The TRUMPETS - REVELATION 8

The seal judgments are now over, and the trumpet judgments are about to begin. These will be followed by the bowl (vial) judgments, culminating in the destruction of Babylon and Christ's return to

earth. Note that the judgments increase in intensity from the seals to the trumpets to the bowls. Note also that the trumpet and the bowl judgments touch on the same areas, as the following summary illustrates:

The trumpet judgments are released during the first half of the tribulation, and the bowl judgments during the last half, which is also called "the wrath of God" (Rev. 14:10; 15:7). The trumpet judgments parallel the plagues that God sent on the land of Egypt. And why not? After all, the whole world will be saying, as did Pharaoh, "Who is the LorD, that I should obey his voice?" (Ex. 5:2).

The opening of the seventh seal and the blowing of the first six trumpets brought about three dramatic results.

1. THE SILENCE (8:1-6)

This preparation involves silence (Rev. 8:1) and supplication（Iev. 82-6.

The hosts in heaven had just worshipped the Lamb with a tremendous volume of praise (Rev. 7:10-12), but when the Lamb opened the seventh seal, heaven was silent for about thirty minutes. John does not tell us what caused the silence, but several possibilities exist. The scroll had now been opened completely, and perhaps even turned over, and all of heaven could see God's glorious plan unfolding. Maybe the heavenly hosts were simply awestruck at what they saw.

Indeed, this silence was "the full before the storm," for God's intensified judgments were about to be hurled to the earth. "Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lows is at hand" (Zeph. 1,7; note also w. 14-18, especially v. 16, "A day of the trumper").

(Zechariah 2:13 “13 Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord: For he is raised up out of his holy habitation.”

(Habakkuk 2:20 “20 But the Lord is in his holy temple: Let all the earth keep silence before him.”

During this silence, the seven angels were given a number, significant to John because he was a Jew and understood the place of trumpets in Israel's national life. According to Numbers 10, trumpets had three important uses.

They called God's people together (Num. 10:1-8);

they announced war (Num, 109);

and they announced special times (Num, 10:10),

The trumpet sounded at Mount Sinai when the law was gjven (Ex. 19:16-19), and trumpets were blown when the king was anointed and enthroned (I Kings 1:34, 39),If you’re familiar with the Old Testament readers would remember the trumpets at the conquest of Jericho (kah, 6:13-16),

The wisdom of the Lord Jesus Christ sounded to John like a trumpet (Rev 1:10), the voice of a trumpet summoned John to heaven (Rev. 4:1), and some relate this to the promise of the rapture of the church given in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Sounding seven trumpets certainly would announce a declaration of war, and God had anointed the King, was crowned in glory, and was about to judge His enemies (IS. 221-5). As Trumpets pose a threat to Jericho, they will ultimately bring defeat to Babylon.

The awesome silence was followed by the actions of a special angel at the golden altar in heaven (see Rev. 9:13: 14:18: 16:7). In the tabernacle and temple the golden altar stood before the veil and was used for burning incense (x. 30:1-10), This was the ministry Zacharias was performing when the angel told him that he and Elizabeth would have a son (Luke 125il.), burning incense on this altar was a picture of prayer ascending to God (IN. 14182)

The wavers of the saints" (Rei. 8.4) are not the prayer of a special group of people in heaven who have arrived at Sainthood." To begin with, all God’s children are saints.

-set apart for God through faith in Jesus Christ (2 Con. tat: 921, 12; 13:13). And there is no definite teaching in the Scriptures that people in heaven pray for believers on earth. Or that we can direct our prayers to God through them. We pray to the Father through the Son, for He alone is worthy (Rev 5.3). For centuries, God's people have been raving. "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done!" Now those prayers are about to be answered. Likewise, the tribulation martyrs prayed for God to vindicate them (Rev, 69-11), a common plea of David in the Psalms (sce IN. 7, 26: 35: 52; 55; and 58, for example). These "imprecatory palms" are not expressions of selfish personal vengeance, but instead cries for God to uphold His holy law and vindicate His people.

On the great day of Atonement, the high priest would put incense on the coals in the censer and, with the blood of the sacrifice, would enter the Holy of Holies (Lev 16:11-14). But in this scene, the angel puts the incense on the altar (presents the prayers before God) and then casts the coals from the altar to the earth! The parallel in Ezekiel 10 indicates that this symbolized God's judgment, and the effects described in Revelation 8:5 substantiate this view. A storm is about to begin (see Rev. 4:5; 11:19; 16:18)!

Like it or not, the prayers of God's people are involved in the judgments that He sends, the throne and the altar are related. The purpose of prayer, it has often been said, is not to get man's will done in heaven, but to get God's will done on earth-even if that will involves judgment. True prayer is serious business, so we had better not move the altar too far from the throne!

2. THE JUDGEMENT (8:7-13)

The first four trumpet judgments are "natural" in that they affect the land, the saltwater, the fresh water, and the heavenly bodies. The fifth and sixth judgments involve the release of demonic forces that first torment and then kill. The last of the trumpet judgments (Rev. 11:15-19) creates a crisis among all the world's nations.

Desolation on earth (v. 7).

"Hail and fire mingled with blood" reminds us of the seventh plague that God sent against Egypt (Ex. 9:18-26).

The prophet Joel also promised "blood and fire" in the last days (Joel 2:30).

Since this is a supernatural judgment, it is unnecessary to try to explain how hail, fire, and blood mingle. "Fire" could refer to the lightning of a severe electrical storm.

This judgment targets green vegetation, trees, and grass, one-third of which is burned up. One can well imagine how this would affect not only the balance of nature but also the food supply. The Greek word for trees usually means "fruit trees," and the destruction of pasture lands would devastate the meat and milk industries.

