Revelation 8:1-13
Revelation 6:12-17 described the sixth seal
judgment upon the earth during the yet future seven year tribulation
period. This judgment was filled with universal catastrophe affecting
the environment. Revelation 7 yielded a break in the happenings on earth
to provide a personal glimpse for John to see two groups of people: the
144,000 Jewish witnesses who would spread the gospel across the earth
(7:1-8) and those who have been saved during the tribulation period, but
martyred for their faith (7:9-17). After this brief respite, the vision
John has been supernaturally receiving continues with the final seal
judgment upon the earth, which is the seventh. When Jesus opens the
seventh seal on the scroll, which only He could open, it unleashes
another series of judgments which are referred to as the seven trumpet
judgments. Prior to each trumpet being sounded, "noises, thunderings,
lightnings, and an earthquake" take place which finally give way to
seven angels appearing with seven trumpets prepared to sound (8:6).
We
must take the time to remember that these judgments are being poured
out on all those people on earth who have rejected Jesus Christ as the
One sent to save mankind from sin. Although some tend to think of any
type of punishment as unfair, most of us would agree that there must be
some system of accountability. Without consequences for doing wrong, our
world would be chaotic. In the same manner, God must hold sinners
accountable for their wrongdoing; however, instead of punishing the
sinner God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to take the punishment
(death) of the sinner upon Himself (2 Corinthians 5:21). Therefore, God
is not unfair because He has offered the free gift of salvation to all
those who will repent of sin and believe in the death, burial, and
resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). God
has been patient and even delayed His coming because He is "not willing
that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter
3:9).
The following summarizes four of the seven trumpet judgments unleashed on the rebellious inhabitants of the earth:
First Trumpet - one-third of trees/grass Burned (8:7)
Second
Trumpet - one-third of sea turned to blood resulting in one-third of
its inhabitants dying as well as one-third of ships destroyed (8:8-9)
Third Trumpet - one-third of all freshwater polluted (8:10-11)
Fourth Trumpet - one-third part of the sun, moon, stars darkened (8:12-13)
After
this trumpet judgment, John sees an angel fly through heaven saying,
"Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining
blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!" This
warning is a precursor to the devastation which was about to take
place. The next two trumpet judgments are addressed in Revelation 9.
Dear
God, I understand that You must judge those who have rejected Jesus
Christ, but please use me to spread the message of hope through Jesus
Christ to as many people as I can.