CHAPTER EIGHT - VISION OF THE SEVEN TRUMPETS - GOD LOOKS FOR REPENTANCE - FEAST OF TRUMPETS

8:1 The seventh seal is opened and there is silence in the earth for half an hour. I see this as a continuation of the silence in Rev 6:12-17 and the sixth seal.

8:2 Now the seven seals have been opened and their damage has been done on the earth. There are seven angels with seven warning trumpets. God is still looking for men to repent so that He can be merciful. There is no sign of repentance on earth. It is not even mentioned. Repentance, however, is the warning of these trumpets.

The Feast of Trumpets is being fulfilled. The Feast of Trumpets is the call to repentance. It is a warning that the day of Atonement is fast approaching. Trumpets is on Tishri 1 and the Day of Atonement is Tishri 10. The days in between the two are known as the “Days of Awe” and are days of repentance and getting right before the Lord prior to the Day of Atonement. Here, in Revelation men refuse to repent. They refuse to heed the warning shofar.

8:3-6 Another angel appears with a golden censer that represents the prayers of the saints. The incense or smoke of these prayers ascend up before the Father. The angel then takes the golden censer with the prayers of the saints, mixes it with fire and casts it down to the earth. The seven angels prepare to blow their shofars.

The people of God are contending for the earth. They are praying and asking God to intervene and save the earth an d redeem man. The saints contend in prayer and spiritual warfare. God is anointing them with his power and fire of the Holy Ghost. In the midst of chaos on the planet God’s people are the salt of the earth. Many of their prayers are being answered. (The censer cast down.) More judgments are coming as the angels prepare to blast on their trumpets! Intercessors are contending in spiritual warfare.

8:7 The first angel sounds and there follows hail and fire mingled with blood. The third part of trees and all green grass is burnt up.

This could be natural disasters like storms and wild fires. A volcanic eruption would fit here. The ash killing grass and trees. Disasters like this will take a toll on human life. A large solar flare could scorch the earth. On Nov 16, 2012 NASA recorded a massive solar eruption which was out of the range of their measurable instrumentation.

8:8-9 The second angel sounds and a great mountain burning with fire is cast into the sea. The third part of the sea becomes as blood. The third part of the creatures in the sea die and ships are destroyed. It could be volcanic eruption. The top of the mountain blowing off into the sea. When the oil platform (a mountain) blew up and we had the oil disaster in the gulf this killed many creatures of the sea. The oil made the sea look red. An atomic meltdown could contaminate the water and kill creatures of the sea. A Near Earth Object (NEO) or asteroid/meteorite would fit this description. We have been experiencing many near misses and this subject is often in the news.

8:10-11 The third angel sounded and a great star from heaven fell burning as a lamp. It fell on waters, rivers, and fountains of water. The name of the star was wormwood and many died of the waters because they were made bitter.

Wormwood in the Greek means undrinkable. Could this be the sorrow of God that men refuse to return to Him? Jeremiah 9:1-16 reveals God’s sorrow that men will not turn to Him. Jeremiah 9:15 says that this turning from God to our own way is bitter for man--like wormwood. Jeremiah 23.15 “Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets: “Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall; for from the prophets of Jerusalem profaneness has gone out into all the land.”

If we let the Bible interpret itself we see that stars are usually referring to angels. This star that falls is Hasatan and his rebellious angels. One third of the earth would be the number of those who call themselves “Christian” at this present time. There are also three major religions on earth: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Could this falling star be the majority of Christians being attacked by Satan through false teaching and deception? Satan perverting and
counterfeiting the Gospel. Jesus asked if he would find faith in the earth when he returned. The Book of Revelation says the whole earth is deceived. Jesus is the living water--man refuses to drink--it is bitter water man chooses. This could also symbolize the casting down form heaven of Satan and his bitter waters (lies, death, destruction).

In the natural water can become bitter from natural or man made disasters. An NEO also could be the cause.

8:12-13 The fourth angel sounded and a third part of the sun, moon, and stars were smitten. Day and night were darkened from natural light. John hears an angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabitants of the earth. Beware the three other warning trumpet blasts are yet to sound!

A third part of the angels were cast down from heaven ( Isaiah 14:12-23, Ezek 28.11-19 ) when Satan rebelled. He has been wreaking havoc in the earth since being cast down. Spiritual darkness is upon men. Man refuses to heed the sound of the trumpets calling him to repent. The Day of Atonement--At one ment with God is near. Sin is going to be judged. The Day of Atonement is the wrath of God on the wicked--for true believers it is the day of our redemption.

In the natural remember the sky was darkened when Saddam Hussein burned the oil fields and the sky was thick with black smoke that blotted out the sun, moon, and stars. This could also be volcanic eruptions darkening the skies.