Home

Introduction

Message

Interpretation

Authorship

Structure

Historical

References

Comparison

Chap 1

Chap 2

Chap 3

Chap 4

Chap 5

Chap 6

Chap 7

Chap 8

Chap 9

Chap 10

Chap 11

Chap 12

Chap 13

Chap 14

Chap 15

Chap 16

Chap 17

Chap 18

Chap 19

Chap 20

Chap 21

Chap 22

Ch 8: The seven trumpets

Art used by permission by Pat Marvenko Smith, copyright 1992.
Click here to visit her "Revelation Illustrated" site.

1. The seventh seal and the seven Trumpets (8:1)

1.1. Introduction to the seven trumpets:

The seven seals summarise human history from the viewpoint of heaven and the church. There is war, famine and pestilence in general and on the church in particular there is persecution, then the end will come, this probably accounts for the silence of the seventh seal. What is described is similar to the signs of the end of the age as described by Jesus in Matthew 24. The seven trumpets however follow on from the persecution of the seals and are God's warnings to unbelievers, they do not affect the eternal spiritual security of the believer which is why he is sealed first, although they may affect him physically. The seven trumpets are God's response to the prayers of his people as the first section (8:1-5) shows. A number of authors point out that in Lev 26 Israel is warned that their calamities will be multiplied seven times if they do not heed God's voice and continue in their apostasy. Beasley-Murray points out that by tripling this with the seven seals, trumpets and bowls it builds up to the advent of Christ in an awe-inspiring climax. We should also note that Jesus voice sounded like a trumpet, 1:10.

The trumpets are modelled on the plagues on the Egyptians, the plague of blood on the Nile however is split into two, one affecting the sea and the other the drinking water (rivers and springs), this is a good example of Farrar's 'Rebirth of Images'. Using the Exodus as our model when these disaster afflict the world it is a sign to the saints that they will soon be free of their persecutors. The effects of the trumpets are world wide because the persecution of God's people is world wide (Beasley-Murray). God's word to Pharaoh through Moses were 'let my people go that they may worship me' Exo 8:1; Pharaoh refused and the plagues resulted. The trumpets come to the world because of their refusal to allow God's people to worship him (by persecuting them) and their refusal to worship God themselves, they prefer idolatry instead (9:20).

The trumpets like the seals form a group of four, two and one. The last three trumpets which affect mankind directly are also called the three woe's, a build up in severity is clearly intended. The first four trumpets bring disaster onto the world (vegetation burned, sea, rivers and springs; i.e. man's environment) and universe (sun, moon and stars). The fifth and sixth trumpets affect mankind directly, the demonic locusts torment mankind and the two hundred million horsemen kill a third of mankind. The statement after the sixth trumpet that mankind still did not repent indicates that the purpose of these judgements is to bring mankind to repentance. Despite these disasters mankind refuses to repent and hence the witness of the church occurs in the interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpet. When they have finished their witness the seventh trumpet ushers in the end of the world and the kingdom of the world becomes the kingdom of Christ and there is the judgement day. The trumpets are warnings because they only affect a third of mankind. The seven bowls that occur later in Revelation are similar and complimentary to the seven trumpets except that they are final outpourings of wrath and affect all mankind who once again refuse to repent.

