The Second Woe: Prophecy and the Ottoman Empire

The second woe is the judgment of the sixth trumpet, which signifies the rise, supreme rule, and eventual political fall of the Ottoman EmpireEVRR312+3.

🏛️ The Nature of the Second Woe

The second woe is a period of intense divine judgment characterized by the military and political expansion of the Turkish power, following the first woe of the Saracen or Arab conquestsEVRR296+2. While the first woe primarily tormented men, the second woe was designated to "slay the third part of men," referring to the political destruction of the Greek division of the Roman Empire Revelation 9:15EVRR296+1.

⏳ The Prophetic Timing

The timing for this woe is calculated based on prophetic days where each day represents a yearARSH September 18, 1900, page 600.19+1.

• The Starting Point: The sounding of the sixth trumpet and the losing of the "four angels" bound in the Euphrates began on July 27, 1449, when the 150 years of the fifth trumpet ended Revelation 9:14SITI September 9, 1886, page 552.5+1.

• The Duration: The prophecy specifies a period of an hour, a day, a month, and a year, which totals 391 years and 15 daysSITI September 9, 1886, page 552.5+2.

• The Conclusion: This prophetic period ended exactly on August 11, 1840, when the Ottoman Sultan surrendered his independent power into the hands of the Allied Christian powers of EuropeSITI September 9, 1886, page 552.5+2.

🛡️ Symbolic Characteristics

The imagery of the sixth trumpet provides a vivid description of the Turkish forces:

• Military Might: The army is described as a massive body of horsemen, historically totaling 400,000 at the siege of Constantinople Revelation 9:16ESH 41.1.

• Modern Warfare: The "fire, smoke, and brimstone" issuing from the mouths of the horses represents the then-recent invention and use of gunpowder and firearms in battle Revelation 9:17-18ESH 41.1+1.

• The Altar: The woe begins with a voice from the four horns of the golden altar, signaling that these judgments are a response to the apostasy of the church and their neglect of the true intercession of Christ Revelation 9:13EVRR296.

⚠️ The Transition to the Third Woe

Scripture declares that once the second woe is past, the third woe comes "quickly" Revelation 11:14EVRR311+1. This transition marks the end of the prophetic periods and indicates that the finishing of the mystery of God and the second coming of Christ are close at handARSH September 18, 1900, page 600.19+2. Following the close of the second woe in 1840, the world entered the "quickly" period leading to the sounding of the seventh trumpet in 1844BDOC 56.114+2.