Revelation 8–The First Four Trumpets

Revelation 8--The First Four Trumpets

Ronda

27 Sep, 2023

Principles of Interpretation: There are patterns to Revelation which should be considered when trying to understand it. One pattern is that each new section is introduced by a scene from the temple. There is significance to these introductions. Do not ignore them. They are a key to understanding the section. Another pattern is that the book is written in symbolic language. The King James Version translates verse 1 as “he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:” To signify is to show in signs, i.e., symbols. Those symbols are based in the rest of the Bible, both Old and New Testament. As such, look to the rest of the Bible to interpret Revelation rather than using Revelation to interpret the rest of the Bible. This also means that you need to let the Bible interpret itself rather than attempting to have it fit into today’s headlines. In short, do not treat Revelation as separate from the rest of the Bible. Instead, expect that the events described in Revelation have been presented in other parts of the Bible. A third pattern in Revelation is the idea of judgement. There are courtroom scenes and wrath and complaints about God not bringing justice. In fact, humans are not the only ones under judgment. God Himself is on trial, and the repeated verdict is that God is just, holy, and worthy. From the beginning claim that this is the Revelation of Jesus to the promise in the last chapter that we shall see God’s face, Revelation is an examination of who our Creator is and whether He is worthy of our loyalty.

Disclaimer: There are four basic methodologies used to interpret the book of Revelation in modern society: futurism, historicism, idealism, and preterism. Many modern churches have embraced the idea of the secret rapture, which is a form of futurism. On the other hand, some churches say that Revelation deals solely with events that were happening in the apostolic era. This is called preterism. Other churches teach that Revelation does not describe any specific time period. Instead, the symbols are philosophical and/or spiritual ideas. The series of studies that I am posting is based on historicism, which says that the Bible teaches that Revelation begins with the time of John and describes the interactions of the church with a hostile world throughout history culminating in the final future eradication of sin from the universe. This view denies a secret rapture. I do not want you to be in confusion about the basic premises of this series of lessons. If you disagree with the historicist viewpoint, please study for yourself to be certain that the interpretations that you have been told by others and simply accepted make sense with the whole Bible. As you study, first ask for guidance from the Holy Spirit; then study the verses, and let the Bible interpret itself. Even if you disagree with my comments, you may find the verses and background information that I provide useful. Finally, I want to emphasize that I myself am still studying Revelation and my understanding is deepening each time I open the book and read. Revelation is a distillation of the whole Bible; as such, the limited space of this blog and my limited understanding means that these lessons are not nearly as in-depth as they could (and maybe should) be.

References: See the end of this post for sources and references.

INTRODUCTION:

Revelation 8:1

(1)  When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

  • There is panic on Earth-The Sixth Seal asked the question, “Who can stand?”  The 144,000 can stand, but the wicked are panicking. 
  • There is silence in heaven-Among the wicked on earth chaos reigns, but in heaven there is silence at the opening of the seventh and last seal.
    • Zechariah 2:10-13 (10)  Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the LORD. (11)  And many nations shall join themselves to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people. And I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. (12)  And the LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.” (13)  Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD, for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.
  • The reason for the silence in heaven during the seventh seal is because the second coming of Jesus empties out heaven.  Jesus has left the heavenly temple.  The angels have left the heavenly temple.  Now, all the action is taking place on earth.
    • Luke 9:26  (26)  For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
    • 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 (7)  and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels (8)  in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
  • Half an hour—This indicates a relatively short time  (This is probably not the day-year principle although some interpreters disagree.)

The Temple Scene

Revelation 8:2-5

(2)  Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. (3)  And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, (4)  and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. (5)  Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.

