The book of Revelation, often considered one of the most symbolic and mysterious books in the Bible, speaks of the seven trumpets that herald God’s judgment during the end times. These trumpets are part of a sequence of events leading up to the return of Christ and the ultimate redemption of the faithful. Each trumpet blast unleashes a catastrophic event on the earth, serving both as a warning and a form of divine retribution. In this article, we will explore each trumpet and its significance, drawing from the biblical text and scholarly interpretations.
The First Trumpet: Devastation on Earth
When the first angel blows his trumpet, hail, fire, and blood rain down from Heaven! This fiery storm destroys one-third of the earth’s trees and grass (Revelation 8:7). It’s a powerful display of God’s immense judgment on humanity’s disobedience. Scholars often compare this to the plagues of Egypt, where natural forces are used to showcase divine power. This marks the first trumpet in a sequence of devastation that will unfold globally.
The Second Trumpet: Destruction of the Seas
A massive object, resembling a burning mountain, is cast into the sea as the second angel sounds his trumpet. A third of the sea turns to blood, killing a third of the sea creatures and destroying a third of the ships (Revelation 8:8-9). This event mirrors both natural disasters, like meteor strikes, and biblical plagues over Egypt. It throws the earth’s balance into chaos, reflecting God’s supremacy over even the elements of creation.
The Third Trumpet: Poisoned Waters
This star falls to the earth and causes a third part of the earth’s freshwater sources to become poisoned when the third trumpet sounds. Revelation 8:10-11, The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and the springs of water.
The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died of the water. Wormwood is a bitter, poisonous plant indicative of that which should promote life but instead serves to corrupt and destroy. The horn directly threatens the survival of humanity because access to clean water is fundamental to life.
The Fourth Trumpet: Darkness in the Heavens
Anyway, the fourth trumpet is a blow to the cosmos. Darkness would cover a third of the sun, moon, and stars (Revelation 8:12). This eclipse that is not part of nature turns the world completely dark against the natural order. The symbolism here is that not even the heavens are free from judgment, which might be proof that cranky God still plans on cranking up those punishments as we go along.
The Fifth Trumpet: Demonic Locusts (First Woe)
The Trumpet 5 – the locusts or scorpions (1st Woe, or first Terror) emerge from the pit of hell. People liken these short insect locusts to lions with human faces and tails of scorpions. They are commissioned to torment people who do not have the seal of God upon their foreheads for five months (Revelation 9:1-12).
Though the locusts cause very severe torment, God does not permit them to kill whomever they afflict. The description of these creatures has been interpreted to represent demonic beings, invading forces, or modern military equipment.
The Sixth Trumpet: The Army of Destruction (Second Woe)
The fourth angel prepares for the sixth trumpet and releases four angels that have been bound at the River Euphrates to lead a 200 million strong mounted army who will kill a third of mankind (Revelation 9:13-21).
This demonic cavalry murders one-third of mankind with plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur (Revelation 9:13-19). Even after such a slaughter of human life and suffering, no one repents. Mankind showed its hard-heartedness, even at the hand of God. The Sixth Trumpet shows humanity’s persistence and the dire results of her sin.
The Seventh Trumpet: The Final Victory (Third Woe)
The seventh trumpet will sound and announce the third and last woe, completing or finishing God’s judgment on earth and in heaven. When the seventh angel blows his trumpet, loud voices in heaven proclaim, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah; and he will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).
Whereas the preceding trumpets visited plagues, these lay down a marker; they point to victory over evil and the inaugurated reign of Christ. Then it moves into the seven bowl revelations, which expound on the seven thunders of God’s final wrath.
The Purpose of the Seven Trumpets
The seven trumpets are a kind of warning and the punishment given. They are to give those on earth an opportunity to repent before judgment day. So, as the book of Revelation tells us, even in times of unprecedented pain and anguish (Revelation 9:20-21), many people still will not repent. This is a tragedy of human recalcitrance that remains unabated even in the presence of divine punishment, making all the more necessary the judgment God offers.
The Bottom Line
The seven trumpets in the book of Revelation are not just visions of devastation, but they are wake-up calls for repentance. These symbolic and dreadful events are last efforts upon God, calling humanity to repent of sin, call in His salvation.
He speaks through 7 trumpets to prove his power and control over creation, as well as establish justice. To those who take heed, the trumpets signify opportunity for repentance; to those who do not, they indicate the certainty of divine judgment.
At last, the seven trumpets call our minds to how seriously God looks at sin and what will occur when we reject Him. The images should challenge us to look at our own lives and what we owe or need from God who comes in both judgment and mercy.