The main question is how to interpret the seven trumpets. To the literalist they must be some future event because they clearly have not yet occurred, Mounce considers them to be eschatological. Beasley-Murray considers the seals, trumpets and bowls to be parallel and to describe a single short period in history, namely, the time of the end which precedes the coming of Christ's kingdom. Hendriksen considers them to be the disasters and afflictions of men throughout the ages. Caird comments that John likens the disasters of his own time to the plagues of Egypt. Wilcock argues that the trumpets are parallel to the seals, showing what happens throughout history until the second coming with particular reference to the suffering of the church. The trumpets cover the same time period but are warnings to the world. Lenski considers the seals to be manmade while the trumpets are miraculous. Walvoord, as well as Ladd, argues that the trumpets do not recapitulate the seven seals but that the seven trumpets are the seventh seal, and that the rest of the book is contained in the seventh seal and that the seven bowls are contained in the seventh trumpet. This looks reasonable because after the sixth seal we find the 144,000 who are sealed in readiness for the seven trumpets, then comes the vision of the great multitude and then the seventh seal after which follows the seven trumpets. However this puts most of the book after sixth seal which has every appearance of the second coming of Christ, indeed the second coming appears again and again throughout the book. Also the mighty angel announces that 'in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished' (10:7) and there hardly seems time for the seven bowls to occur within the seventh trumpet. Since the two witnesses, which occur after the sixth trumpet, prophecy throughout the church age and the church is cared for throughout the same time and the beast has authority for the same time, the trumpets must sound throughout the gospel age. However it must be admitted that the latter two arguments are weak because they do not take into account the literary style of the book, the two witnesses form an interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpet but that does not mean that in a time sequence they only prophecy between the sixth and seventh trumpet. The question is whether the interlude is literary or literal?

God is always calling men to repentance throughout history and natural disasters are only one of his means of doing this. God shakes the nations to awake men out of their self sufficiency and complacency. However one would expect these disasters to become more frequent and intense as the birth pangs of Christ's coming intensify. Jesus clearly predicts a time of great distress at the end before he comes. Earlier in Mat 24:8 and Mark 13:8 he uses the term 'beginning of birth pains' when speaking about false prophets, wars, famines and earthquakes, this indicates that these will become more intense and more frequent as his coming draws nearer and nearer. While demonic oppression of men has been with us for thousands of years, at the end, a massive onslaught by the enemy as indicated by the fifth trumpet is to be expected as Satan realises that his time is coming to an end. As with the beast who can be seen as the antichrist but who also represents ungodly tyrannical regimes throughout the ages the seven trumpets can be seen in purely eschatological terms but they can also be seen as disasters sent by God throughout history calling men to repentance. However the sixth trumpet does seem to be purely eschatological and refers to a single event in history (9:15) and it is most likely to refer to the last great battle just prior to the second coming. If one compares the sixth seal, sixth trumpet and sixth bowl they all refer to either the last battle, the second coming or both. When interpreting the seven trumpets it is important to remind ourselves that John is writing in the apocalyptic style with which we are not familiar.

To those who say that it is absurd for the waters to become blood as in the second trumpet we have to answer that it has occurred once when Moses turned the Nile to blood; although it is more likely that John is referring to death rather than literal blood. The first four trumpets affect mans environment and could therefore refer to natural disasters, the blood being a sign indicating death. Remember that only a third of the sea turned into blood which would seem strange if taken literally. The symbolism of these events is seen in the occurrence of the phrase 'one third' for the destruction involved in each of the first four trumpets, in the fourth trumpet the symbolism is extreme in that a third of sun, moon and stars are struck so that a third of them turned dark. If we compare the seven trumpets to the seven bowls which also fall into groups of four, two and one and which are the complete outpouring of God's wrath, the first four bowls are complimentary to the first four trumpets. Then since the bowls are said to be signs (15:1) and therefore symbolic, then the trumpets are also symbolic but they are still symbolic of something real. The last three trumpets are called the three woes and are much worse than the first three. The fifth trumpet is likely to refer to an outbreak of demonic attacks upon mankind and could indicate a future period of unprecedented demonic attack. If one compares the fifth seal, the fifth trumpet and the fifth bowl they represent persecution of the church, tribulation for men who are not sealed and tribulation for those with the mark of the beast. The sixth trumpet seems to be a specific eschatological event in history in which a third of men are killed, which seems to be in the future. The seventh trumpet refers to the end of the age when the kingdom of the world is handed over to Christ.