The Significance of the Seven Trumpets

  • This is a temple scene—In Revelation, temple scenes introduce new sections. Thus, the seals are finished and the trumpets are about to begin.
  • Seven angels who stand before God are given seven trumpets—This introduction is interrupted by another scene before going back to the first scene.  Interrupting scenes happen several times in Revelation:  see 8:3-5 (the present verses); 12:7-12 (woman gives birth/war in heaven/back to the woman being pursued);15:2-8  (7 last plagues/saints by the sea of glass/plagues)
  • One significant use for trumpets is that they are a call to God to remember His people when they are at war and when they are having feasts/offerings. 
    • Numbers 10:8-10 (8)  And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. The trumpets shall be to you for a perpetual statute throughout your generations. (9)  And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the LORD your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies. (10)  On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts and at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings. They shall be a reminder of you before your God: I am the LORD your God.”
  • The trumpets also represent God’s judgments in answer to His people’s call for help:
    • “There is only one place in the Bible other than Revelation where we find the use of seven trumpets. That occasion was when Israel, under the leadership of Joshua, destroyed the city of Jericho, preparatory to their entrance into the Promised Land. The Lord’s instructions were very specific. The victory was to be unique. Jericho would not be conquered by the military strength or genius of Israel, but rather the Lord would manifest His own mighty power on this occasion. The “men of war” were to compass the city once each day for “six days” (Joshua 6:3). On the seventh day “seven priests” blowing “seven trumpets” were to march before the ark of God around the city seven times (Joshua 6:4). At the sound of the trumpets all the people were to shout and watch the wall of the city “fall down flat” (Joshua 6:5). Joshua and the people did as the Lord said and Jericho was “utterly destroyed” (Joshua 6:21). The blowing of the seven trumpets on this occasion indicated the judgment of God against the enemies of His people. The seven trumpeters who heralded the judgment of God against Jericho were likely the allusion the Lord had in mind when He showed John seven angels blowing seven trumpets.” (Unlocking Revelation #10)
    • See also: Jeremiah 4:5-8; 1:16; Zephaniah 1:14-17; Hosea 8:1-3, 5, 7
    • Fire from the altar thrown to earth reinforces the idea of judgment.
      • “This scene reflects the daily services in the earthly temple.  After the sacrificial lamb had been placed upon the altar of sacrifice, the blood was poured out at the base of the altar.  The appointed priest would take a golden censer and fill it with coals from the altar.  He would then take incense into the temple and offer it upon the golden altar in the Holy Place.  Having offered the incense, the priest would come out of the temple and throw the censer down on the pavement between the altar of sacrifice and the entrance of the temple, producing a very loud noise.  At that moment, seven priests blew trumpets marking the end of the daily services” (Plain Revelation).
      • When God was leaving the temple before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, He commanded someone to do something similar indicating that the activity indicates judgment against someone: Ezekiel 10:2  (2)  And he said to the man clothed in linen, “Go in among the whirling wheels underneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city.” And he went in before my eyes.
  • Another clue as to the meaning of the seven trumpets is the Feast of trumpets, which announced that the Day of Atonement was coming when sin would be removed from the tabernacle and the camp completely.  In other words, the trumpets are a call to repentance.
  • The seven trumpets are in response to the prayers of God’s people.  In the fifth seal, God’s people who were martyred were asking for justice.  Thus, one of the goals of the trumpets is justice for the martyred. 

Other Symbolism in the Passage

  • The various views of Jesus found throughout Revelation indicate the progression of the plan of salvation.  In chapter 1 before the letters to the churches, Jesus is with John on the island of Patmos. Here, Jesus walks among the lampstands in unity with His churches.  This represents His incarnation when He became one with mankind. Then before the passage about the seals, there is the slain lamb representing Jesus’ sacrifice.  Jesus is offering covenant and salvation to the people of the world.  Before the trumpets there is a messenger/angel presenting the prayers of the saints to God.  Hebrews tells us that Jesus is our high priest in the heavenly sanctuary, so this represents Jesus as our high priest, which makes clearer what happens when the censor is thrown to the earth.  The censor symbolized the Holy Spirit being sent in power at Pentecost.
  • The ministry in the Holy Place of the seven-branched candlestick (7 churches), the table of shewbread (7 seals), and the altar of incense (7 trumpets) always happened simultaneously.  This is a clue that these three sections cover the same time periods from different perspectives.
    • The seals focus on those who claim to follow God.  The trumpets focus on those who do not make any claim to being Christians.  God wants to save them also.  The trumpets focus on the results of rejecting the Holy Spirit’s message of redemption.  When humans reject God’s messages, there are natural consequences.  The trumpets warn of these consequences while still extending a message a mercy.

The First Angel

Revelation 8:6-7

(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.

