to the apostle Paul and reported in the Acts of the Apostles, help us to better understand the meaning of the fourth trumpet: «I send you to open their eyes, and to turn them from to , and from the power of to .»

4. In the fourth trumpet of Revelation, what does the darkening of the heavenly bodies represent?
   Generalized apostasy.
   The day of Jesus’ return.
   A total eclipse of the sun.
   Air pollution.

5. In his Second Epistle to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul gives us the key to understand the symbolism of the fourth trumpet of Revelation: «But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the of this world has the minds of them which believe not, lest the of the glorious of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine to them.» Satan, the ruler of darkness, has only one purpose: to prevent men from reaching the light, the way to salvation in Jesus Christ.

6. The period of spiritual darkness and generalized apostasy, announced by the fourth trumpet of Revelation, had also been foretold by the fourth letter, addressed to the church of:
   Pergamos.
   Thyatira.
   Sardis.
   Laodicea.

7. When the fourth trumpet of Revelation sounds, who is the oppressor of God’s people?
   The Barbarian tribes.
   The members of the Sanhedrin.
   The Western Roman Empire.
   The apostate Church of the Middle Ages.

8. The book of Revelation chapter 12 presents a pure woman, surrounded with the same heavenly bodies as those listed in the fourth trumpet (sun, moon, stars). This woman symbolizes the Church faithful to God, persecuted by the apostate Church of the Middle Ages that caused the period of spiritual darkness. According to Bible prophecy, how many years would last the reign of the apostate Church of the Middle Ages, persecutor of the pure woman?
   666 years, from A.D. 538 to 1204.
   1000 years, from A.D. 538 to 1538.
   1260 years, from A.D. 538 to 1798.
   1600 years, from A.D. 198 to 1798.

9. In the book of the prophet Daniel, this persecuting power is represented as a little horn. One of the misdeeds of this little horn is described as follows: «[The little horn] waxed great, even to the host of ; and it cast down some of the host and of the to the ground, and stamped on them. (...) It cast down the to the ground; and it practiced, and prospered.» This prophecy about the little horn that darkens the truth thus accurately confirms the message of the fourth trumpet of Revelation.

10. Here again, the fourth trumpet of Revelation refers to one of the plagues in Egypt, described in the book of Exodus. Among the following statements, which ones apply to both the plague of Egypt and the fourth trumpet? (Check off all the right answers.)
    A third of the heavenly bodies were darkened.
    The darkness did not affect God’s people.
    The period of darkness lasted 1260 days.
    The oppressor did not repent following that punishment.

Your name:

Your E-mail address:
(Please be sure to enter your E-mail address correctly.)

To prevent automated posts, please answer this security question:
3 + 4 =