The First Four Trumpets

Many believe God simply started the world in motion but does not take any active role in how it functions.  It appears that during the first part of the Tribulation, he will do exactly what they have believed for a little while to let them see how big a part he plays in our survival, as we saw with the first six seals.  The seventh seal opens up God’s judgements on the earth for mankind’s rejection of God.  The seventh seal is composed of seven different judgements, each marked by the sounding of a trumpet.  Revelation 8:1-6 introduces the seven trumpets of Judgment.  “And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.  And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.  And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.  And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.  And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.” 

For thousands of years, God’s people have prayed for an end to the evil in this world.  These trumpets of judgement are the beginning of their prayers being answered.  The first judgement are wildfires that destroy one third of the trees on earth, and burns off all the grasslands, according to Revelation 8:7.  “The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.”  Unlike the fires in Australia last fall. They will be caused by lightening, and will be worldwide.  There will not be enough equipment to fight them all.  They will kill both people and animals.

The second trumpet will result in a huge meteor like object falling into the ocean, destroying a third of the ships and causing a third of the water to turn red. According to Revelation 8:8-9.  “And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.”  Whether this results in a vast red tide or just pollutes the ocean I don’t know, but as a result one third of marine life will die.   This will have a tremendous impact on the economy, affecting both the shipping industry and the food supply. 

Large parts of the earth have shortages of pure water, and the third trumpet will make that much worse, as Revelation 8:10-11 describes.  “And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.”  Whether this is a nuclear explosion in the upper atmosphere, or the result of asteroid burning up in the atmosphere, it produces toxins that fall to the earth and are washed into the lakes and rivers and even the underground reseroirs, polluting a third of them and killing thousands of people. 

The fourth trumpet sounds, seemingly resulting in a cloud of pollution that blocks a third of the sun’s rays, as Revelation 8:12 describes.  “And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.”  The pollution is so dense that the sun doesn’t even shine through in the early morning or late evening. 

Our environmentalists almost worship nature.  These first trumpets destroy the very things they are most concerned about.  They will be disastrous, but the last three will have a much more personal impact on people, as Revelation 8:13 tells us.  “And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!”