Introducing the Trumpet Judgments

Revelation 8:1-13

God’s judgment from the throne will intensify.

As we follow Christ in a world opposed to him, his awe-inspiring appearance to John on Patmos Island should encourage us to persevere (Rev 1). We should also take to heart Christ’s words to the churches in Asia Minor by committing ourselves to overcome whatever economic, physical, social, and spiritual challenges we may face (Rev 2-3).

Even when it feels as though the world opposes our faith from every angle, we know that God the Father sits on his majestic throne ruling over all things, accompanied by Christ our conquering Lamb (Rev 4-5). When human events have run their course and the time is right from God’s perspective, Christ will launch a sweeping series of events that both judge the wicked with perfect justice and bring many people, including the nation of Israel, to salvation (Rev 6-18).

This series of events will transpire over a period of seven years and have been revealed to us as a series with three successive phases, each phase consisting of seven stages.

• The first seven stages occur in connection with seven seals being opened (Rev 6:1-8:1).
• The second seven stages occur in connection with seven trumpets being blown (Rev 8:2-14:20).
• The third seven stages occur in connection with seven bowls being poured out (Rev 15:1-18:24).

Each of the three phases of judgment (seals < trumpets < bowls) features intensified peril and results. The expression of God’s wrath will escalate incrementally, culminating in the end with Christ defeating Satan and the wicked systems of this world (Rev 19) and establishing his universal reign from Jerusalem for 1,000 years (Rev 20).

A Prelude to the Trumpet Judgments (Rev 8:1-6)

Rev 8 brings us to the midpoint of the Tribulation, approximately three-and-a-half years in, and it introduces to us the first four judgments in the middle phase.

Christ himself will authorize the trumpet judgments.

The seventh seal will not release a standalone judgment as the first six will do. It will introduce the next set of seven judgments represented by seven angels with trumpets (Rev 8:1). This new set of judgments will be more extraordinary and intense than the previous set as God’s wrath escalates.

Like the previous six seals, Christ will break this seventh seal thereby authorizing all of the trumpet judgments and bowl judgments that follow (Rev 8:1). These events, as terrible as they will be, will all occur with his consent and sanction, demonstrating his nature as not just the Lamb but as the Lion of Judah as well, ferocious in justice (Rev 5:5-6).

A brief period of silence will precede the trumpet judgments.

When Christ breaks the final seal, a brief period of silence will occur in the throne room (Rev 8:1). Though we’re not necessarily able to measure time in heaven as we do on earth, John tells us that this dramatic quietness and silence lasted for “as” (or “something like” or “what seemed like”) half an hour.

This silence speaks volumes because it stands out in sharp contrast from the angelic announcements, prayers of believers, songs of praise, and other loud noises filling the throne room until now. On one hand, this silence speaks of Christ’s longsuffering and reticence to intensify wrath. On the other hand, it speaks of more ominous things to come.

Eight angels come into view.

Following this silence, eight angels come into view (Rev 8:2-6). Seven of these angels hold trumpets which they will prepare to blow, one at a time (Rev 8:6). Before they blow their trumpets, however, an eighth angel appears before God’s throne and mixes a special incense with the prayers of God’s people waiting to be answered (Rev 8:3).

After the scent of this blend rises up to God, which indicates that it will please him, this angel will cast the blend to the earth with fire from the altar, sparking an outburst of loud noises on Earth connected with thunder, lightning, and earthquakes (Rev 8: 4-5).

Imagine this scene like a symphony production performed in three movements:

• The first movement develops slowly but with intensity (Rev 6:1-8:1).
• Before the second movement begins, the orchestra stops playing for a moment, producing an uneasy silence followed by some movement on stage (Rev 8:2-4).
• Then all at once, they break this silence in a startling way with an outburst of sound from every instrument, especially the percussion (Rev 8:5).
• This will follow, then, with a series of seven dramatic trumpet solos (Rev 8:6ff).

