The altar and the censer are two different items. The altar stays in the HP whereas the portable censer is hand-carried into the MHP on the Day of Atonement (22 Oct 1844). Rev 8:3-4 portray Jesus ministering in the MHP. Verse 5 depicts Jesus leaving the MHP and casting the fire-filled censer down to earth. The angels begin to sound their trumpets after Jesus casts the censer to earth.

Jesus could have returned shortly after 1844. In 1883 Ellen White wrote: "Had Adventists, after the great disappointment in 1844, held fast their faith . . . Christ would have come ere this to receive His people to their reward." {1SM 68.1} Thus the trumpets would have sounded soon after the Great Disappointment. But delay has stood in the way.

"The altar and the censer are two different items. The altar stays in the HP whereas the portable censer is hand-carried into the MHP on the Day of Atonement (22 Oct 1844). Rev 8:3-4 portray Jesus ministering in the MHP. Verse 5 depicts Jesus leaving the MHP and casting the fire-filled censer down to earth. The angels begin to sound their trumpets after Jesus casts the censer to earth."-Poster Mountan Man

The throne of God of the heavenly sanctuary is movable throne. The purpose of the altar of incense is to carry the prayers of saints to the throne of God which Jesus has brought before the Father God. We are told that in answer to the prayers of the saints casting the fire upon the earth occurs, which depicts as the Seven Plagues.

The introductory vision of the mediation of Jesus Christ in the heavenly sanctuary contains the Seven Trumpet's warning. Which means that Jesus assures us of His ministration during the sound of all the Seven Trumpets.

Yes, the throne of God is eternal.

The altar is stationary. The censer is portable. Casting down the censer to earth symbolizes the close of probation. Then follows the sounding of the trumpets. That's how the prophecy reads chronologically. Perhaps you are right in believing the trumpets are sounded while Jesus is ministering in the MHP, before probation closes.

Why the Seven Trumpets must be the warnings for the Seven Plagues of the future event;
1. The bowl of ashes has not been casted upon the earth (Rev 8:3-5), which depicts the probation has closed with the event.
2. The four angels have not released (Rev 7:1); not until the command comes out from the throne to release (Rev 9:13-15), which depicts the probation has closed with the event.
3. The seventh seal has not yet opened (Rev 8:1), which depicts the probation has closed with the event.

The purpose of the Seven Trumpets is to warn the coming wrath of God in the Seven Plagues. We are told that the Seven Plagues are to fall after the probation closes. So the Seven Trumpets must sound their warnings before the probation closes. The apparent correlation between the Seven Trumpets and the Seven Plagues portrays the fact.

Seven Trumpets..............................Seven Plagues
Upon the earth...............................Upon the earth
Upon the sea.................................Upon the sea
Upon the fresh water........................Upon the fresh water
Upon the heavenly bodies.................Upon the sun
Upon the star that fell from heaven.......Upon the seat of the beast
Warnings for the three identities........Plagues upon the three identities
Now become the kingdom of God........It is done

Thank you for sharing, Karen. Do you apply the Trumpets historically?

My understanding is that if the Seven Trumpets are for the warning and not the events, it will become history eventually in the fulfillment of the Seven Plagues.

The first three of the trumpets portrays the plagues upon the physical spheres of the world and the next four of the trumpets portrays the plagues upon the realm of the spiritual spheres.

For example, the sun scorching hot in the fourth plague caused by the reason of the sun worship which signified by the Jezebel in the fourth church. In the fourth trumpet Jesus has revealed that the heavenly bodies will show signs of trouble. There is a cause to the effect. The sun worship causes the sun scorching hot. The fourth seal denote that the power of the beast suffered the saints of the Most High God-"…power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth (Rev6:8)". The prayers of the saints went up before the throne of God through the ages and finally God will answer their prayers by pouring out the incense (8:2-5).

The seat of the beast (Rev 16:10) is where the Satan's seat is (Rev 2:13 "…I know …even where Satan's seat is:…"), Jesus has revealed. No wonder the fifth trumpet denotes the activities of the demons as the warning. The saints under the altar (Rev 6:9) in the fifth seal cry out before the throne of God for avenges. The beast that came out from the bottomless pit (Rev 11:7, 17:8) tries to oppress the reformation in the church of the Sardis but only brings their suffering as to seek death (Rev 9:6). The torment is caused by the light of truth that penetrates the darkness (Rev 9:2). God answers the saints' prayers by pouring out darkness to the beast power upon their seat in the fifth plague. I believe that many myrtles of Christ are in the system of the spiritual Babylon right now according to my understanding of this perspective.

The sixth plague denotes a strong spiritual battle in the Armageddon. The word Armageddon portrays Abaddon which is the destroyer, the king of the bottomless pit (Rev 9:11). The three unclean spirits (16:12-16) - the dragon, the beast, the false prophets- are going to receive the sixth plague which indicated by the sixth trumpet by the fire, the smoke and the brimstone (9:18-"by these three…" 9:20-"by these plagues…"). Another clue is that the plague was poured upon the river Euphrates as same as indicated in the sixth trumpet. Probation ends at the point of time (9:15) when the voice of God commands to "loose the four angels(9:14)" in the river Euphrates. The sixth seal portrays the event of the Second Coming of Jesus. The sixth church of Philadelphia is the most favorable condition of the church to meet the Second Coming of Jesus.

