Because the Bible mentions no time frames in connection with the sounding of the first four trumpets, these may be sounded within hours or minutes one of the other.  Also, concerning the opening of the 6th and 7th Seals, there is no time frame given, except for the approximate "half an hour" (Rev. 8:1) that John speaks of after the opening of the 7th Seal.  With all of this in mind, consider the following possibility:  Based upon the evidences of Scripture, everything from the opening of the 6th Seal through the sounding of the first four trumpets could happen in the course of one day.  This would include everything that John saw from Revelation 6:12 through 8:13.  This means that the day the rapture occurs, things could progress as far as the point just prior to the sounding of the 5th Trumpet before that day is done.  If this is correct, what we have found so far supports the possibility that the day the rapture occurs, there will be an earth-wide cataclysm (6th Seal/Rev. 6:12-14), which will be followed very closely by a hemisphere-specific cataclysm relating to our Western Hemisphere (first four trumpets/Rev. 8:7-12).  To better understand how all of this can happen in a day and what this can mean, try to imagine the following hypothetical (but Biblically based) example:

​

On a Monday morning at about 1:28 a.m. Central Standard Time, Christ opens the 6th Seal, whereupon He comes as unexpectedly as a thief for the rapture of the Church.  Concurrent with this, a cataclysm of proportions barely conceivable takes the whole world by surprise.  From a United States' perspective, there is a great earthquake, the moon suddenly appears blood red, meteors shower down like figs from a wind shaken tree, and something really weird happens to the sky, kind of like a scroll when it is rolled together.  The extent of the world's distress is hardly imaginable (Rev. 6:12-17/THE 6TH SEAL ).  Beginning just a couple of minutes later, at around 1:30 a.m. (remember, this is hypothetical, to illustrate a point!)  there is a lull, kind of like the eye of a hurricane.  This lasts about 30 minutes (THE 7TH SEAL is removed/the covers of the Seven Sealed Book can now unfold/Rev. 8:1).  At 2:00 a.m., "hail and fire mingled with blood" (the result of meteors colliding with jet airliners full of people?)  begins to shower down upon the Americas.  So extensive are the resultant forest fires that all the trees in our hemisphere (which would represent 1/3 of the trees worldwide)  are burnt.  Together with what happened an hour or two earlier---after the 6th Seal was opened---grass is literally scorched the world over (THE 1ST TRUMPET/Rev. 8:7).  At about 4:30 a.m., "a great mountain burning with fire" (a mountain range like the Rockies, being hurled by an extreme pressure build-up within the earth?) plunges into the ocean ( the Eastern Pacific?), causing it to become bloody to an extent representing one-third of the earth's oceans.  Death and destruction equaling a third of what is in the oceans worldwide occurs (THE 2ND TRUMPET/ Rev. 8:8-9).  Not long after this, "a great star" (a killer asteroid?)  impacts the United States' side of the earth.  Every river and underground water source in our hemisphere (which would represent 1/3 of the drinkable water sources worldwide)  becomes deadly toxic, stemming from the hit of this star, which is called "Wormwood" (THE 3RD TRUMPET/Rev. 8:10-11).  Later, as the day should be dawning on the United States' side of the earth, everything remains darkened.  It's as if the sun has been covered with sackcloth made of hair, no doubt the way things looked on the other side of the earth just a few hours earlier.  All of the dust, vapor, and smoke is like a dense smog filling the atmosphere.  The sun is not really seen till around 9:00 a.m.  At about 4:00 p.m., what can still be seen of it disappears, like at sunset, only it is still high in the horizon.  It is also much later, like 10:00 p.m., before the moon or any of the stars become visible again (THE 4TH TRUMPET/Rev. 8:12).

WHAT A DAY.

​

     One reason the above was written was to show some possibilities---based upon Scripture---for what may take place on the day of the rapture.  Another is that it illustrates that everything from the opening of the 6th Seal through the sounding of the first four trumpets can easily occur this same day.  This possibility makes for a troubling concern brought to light by my different view.  Let me explain.  (For my reason for what's highlighted, see ONE MORE THING).

     Some who believe that the common pre-trib view is wrong suggest that it is also dangerous, in that the Church, if it thinks that it won't be going through any of Daniel's 70th Week, will be unprepared, if it does.  Whatever the case, this would represent a temporal concern of a few years at most.  However, if my different view is correct, a much more serious concern---an eternal one---would relate to the unsaved.  For example, there seems to be a mentality with some that if a lot of people end up missing one day, it may be that the rapture has indeed occurred, and that those who find themselves left behind will still have a chance to be saved, as long as they don't succumb to taking the mark of the beast.  But, the possibility of the United States (and the rest of the Western Hemisphere) being destroyed on that day suggests that this chance will be minimal, if even existent, for those left behind over here.  When I think of our nation and how that God has shed His grace on it, it would not surprise me if those left behind over here---those who have continued to reject God and His grace---will be immediately doomed.  I think of Sodom and Gomorrah and how our nation is often compared to those wicked cities.  On the day God judged those cities, the angels delivered Lot and his daughters, whereupon the cities were totally destroyed.  This may be what is in store for our nation (and what is in our hemisphere) on the day of the rapture.  Consider what Abraham beheld after God judged Sodom and Gomorrah.  From Genesis chapter 19:

​

 27  And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD:

 28  And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.

​

     For that one who is unsaved (or unsure), if you have thought that there will still be a chance to be saved if you find yourself left behind one day, there is no assurance of this, especially if you are on the United States' side of the earth.  As Paul told the Corinthians, "behold, now is the accepted time;  behold, now is the day of salvation" ( II Cor. 6:2b).

     Moving beyond the day of the rapture and the first four trumpets, it is noteworthy that the word "woe" is used in reference to trumpets #5, #6, and #7.  Of what significance might this be?  The first announcement of these woes comes right after John's account of the 4th Trumpet, right before the sounding of the 5th Trumpet.  From Revelation eight, we read these words:

​

 13  And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, WOE, WOE, WOE, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, WHICH ARE YET TO SOUND!

​

     One significance of these woes may be this:  One of these days the resurrection and the rapture of the Church is going to take place, concurrent with major havoc breaking loose upon this earth.  All the days after that will be days of  WOE upon the earth till Jesus comes again.  Said a different way, if Jesus comes to steal away the Church on a Monday (as in our example), then Tuesday will be a day of  WOE for those left behind, as will all the days thereafter,  till He returns to reign.  Said still a different way, between the events of Christ's Sign Appearance and His Second Advent, all the days will be days of  WOE.  It is not going to be a good thing to be left behind on the day of the rapture, whichever side of the earth one may be on at the time.

​