The First Four Trumpet Judgments (Rev 8:7-13)

Just as the first four seal judgments appear as a cluster of four followed by a cluster of three, the trumpet judgments do the same. John describes:

• The first four trumpet judgments in Rev 8:1-13
• The fifth and sixth in Rev 9:1-21
• The seventh in Rev 11:15-19

Just as he inserted additional parenthetic information between the sixth and seventh seals (Rev 6), he provides more such info before the seventh trumpet (Rev 10:1-11:14).
The seven trumpets may be summarized as follows:

• Trumpet 1 – Vegetation Devastated (Rev 8:7)
• Trumpet 2 – Oceans Polluted (Rev 8:8-9)
• Trumpet 3 – Fresh Water Contaminated (Rev 8:10-11)
• Trumpet 4 – Celestial Lights Darkened (Rev 8:12)
• Trumpet 5 – Plague of Venomous Locusts from the Abyss (Rev 9:1-11)
• Trumpet 6 – Massacre by Demonic Armies (Rev 9:13-21)
• Trumpet 7 – Arrival of God’s Kingdom Announced (Rev 11:15-19)

When we familiarize ourselves with the results of the first four trumpets (and the fifth trumpet, too), we will notice that they bear a striking resemblance to the plagues that God sent upon Egypt when he set Israel free from bondage to enter the Promised Land. The resemblance isn’t perfect, but it’s strong enough to be similar, just on a much larger scale.

We also don’t find four horses with riders as in the first four seal judgments. We do, however, find another strong unifying factor. Of the fifteen specific outcomes mentioned in these four judgments, one-third of whatever is in view is usually affected. The only exceptions are in the grass (“all” of it will be burned up, Rev 8:7), the fresh-water springs (all of which appear to be affected, Rev 8:10), and the people (“many” will die, though perhaps not one-third or perhaps more than a third, Rev 8:11).

Vegetation Devastated (Rev 8:7)

The first trumpet blast will initiate a widespread hailstorm. This storm bears a striking resemblance to the seventh plague on ancient Egypt, especially since (1) both hailstorms were mixed with falling fire as well and (2) both destroyed plant life (Exo 9:23-25). The key differences between these two instances, though, are that the trumpet judgment (1) affected the whole world, not just a localized region, and (2) it also be mixed with blood.

The Old Testament (OT) prophet Joel prophesied that blood and fire falling from the sky would be a key feature of this climactic period called the Day of the Lord (Joel 2:30-31). The wording “were thrown” further indicates that this judgment is not likely the result of something like a volcano but is something that God himself, as it were, hurls down on the earth from the sky, similar to the hail that he rained down on Egypt.

The results of this judgment will be devastating. A third of all trees will be destroyed, causing major damage to the world’s fruit and oxygen supply. All grass (including crops and flowers) will also be destroyed, inflicting major hurt on our food supply (esp. grains and vegetables). This result will severely damage the economy and nutrition of the world.

Oceans Devastated (Rev 8:8-9)

The second trumpet blast will announce something else falling from the sky, but this time it will be the arrival of a single object rather than a shower of many. John describes this object not as a mountain but as something that looked like a mountain. In other words, saying that it looked like a mountain was the best way he could describe it. It looked something like a gigantic, burning mountain – also “cast down” from above like the previous judgment.

Unlike the previous judgment, this one will affect the oceans instead of the land. A third of all oceans and seas will turn to blood. As a result, a third of all marine life will die (and presumably their carcasses will float to the surface, leaving an awful stench of decay).

A third of all ships will also be destroyed, whether from tidal waves resulting from the impact of this falling object or from mechanical complications due to the change in the composition of the water, I can’t say for sure, but presumably both, to some degree. This result will significantly weaken the worldwide economy.

Consider the following data from the International Chamber of Shipping:

• The international shipping industry is responsible for the transport of approx. 90% of world trade. (Ironically, this ratio is the same as five centuries ago despite our many technological advancements.)
• Without shipping, the transport of raw materials and affordable goods that make manufacturing and import/export commerce possible would collapse.
• Over 50,000 merchant ships are trading internationally, transporting every kind of cargo. The world fleet is registered in over 150 nations and manned by over a million seafarers of virtually every nationality.

From these statistics, we can safely estimate that after the global devastation of crop and plant life from the first trumpet judgment, the immediate destruction of 33% of all shipping trade would cut the world economy in half – and this will only be the second trumpet.

Fresh Water Devastated (Rev 8:10-11)

Like the first two trumpets, this one will also bring something from the sky, and as the second trumpet, this thing will be another large asteroid-type object that is burning.

