The Seven Trumpet Judgments of the First Quarter of Tribulation

The Seven Trumpet Judgments of the First Quarter of Tribulation

 

   In this first trumpet blast, fire and flaming hail are flung to the face of the earth. It is wrath returned to the earth in the prayers of all the Saints. (Swete 110) Immediately in this judgment all grass is burned up and one third of the trees as well. Although this first judgment of the first Five Trumpet Judgments is aimed at the earth, they will by consequence effect humanity still here on earth marking the beginning of the second quarter of the Tribulation.

In what can be considered as rapid succession, the second trumpet blast by the second angel following the first trumpet is blown. It is directly behind the first angel's work in the text of chapter eight of Revelation:"

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." (Revelation 8:8;9 KJV)

Following the golden rule of interpretation, this would logically appear to be a meteorite which hits in the Mediterranean Sea and turns the sea to blood, kills a third part of life in the seas, and destroys a third part of the ships operating in this sea. Since Babylon is already rebuilt in Revelation chapter 18, it is logiacal to believe that this sea will be loaded with ships sailing to and from ports in the Meditteranean Sea, carrying out great commerce. (LaHaye 130)

Again, as stated earlier, the third trumpet is blown in scripture immdediately after the text of the second trumpet. Back to back judgments meted to the earth and most assuredly touching humanity by default:"

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."

This third trumpet sounds and a "star" crashes into earth, a star named Wormwood. It would be logical to accept this as a meteorite or comet. Its mass, size, and energy must be great for it to bury deep into the crust of earth. The Bible says it this way: "

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. (Revelation 8:10- 11 KJV) It should be gleaned from the text the obvious change in description between a "great mountain" and "burning as a lamp." They are different phrases used by the Apostle John and the Holy Spirit. These objects are different. This star hits somewhere in the world where the headway of three major rivers start. Either by earthly corruption, or whatever is in the star, it poisons these three waters. It makes them bitter. It kills many men.

The fourth trumpet sounds and it is located right on the heels of the first three judgments. These first four judgments have come directly from the heavens, and affected earth and man. A third part of the sun, moon, and stars are smitten. Day and night reverse and sixteen hours of darkness takes over each twenty-four hour day.

On the fourth day of the Creation story, God gifted earth with heavenly bodies that illuminated earth from darkness. This judgment removes a third of light. (LaHaye 133)

The claxon after this judgment is an angel who pronounces, "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!" with a great an mighty voice. To really stop and muse over this, taking the action literally from the text, it is a voice mighty enough for the inhabitants of earth to hear the three fold warning. (Revelation 8:13b KJV)

Three fold warning from a mighty voice. Following the devastation of the first three judgments, and man repents not. It would seem that the heart of humanity hardens in pride. Pride is a hard thing to break in man, impossible apart from God's grace and a man's understanding his need of that grace. God seems to be warning humanity that what has already came is only a feather compared to what follows the woes. The next and last three judgments are described by LaHaye as "hell let loose on earth."

The first woe is the fifth trumpet or judgment. With this woe follows:

"1

And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. 5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. 6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. (Revelation 9:1-6 KJV)

One of the most painful things known to man is the sting of certain insects, spiders, and scorpions. The pain in this judgment will be so ferocious that man will seek to die, yet he will not. They will be in torment for five months. Except those sealed and protected by God. In comparison to the first four judgments that struck earth, this judgment comes aimed towards man!

In this judgment comes the destroyer know as Apollyon, and he rises amidst the black smoke of the bottomless pit. He commands the beast that strike pain and torment into the bodies of man. He most likely is the archangel Michael's antagonist in Satan's kingdom of darkness. (LaHaye 137)

After the 1^st woe is over, then comes two more woes in the scripture. The sixth trumpet judgment or the 2^nd woe comes and once more the angel sounds. A voice is heard from the altar of God, "

Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates." (Revelation 9:14b KJV) One of the most prominent rivers in the world of the Bible and the nation of Israel is the River Euphrates. It was the northernmost boundary of the Promised Land that God gave Abraham. It is a natural barrier to the enemies from the North. It is mentioned in the Creation story as a boundary or river in the vicinity of the Garden of Eden.

Four angels will be loosed after the River Euphrates is dried up in this judgment. They will command an evil army of 200,000,000 called riders who are not human and derive power from the four angel, beast like creatures. A third of men are killed by these riders. Despite the mighty acts of God Almighty, the circumstances of the first quarter of the Tribulation, and the first five trumpet judgments, man will not repent. He chooses to hold onto and foster the sins of idolatry, murder, sorcery, fornication, and thievery. Man will recieve the just wrath which he has stored up against himself.

Chapter eleven of Revelation brings us to the blowing of the last or seventh trumpet judgment and the last woe. This is the beginning of the seven vial or bowl judgments. It doesn't begin anything here on earth but opens a parenthetical part of Revelation that covers over three chapters in Revelation and reveals what is happening in the climatic build up into the bowl judgments.