Revelation 8:6, "Then the seven angels with the seven trumpets prepared to blow their mighty blasts."
The trumpet blasts have three purposes: 1) to warn that judgment is certain, 2) to call the forces of good and evil to battle, and 3) to announce the return of the King, the Messiah. These warnings urge us to make sure of our faith is in fact firmly fixed on Christ.
Revelation 8:7, "The first angel blew his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were thrown down upon the earth, and one third of the earth was set on fire. One-third of the trees were burned, and all the grass was burned."
Hail is frequently associated in Scripture with divine judgment (Exodus 9:13-15; Job 38:22-34; Psalm 105:32; Isaiah 28:2; Hag 2:17), as is fire (Genesis 19:25; Psalm 11:6; Eek 38:22) The combination of hail and fire mixed with blood is a reference to the day of the Lord judgment found in Joel 2:30. Hail and fire thrown down up on the earth is an indication that there will be an earthquake most likely like the earthquake of the wrath of the Lamb. The result of this will be that a third of the earth was set on fire as well as all the grass was burned."
The effects that this judgment will have specifically is on nature. These judgments don’t originate from any place here on earth but in heaven. God is judging mankind here at its greatest strength; its natural resources. Many today enjoy nature even to the point of worshipping the image of it; rather than the image of the Creator. These people can best be described by Romans 1:25, "Exchanging the truth of God for a life, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator." Don’t be caught up in the lie of worshipping yourself or worshipping nature, worship God for that is the answer to the craving of your soul.
Revelation 8:8-9, "Then the second angel blew his trumpet, and a great mountain of fire was thrown into the sea. And one-third of the water in the sea became blood. And one-third of all things living in the sea died. And one-third of all ships on the sea were destroyed."
The difference between the first judgment and the second judgment was that the second judgment fell upon the sea as the first fell upon the land. God created the earth to be a blessing to mankind; to provide food, oxygen and water from the rainstorms on the land that is originally gathered up by evaporation from the oceans. For all the good things God has given us; the human race has repaid God’s gracious provision with ingratitude and idolatry, revereing the sea as the supposed source of their remotest evolutionary ancestors. As He had devastated the land environment the true God judges the sea.
The current though regarding the day of judgment shall come true as a great mountain of fire was thrown into the sea. This event will be shown all around the world to the nations of all people but they will not tremble with fear at the name of the Lord. There hearts will be hard and their souls determined to rebel against Christ. Are you sure of where you are going even now as you read this? Repent lest your heart become hardened against Christ. The mountain of fire will be as explosive as an atomic bomb, only it will be greater than it. As a result of this blast will be a spread across one-third of the water in the sea and it became blood. The blood will be a result of the sea creatures dying as well as one-third of the ships destroyed.
More than likely the world’s navies will be here in the Mediterranean located in the Middle East since the world’s headquarters will shift from New York City to the seat of Satan in Babylonia which is known today to be around Baghdad, Iraq. This judgment will bring about devastating judgment on both the land and the sea which are the beginning of the final catastrophes God will unleash on the sinful, rebellious world.
Revelation 8:10-11, "Then the third angel blew his trumpet, and a great flaming star fell out of the sky, burning like a torch. It fell upon one-third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star was Bitterness (also known as Wormwood). It made one-thirdo f the water bitter, and many of the people died because the water was so bitter."
Aster (star) can refer to any celestial body other than the sun and the moon. The fact that this star is described as burning like a torch since lampas (torch) was used in ancient times to describe meteors and comets. This star will fell upon one-third of the rivers and on the springs of water making all water unstable and undrinkable all around the world.
Macarthur states well that, "Bitterness of wormwood translates apsinthos, a word used only here in the New Testament. Wormwood is a shrub whose leaves are used in the manufacture of absinthe, a liqueur so toxic that its manufacture is banned in many countries. Wormwood is mentioned eight times in the Old Testament where it is associated with bitterness, poison and death (Deut 29:18; Proverbs 5:4; Jer 9:15; 23:15; Lam 3:16,19; Amos 5:7; 6:12). In three of those uses, wormwood is connected with poisoned water. In Jeremiah 9:15 for example, God says of rebellious Israel, "Behold I will feed them, this people with wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink." (Jer 23:15; Lam 3:15).