The sixth seal clearly depicts the second coming of Christ in wrath on the world. This is followed by the sealing of the 144,000, followed by a glimpse of a great multitude who have come out of the great tribulation which ends in a description of their blessedness in terms very similar to 21:3-7. Then the seventh seal is opened followed by silence for half an hour. A crucial question here is having opened the seven seals and therefore allowing the contents of the book to be revealed, do the contents of the book occur in time after the seventh seal is opened or does it reveal in more detail what the seven seals have already told us? I would suggest that it allows the plan of God for the world and His people to be revealed in more detail. The rest of the book shows us the enemies of the church and God's judgements upon mankind in greater detail. More specifically the seven trumpets are God's judgements upon mankind in response the prayer of his suffering people. While the first five seals reveal man's suffering in general, the first four seals are not God's judgements upon mankind because most originate with man himself.

The first six of the seven trumpets are followed by the vision of the mighty angel and the two witnesses. That the two witnesses occur between the six and seventh trumpet is significant because the warnings of the first six trumpets need to be complimented and completed by the witness of the church before the seventh trumpet ushers in the end of the age when further repentance is impossible. The purpose of the first six trumpets is to bring men to repentance, however on their own they fail in this task. If the first four trumpets are taken as natural disasters then it is the church who must explain these, preach the gospel and urge people to repent and turn to God. In the OT drought and famine was a consequence of the sin of God's people (Deu 11:17, 1Ki 17:1). Then follows the seventh trumpet in which the kingdom is handed to Christ, his wrath has come and the time for the judgement occurs. It seems that the sixth seal and the seventh trumpet both usher in the second coming. Therefore while the seven trumpets follow the seven seals in John's vision they do not necessarily follow in historical time. Michael Wilcock deals with this issue more fully, p85-89. The first four seals deal with mankind's history in general, the fifth seal concerns church history, the sixth seal deals with the end of man's history. The trumpets deal with the same time frame but give God's reaction to the persecution of His people that the fifth seal has revealed. Mankind's history ends with the seventh trumpet. That there is recapitulation of history in the book ought to be evident from further mentions of the second coming:

Two witnesses raptured 11:12,

Harvest of the earth 14:14,

Sixth bowl, 'Behold, I come like a thief!' 16:15,

The rider on the white horse in Rev 19:11.

Conclusion of Revelation 22:7, 22:12, 22:20.

The seven trumpets are also modelled on the fall of Jericho (Josh 6): In Josh 6:8 there are seven priests with seven trumpets encircling Jericho with the arc of the covenant following them. They marched around the city for six days and on the seventh day they marched around it seven times with the priests blowing the trumpets. They carried the arc of the covenant behind the trumpets which signifies the presence of God. At the seventh time around the priests blew long blasts on their trumpets, the people shouted and the walls fell down and everyone was slaughtered except for Rahab the harlot. The pattern is to march around the city and blow the trumpets for six days, on the seventh day march around the city six times and on the seventh time a long trumpet blast spells destruction for the city. The march seven times around the walls with trumpets blowing warns of destruction for those within the city, which on the long blast is destroyed. Compare with 11:13 when a tenth of the city collapsed and 16:19 when the cities of the nations collapsed, the seventh trumpet of Revelation ushers in the kingdom of God and the judgement (11:15). This should be compared with the walls of the New Jerusalem which do not collapse (21:12 ff.). Let us be thankful that we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, while created things are shaken (Heb 12:27-28). When the world hears the seven trumpets it spells impending disaster as when the wall fall down, but to the church they sound impending victory over their enemies. In case we find God's judgements harsh we must remind ourselves of Jesus words concerning those Galileans Pilate had killed or those who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them: 'But unless you repent, you too will perish' (Luke 13:1-5).

The seven trumpets and the ten plagues on Egypt:

The seven trumpets are in answer to the prayers of God's people seen earlier in Rev 8:3. The trumpets are warnings to mankind, the last three (woes) are worst than the first four. The first four trumpets affect the world (earth, sea, rivers, light), the last three affect mans spiritual life (locusts, horses). They only affect a third of the land unlike the bowls later which affect all the land and unlike the seals that affect a quarter of the land. They can be likened to the plagues of Egypt. These plagues were also given in answer to the prayers of God's people and because Pharaoh would not let God's people leave and worship him, Exo 9:13. In the same way the trumpets can be viewed as warnings to those who persecute God's people to let them go and worship God (Caird), if they continue to persecute God's people then worse plagues will befall mankind, Exo 9:14. The Exodus narrative is a thread that runs throughout the book of Revelation.

