Revelation Part 6: Trumpets and angels...

Chapters 8 and 9 describe some pretty wild and unimaginable events. When the Lamb opens the seventh seal on the scroll, there is silence in heaven for a half hour. I'm thinking everyone there must have known something serious was coming.

And it was.

John sees seven angels standing before God and each of them were given trumpets. These angels take turns sounding their trumpets. What they announce is pretty terrifying to me. These are events that will take place someday. Some people don't believe it and that's their choice. But it doesn't change the fact that God wanted us to know--to be forewarned--so we would be prepared. Personally, I pray I am not on earth when these things occur!

Trumpet blast #1:
Hail and fire mixed with blood is hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth is burned up, a third of the trees are burned up, and all the green grass. (8:7)

Trumpet blast #2:
Something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, is thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turns into blood, a third of the sea creatures die, and a third of the ships are destroyed. (8:8-9)

Trumpet blast #3:
A great star, blazing like a torch, falls from the sky on a third of the rivers and springs. A third of the waters turned bitter and many people die. (8:10-11)

Trumpet blast #4:
A third of the sun, the moon, and the stars are struck and grow dark. (8:12)

There is a pause at this point in the trumpet blasts. A different angel is seen flying in midair and calls out in a loud voice, "Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!" (8:13)

I don't know about you, but I think the first four trumpet blasts held some pretty bad stuff. But obviously the next three are going to be far, far worse!!

Trumpet blast #5:
A star falls to the earth and opens the Abyss. Smoke from the Abyss rises and the sun and sky are darkened. Out of the smoke, however, comes horrible locust-like creatures. You've simply got to read the description of these creatures yourself. (9:1-11) Pretty awful! Their job is to torment people for five months. That is the first woe.

Trumpet blast #6:
Four angels are released who had been bound at the great river Euphrates. These four angels have apparently been created for this specific reason, because 9:15 says they had been "kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year". They and an army of 200 million kill a third of mankind.

The saddest thing about all this is that the people who survived all these terrible plagues and events still do not repent from their sinful ways!! Verses 20-21 tell us they kept worshipping demons and idols. They kept murdering, doing their witchcraft, stealing, and committing sexual immorality.

Good grief, people!! What's it gonna take to get your attention?! What's it gonna take to make you see that God is real?! God is all-powerful! And God will not tolerate sin forever!

Several things happen before the seventh trumpet is sounded. I'll get to those tomorrow.