The Divinely Determined Completeness of God’s Plan or Purpose (7) (Part 11)
Seven-fold Angels Blowing 7 Trumpets: (2nd of 3 “Wraths”)
- Hail/Fire mingled with blood. 1/3 of the trees and grass burned up on the earth. (Rev. 8:7)
- Great mountain burning with fire (meteor/asteroid?) cast into the sea. 1/3 of the sea becomes as blood. (Rev. 8:8-9)
- Great star(s) falling from heaven (meteors), named “Wormwood”, burning as a lamp, causing 1/3 part of the fresh water on earth (rivers, fountains of water) to become bitter causing the deaths of many men who drink of this water. (Rev. 10-11)
- 1/3 of the sun, moon and stars smitten (darkened), the sun, moon and stars darkened for 1/3 of the day/night. (Rev. 8-12)
- Star (angel) falls from heaven to earth who is given the key to the bottomless pit which he opens. Smoke arises out of the pit darkening the sun and air, demonic locusts (demon hordes) are given power by Abbadon/Apollyon (king of the bottomless pit) like scorpions to sting/torment men for five months. (Rev. 9:1-11)
- Loosening of the four fallen angels that are bound in the great river Euphrates, at the exact hour for which they are prepared to kill 1/3 of men. (Rev. 9:14-21)
- 7 thunders, sealing up those things just heard, great angel declaring there will be no more delay (time no longer) in God’s wrath, little book of bitter prophesies. (Rev. 10:1-11)
Commentary: Second series of the three (3) wraths are characterized as stronger wrath, increased in intensity and scope compared to the 1st series of book seals wrath. There are several themes contained in these verses.
The first theme suggests that the intensity and scope of these judgements is more severe than the first book seals judgements.
The second theme suggests that God is now starting to pour out more of his supernatural wrath against the earth and man’s environment which has sustained mankind for almost 6,000 years. All of these judgements are supernatural and initiated by God, and not man.
The third theme suggests that the trumpet wraths are limited to affecting just 1/3 of the heavens and earth in the areas prophesized. An easily overlooked point is that God could easily decimate all of mankind with these supernatural series of judgements.
The fourth theme suggest that in His infinite mercy, God still chooses to exercise some restraint to allow for mankind to repent and accept Christ as their Savior and for the forgiveness of their sins. In the midst of unbelievable environmental disaster and affliction, God is still giving evil mankind an opportunity to participate in and benefit from the redemptive process from sin which He offers through Jesus Christ.
A fifth theme suggests there exists a point of debate as to whether or not some of these trumpet wraths are a result of nuclear war (wormwood, bitterness, airborne dust and smoke that blot out the heavenlies). These are exactly the description of what would occur during a worldwide series of nuclear strikes! However, the descriptions also accurately depict the devastation that would be caused by a catastrophic asteroid hit and/or a series of meteors (shower) hammering the earth with radioactive materials. Extreme, violent volcanism could also be responsible for this destruction on earth. As I am fond of doing, I like to use blockbuster movies to bring to mind, as close as possible, some of the symbolism and descriptions contained in prophecy. These may be a bit of a cliché, but they still serve the purpose. It has been a few years now since Bruce Willis starred in a summer sci-fi blockbuster called Armageddon. Some of you may recall that this movie graphically depicted the devastation caused by meteor shower strikes on the earth and a looming, planet destroying asteroid that is on a bullseye track to hit earth. The resulting collision would bring about nuclear winter (the blotting out of the sun and the resulting planetary wide destruction of the environment).
Ironically, this movie may have been a shadow of things to come when God pours out his supernatural wrath during the seven trumpet judgements. The last comment I will suggest on this topic is scientific in nature. Picture in your mind, for a minute, the green-blue earth spinning on its axis with land masses, oceans and freshwater rivers/lakes existing on all sides of our home. In order for 1/3 of the environment to be destroyed, a devastating meteor shower would have to strafe the earth, over a period of time as the earth rotates. A terrifying visual indeed! As a result, my interpretation is that the trumpet judgements are not the result of man-made nuclear war, but rather, the outpouring of God’s supernatural wrath using the materials in the heavens that are at his disposal and command. This interpretation stays within the supernatural context of these combined verses.
A sixth theme occurs when God utilizes demonic hordes to exercise his wrath against the sinful world. Although this is supernatural in context with the other judgements, it is different in the sense that the demonic is now given the ability to inflict scorpion like pain on those who do not have the seal of God in their foreheads. So as to not be repetitive, see my comments below concerning these demonic hordes in the seven descriptions of the demonic locusts. The demonic theme continues as referenced by the four fallen angels, who have been supernaturally imprisoned in the Euphrates river. Whereas the demonic hordes/ locust like creatures are given authority to inflict severe pain, the demonic fallen angles are given authority to kill 1/3 of mankind. That would be close to 2.5 to 3.0 billion people by today’s population estimates.
Lastly, a seventh theme is suggested. In addition to the actual wraths described that are poured out onto the earth and evil mankind, the last trumpet suggests some mystery and prophecy that is yet to unfold. Some eschatologists believe that this verse alludes to earlier versus and prophecies in the bible that suggest additional woes of sort, during the Tribulation. Some believe that this verse refers to the final seven (7) vial plagues. Yet, others believe that “sealing up that was just heard” and the “bitter little book of prophesy”, is something additional that is mysteriously hidden from men’s knowledge today, but will be revealed in proper time during the Tribulation and/or Great Tribulation periods.