The only place it did not hail was Goshen where the plague did not harm them, Exo 9:26. The trumpets do not harm God's people who are sealed, 7:2, 9:4. Similarly the Passover, in which when the destroying angel saw the blood he passed over the people of God and did not kill the firstborn.

The indictment against man after the sixth trumpet is given in Rev 9:20, because they still did not repent of worshipping demons and idols and other sins murder, magic arts, sexual immorality and thefts. Men loved darkness rather than light, John 3:19, Rom 1:21.

The ten Plagues on Egypt:

1. Exo 7:17-18 the water of the Nile, and it will be changed into blood.
2. Exo 8:2. Plague of frogs.
3. Exo 8:16 Plague of gnats.
4. Exo 8:21 Swarm of flies.
5. Exo 9:3 Plague on livestock.
6. Exo 9:9 Festering boils on men and animals.
7. Exo 9:17-18 Plague of hail.
8. Exo 10:4-5 Plague of locusts.
9. Exo 10:21-22 Three days of darkness.
10. Exo 11:4-5 Firstborn will die.

The trumpets and the bowls are also similar and again remind us of the Egyptian plagues.

The Trumpets and Bowls Compared

The trumpets, seals and bowls come in groups of four first, followed by a more severe group of three. Notice below the constant repetition of a third with the trumpets, i.e. not complete destruction, because these are warnings to mankind. The first four trumpets and bowls affect the creation (earth, sea, rivers and universe) cf. 14:7, Lk 21:25, Acts 14:15.

First trumpet (affects the earth):

Rev 8:7 The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

Second trumpet (affects the sea):

Rev 8:8 The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood,

Third trumpet (affects the rivers):

Rev 8:10 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water--

Fourth trumpet (affects the universe):

Rev 8:12 The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.

1.2. The seventh seal and the prelude to the seven trumpets:

8:1 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.

3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

Rev 8:6 Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.

v1 - When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. - The silence indicates the solemnity of the moments, it could also be so that the prayers of the saints can be heard. It could connect the seventh seal with the seven trumpets but it is more likely to be a dramatic pause in which the trumpets break the silence. The silence could also be because the Day of the Lord has come, Zep 1:7, Hab 2:20, the silence of death Psa 115:17. Once the seven seals are opened the scroll can be read and more details follow. See also comments on 8:1 at the end of the previous section on the great multitude.

v2 - And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. - Note the phrase 'I saw' which in this case indicates the beginning of a new vision. Again the phrase 'were given' indicating that the seven trumpets come with divine approval and authority. The description of the angels who stand before God is similar to that given by the archangel Gabriel when he visited Mary: 'I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God', Luke 1:19. Archangels and trumpets are also linked to the second coming, 1 Thess 4:16.

v3 - Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. - The censer contained fire and incense which sanctified the prayer of all (note the all) the saints, see Rev 5:8. This is the first reference to the golden altar, there is another reference in connection with the sixth trumpet (9:13), when a voice comes from the golden altar commanding the release of the four angels bound at the river Euphrates, it is probably the same altar under which are the martyrs, 6:9. In Exo 30:7 we find that incense was burned day and night upon the altar. The golden altar was before the throne and in Heb 9:3 we find that the earthly altar of incense was in the most holy place next to the ark of the covenant which we find revealed later in Rev 11:19 after the seventh trumpet is sounded. Notice the references to the golden censer and golden altar, gold reflects purity and value, thus the value of the prayers of the saints.

