Revelation 8:8-13
As we examine the Trumpet and Bowl judgments, we are going to find many different commentaries and online ideas of what John saw. I would like to reiterate that these judgments will take place whether we clearly know how they will happen or not.
So I would like us to proceed through them with an open mind, it is not important that we determine who is right or wrong, but that we understand the fulfillment of them will be accomplished in this time called the Great Tribulation Period.
In verse 8 the second trumpet sounds and a great burning mountain is cast into the sea. A third part of the sea becomes blood.
Verse 9 demonstrates how the blood comes; a third of the creatures of the sea are destroyed in addition to a third of the ships.
There are a huge number of ships navigating the waterways of the world, ranging from commercial to entertainment to travel. Additionally many Countries have their own Navel Fleet. That would be a lot of human bodies along with the multiple billions of sea creatures, so blood is going to flow and it will be very notable.
Now about the burning mountain; it would seem that an asteroid could easily fit this description, as the scientists frequently are talking about the near misses and that it is possible for one of them to hit the earth.
One large enough to cause this level of destruction would be huge so it could appear to John to be as large as a mountain and the force would be that of several nuclear bombs. In addition when they enter the atmosphere of the earth they are usually on fire from passing through the protective barrier of the Earth. Just recently a meteor exploded over Russia and it was said to have nuclear force associated with it.
There are some teachers that believe this is a reference to an actual nuclear bomb and the mountain is symbolic of the bomb.
Throughout the Bible, mountains have been symbolic of kingdoms and/or rulers. Seas have been symbolic of a mass of people; because of this symbolism some other teachers believe this passage is symbolic of a kingdom or ruler attacking with aggression this part of the world.
One rule of interpretation I prefer to follow is; “when the plain sense of scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense!”
I, along with others believe an asteroid fits well in this passage, so I lean to more of the literal sense than toward symbolism.
In verses 10-11 the third trumpet is sounded. We have much the same scenario, yet on a smaller scale that I would like to think of as a meteor that hit’s a strategic point of some major rivers and springs that branch off feeding water wells where men would drink and die. Although the judgments and destruction of the Tribulation Period will affect the entire world, much of what will happen is targeted at the Middle East.
A lot has been made of the name of this star (meteor). They relate it to a nuclear device due to a nuclear plant meltdown that took place in Chernobyl Russia. The name Chernobyl is defined in the English as “a mugwort plant” also known as common wormwood which is a bitter plant or painful and unpleasant experience.
The Chernobyl meltdown polluted some of the waters in Russia, so Bible teachers have associated this incident with this passage in Revelation 8. The fact that a meteor could have properties that will poison the water is not far fetched, so I lean towards a meteor as the subject of this passage.
In verse 12 the fourth angel sounds his trumpet; the sun, the moon and the stars are smitten to where they radiate one third less light.
There has been teaching that this refers to eclipses. However, what happens with the solar system defies this understanding, for eclipses are about movement of planets and are temporary. Have you ever seen an eclipse that involved the stars?
If they did happen, they are most likely planets that have been viewed as a large star; however we are talking about the whole system of stars being reduced to a third of their light as well as the sun and moon.
One understanding is that this means one third of the daylight is cut off, having only 8 hours of light and 16 hours of darkness. However, this does not account for the moon and the stars losing their light.
I lean toward a literal reduction of light here which would be supernatural. Of course it would affect the elements and the temperatures on the earth which would be unpleasant.
In verse 13 John sees an angel flying around declaring, ‘woe to the inhabitants of the earth for the upcoming trumpet judgments.’ In this case we can accept this as an angel, for we do not have any scriptural support for Believers flying around like this. However the possibility could exist in our glorified bodies which are to come!