  • Thrown upon the earth—The  seven angels prepare to blow the trumpets.  The time period will begin with the day of Pentecost.  We know this because of the censor being thrown to the earth.
  • First trumpet—Peter directs us to Joel in his speech in the book of Acts on the Day of Pentecost when he speaks of the Spirit being poured out onto all flesh.  Earlier in the chapter, it’s interesting that it starts out with a trumpet (Joel 2:1 & 15).  The trumpet in verse 1 warns of judgment.  In verse 15, it is a call to repentance and what will happen if they turn to God instead of rejecting Him.
  • Hail/fire mixed with blood
    • Hail and fire are a frequent means that the Bible uses to indicate a judgment from God. (Isaiah 30:30; Ezekiel 38:22-23) 
      • Isaiah 28:2  (2)  Behold, the Lord has one who is mighty and strong; like a storm of hail, a destroying tempest, like a storm of mighty, overflowing waters, he casts down to the earth with his hand. 1 Corinthians 3:13  (13)  each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.
    • Hail and fire also represent war.
      • Job 38:22-23 (22)  “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, (23)  which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war?
  • Trees—frequently represent God’s people (Psalm 1:3; 52:8; 92:12-14).  They also represent leaders.
    • Luke 23:31  (31)  For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?” Luke 3:9  (9)  Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
    • Daniel 4:20-22 (20)  The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, (21)  whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived—(22)  it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth.
    • Ezekiel 20:46-48 (46)  “Son of man, set your face toward the southland; preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest land in the Negeb. (47)  Say to the forest of the Negeb, Hear the word of the LORD: Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree in you and every dry tree. The blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from south to north shall be scorched by it. (48)  All flesh shall see that I the LORD have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.”
    • Matthew 7:15-20 (15)  “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. (16)  You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? (17)  So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. (18)  A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. (19)  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (20)  Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
  • Grass  (Also Psalm 72:16; 44:2-4)
    • Isaiah 40:6-7 (6)  A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. (7)  The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass.
    • Psalms 92:7  (7)  that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever;
  • 1/3 of the earth burned up–1/3 of the trees burned up–100% green grass burned up: 1/3 does not mean an exact fraction.  It means that the judgement is affecting part of Satan’s kingdom.  The 1/3 part represents those who were deceived.  It is limited judgment—mixed with mercy
    • Ezekiel 5:12-13 (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. (13)  “Thus shall my anger spend itself, and I will vent my fury upon them and satisfy myself. And they shall know that I am the LORD—that I have spoken in my jealousy—when I spend my fury upon them.
    • Zechariah 13:8-9 (8)  In the whole land, declares the LORD, two thirds shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left alive. (9)  And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”
    • Revelation 12:4(4)  His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it.
  • The first church was the apostolic church of Ephesus that went forward in the gospel. The first seal described the church triumphant as the white horse going forward conquering and to conquer.  According to Acts, the primary enemy of the apostolic church was the Jews who rejected Jesus as the Messiah.  Thus, if the trumpets focus on judgments against the enemies of God’s people during the apostolic age,  the group receiving the judgment would be the Jews.  The symbolism bears this out.  Notice the acted-out parable of the fig tree:
    • Matthew 21:18-21 (18)  In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. (19)  And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once. (20)  When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” (21)  And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.
  • Who is the judgment of the trees and grass on?  The people represented by the fig tree—Jerusalem.  In condemning Jesus to death, the Jews allied themselves with the Romans (who are represented by the mountain in the parable and the second trumpet). 
    • John 19:15  (15)  They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”
    • When 70 weeks of Daniel were finished, the people had not turned to God.  Instead, they rejected Jesus and claimed Caesar as their lord.  Their destruction was the result of their betraying their chosen lord Caesar.  They earned the wages of that betrayal, and God did not intervene to save them.  Jerusalem was destroyed in a fire that melted the gold of the temple so that it ran down between the stones.  In order to collect the gold, the Roman soldiers took the temple apart so that not one stone was left upon the other.  In this way, fire burned the temple and caused its total destruction.  Everyone who was taking refuge in the temple died by the sword and their blood flowed.  Over a million people died in the destruction of Jerusalem.  Thus, the destruction of Jerusalem was fire and blood, just as the first trumpet predicted.