v4 - The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand. - Again as in the scroll and the Lamb (Rev 5:8) in which the golden bowls full of incense are the prayers of the saints, the prayers of the saints are one of the keys to the fulfilment of God's plan, see verse 5, compare with the power of the prayers of the two witnesses in 11:6. The incense is symbolic of the prayers of the saints, Psa 141:2. The phrase 'went up before God' indicates that God heard the prayers of his saints. Compare this with God hearing the cry of the Israelites when they were in slavery in Egypt, Exo 2:23, 3:9. This is just one of the analogies with the Exodus story used in Revelation, many of the trumpets are also similar to the plagues on Egypt. The incense can represent the intercessions of Christ (Rom 8:34) or those of the Spirit (Rom 8:26-27).

v5 - Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth - After the prayers went up before God, the angel takes the same censer that contained the incense and fills it with fire from the altar and hurls it to earth. The same golden censer that contained incense together with the prayers of the saints is used to hurl fire to the earth. The seven trumpets that follow are therefore God's response to the prayers of the saints, as are also the seven golden bowls containing wrath of God (15:7). They also answer the cry of the martyrs for their blood to be avenged, see the third bowl. In the first exodus God heard the cry of his people and rescued them from their slave drivers, Exo 3:7-8, in order to do this he had to bring the plagues upon the Egyptians. This reminds us of the Lord's words in Luke 12:49, 'I have come to cast fire upon the earth'. In Ezek 10:2-7 a man is told to take burning coals from the cherubim and scatter them over the city. The fire hurled to earth finds its fulfilment in the first trumpet in which hail and fire mixed with blood was hurled to earth, 8:7, in fact fire is a feature of the first six trumpets.

First trumpet: there came hail and fire mixed with blood,

Second trumpet: something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea.

Third trumpet: a great star, blazing like a torch,

Fourth trumpet: a third of the sun was struck,

Fifth trumpet: smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace.

Sixth trumpet: A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulphur that came out of their mouths.

v5 - and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake. - These are a manifestation of God's presence, for example when God descended to the top of mount Sinai (Exo 19:16) this was accompanied by thunder and lightening, see also the throne in heaven Rev 4:5, the seventh trumpet 11:19, the seventh bowl 16:18, this is the result of the prayers of the saints. The seventh plague on the Egyptians was a storm manifesting thunder and hail, and lightning (Exo 9:23,24). The purpose of the plague was so that God's name might be proclaimed in all the earth and to persuade Pharaoh to let God's people go so that they might worship Him (Exo 9:13-18).

These manifestations of God's presence (theophany), thunder, lightening and earthquakes all come from the throne:

i. The vision of the throne in heaven 4:5.

ii. The seventh seal 8:5.

iii. After two witnesses go to heaven in a cloud 11:13.

iv. After the seventh trumpet is sounded 11:19.

v. The seventh bowl 16:18.

vi. See also Isa 29:6.

vii. The Lord's presence at Sinai Exo 20:18.

v6 - Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them. - In scripture trumpets are used at the following occasions:

i. To announce the coming of God to Mt. Sinai, Exo 19:16

ii. To announce the coronation of the king (Solomon), 1 King 1:34.

iii. To announce the winning of a battle, 1 Sam 13:3

iv. When the Israelites entered Jericho, Josh 6:3-9

v. To announce the second coming, 1 Thess 4:16, Zep 1:14-18, Mat 24:31, 1 Cor 15:51-52.

vi. Warning of the second coming, Joel 2:1

vii. Calling the people together and having the camp move on, Num 10:2.

viii. Dedication of the temple, 2 Chr 5:12-13.

ix. To announce the day of atonement, Lev 25:9 and feast days Num 10:10

x. To announce the start of a battle, and feast days, Num 10:9-10.

xi. To announce the arrival of the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem, 1 Chr 15:24.

xii. To announce disaster because of sin, Isa 58:1, Jer 4:4-6, Jer 6:1,16-19, 51:25-29, Ezek 33:1-8, Hosea 7:16, 8:1, Amos 3:6.

xiii. The Lord's voice, Rev 1:10.

