The Trumpet Judgments, Part I The First Four Judgments Series

The First Four Trumpet Judgments

B) The Great Mountain Into the Sea

Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. Rev 8:8-9, NKJV

Now if you look at the wording there it does not say it is a great mountain, but it is "like a great mountain". Most scholars that I have studied say that this is probably a meteor that will crash into the sea. One question is what sea is being referred to. Tim LaHaye feels that it is the Mediterranean Sea, as "the sea" is often the terminology used in the Bible to describe the Med. Other commentators feel it is an ocean. However, we have to realize that there are quite a few ships on the Med, including the US Navy's 6th fleet. It is a hotbed of naval activity, not just of governments but also commercial enterprises. So if this meteor does strike the Med, then there will still be quite a bit of devastation. One third of the ships just there will still be a huge loss.

Will the sea really turn to blood? If it says so, then it will. Henry Morris, who feels that this meteor will strike an ocean, in his commentary "The Revelation Record" stated this concerning the loss of marine life: "These constitute the lowest and most basic components of the world's food chains, so their destruction must produce a domino effect on many higher forms of life".

The blood in the sea could well be the result of the pulverizing of sea life and the resulting blood mixed with the water. Of course, it could be that God will do this just as He did in turning the Nile to blood in one of the plagues visited on Egypt.--JH

The First Four Trumpet Judgments

C) Wormwood

Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter. Rev 8:10-11, NKJV

Here is another quote from J. Vernon McGee, this one regarding Wormwood:

"Wormwood" is a name used metaphorically in the Old Testament, according to Vincent (Word Studies in the New Testament, vol. 2, p. 506), in the following ways: (1) idolatry of Israel (see Deut. 29:18); (2) calamity and sorrow (see Jer. 9:15; 23:15; Lam. 3:15, 19); and (3) false judgment (see Amos 5:7).

This star is literal and is a meteor containing poison which contaminates one-third of the earth's fresh water supply. The star's name suggests that this is a judgment upon man for idolatry and injustice. Calamity and sorrow are the natural compensations that are coming upon man because of this judgment.

This verse leaves no doubt that the "great star" is a meteor or something similar that will fall to earth from space.

Three thoughts here, all of which have validity:

1)Meteor. LaHaye felt that this is a meteor that will strike the earth and burrow into the water table near some of the great rivers and poison the headwaters and the water table itself.