The Second Angel

Revelation 8:8-9

(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.

  • The 2nd angel blows a trumpet—The second church is Smyrna, who suffered extensively under the persecution of Rome.  The second seal is the red horse where people slay each other.  Thus, the second trumpet is a time of persecution of the church and bloody fighting.
  • A great mountain burning with fire thrown into the sea–The Bible describes two kinds of mountains: the mountain of the enemy of God’s people and the mountain of God.
    • Jeremiah 51:24-25, 41-42 (24)  “I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea before your very eyes for all the evil that they have done in Zion, declares the LORD. (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. . . . (41)  “How Babylon is taken, the praise of the whole earth seized! How Babylon has become a horror among the nations! (42)  The sea has come up on Babylon; she is covered with its tumultuous waves.
    • Daniel 2:35, 44 (35)  Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. . . . (44)  And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever,
  • Burning—Fire symbolizes judgment
  • Thrown into the sea and 1/3 of the sea became blood
    • Seas denote peoples, nations, kindreds, and tongues.  This power was to be overcome by peoples, not one nation.“Unlike other nations that were conquered by a single rival power, Rome was conquered over an extended  period of time by numerous invasions by barbarian tribes.  Under the leadership of Aleric, the Visigoths obliterated an entire Roman army at Adrianople in 378 A.D., including the Roman Emperor Valens. In 408 Aleric invaded Italy, moving steadily from north to south, pillaging city after city. He met no resistance.  Finally he descended upon Rome itself and demanded unconditional surrender. The Senate yielded without a struggle. Then, without notice, Rome was awakened one night in 410 to the vicious ravages of Aleric’s frenzied barbarian army. The city was tormented. Fire and mass bloodshed filled the people with terror for six days. This was the first time any army had invaded Rome in 800 years. It would be comparable to a third world nation taking control of Washington, D.C., and burning the White House.  In June of 455 A.D., the ruthless Gaiseric led the Vandals against Rome. The ancient city was again overrun with barbarians. For fourteen days and nights the people of Rome were literally vandalized. Gaiseric and his men transported by wagon everything of value, both private and public wealth, to his ships at the mouth of the Tiber. Thousands of Romans were taken as slaves. The previous attack by the Goths was terrible, but the onslaught of the Vandals was far worse. Other tribes that played a part in demolishing Rome were the Huns under Attila and the Heruli under Odoacer.  The year 476 marks the complete fall of the Western Roman Empire, and begins the period known as the Middle Ages. With the fall of the pagan empire, arose the papal empire.” (Unlocking Revelation, #11)
    • In addition, Rome was brought down by infighting.  It turned on itself, just as the enemies of the people of God did when Gideon blew the trumpets.
  • 1/3 living creatures in sea died–1/3 of ships destroyed:  This does not denote total destruction.  It is partial destruction, but destruction of multiple parts.  This verse marks a transition from the bloody persecution of Rome to the marriage between the Roman empire and the church.
    • 1/3 denotes apostasy (Revelation 12 and 1/3 of the angels falling with Satan) Living creatures are humans who have accepted Jesus’ offer of life, but now they are dying/rejecting the gospel and accepting another gospel.
      • Colossians 1:23  (23)  if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. (ESV)  If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;(KJV) Mark 16:15  (15)  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
    • 1/3 of ships destroyed–Ships symbolize faith; their faith is destroyed during Rome’s compromises.  Just as Rome was chipped away by enemies within and without, part of the church is destroyed by compromise without and within.
      • 1 Timothy 1:19  (19)  Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
      • Hebrews 6:19  (19)  We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 
      • Revelation 18:17  (17)  For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
  • Summary of Second Trumpet
    • 2 Thessalonians 2:1-7 (This passage is a summary of Revelation 8:9) (1)  Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, (2)  not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. (3)  Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, (4)  who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. (5)  Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? (6)  And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. (7)  For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.
  • Pagan Rome was standing in the way of the emergence of the power that would cause apostasy.  Once Rome became Christian Rome, the man of lawlessness could arise and be revealed.
    • son of destruction—refers to Judas/a traitor from among the Christians.
      • John 17:12  (12)  While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
    • When the church stopped looking to Jesus as their husband and protector and started looking to Rome as their husband and protector, they began to apostatize and make a shipwreck of their faith, which sets the stage for the third trumpet.

