In the last chapter we saw that while the whole earth will probably be affected by the trumpet judgments, the destruction probably centers on the Middle East. While there are exceptions, the destruction is generally described as being by 1/3rds. Instead of referring exactly to 1/3^rd (i.e., exactly 33%), this term may simply mean, “about a third” (i.e., a large percentage).

 

At trumpet 1, 1/3^rd of all trees are struck, and “all” green grass is burned up.

 

 

The Aramaic Peshitta says “hail and fire mingled with water,” which some speculate could refer to a comet, or some other kind of celestial body hitting the earth.

 

 

If the references are literal, then it is probably simply destruction as the result of fire. However, some have suggested that the “trees” in this passage symbolically refer to men (based on Mark 8:24). This seems unlikely, as just four verses later (in verse 11), men are referred to simply as “men.”

 

At trumpet 2, 1/3^rd of the seas are struck. Something like a great mountain burning with fire is thrown into the sea, and 1/3^rd of the sea becomes blood. 1/3^rd of the living creatures in the sea die, and 1/3^rd of the ships are destroyed.

 

 

If this is to be taken literally, it may refer to a volcano exploding, and throwing debris into the Mediterranean (like Pompeii). If it is symbolic, it may refer to societal disorder. Mountains can refer to governments (e.g., Jeremiah 51:25), while kingdoms being moved can be depicted as mountains being thrown into the sea.

 

 

As we will see later, water is symbolic of populations of people, nations, and tongues.

 

 

In the future, society will “transition” from the Beast system of government we currently have, to Yahweh’s system. The changeover promises to be a time of great change, and upheaval. While this might explain how a “mountain is thrown into the sea,” it does not explain how 1/3^rd of the ships are destroyed, as well as 1/3^rd of the sea creatures.

 

At trumpet 3, a great star named Wormwood falls from heaven, striking 1/3^rd of the rivers and springs of water. Wormwood is a bitter herb that is associated with grief or sorrow. It is not toxic.

 

 

Some commentators theorize Wormwood could be a physical comet. The only issue is that the narrative does not describe a physical impact.

 

Others suggest Wormwood is a spirit that falls to earth, which makes men bitter unto spiritual or literal death. In the Garden of Eden, when Havvah (Eve) ate of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge, she died spiritually in that she fell from Yahweh’s favor. And although it was not immediate, there was also a physical curse of death. Indeed men who feel there is no Spirit can be very better; and if Wormwood is a spirit that leads men to turn away from Yahweh and His commandments, it can lead to spiritual and/or physical death.

 

Many commentators note how the trumpet judgments seem to echo the plagues that take place just prior to the exodus. They also note that at the waters of Marah (Exodus 15), they could not drink the waters, because they were bitter (Hebrew: marah). Yet when Moshe cast wood into the waters they became sweet.

 

 

Because the Spirit can be symbolized by water, some commentators suggest that Yeshua’s sacrifice on a piece of wood took a bitter situation, and made the Spirit (i.e., waters) sweet. So the reverse should also be true: turning away from Yeshua’s sacrifice would make the waters go back to being bitter.

 

Other commentators point to Elisha’s miracle of making the waters palatable with salt, at 2 Kings 2:22.

 

 

Some liken the Torah to salt; so symbolically speaking the “waters” (i.e., the spirit of the place) was made good by adding salt (i.e., Torah); yet it took a prophet of Yahweh to do so.

 

At trumpet 4, 1/3^rd of the sun, moon, and stars are struck, such that 1/3^rd of them do not shine, either day or night. Some interpret this as a literal blackening of the skies due to a “nuclear winter.”

 

Other commentators suggest that the sun is symbolic of Yeshua, while the moon is symbolic of the Torah. The stars might represent Avraham’s descendants, who were supposed to number as the stars of the heavens (Genesis 15:5, 22:17, 26:4). If so, this might speak to a portion of Avraham’s physical descendants either falling away, or dying.

 

 

The first four trumpets, while bad, did not qualify as woes. Trumpets 5, 6, and 7 are all much worse (and so they qualify). It may be that Yahweh, like any loving parent, is slowly stepping up the severity of His punishments, in order to turn His children back to Him.

 

At trumpet 5, a falling star represents a demon. We know that this is a demon because he is given a key to open the bottomless pit (abyss), so that “locusts” can torture those who do not have the seal of Yahweh on their foreheads (i.e., the 144,000).

 

Some suggest a literal interpretation of these scorpions as helicopters, but helicopters do not come from a bottomless pit. There are other literalist interpretations (such as genetically modified animals), but since a demon opens this abyss, some see it as the unleashing of demonic spirits.

 

 

Some suggest that the descriptions of the “locusts” would not be so detailed if they were not literal beings. Therefore they suggest this passage is both literal and symbolic, such that demonic beings of some kind (perhaps genetically modified animals) will be released in the Middle East, either as a war weapon, or as the result of a laboratory “accident.”

 

[Some suggest this passage was fulfilled by the Islamic Saracens; but this does not work, as this passage comes well after the sixth seal, which has not yet taken place (2012).]

 

At trumpet 6, four messengers (“angels”) are released from the river Euphrates, and they kill 1/3^rd (i.e., many) of mankind that is left. Interestingly, the messengers are released to do the killing, but then we read about a 200 million man army (which is used as the agent of the destruction). This seems to support the idea that the text here is speaking both literally and symbolically.

 

Some suggest that the 200 million man army may be a reference to China, which literally has a 200 million man army. Of course, this is not the only possibility, but China is gearing up for war at the time of this writing. Other commentators see this as an army of 200 million demons (which may or may not coincide with a literal 200 million man army).

 

 

One might think that after five months of demon-locusts and the death of another 1/3^rd of mankind, men would repent, and seek Yahweh. However, apparently they will not. (Repentance unto life only comes as a result of Yahweh’s election.)

 

Next, in chapter 9, a “mighty messenger” comes down from heaven with a little open book.

 

Many commentators believe this is Yeshua, based on similarities in appearance. For example, Revelation 1:15-16 also describes Yeshua’s face like the sun, and Revelation 4:3 tells us the rainbow in Revelation pertains to Elohim.

 

 

There are also many places in Scripture where clouds are associated with Elohim (e.g., Exodus 16:10, 19:9, 24:15, Psalms 104:3, and Acts 1:9). Further, we are told that when Yeshua returns, it will be in a cloud.

 

 

Beyond this, his posture is one of controlling both the sea and the land, as only a conquering king would do. His voice is that of a lion when it roars (reminiscent of a “Lion of Judah”). It also seems reasonable that since Yeshua was the only one who had been found worthy to open the scrolls (at Revelation 5:5, earlier), that He would be the only one worthy to deliver the book to John (verse 9).

 

It was not enough for John to receive the book. Rather, he had to “eat” it. When we digest something, it becomes part of us. There is no longer any separation between us and it. This speaks to the greater overall work Yahweh is doing in us, which is to eliminate the 6,000 year old separation between us and Him.

 

As we shall see in later chapters, this earth may be like unto a “virtual environment.” Computer programmers create “virtual environments” on their machines so they can run programs (and even open viruses) on their machines, without affecting the host. It may be that this earth is such a virtual environment, where our “reality” is a limited part of a much greater one; and that when Yahweh removes the scales from our eyes at the wedding feast (and we no longer see through a glass darkly), that we will see Him as He is. Yet as we will see, we will still continue to live here on this earth for a while after that (before proceeding to the new one).

 

Next we will discuss the 2 witnesses.