Revelation 8:5-13
Is there anything as pleasant as a warm spring day by the gentle waters of some cool spring? Life-giving water is so precious and so pleasant that the Lord uses it to illustrate Himself – the fountain of living waters.[i]
With Psalm 23, we love to remember that our Lord and Shepherd leads us beside the still waters. And Psalm 1 encourages us to be like trees planted by the rivers of water. Heaven itself is blessed by a pleasant river.[ii]
But many of you know that rivers can rage and flood into dangerous rapids. The unwary can fall prey to a river that descends quickly into a gorge of whitewater rapids. And then there are the precipitous falls. The water that sustains life can bring certain death to those who ignore the warnings of dangerous falls ahead. Those who have been on guided tours through whitewater rapids have seen this. The guide will pull the boat to shore to ask those on board to take a short hike. While on that hike, he will show them the dangers of the river ahead and what must be avoided. But for the unwary souls without a guide, judgment falls.
In our text today, keep those two words in mind: “Judgment falls.” For those who would ignore the warnings of this text, Judgment Falls.
In the last message from Revelation 8[iii], we discovered the great significance of the prayers of the godly in the worldwide judgment that is to come. In God’s answer to the prayers of God’s people, verse 5 tells us about that judgment falls at the opening of the 7th seal.
And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. (Revelation 8:5-6)
As terrifying as this sounds, these events in verse 5 are only the early indications of the coming world devastation. It has been estimated that lightning passing through misty droplets in the air reaches a temperature of 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This is 5 times hotter than the surface of the sun.[iv] It is likely that the damage of lightning to trees and other plants is caused by the rapid expansion of the moisture in their vascular tissue. The average bolt of lightning contains 4 shorter electrical strokes of about 30 microsecond (30 one millionth of a second) bursts.[v]
Thunder is caused by the rapid expansion of air and moisture in a pressure wave that registers on our eardrums as sound. For those close to a lightning strike, a clap of thunder registers at about 120 decibels – close to the limit that is painful to humans. Every new thunderstorm reminds us of God’s power (as you can see in Psalm 29); in Revelation 8:5, we find that lightning and thunder remind us to anticipate the coming world devastation. The same is true for earthquakes.
The most deadly earthquake in history (so far) was the one centered in Shaanxi, China in the year 1556; it is estimated that the Shaanxi earthquake killed 830,000 people. Many of you will remember the earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti in 2010; it has been reported that this earthquake killed 316,000 people.[vi] But the text of Scripture before us helps us to understand that those disasters are pale preludes for what is to come. And it is important to flee from the wrath to come before judgment falls. It is likely that the earthquake mentioned in verse 5 produces some of the events of worldwide devastation in verses 7 through 12.
Like the Plagues of Egypt
The first four trumpet plagues bear a notable resemblance to the plagues of Egypt. Those plagues were localized in the land of Egypt (sometimes excluding nearby Goshen, Exodus 8:22; 9:26). In order to force the hand of Pharaoh, God sent literal, physical plagues upon the nation of Egypt. But many commentators portray the prophesied judgments of Revelation as entirely symbolic or metaphorical. But note that the Apostle John knew how to use symbolic language when it was appropriate: “…as it were a great mountain burning” (v. 8) and “.. burning as it were a lamp …” (v. 10). Nevertheless, as Paige Patterson wrote:
“… the thoughtful interpreter must admit that ascertaining the exact nature of the plagues unleashed at the sounding of the four trumpets is not possible. Having so said and with what is known about the cosmos, nothing revealed here is beyond the physical possibilities that are known to exist. Further, there is definite affirmation of monumental judgments of God on the rebellious earth and of the intensity of suffering unleashed on the inhabitants of the earth, a large number of whom obviously will perish as a result of these trumpet blasts.”[vii]
The First Trumpet Judgment: A Third of Trees and All Green Grass
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. (Revelation 5:7)
The earthquake described in verse 5 will likely produce volcanos all around the earth (just as they do in the dangerous “ring of fire,” also called “the Circum-Pacific belt”). It is well known that volcanos produce atmospheric disturbances. A fascinating discussion of “Volcanic Lightning” on wikipedia[viii] explains that water in volcanic eruptions can turn into ice in the upper atmosphere, producing hail. Though they are presently rare, volcanos have produced tornados (sometimes called, “lavanados”).[ix]
Verse 5 portrays hail and fire mingled with blood with the resulting destruction of vegetation: 1/3 of the trees and all that grass that will be green in that season. Scientific estimates do not agree about how much oxygen a large, leafy tree produces. But it is clear that each tree consumes carbon dioxide and produces oxygen. It staggers the mind to consider that one third of the trees will be burned up. But to read that all of the green grass will be destroyed is terrifying.[x] A 50’ x 50’ patch of grass produces enough oxygen for a family of 4 for one day. In short, the day will come when God will remove the blessings of green grass, abundant trees and fresh air. Yet this is only the first trumpet judgment. This judgment is similar to the plague of hail and fire in Egypt described in Exodus 9:18-25. It is important to flee from the wrath to come, before judgment falls.
The Second Trumpet Judgment: A Third of the Sea, Sea Creatures and Ships
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; 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 5:8-9)
Something that appears to be like a great, burning mountain will be cast into the sea. Some have surmised that this will be an asteroid; others think it will be a giant volcano that crashes into the ocean. We can only guess at the size and scope of the tsunami that will be produced.