The Third Angel

Revelation 8:10-11

(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.

  • 3rd angel’s trumpet—The third church is Pergamum, which tolerated the teachings of Balaam who taught the people to turn away from their covenant with God to worship idols.  Pergamum means exaltation.  This is the false church exalting itself above God.  In fact, the official church becomes the idol, claiming that it has the authority to change God’s word. The third seal is the black horse with balance scales and famine.  There is a famine for the true word of God.  In the first trumpet, Judaism falls.  In the second trumpet, paganism falls.  The third trumpet marks the beginning of the fall of the true church and its replacement by a false form of worship, a worldly church.
  • Great star fell from heaven
    • Revelation 12:4 & 9 (4)  His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. (9) And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 
    • Luke 10:17-18 (17)  The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” (18)  And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
    • Satan is bringing false light into the church/false salvation
    • Isaiah 14:12  (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!

  • blazing like a torch (ESV) / burning as it were a lamp
    • Psalms 119:105  (105)  Nun Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

    • Isaiah 62:1  (1)  For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a burning torch.

  • 1/3 of rivers and springs—These waters are fresh drinking water, which represent the refreshment of the gospel, in other words, the water of life.
    • Proverbs 21:1  (1)  The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.
    • Proverbs 25:26  (26)  Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.
    • Amos 8:11  (11)  “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.
  • Wormwood
    • Exodus 15:22-26 (22)  So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. (23)  And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. (24)  And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? (25)  And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, (26)  And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
  • This is a Christless/crossless religion. The bitter waters are related to not keeping the commandments.
    • Deuteronomy 29:18  (18)  Beware lest there be among you a man or woman or clan or tribe whose heart is turning away today from the LORD our God to go and serve the gods of those nations. Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit,(KJV wormwood)
      • Wormwood is when we turn away from God.The context is covenant:  Deuteronomy 29:12  (12)  so that you may enter into the sworn covenant of the LORD your God, which the LORD your God is making with you today,
    • Amos 5:7  (7)  O you who turn justice to wormwood and cast down righteousness to the earth!
  • 1/3 waters àre wormwood & many people died from bitter water
    • The name of the star is Wormwood.  A name in the Bible represents the character of the thing or person named.  For example, in Jeremiah Judah/Israel will have the name of God attached to them. Jeremiah 23:6  (6)  In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness. The opposite is represented in the third trumpet. The people are called by Wormwood. All that we have learned about Wormwood represents not only Satan’s character, but a portion of the beliefs of the people.  Those beliefs kill the people.

The Fourth Angel

Revelation 8:12

(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.

