391. And to them were given seven trumpets. This symbolizes an examination and exposure of the state of the church and consequent life of people caught up in faith alone.

Trumpets here have the same symbolism as sounding, because the angels used them to produce the sound, and to sound with trumpets means, symbolically, to call together for ceremonial occasions, of which there were a variety. Here it means to examine and expose what people caught up in faith alone are like, thus what people of the Protestant Reformed churches are like today.

It should be known that the church in the Protestant Reformed world today is divided into three branches, originating from three leaders, namely Luther, Calvin, and Melanchthon; and although these three branches differ on various points, they all agree on this one, that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law - a remarkable circumstance.

That sounding with trumpets means, symbolically, to call together will be seen in no. 397 below.