In Rev 1:10 John heard a voice like a trumpet so the seven trumpets should be understood as God's warning voice to mankind. The trumpet is sounded to call the attention of those within hearing distance. The seven trumpets should be considered as God's voice to warn the world that God is Holy and will judge man for his sin, it is a call for repentance, see Rev 9:20, in which after the sixth trumpet mankind still refused to repent of breaking the first and second tablets of the law. Seven is the completeness of their announcement. There are plenty of scriptures that show that a trumpet is used to announce a disaster that comes because of peoples sin. The first six trumpets are also God's preliminary warning to mankind of the imminent arrival of Christ with the seventh trumpet. The second coming of Christ will be accompanied by the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, 1 Thess 4:16.

1.3. The First Trumpet (8:7)

8:7 The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

v7 - The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. - In 7:2-3 we saw the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and sea, they were prevented from harming the land or the sea or the trees until God's servants are sealed, here we see the first angel sound his trumpet and hail and fire mixed with blood was hurled down upon the earth. The passage does not indicate that the angel hurled the hail and fire upon the earth, but that they had the power over these elements and were its herald. Lenski points out that a mixture of fire and hail (ice) is not natural, it is beyond nature. In verse 5 we saw that as a result of the prayers of the saints fire from the altar was hurled to the earth, here we now see the results as the first angels sounds the first trumpet in a seven fold series of warnings. A third of the earth was burned up and a third of the trees because of the fire that was hurled to earth; 'a third' indicating partial destruction. The unnatural nature of this judgement is indicated in that only a third of the earth and trees were burned but all the green grass was burned up (Lenski).

The blood should be understood as indicating death although there is no indication here of human death as in the fourth trumpet, but unlike the second and third trumpets in which people died. Hailey makes the point that since man had shed the blood of the saints, as indicated by the fifth seal, then God is avenging the martyrs shed blood upon their heads (see Gen 9:6, Num 35:33, Isa 26:21, Joel 3:19, Ps 79:10). Notice the similarity with the judgement on Gog, Ezek 38:22, which involved a plague and bloodshed, torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulphur on him and his troops. Notice that all the green grass was burned up but only a third of the earth and a third of the trees were burned up. First the land is devastated by disaster, mans environment was affected. The first four trumpets depict 'natural' disasters, but these are not natural they are acts of God, they warn man of his short life. Hail is used to indicate God's warnings and judgement, to make men hear, this is reminiscent of the seventh plague on Egypt (Exo 9:18). Compare the first trumpet with the first bowl which is poured out on the land, 16:2, but there it affects the people who worship the beast, the first trumpet only affects the land. Isa 30:30 indicates that the Lord speaks to men using fire, cloudburst, thunderstorm and hail, chapter 11 shows that God also speaks to the world through his church. One of the results of a third of the earth being burned up is famine, cf. the third seal.

1.4. The second trumpet (8:8)

Rev 8:8 The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, 9 a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

v8 - The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea - Again fire is involved in the second trumpets as it was in the first trumpet. The mountain all ablaze should remind us of mount Sinai (Exo 19:18, Heb 12:18), Mount Sinai was covered in smoke because the Lord descended on it in fire. The mountain was God's judgement on men who broke the law, John may also have had in mind the Eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79. There could also be a subtle reference to the destruction of Babylon here (Caird, Sweet), in Jer 51:63 the destruction of Babylon is likened to a stone thrown into the Euphrates and in 18:17 we find the sea captains wailing over the destruction of Babylon and their loss of trade, in Jer 51:25 Babylon is likened to a burned out mountain.

v8 - A third of the sea turned into blood 9 a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.- After the land then the sea is affected, the blood indicates death, only a third is affected because it is a warning, compare this with the first plague on Egypt in which the Nile changed into blood (Exo 7:17). The two witnesses also have the power to turn the waters into blood, 11:6. Compare the second trumpet with the second bowl (16:3) in which all the sea turned into blood and every living thing in the sea died. Compare with John's use of blood in 16:6 and 17:6. The second trumpet affects both living creatures and manmade ships at sea, this depicts natural disasters at sea. There could be a link here with the distress that will come upon mankind in the last days, Luke 21:25 refers to the fact that the 'nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea'.

