February 15 - The First Four Trumpets

February 15 – The First Four Trumpets
Revelation 8:7-13

The pattern is repeated. With the seals, we saw a series of 4 seals, then 2 followed by an interlude and the final seal. We will see this same pattern occur here. Revelation 8 tells of the sounding of the first four trumpets. With each blast, a different part of the natural world is attacked, but the destruction is not complete. Each time, a third of the earth sees its terrible fate.

Many authors and creative writers have come up with interesting interpretations of these events. I’ve read about how these are electrical storms or that Wormwood is one person and the mountain is another person. But, it is just as important to take the information as John gives it to us. This is just as horrendous as anything else I could imagine.

“The first angel sounded his trumpet and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up and all the green grass was burned up.” (Rev. 8:7)

Please notice that God never changes. We’ve seen these things happen before. The plague of hail is from Exodus. We also saw Moses hit the Nile River with his staff and cause it to turn to blood. God may not change, but He will escalate. From Joel 2:28-32 (and also Acts 2:17-21) we find that “I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.”

“The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.” (Rev. 8:8-9)

“The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water – the name of the star is Wormword (Bitterness). A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.” (Rev. 8:10-11)

Wormwood is the plant that creates absinthe, an alcohol that is banned because of its toxicity. It is bitter and tastes a bit like anise (black licorice). In Exodus 15:22-27, Moses got to Marah and discovered bitter water. God gave him a stick that day. Now, God tosses Wormwood into the rivers and natural springs and they become bitter.

“The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.” (Rev. 8:12)

Being without light is different than the dark of night. There is no darkness that we can compare this to. A deep and heavy fog covering the sky during the depth of night might come close, but it is difficult to imagine a darkness that has no stars or moon. And to think that even the daytime will carry this darkness.

In Genesis 8:22, God promised Noah that as long as the earth endured, day and night would never cease. Day and night have ceased. The earth is facing its end.

“As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in midair call out in a loud voice: ‘Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels.” (Rev. 8:13)

An empty sky with a solitary eagle flying across, bringing a warning of the tragedy to come. This has to be an eerie moment. This is a bird of prey. It could be an eagle, it could be a vulture. The next plagues will bring carnage to the people of earth, not just the earth itself.