John says that this asteroid was given the name Wormwood. This name was well known because it belonged to an herbal plant that grew in first-century Palestine (it still grows today). This plant featured an especially bitter taste, making it difficult to eat. Though the plant itself was not poisonous, consuming it in large doses could lead to undesirable side effects such as (1) digestive problems, (2) kidney failure, (3) nausea, (4) seizures, (5) sleeplessness, (6) vomiting, and even (7) death.

Since all freshwater springs and a third of all rivers and streams will be contaminated with similar properties, many people will be forced to take their chances and expose themselves to these risks in their drinking water. John tells us that “many people” will die as a result.

It’s fascinating to know that the OT prophets repeatedly mention the bitter wormwood plant as a symbol of divine judgment (Jer 9:15; 24:15; Lam 3:15, 19).

Celestial Lights Darkened (Rev 8:12)

You may be surprised to hear that unlike the first three trumpets, the fourth trumpet blast does not introduce more objects falling from the sky. Instead, it will introduce some dramatic changes to the sky itself. The sun, moon, and stars will all darken by a third, reducing both daylight and nightlight on Earth by a third.

This means that each day will then experience approx. six hours of total darkness without natural light. Not only will this increased darkness be ominous and unnerving, but it will likely lead to increased crime, depression, fear, and mental illness – not to mention the adverse health effects resulting from worldwide Vitamin D deficiencies.

• The angel flying midair may also (more likely) be an eagle
• A third of sunlight, moonlight, and starlight darkened
• A third of daily light darkened as a result

As you can tell, the first four trumpet judgments will place the world in a terrible position. More than a third of our water supply will be undrinkable, our economy will be cut in half, our vegetation and oxygen supply will be severely reduced, and general health and nutrition will be pushed to the brink.

The Final Three Trumpet Judgments (Rev 8:13)

Though the world may wish for a reprieve, they won’t get one. In fact, the next three trumpets will only intensify God’s wrath. To make this clear, John tells us about an angel (or many manuscripts say an eagle) that flew through the sky announcing something descriptive of the next three trumpet blasts.

The final three blasts are grouped as a cluster called the “three woes” (Rev 8:13; cf. 9:12; 11:14). This identifies them as especially horrifying, ominous experiences that come after the first four:

• Trumpet 5 / Woe 1 – Plague of Venomous Locusts from the Abyss (Rev 9:1-11)
• Trumpet 6 / Woe 2 – Massacre by Demonic Armies (Rev 9:13-21)
• Trumpet 7 / Woe 3 – Arrival of God’s Kingdom Announced (Rev 11:15-19)

We’ll examine these final three judgments in later lessons.

Key Takeaways

Though we ourselves who follow Christ today will not experience these events firsthand, we can still draw important lessons from what John tells us about them.

Our problems pale in comparison to these future judgments.

You see, we’re too often like the child who’s screaming bloody murder because he pinched his finger in the door when he has no conception of the kind of suffering that awaits him in his adulthood years. If you think you have it bad, think again. Paul calls our present trials “our light affliction” (2 Cor 4:17). (Light means frivolous, trifling, insignificant.) Consider, for instance, how the OT Israelites witnessed God’s tragic judgments on Egypt but complained when they suffered much less significant things in the wilderness. Let’s not complain about whatever we suffer but let us persevere to the end.

Powerful people will realize their powerlessness.

An experience like the COVID19 pandemic gives us a small taste of what can happen to the world when something happens that world leaders can’t control. Sadly, the COVID pandemic has caused more political bickering than reasonable action, so the world may not have learned as much from this experience as we could have. Regardless, we know that all the powerful leaders of the world will be helpful when these trumpets are blown announcing the coming of the One who is powerful.

We can rest knowing that Christ stands in authority over the natural world.

He decides what happens, when it happens, the scale on which it happens, and the results of what happens. This natural world may feel chaotic when blizzards, earthquakes, forest fires, and hurricanes occur. Yet we know that now, just as much as in the Tribulation (reasoning from greater to lesser), Christ remains in control over the events of the natural world. It’s not global warming that we should fear, but Christ himself. And when we know and trust Christ, we can rest knowing that he has all things under control. It’s nonbelievers, not believers, who should be afraid.