“strange work” of the seven trumpets

Chapter 6

 

Heavenly Curse

  

“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).

The scene again changes. This time the heavenly luminaries are partially obscured. An exciting message now becomes apparent. In the first four Trumpets a de-creation of the earth begins! Partially in reverse order of the Genesis creation itself. That’s amazing!

The Creator is beginning to deactivate His creation during the last few months of earth’s living history.

Jesus foretold that at the end an abomination would lead to desolation (Matthew 24:15). That means nothing is left. He then referred the disciples and all future readers to Daniel 8–12 for more details. The first four Trumpets begin that process.

What is that abomination? Daniel 8:13 relates the end-time desolation to a “transgression” called in Hebrew pesha. That means rebellion against God’s (1) law, (2) authority and (3) covenant. How is that done at the end of time? By rejection of God’s Sabbath rest – the fourth commandment! For all this to happen, we can now assume that universal steps have been imposed to mock that day God blessed at the very beginning of this world.

What do you think the people are now feeling and thinking? How did the Egyptians react when destructive plagues came to them? There was at first helplessness, then two reactions followed:

Creation Day	What was Created	Trumpet	What is de-created
3     4 5 6	Trees and grass        Seas   Rivers Sun, moon, stars Sea creatures Man	1          2          3          4          2          3, 6	Trees and grass 1/3 of sea turned to blood Rivers and springs 1/3 of sun, moon, stars Sea creatures Man

1.   Pharaoh “hardened his heart” (Exodus 7–11). He symbolizes the wicked who will not repent during these Trumpet plagues. Their response will irrevocably block any hope of eternal life.

2.   The magicians of Pharaoh’s court acknowledged, “This is the finger of God.” They appealed to and warned Pharaoh to give in, but to no avail.[1] They represent those who recognize God’s dealings with a sinful world at the end of time. Hope still lingers for those individuals if they repent.

As Egypt trembled at the terrible outpouring of God’s judgments, the same will occur to the whole world:

 

1.   “The kings of the earth … will weep and mourn” (Revelation 18:9 – NIV).

2.   “The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn” (Revelation 18:11 – NIV).

3.   “Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea … will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out” (Revelation 18:17, 19 – NIV).

 

How the celestial bodies were smitten is not revealed. The Greek word for “smitten” is plesso. It suggests that the actual shape or function of the sun, moon and stars were changed.

Jesus told the disciples that there would be signs in the sun, moon and stars immediately preceding His coming (Matthew 24:29-30). That occurs during the sixth Seal (Revelation 6:12-13) after probation closes. During that final event men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. This fourth Trumpet Plague is a warning of what is to come in greater fullness under the sixth Seal. It is partial – incomplete – only a third is affected. The divine message given here is to the remaining two thirds. They are being spared.

Supernatural heavenly events draw man’s attention upward to God. These events are beyond human power. Man is only a passive witness to something vast and “overwhelming.” The fourth Trumpet occurs several months before probation closes (as near as we can tell). Though destructive, to those permitted to live, they are God’s last warning to this wicked world. When the final celestial events occur under the sixth Seal (after probation closes), it will be too late and the world will cry for the rocks and mountains to fall on them (Revelation 6:15-16). What is that last heavenly event that brings terror to the unrepentant heart? 

•    Sun becomes black (Revelation 6:12)

•    Moon appears as blood (Revelation 6:12)

•    Stars fall (Revelation 6:13)

•    Heavens depart as a scroll (Revelation 6:14)

•    Then the grand finale – the face of Jesus is seen, and He is on the throne (6:16) (that is the final celestial manifestation).

	Rev. 8   (4th Trumpet)	Rev. 6     (6th Seal)	Matt. 24 (End-Time Signs)
Sun	1/3 darkened (1/3 day – no sun	Became black	Darkened
Moon	1/3 darkened (1/3 night like blood)	Became as blood	No light
Stars	1/3 darkened (1/3 of night fall)	Fell from heaven	Fell from heaven

Isn’t it interesting how God orchestrates the final events? First a warning, then a judgment. He always works that way. God is never a Being of sinister surprises. He makes His wishes so clear. He sets prophecy on the foundation of events and time so precisely that every person has a chance to rationally decide for or against Him. To those who say “Yes,” they will be restored to a character just like Jesus has!

Exactly what this Trumpet means is subject to a degree of conjecture. John does say “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 8:12b). This suggests that this Trumpet Plague is “darkness.” The function of the celestial bodies is changed. Does this happen every day for a period of time or just one day? Is it one third of the world that is darkened? Or is the light from those luminaries one third less? The answers are not clear. But – if we use the ancient Egyptian plagues as typological models, one third of the world will be selectively darkened.

In Egypt the plague of darkness was geographically selective. “And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings” (Exodus 10:22-23).

Elsewhere in Revelation God’s wrath is especially targeted against Babylon. One might conclude that this relates to the apostate Christian world. That is possible. But, the greater message is that this plague is a display of God’s anger and judgment against the human race to move the remaining undecided towards repentance.

In the Old Testament there were several occasions that describe darkness as part of God’s judgment against wickedness and rebellion:

“For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine” (Isaiah 13:10).

“And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day” (Amos 8:9).

“Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD [is] darkness, and not light…. Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?” (Amos 5:18:20).

There is one exceptional and exciting Old Testament message related to celestial bodies. God uses an interruption of “the fixed order of the moon and stars” and the changing of their “appointed times” to assure the remnant of His unconditional fulfillment of the covenant promises (Jeremiah 31:35-36; 33:20-21, 25-26)!

What does that mean to us today? When these events begin to occur, it will be a sign affirming that God’s plan to save all repentant sinners is just about to be completed. This is called “the theology of cosmic interruption!” The sign that requires man to “look up” will be one of the last events before our wonderful Jesus comes.

Can you see why knowing prophecy is so important? God’s wrath against sin is filled with mercy to the saints. For the world, that darkness not only oppressively occurs but symbolizes that their last rays of light and truth are about to flee forever. When it does, the condition described by Joel will have come:

“A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations” (Joel 2:2).

For God’s people, the spiritual call comes, sounding from the heavenly courts:

“The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light” (Romans 13:12).

I want to do that, and I hope every reader of these pages feels exactly that way too.

We have now completed our review of the first four Trumpets. These are special but “strange acts” of God to bring a final warning to this earth. These occur when the Loud Cry of the gospel message crescendos throughout the earth by God’s people. The great appointed time of earth’s last three and a half years is about to end.

From this point on the Trumpet imagery changes. Satan is given more liberty than ever before in his earthly history. The universe can now see what that mind, bent on evil, will do when given unbridled freedom. This is so bad that the Bible calls the next three Trumpets “woes.” Why are they woes? We’ll begin to find out in the next chapter.