The End Times as God Reveals Them Pt. 25 the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Trumpets: World Calamity.

 Our Lord is gracious, longsuffering toward us and full of mercy that will carry each believer through eternity. Repentant faith in Jesus Christ makes this possible.

The photo below is a depiction of the meteor that struck what is now Mexico and that is believed to have caused the extinction of dinosaurs.

We last read about the sounding of the 1st trumpet in heaven and understood how the judgment is on a global scale never scene before. One third of all trees will be destroyed and all the green grasses will be consumed by the fire and hail.

The 2nd Trumpet: A Burning Meteor Hits the Ocean.

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; 9)  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. 

John saw and heard the 2nd trumpet sounded by the second of seven angels in heaven. He saw what looked like a large fiery mountain that was cast into the sea. The mountain was "cast" which is the idea of being scattered, thrown down without regard to where the object lands. It also has the idea of something being held back by God and then turned loose for its intended purpose. 

Whatever the mountain is, it is some object of great size that will fall from the heavens into the earth's ocean. The fact that it is blazing may indicate a very large meteor. It could also be an asteroid. The earth has many scars from meteor strikes in ancient history and they must have had a traumatic effect upon the climate and all life. The one in the photo above is one of the largest impacts upon the earth estimated to be about 68 miles in diameter. The largest one which struck Russia was about 118 miles diameter.

According to Cornell University a large meteor of about 10 km diameter (6.2 miles) would result in a massive explosion when the meteor hit the earths crust. Massive plumes of debris from the impact will be thrown up into the earths atmosphere heating the atmosphere to an oven like temperature. This even would also trigger forest fires.

Dust from the impact and soot from forest fires will block the sunlight to some degree and result in plant growth being sharply reduced and many animal species wiped out. 

The fiery mountain that John saw is going to hit in one of the saltwater oceans and will produce gigantic tsunamis that will hit various continents with devastating force. John said that one third of all the oceans will be turned to blood and that one third of all aquatic life would be destroyed. National Geographic says that there are about 9 million species of aquatic life so that means about 3 million will be wiped out. 

Water was turned to blood by God a long time ago (Exodus 7:14-25). Moses turned the waters of the mighty Nile river to blood in the 1st plague upon Egypt. 

In addition, one third of all ships will be destroyed by the impact. The global merchant fleet is about 57,000 ships so about 19,000 ships will be destroyed.

The 3rd Trumpet: A Star Called Wormwood.

Revelation 8:10-11  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; 11) 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. 

John saw and heard the angel that sounded the third trumpet. This judgment has a similar pattern as the second trumpet. Both use the word "great" to describe an object falling from heaven to the earth. In both cases, the object is burning brightly like fire or a bright lamp. In both cases the object has a devastating impact on one third part of something God created. 

The third trumpet will announce that a great star burning like an oil lamp is going to fall from heaven. It is going to strike the freshwater  supplies of the world. One third of all rivers and fountains in the world will become poisoned. 

In the United States there are about 250,000 rivers and streams. However, it is hard to find an accurate number for the rest of the world. It is safe to suggest that there may be 1-2 million rivers, streams and tributaries in the world today. Thus, about 700,000 would turn poisonous. 

Fountains are like a spring where waters come out on the surface of the earth. Again, it is hard to quantify how many fountains exist on a global scale. There are about 70 very large springs around the world and there are certainly many more smaller ones. However many there are, one third will become poisonous. 

Deuteronomy 29:18  Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; 

The star that falls is named "Wormwood" and when it hits it will make the waters bitter, undrinkable and poisonous to man. Many people across the world will die when they drink these waters. Wormwood is an herb and the scientific name contains the Greek words translated "bitter" and "wormwood." This may mean that the poisonous compounds found in the herbs will be found in concentrated form in this particular star. 

In the Bible the name "wormwood" is connected with sorrow and bitter judgment (Proverbs 5:4; Jeremiah 9:15; 23:15 and Amos 5:7).  It is most appropriate for a star of judgment to be given this name.

The 4th Trumpet: 1/3 of the sun, moon and stars darkened. 

Revelation 8:12-13  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. 13) 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!

When the fourth angel sounds the next trumpet the sun, moon and stars are affected. One third of the sun, moon and stars go dark. One third of the normal daylight will be gone. In like manner, one third of the light from the moon and the stars will be gone so night will be much darker. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

In that future time of judgment, the earth is going to be hammered with the wrath of God for sin. It is hard to read about these judgments and actually understand how devastating they will be. 

God is holy and just and has the right to pour out His judgment upon all who reject His Son, Jesus Christ. This is why Jesus left us here on earth. To share the gospel of Jesus Christ with a lost and dying world. We must be about our Lord's work until He calls us home to be with Him.

Bob