This clearly then shows that these judgments are in fact divine judgments ordained by God and carried out by the Lamb. One-third of the water bitter, and many people died because the water was so bitter" refers to the fact that people will die. These judgments will cause people to be in shock and fear. God has only begun to pour out His wrath on sinful mankind. The death of many is only an indirect result of these first three blasts. The direct killing of sinners comes with the sixth trumpet. (9:15).
Revelation 8:12-13, "Then the fourth angel blew his trumpet and one third of the sun was struck, and one-third of the moon, and one-third of the stars, and they became dark. And one-third of the day was dark and one third of the night also. Then I looked up, and I heard a single eagle crying loudly as it flew through the air. "Terror, terror, terror to all who belong to this world because for what will happen when the last three angels blow their trumpets."
The fourth angel blew his trumpet changing the focus from earth to the heavens. The sea, land and the human race had been judged and will be judged further for its actions against God ut now the focus turns to the heavenlies. Nothing will stop God from purifying His creation and rebuilding it in His time.
In the middle of all this of the sun was struck, and one-third of the moon, and one third of the stars and they became dark. The result of this was that one-third of the day was dark and one-third of the night also. God created the light and He is the light; He can just as much turn off the lights as turn them on. He is the Creator of everything that we see everyday; an ever present all surrounding influence among us.
The Old Testament prophets associated such signs in the heavenlies with the Day of the Lord. Isaiah wrote, "Behold the day of the Lord is coming, cruel with fury and burning anger, to make the land desolation; and He will exterminate its sinners from it. For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not flash forth their light; the sun will be dark when it rises and the moon will not shed its light (Isa 13:9-10). Speaking through the prophet Ezekiel, God declared, "I will cover the heavens and darken their stars; I will cover the sun with a cloud and the moon will not give its light. All the shining lights in the heavens I will darken over you and set the darkness on your land (Ezek 32:7-8). "The heavens tremble," wrote Joel, "the sun and the moon grow dark and the stars grow dark and the stars lose their brightness.. The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.. The sun and moon grow dark and the stars lose their brightness" (Joel 2:10; 31; 3:15) ’It will come about in that day," declares the Lord God, ’That I shall make the sun go down at noon and make the earth dark in broad daylight’ (Amos 8:9)
Then I looked up he heard, "And I heard a single eagle crying loudly as it flew through the air. "Terror, terror, terror to all who belong to this world because of what will happen when the last three angels blow their trumpets." This imagery is that of a strong bird of prey rushing to consume its victim, in this case referring to the rapid approach of God’s final vengeance (Deut 28:49; Hos 8:1; Hab 1:8). As it flew throughout the air or through the middle heaven as some translations say, which would put the bird at the height of the midday sun, thus seeable to all. His loud voice will assure that not only will everyone hear him, they will also see it. The eagle’s pronouncement of terror, terror, terror or woe, woe, woe, introduces one threat for each of the remaining three trumpet blasts and will happen when the last three angels blow their trumpets. Woe or terror in Scripture is used as an expression of judgment, destruction and condemnation (Numbers 10:16; Isaiah 3:9; Jer 4:13; Lam 5:16; Ezek 13:3; Hos 7:13; Amos 6:1; Mich 2:1; Nah 3:1; Hab 2:6; Zeph 2:6; Matt 11:21; Jude 11)
If your not sure where you are going today and all this sound scary it doesn’t have to be that way. Simply come to Jesus because He wants you to hear His voice and not harden your heart (Hebrews 3:7-8). Don’t harden your heart against Christ but choose today to change your behavior by repenting of your sin and handing your life over to Christ. Don’t let yourself be bandaged by the past for today is a new day as well. Repent of your spiritual lackness and come back to Jesus. Hear His voice as He stands at the door and knocks. Do you hear and understand what He is saying to you today? Perhaps you are struggling with an addiction. There is hope, healing and restoration in His name but first you have to change your behavior, for if you have accepted Christ those things have no power over you, only the power you give them, the power you release.
The power you have is from the salvation that Christ purchased for you to have. So remove from yourself the sins of the flesh and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit so that you may be a servant of Jesus whose life is blameless; not ashamed; not afraid to proclaim the truth of God’s Word that leads people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
God bless,
Pastor David
