Revelation for Now & Future Part 18

The first 5 verses of chapter 8 finish the Seals.

Tonight we will look at the trumpets and the seven angels.

Two weeks ago we read vs. 2, in this verse we find the mention of the angels, but only in a short order.

Note: The trumpets do not follow chronologically the seals. Remember: John is recording the visions as they are give to him.

The Trumpets are: the first 5 seals were on the trials which believers must pass, the first six trumpets move towards judgments which unbelievers inside and outside the visible church must endure.

The main purpose of the trumpets is to punish.

Revelation 8:6–13 ESV

6 Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them. 7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. 8 The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9 A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. 10 The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the water, because it had been made bitter. 12 The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night. 13 Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!”

Trumpet One

Revelation 8:7 ESV

7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.

Hail and Fire

Blood

A Third burned up

Vegetation

Could this be literal?

It could...

Is this literal?

No. Most likely this is figurative.

What I mean is that the outcome is literal, but the way it is done could be a multitude of things.

For Instance: nuclear weapon

Trumpet Two

Revelation 8:8–9 ESV

8 The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9 A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

When we see the word fire—more times than not it will imply judgement in Revelation.

Many times in Revelation, the word mountains allude/imply kingdoms.

For instance:

Jeremiah 51:25 ESV

25 “Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, declares the Lord, which destroys the whole earth; I will stretch out my hand against you, and roll you down from the crags, and make you a burnt mountain.

Revelation 18:21 ESV

21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and will be found no more;

So what is John telling us about the trumpet in vs. 8?

Consider:

Exodus 7:20–21 ESV

20 Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded. In the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants he lifted up the staff and struck the water in the Nile, and all the water in the Nile turned into blood. 21 And the fish in the Nile died, and the Nile stank, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. There was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.

See the comparison. See the idea of death and the blood filling the water.

Think in your mind the comparison of this passage in Rev. 8 and the judgement poured out in Rev. 18:11-19.

Because of the destruction of Babylon.

Trumpet Three

Revelation 8:10–11 ESV

10 The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the water, because it had been made bitter.

Items to notice:

star fell — blazing torch (fire)

Fire=Judgement

It is important to make the connection in Revelation, at times, between an angel and star.

Look at the Word in Is. 14:12-15

Isaiah 14:12–15 ESV

12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! 13 You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ 15 But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.

also Jer. 9:15 where we see the connection to wormwood and poisoned water.

Jeremiah 9:15 ESV

15 Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will feed this people with bitter food, and give them poisonous water to drink.

Jeremiah 23:15 ESV

15 Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets: “Behold, I will feed them with bitter food and give them poisoned water to drink, for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has gone out into all the land.”

So in essence, we are looking at divine judgement.

Trumpet Four

Revelation 8:12 ESV

12 The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night.

Illusion to the plague of darkness found in Ex. 10:21-29

If darkness is symbolic here, could it be:

Spiritual

Cultural

Mental

Think Divine Judgments!

Notice this is not a singular, but most likely multiple in scope.

More judgments leading to deeper and deeper depression.

This is most likely not some cosmic event that is the ending of the world, but a struggle that stretches over a period.

Some scholars believe that the Fourth trumpet is the outflow combination of the first three.

Let’s think of these Trumpets and Their Judgments as temporary. They are not the final judgement.

Notice the lack finality or exactness as the writer has used the word “like” a couple of times. The use of the word tends to lead us to the conclusion of metaphorical understanding.

We also may see this as a transition to the demonic of the next trumpet.

Walking Away, But In:

Sometimes looking back helps us to understand now and future.

Egyptian Plagues vs. Revelation

Some events are used to open the eyes of unbelievers.

Some events have and will happen as judgement.

Our response and attitudes towards life events give evidence of our relationship with Christ or the lack of such a relationship.