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The Old and New Testaments use the trumpet as the symbol of God's intervention in history (e.g., Ex. [[19:16|bible.2.19.16]], [[19|bible.2.19.19]]; Isa. [[27:13|bible.23.27.13]]; Joel [[2:1|bible.29.2.1]]; Zep. [[1:16|bible.36.1.16]]; Zec. [[9:14|bible.38.9.14]]; Mtt. [[24:31|bible.61.24.31]]; 1Cor. [[15:52-53|bible.67.15.52-67.15.53]]; 1Th. [[4:16|bible.73.4.16]]). A trumpet blast can mean one of three things in Scripture: first, an alarm; second, a fanfare to announce royalty; third, a summons to battle--the latter is appropriate in this context.1
No doubt, these angels had been waiting for this particular ministry for a long time. As "ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation" (Hebrews [[1:14|bible.79.1.14]]), all of Christ's mighty angels (2 Thessalonians [[1:7|bible.74.1.7]]) are intensely occupied with the progress of His work of salvation on earth, "which things the angels desire to look into" (1 Peter [[1:12|bible.81.1.12]]). The seven "presence angels" were surely the most concerned of all, and they were fully prepared.2
Notes
1 Monty S. Mills, Revelations: An Exegetical Study of the Revelation to John (Dallas, TX: 3E Ministries, 1987), Rev. 8:6.
2 Henry Morris, The Revelation Record (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1983), Rev. 8:6.
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