Trumpets

Revelation 8:6-12

⁶Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them.

⁷The 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.

⁸The 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.

⁹A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

¹⁰The 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.

¹²The 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.

In the first vision given to John of the End we find the four horsemen arriving with the breaking of the first four seals and the devastation that is visited upon the earth deals with the way our planet sustains our lives. The same will now be true as the first four Trumpet Angels blow their horns, at the bidding of God, and again our planet is impacted in negative ways. Remember, the vision of the Seven Trumpets is merely a second look at the end of the world. There are going to be similarities because it is the same story. The blowing of the first trumpet brings the ravages of war upon the earth. The second trumpet brings the devastation of natural disasters. The third and fourth trumpets bring the consequences of the fact that the earth cannot sustain us as we pollute and destroy what we have been given. Life on earth becomes intolerable when we are without water, food, or clean air. As you read this, I suspect you don’t think this is as terrible as should befit “end times” conversation. But ask someone who does not have these basics – like food and clean water – and you may get a different perspective. Even now there are millions of people on the planet who do not have clean water to drink – clean water. Ask them if their lives are good or if they face tribulation. The reason for a planet filled with “haves and have nots” is explained by the indication that “a third” of the population will suffer with these plagues at any given time.

’A third’ suggests partial, not total destruction. The expression ‘a third’ appears in the OT with a similar meaning.

Ezekiel 5:12

A third part of you shall die of pestilence and be consumed with famine in your midst; a third part shall fall by the sword all around you; and a third part I will scatter to all the winds and will unsheathe the sword after them.

“Here in Revelation 8 ‘a third’ indicates that at any given moment in history some parts of the earth’s vegetation will be affected. The expression ‘a third’ thus appears throughout the second earthly vision in connection with each of the first four trumpet-angels. Each of the plagues, as it strikes the earth and its environment, destroys ‘a third’ of what the plague hits. While the first four plagues (plagues of seemingly natural forces) strike the earth directly, humanity is also affected as a result. But in the fifth and sixth plagues (which are not disturbances of nature but demonic in character), a third of the human race is directly affected. All through the prophetic time period of Revelation (between Christ’s ascension and return), the plagues of this second sevenfold vision will destroy a part of natural life as well as a large portion of the human race.”

Brighton, L. A. ©1999. Revelation (pp. 225–226). St. Louis, MO: Concordia Pub. House.

I’m not quite sure what the take home point is for this reading except to say that all of us will eventually fall into that “one third” category. When those times comes, we don’t look to heaven and ask “why me” but instead cry out “come quickly, Lord Jesus.” All of these tragic events happen so that we will turn to the Lord God in repentance. His sole purpose is to bring people to know His saving power. When you struggle; when your life is broken; when it seems like you are living in tribulation, look to Him rather than to this damaged world and He will comfort You as only He is able.