Chapter 7 Seven Trumpets

Trumpet One | Trumpet Two | Trumpet Three | Trumpet Four | Trumpet Five | Trumpet Six

Soon the objects falling toward earth will be even more frightening. Jesus compared the fire that came down to destroy Sodom to what will occur at the onset of the seven trumpets. Immediately after Lot left Sodom, fire rained down. Jesus said that once countless believers exit earth through an early rapture, fire will once again rain down from heaven.

It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. (Luke 17:28-30) [Remember, the sixth seal revealed the Son of Man in the sky]

TRUMPET #1: The first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. (Revelation 8:7)

With this initial trumpet, a third of the earth will be burned. These flames will almost certainly damage food supplies, which would trigger the widespread famine mentioned at the third seal (Revelation 6:5-6).

TRUMPET #2: The second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood, and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed. (Revelation 8:8-9)

In addition to burning a third of the earth, flames will also be landing in the ocean. Jesus described the churning of the oceans saying there would be perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves (Luke 21:25b).

TRUMPET #3: The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters. The name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter. (Revelation 8:10-11)

This event contaminates the world’s most essential resource, but exactly what contaminates such a large amount of water is open to speculation. The star falling to earth could contain a toxin never-before seen on earth, or it could be something that already exists.

A situation that some may find interesting is that the Greek word apsinthos (wormwood) translates as both polyn (полин) and chernobyl (чорнобиль) in the Ukrainian language. The Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident, which occurred in the Ukraine, resulted in a massive amount of radioactive discharge. Chernobyl has since become synonymous with nuclear contamination.

Like the New Testament, botanical terminology also utilizes the Greek language. Because of their star-like flowers, wormwood plants are in the Asteraceae (asterisk, or star) family, and the Artemisia genus. In the original Greek, an asteros (star) falls on the rivers and springs. Polyn refers to the entire Artemisia genus. Artemisia absinthium (chernobyl) is a specific Artemisia species, and therefore is a type of polyn.

The Ukrainian Bible (UKR) translates the first part of Revelation 8:11: And the name of the star is polyn … (А ймення зорі тій Полин …).

TRUMPET #4: The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way. (Revelation 8:12)

It is possible the objects hurled at the earth will result in widespread volcanic activity, darkening the atmosphere. Smoke billowing out from the heart of the earth is seen during the next trumpet.

TRUMPET #5: Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit. Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man. And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them. (Revelation 9:1-6)

Smoke rises from an immensely deep pit, and an incalculable number of locusts come out of that smoke. Locusts are known for destroying crops, but these will sting like scorpions. They were sent to torment everyone who does not have the seal of God on their foreheads, in other words to torment every person who refused to accept a covenant relationship with God. For a period lasting five months those suffering will seek to die, but will be unable. This will be a foretaste of hell where people will be in such agony, they will want their existence to end but will have no way to stop the suffering.

TRUMPET #6: Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind. The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. (Revelation 9:13-16)

Four angels who are bound at the Euphrates River will be released to kill a third of mankind. That these four angels are bound at the Euphrates points to Iraq, the nation through which most of this river flows. This river also travels past the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon. The army of these four angels is huge, two hundred million in size; it would appear that what is being described is not a human army.