  • The 4th angel’s trumpet—The fourth church is the church of Thyatira, which tolerated Jezebel as their prophetess.  She has been given time to repent.  Thus, while the Jews and pagan Rome fell in the first two trumpets because they had already been given time and opportunity to repent, papal Rome was given time in the 3rd and 4th trumpets to turn back to God.  Instead, papal Rome chose to continue obscuring the truths of heaven and focusing people towards worldly salvation.  Papal Rome persecuted, tortured, and killed those of God’s true followers who refused to compromise.  The fourth seal is the pale horse that kills and kills.  This is no longer the white horse of Jesus.  It is the imitation pale color of death.  It does not draw by love.  It rules by death.  The fourth trumpet darkens God’s people so that they are no longer the light of the world.  More and more people apostatize and choose the apostate church over God’s commandments and salvation.
  • Sun/Moon Stars
    • Revelation 12:1  (1)  And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
    • Genesis 37:9-10 (9)  Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” (10)  But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?”
  • God’s people are represented by the sun, moon, and stars.  Angels are also represented as stars in the Bible.  However, Jesus says that we will be like angels in heaven, so there is no conflict in these symbols. 
    • Matthew 22:30  (30)  For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
    • Matthew 5:14  (14)  “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
    • Daniel 8:9-10 (9)  Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. (10)  It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them.
  • 1/3 sun–1/3 moon–1/3 stars–1/3 light darkened
    • 1/3 is apostasy.  These are those who should be the light of the world turning their backs on the gospel and embracing the bitter waters of Satan so that their light of witness is darkened.  They are no longer representing Jesus to the world.
  • The stars are persecuted here in Revelation.  This corresponds to the little horn of Daniel 8, who is actively hurting God’s people as opposed to only corrupting them.
    • John 16:1-3 (1)  “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. (2)  They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. (3)  And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.
    • Daniel 8:11-14 (11)  It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown. (12)  And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper. (13)  Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?” (14)  And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.”
  • 1/3 of day kept from shining: The sun represents God’s light that shines in the darkness, but God’s light is obscured in the 4th trumpet.
    • Malachi 4:2  (2)  But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.
    • John 1:1 & 4-5 & 9 (1)  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (4)  In him was life, and the life was the light of men. (5)  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (9)  The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
  • 1/3 night kept from shining: The attack was on Jesus, the word of God, so it was also an attack on the Bible. The prophecies are compared to light in a dark place. Many prophets had night visions, such as Daniel in chapter 7 and Joseph when he was warned to flee with baby Jesus to Egypt.
    • 2 Peter 1:19  (19)  And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,
      •  The moon is Bible prophecy that can guide us through the dark times, but in the 4th trumpet, even that is obscured by lies.  As the reformation starts to point towards the Roman papacy, they try to find ways to repel the attacks by manipulating prophecy.
    • Daniel 7:2 & 7 & 13 (2)  Daniel declared, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. (7)  After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. (13)  “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.
    • Matthew 2:12-14 (12)  And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. (13)  Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” (14)  And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt
  • Visions and instruction at night
    • This power is attempting to obscure (make dark) heavenly realities.  The apostate religious power darkened the knowledge of the sanctuary of God in heaven and replaced the reality with confession to priests, the eucharist, saints interceding, etc.  You pray here; you confess your sins in a booth, not to the heavenly sanctuary; instead of looking up to heaven, the people were taught to look down.  The power darkened the prophecies of God and His instructions to His people, so people did not have a clear warning of what to avoid.

NOTE: I put Revelation 8:13 in the study of Revelation 9 since it is looking forward to the next angels who blow their trumpets.

SUMMARY: The trumpets are steeped in symbolism from the Old and New Testaments. Unless we let the Bible interpret itself, we will be lost in understanding the trumpets since there are very few non-symbolic verses. However, if we follow the meanings of the symbols from the Bible, we can decipher the meanings of this chapter. I am still putting the pieces together for my own understanding. Basically, what I have learned so far is that the trumpets of Revelation 8 announce the judgment of the enemies of God’s people. Sometimes the enemy was from without like pagan Rome, but more often the enemy has been the very ones who claim to be God’s servants. However, I am sure that there is a lot more depth in this chapter that I have not tapped into yet. For example, ships are used as symbols a lot both in Revelation and the rest of the Bible. I need to do a study to understand the meaning of this symbol more clearly. The seven trumpets of Revelation 8 and 9 are an invitation for the reader to dig even deeper into the Bible for comprehension and spiritual growth.

References:

  • Andrews Study Bible–In some lessons, I refer to study comments from this Bible.
  • Plain Revelation–A book by Ranko Stefanovic that summarizes the meaning of various sections of Revelation
  • Revelation of Jesus Christ–A book by Ranko Stefonovic that comments on each verse of Revelation.
  • Salvation in Signs and Symbols–a series of shows where two pastors and two others study through the books of Revelation and Daniel. These programs can be accessed at 3abnplus.tv . Scroll down to 3ABN Dare to Dream Network and choose Salvation in Signs and Symbols from the list there.
  • Seventh-Day Adventist Bible Commentary (Volume 7) (Copywrite 1957)–This is the old green set of commentaries, not the new commentary series that is in the process of being published and should be released after 2022. (Boy, I would love to get my hands on that set when it comes out!)
  • Table Talk–A series of shows where four pastors discuss various topics. These programs can be accessed at tabletalk.online . Season 4 focuses on Revelation.
  • Unlocking Revelation–A series of pamphlets that can be downloaded for free from lightbearers.org and clicking on Resources