1.5. The third trumpet (8:10)

Rev 8:10 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky 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 turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.

v10 - The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water-- As with the first two trumpets fire is again involved in the great star blazing like a torch. After the land and sea the rivers are affected and the star fell from the sky. Again it is mans' environment that is affected. Sweet likens the star to the king of Babylon in Isa 14:12 who has fallen from heaven. Jesus said that he saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven (Luke 10:18), with the fifth trumpet a star has fallen to earth (9:1) who is more clearly identifiable as Satan and finally in 12:8 Satan loses his place in heaven and is cast down to the earth and sea (12:12). If this interpretation is correct then Satan has come down to poison men's minds against God and thus destroy them, compare with the river of lies coming from the mouth of the dragon (12:15) and other satanic deception (13:14, 20:8,10). However this may be to over spiritualise the symbol, John may just be depicting natural disaster such as disease caused by dirty water which may cause men to repent.

v11 - the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter. - In the case of the first plague, Exo 7:17, on Egypt firstly all the fish died and secondly the water became undrinkable. John has taken these two effects of the plague and divided them into the second and third trumpets (Caird). In the first plague (Exo 7:17-19) all drinking water in ponds, reservoirs and even water in wooden buckets or stone jars was affected. Wormwood is a very bitter substance (Jer 9:15, Lam 3:19) and indicates affliction and misery. John may have had in mind the water at Marah, which was bitter but which the Lord made sweet, there the Lord promised not to bring any of the diseases that he brought onto the Egyptians provided they obey the laws of God (Exo 15:22). The bitter waters from which many people died therefore probably means diseased water, it could include floods. Compare the third trumpet with the third bowl in which the rivers and springs become blood, Rev 16:4, there is no mention of death although it is implied by the use of the term blood.

1.6. The fourth trumpet (8:12)

Rev 8:12 The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.

13 As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in mid-air call out in a loud voice: "Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!"

v12 - The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night. - First the earth and vegetation, then the sea, then the rivers and springs and finally the rest of the universe is affected, this is similar to the plague of darkness on the Egyptians (Exo 10:21) and the fifth bowl which is total darkness (Rev 16:10). Constant allusion to the Egyptian plagues is a way of saying that in the last days God will again bring punishment upon those hostile powers which oppress his people. They are the prelude to that greater and final Exodus in which the church is taken out of the world and enters into the eternal presence of God (Mounce). Compare the fourth trumpet with the fourth bowl in which the sun was given power to scorch people with fire, 16:8.

1. Darkness is also associated with the Day of the Lord when he comes again (Amos 5:18, Joel 2:2, Mark 13:24, Isa 13:10).
2. Darkness is also associated with the demonic (Col 1:13) and prepares us for the next two demonic plagues.
3. Darkness is associated with the theophany of God in judgement cf. Isa 13:10, Ezek 32:78, Joel 2:10, 3:15, Mat 24:29 and especially with the crucifixion of Christ, Mat 27:45 (Johnson).

v13 - As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in mid-air call out in a loud voice: "Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!" - The eagle (or vulture) calls out the three Woe's to mankind because of the next three trumpets which are more intense than the first four. He is in mid-air to be seen by all and cries out in a loud voice to be heard by all (xxxx). There is a distinction between the first four trumpets which act on the earth, sea, rivers, sun, moon and stars, i.e. the physical universe and the remaining three trumpets which affect mankind directly, hence the three Woe's. The first two woe's are clearly demonic, the locust torture mankind, the four angels kill a third of mankind, the seventh trumpet announces that the time has come for judging the dead. If the flying creature is a vulture then he is hovering over a dying beast which is a symbol of gloom (Luke 17:37). This is a warning of things to come when the birds flying in mid-air gather for the great supper of God (19:17-18, 21), but before that an angel in mid-air proclaims an eternal gospel to those who live on the earth (14:6). It should also be noted that a loud voice in 12:12 proclaims woe to the earth and sea 'because the devil has gone down to you ! He is filled with fury because he knows his time is short.' The star in 9:1 that falls to the earth seems clearly Satanic.

Chapter 9