THE FIRST FOUR TRUMPETS OF JUDGMENT

The First Four Trumpets of Judgment   8:6-13

6  "And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound."
7  "The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up."
8  "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."
10  "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."
12  "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!"

Introductory (6): The fact that these angels prepare themselves to sound, or announce the judgments shortly to be poured out, indicates the seriousness of the events to follow.

The First Angel and the First Trumpet 7

The language is that of appearance, but it depicts actualities and not by means of symbols. It is picturesque.

The substance of the judgment: hail, fire, blood. This is doubtless hail and lightning with blood red color.

The objects of the judgment is the earth, and especially trees and vegetation on a world-wide scale. A third part of trees and all grass was burnt (Exod. 9:23-28).
"And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt." "So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation." "And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field." "Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail." "And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked." "Entreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer."

The purpose of the judgment is to teach men that those things upon which they have depended as the primary source of life, health, and happi­ness are after all dependent upon the Creator and Sustainer.