There is no more intercession of Jesus Christ (8:2-8) after the warnings of the sixth trumpets. So the seventh trumpet only announces "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ…(11:15)". When Jesus says "It is done (16:17)", that will be the last plague upon the wicked. So there is a silence in heaven. Everything possible was done to save the humanity. The heavenly hosts have the breath taking silence for 'half hour': a cease of the constant praises in the presence of God. They only seem to say "Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus (16:5)". The seventh church, the Laodiceans, is "neither cold nor hot(3:15)". Thus, the work of the salvation of humanity is complete at this point.

We need to understand that the seven trumpets are the warnings for the judgments from God upon the entire world; the Seven Plagues. It is NOT the event for the judgments in the Roman Empire and apostate Christendom in the history.
Everything finished by the sixth ones; sixth church(3:8), sixth seal(6:12-17), sixth trumpet(9:14), and sixth plague(16:12).
In Rev 6:12-17, the verse implies of the event of the Second Coming of Jesus. Notice how the verses are connected with the word 'and'.
In Rev 3:8, "I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it" - Advent Movement.
In Rev 9:14, "Loose the four angels" denotes the probation ends.
In Rev 16:12, "the way of the kings of the east might be prepared" denotes the Second Coming of Jesus.
After the sixth ones, nothing more is to occur. Thus there is a half hour silence. Kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of Christ. Do you see that nothing is happening in the seventh church-neither cold nor hot(3:16)?
The sixth angel is told to loose the four angels. This implies that the four angels were being held back from doing something.
In Rev chapter 7 we find the four angels holding back the four winds, that they would not blow on the earth until God's servants were sealed-Apocalyptic sealing.
The four horns(9:13) indicates mercy of God. In 1King 1:50-51, Adonijah is holding the horns of the altar for seeking a mercy. Thus the mercy of God ends when the four angels loose their hold in Rev 9:14-15. The hour, day, month, and the year denote a point of time. It is NOT for to add up 391 years 15 days in the prophetic time.

6th Plague--upon the Euphrates-kings of the east--dragon/beast/false prophets
6th Trumpet-in the Euphrates--loose the 4 angels--fire/smoke/brimstone

The sixth trumpet's warning is that the fire will punish the dragon, the smoke will punish the beast, and the brimstone will punish the false prophets at the time of the end of the probation. Why? Because the mouth of the dragon made their place the habitation of devils(18:2), the mouth of the beast made their place the hold of every foul spirit(18:2) and the mouth of the false prophets made their place the cage of every unclean and hateful bird(18:2).
The dragon implies heathen religions, which has possession of the devils.
The beast implies the Catholic, which has ‘dead saints’ as mediators-the foul spirits. The false prophets imply many abominable doctrines, which cause confusions as in the noise of the midst of the birds.

Karen, it sounds like you are saying the Trumpets do not have a historical fulfillment. Do you agree with Ellen White's interpretation and application of the Trumpets?

MM
I found this EGW comment on the 7 trumpets:

"Thy right hand, O God, shall dash in pieces Thine enemies. Revelation 6 and 7 are full of meaning. Terrible are the judgments of God revealed. The seven angels stood before God to receive their commission. To them were given seven trumpets. The Lord was going forth to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, and the earth was to disclose her blood and no more cover her slain. Give the description in chapter 6." (15MR 219.2)

What are you finding that is "Ellen White's interpretation and application of the Trumpets?" Is it her writings or something from others?

The above quote is from (Entire journal entry for Sabbath, February 9, 1895, written at Granville, N.S.W.; and partial entry for Sabbath, February 16, 1895). {15MR 217.1}

The Feb. 9 entry is not concerning a vision or Bible study, it is a description of EGW's experience in a frightening storm.
This experience causes her to imagine how it would be to live through any of the natural upheavals of judgement.

For example she writes:
"When the plagues of God shall come upon the earth, hail will fall upon the wicked about the weight of a talent. The hail had struck Brother Belden. One stone struck him on the back of the head, raising a large lump." {15MR 220.1}

We know from the writings she had published that once that plague of hail (the seventh plague) comes there is no more mercy mixed with judgment.

Yet in this journal entry she writes:
"But there are mercies mixed with judgment. Revelation 7:3, 4. The Lord has a people whom He will preserve. John beheld the "four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree" (Revelation 7:1, 3) till the seal of the living God shall be placed upon those who love God and keep His commandments. The elements of nature are to be placed in the power of angels of God." {15MR 220}


She refers to Revelation 6 and 7 which deals with the seals, not the trumpets.

She then looks back to judgments in the past and how God worked.


Thus to take this passage as any kind of statement to say the trumpets are not referring to judgments in the past but are yet future is simply a supposition.

Why?

1. EGW is relating an experience of a literal storm they were involved in.

2. She is referring to "judgments" both past and future thus looking at the past when judgments are mixed with mercy, (Pharaoh at the Red Sea, etc) yet also thinking of the plagues in the future and that the angels are still holding the winds but will release them in the future.

3. Thus her statement concerning the angels holding the seven trumpets can be argued to fit in either category.

4. When writing in a journal, a person is not writing for publication, but rather jotting down thoughts of experiences and in EGW's case, jotting down thoughts to help her in her writings -- thoughts that reveal more a "mind flow" rather than (at that point of writing) a clear explanation of sequential events.

5. EGW never reproved the standard historicist interpretation of the seven trumpets, and in a number of places confirmed that understanding. The historicist interpretation has a clear revelation of the rise and mission of the church.