The waves in the 2004 tsunami reached a height of one hundred feet, affecting 14 countries around the Indian Ocean. That tsunami killed 227,898 people and injured many more. But the devastation described in verses 8 and 9 is almost beyond imagination. One-third of the world’s oceans will be filled with blood, likely from the death of a third of all the sea creatures. Bear in mind that 50-80% of the oxygen produced on earth comes from the vegetation in the world’s oceans.[xi] In 2021, there were an estimated 58,000 ships among all the nation; in today’s numbers, that would mean that more than 19,000 ships will be destroyed. Yet there are 5 more trumpet judgements to come. This judgment is similar to the plague of blood upon the Nile river in Exodus 7:20-21. What will you do before this judgment falls upon the earth? Worldwide devastation is coming.
The Third Trumpet Judgment: A Third of the Rivers and Fountains of Waters
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; 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)
The word translated “star” [aster] was used by the Greek poet, Homer to describe a meteor or shooting star.[xii] So the third trumpet seems to describe a very large object from space that collides with the earth. The resulting collision will affect a third of the world’s fresh water supply with a toxic, bitter substance. Irrigation will be suspect and agriculture will become chancy. Men will describe is a “wormwood” referring to something bitter, and perhaps even radioactive. The result will be that many people will die from drinking the poisoned waters. So God’s precious gift of delicious, life-giving fresh water will come into question during this dark time. We ask again: Is there anything as pleasant as the gentle waters of some cool spring? Life-giving water is so precious and so pleasant that the Lord uses it to illustrate Himself – the fountain of living waters. With all these warnings in mind, it is time to flee from the wrath to come before judgment falls.
The Fourth Trumpet Judgment: A Third of the Heavens Eclipsed
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. (Revelation 8:12)
Whether this trumpet judgment is a new astronomical disaster, or an atmospheric result of the other judgments is unclear. But the impact on the farmlands of the world will be disastrous. With the food shortages, men may form marauding bands like the Germanic tribes or the hordes of ancient Asia. This judgment is similar to the plague of darkness in Egypt, according to Exodus 10:21-22.
The Three-fold Woe: Three More Trumpet Judgments
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! (Revelation 8:13)
Some manuscripts indicate that the creature is an eagle, others an angel. In either case, the message is the same: a creature will issue a warning from high above for all the world to hear: “woe, woe, woe” – a threefold curse describing the three trumpet judgments to come.
Applications of Today’s Message
Thank God for His present blessings: fresh water, green grass, beautiful trees and fresh air!
In Exodus 9:17, Moses confronted Pharaoh with this statement: “You are still exalting yourself.” In the very same way, the Lord will confront all of mankind. Here is a central issue in judgment: Will you continue to exalt yourself in the face of the Most High God?
It is important to remember that the Lord takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. As the Lord proclaimed through His prophet: “Say unto them, As I live, says the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 33:11).
The Lord takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. What gives Him pleasure? As we studied in the last message[xiii] God took pleasure in His Son, Jesus Christ. Christ’s sacrifice of Himself on the cross of Calvary went up before the Father like sweet-smelling incense (Ephesians 5:1-2). Repentant sinners who cry out to God can be saved because of the Savior’s finished work upon the cross. In the words of Romans 5:9, “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” Dear friend, Revelation 8:5-13 portrays the wrath that will come on this Earth. In the words of John the Baptist, “flee from the wrath to come!” (Matthew 3:7). Turn to Christ before judgment falls. Turn to Him, the Source of the water of life. As Jesus said, in Revelation 22:17, “And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”
Pastor Gordon Dickson, Calvary Baptist Church, Findlay, Ohio www.cbcfindlay.org 06/11/22
[i][i][i] Jeremiah 2:13. The psalmist said that his soul thirsted for God, Psalm 63:1.
[ii] Psalm 46:4, Revelation 22:1-2
[iii] Awed Silence in Heaven, Rev. 8:1-6 accessed at https://www.cbcfindlay.org/awed-silence-in-heaven/
[iv] How Hot Is Lightning? NWS/NOAA accessed at https://www.weather.gov/safety/lightning-temperature#:~:text=In%20fact%2C%20lightning%20can%20heat,the%20surface%20of%20the%20sun).
[v][v] The History of Lightning, Arizona State University, accessed at https://www.public.asu.edu/~gbadams/lightning/lightning.html
[vi] Hannah Ritchie, What were the world’s deadliest earthquakes?, Our World in Data, 10/5/2018 accessed at https://ourworldindata.org/the-worlds-deadliest-earthquakes#:~:text=The%20most%20deadly%20earthquake%20in,people%20died%20as%20a%20result.
[vii] Paige Patterson, Revelation, ed. E. Ray Clendenen, vol. 39, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B&H, 2012), 212–213.
[viii] “Volcanic Lightning” accessed at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_lightning
[ix] See Kathryn Prociv, Rare volcanic tornado forms over the lava in the Kilauea eruption, Washington Post, June 1, 2018, accessed at https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2018/06/01/rare-volcanic-tornado-forms-in-kilauea-eruption/
[x] Apparently, a season or period of months will occur between Revelation 8:7 and 9:4.
[xi] How much oxygen comes from the ocean? NOAA Accessed at https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ocean-oxygen.html
[xii] Henry George Liddell et al., A Greek-English Lexicon (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996), 261, citing Homer’s Iliad, Il.4.75
[xiii] Awed Silence in Heaven, accessed at https://www.cbcfindlay.org/awed-silence-in-heaven/