Desolation in the seas (w. 8-9). Turning water into blood reminds us of the first Egyptian plague (Ex. 7:19-21). John did not say that a burning mountain was cast out of heaven, but that the fiery object was like a great mountain. A triple judgment resulted: A third part of the saltwater turned to blood, a third part of the marine life died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. This will be an ecological and an economic disaster of unprecedented proportions.

Considering that the oceans occupy about three-fourths of the Earth's surface, you can imagine the extent of this judgment. The pollution of the water and the death of so many creatures would greatly affect the balance of life in the oceans, which would undoubtedly lead to further insoluble problems. As of January 1, 1981, 24,867 ocean-going merchant 109k ships were registered. Imagine the shock waves hitting the shipping industry if 8,289 valuable ships were suddenly destroyed! And what about their cargoes!

Some interpreters take "the sea" to mean the Mediterranean Sea. However, this would have a relatively small impact on the world, since the Mediterranean covers only 969,100 square miles and averages 5,000 feet deep. All the significant saltwater bodies are likely included in this judgment.

Desolation in the fresh water (w. 10-11). God's wrath next reaches inland and touches the rivers and fountains of water (wells and sources of the rivers), making the fresh water taste bitter like wormwood. The National Geographic Society lists about 100 principal rivers, ranging from the Amazon (4,000 miles long) to the Rio de la Plata (150 miles long). The U.S. Geological Survey reports thirty large rivers in the United States, beginning with the mighty Mississippi (3,710 miles long).

One-third of these rivers and their sources will become so bitterly polluted that drinking their water could cause death.

God has His stars numbered and named (Job 9:9-10). This fallen star is likely molten, so as it nears the Earth, it begins to disintegrate and fall into the various bodies of water. If a star struck the earth, our globe would be destroyed; so this star must "come apart" as it enters the atmosphere. Of course, this event is a divinely controlled judgment; therefore, we must not try to limit it by the known laws of science.

The word translated as "wormwood" gives us our English word absinthe, a popular liqueur in some countries. The word means

"undrinkable," and in the Old Testament was synonymous with sorrow and great calamity. Jeremiah, "the Weeping Prophet," often used it (Jer. 9:15;

23:15; Lam. 3:15, 19), and so did Amos (Amos 5:7, "those who turn justice into wormwood" NAsB). Moses warned that idolatry would bring sorrow to Israel, like a root producing wormwood (Deut. 29:18). Solomon warned that immorality might seem pleasant. Still, it produces bitterness like wormwood (Prov. 5:4).

If the people who drink from these waters are in danger of dying, what must happen to the fish and other creatures living there? And what would happen to the vegetation near these rivers? If the ecologists are worried about the deadly consequences of water pollution today, what will they think when the third trumpet blows?

There is no direct parallel here to any of the plagues of Egypt. However, after the Exodus, Israel encountered bitter waters at Marah (which means “bitter") and Moses had to purify the water supply (Ex. 15:23-27). But no supernatural purification will be available during the tribulation. -

Desolation in the heavens (w. 12-13). The judgments from the first three trumpets affected only a third part of the land and waters, but this fourth judgment affects the entire world. Why? Because it gets to the very source of the Earth's life and energy, the sun. With one-third less sunlight on the Earth, one-third less energy will be available to support the life systems of man and nature.

This judgment parallels the ninth plague in Egypt (Ex. 10:21-23), which lasted three days. "The day of the Lord is darkness, and not light" (Amos 5:18). Think of the vast temperature changes and how these will affect human health and food growth.

This particular judgment may be temporary, for the fourth bowl judgment will reverse it, and the sun's power will be intensified (Rev.

16:8-9). Then, at the close of the tribulation, the sun and moon will be darkened again to announce the Savior's return (Matt. 24:29--30; see also Luke 21:25-28).

"Blow ye the trumpet in Zion ..." said the prophet Joel, "for the day of the Lord cometh ... a day of darkness and of gloominess" (Joel 2:1-2).

Darkness, indeed! Not only will nature suffer loss, but human nature will also take advantage of the long darkness and undoubtedly indulge in crime and wickedness. "Everyone that doeth evil hateth the light" (John 3:20).

At this point, a remarkable messenger will appear in the sky, proclaiming woe to the earth's inhabitants. Most manuscripts have "eagle" here instead of "angel," but either would get people’s attention!

Could this be the eagle-like living creature John saw worshipping before the throne (Rev. 4:7-8)?

Will God send it on this special mission? We cannot say for sure, but it is a possibility.

The three "woes" in Revelation 8:13 refer to the judgments yet to come when the remaining three angels blow their trumpets. It is as though the messenger cried, "If you think this has been terrible, just wait! The worst is yet to come!"

The phrase "inhabitants of the earth" (or "them that dwell on the earth") is found twelve times in Revelation (3:10; 6:10; 8:13; 11:10 [twice]; 12:12;13:8, 12, 14; 14:6; 17:2, 8). It means much more than "people who live on the earth," for that is where all living people reside. Instead, it refers to a kind of people: those who live for the earth and the things of the earth. These are just the opposite of people with citizenship in heaven (Phil. 3:18-21). John described this worldly sort well in his first epistle (1 John 2:15-17), and later in this prophecy, he again makes it clear that "earth-dwellers" are not born again (Rev. 13:8).

At the beginning of human history, heaven and earth were united because our first parents honored God and obeyed His will. Satan tempted them to focus on the earth, and they disobeyed God. Ever since, a great gulf has been fixed between heaven and earth. This chasm was bridged when the Son of God came to earth and died for the sins of the world.