THE THIRD TRUMPET
"The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters. The name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter." (Rev. 8:10–11)
As the third angel sounded his trumpet, another flaming object hurtled toward the earth. John described it as a great star that fell from heaven. The Greek word here for “star” can refer to any celestial body other than the sun and moon. The massive object that smashed into the ocean remained intact, but this object disintegrated as it reached Earth’s atmosphere. The fact that it is described as burning like a torch supports that it is likely a meteor or comet, since torches were used in ancient times to describe meteors and comets. Its fiery debris fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters, polluting the fresh water around the globe.
Because of its deadly effects, the star will be called Wormwood. Wormwood is mentioned only here in the New Testament. It is a shrub whose leaves are used in the manufacture of absinthe, a liqueur so toxic that its manufacture is banned in many countries. Wormwood is mentioned eight times in the Old Testament, where it is associated with bitterness, poison, and death (Deuteronomy 29:18; Proverbs 5:4; Jeremiah 9:15; 23:15; Lamentations 3:15, 19; Amos 5:7; 6:12). In three of those uses, wormwood is connected with poisoned water. Whatever the poison represented by the name Wormwood is, it destroys a third of the fresh waters. The repeated pattern of one-third destruction demonstrates that these are not natural events, but divine judgments.
With the third trumpet judgment, John records that many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter. The rivers will run with deadly poison. The wells will become springs of death. The lakes and reservoirs will be filled with toxic waters. Yet, the worst is yet to come.
THE FOURTH TRUMPET
"The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way. Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!” (Rev. 8:12–13)
As the fourth angel sounded, the focus of divine judgment shifted from the earth to the heavens. The heavenly bodies are hit with a plague from God so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way. This partial eclipse is temporary, as God will later increase the amount of heat coming from the sun (16:8–9). At this point, the loss of heat from the sun will cause temperatures to plunge drastically all over the world. That will severely disrupt the earth’s weather patterns and the seas’ tides, leading to violent, unpredictable storms and tides, the destruction of crops, and further loss of animal and human lives.
The Old Testament prophets associated such signs in the heavens with the day of the Lord. Speaking through the prophet Ezekiel, God declared, “I will cover the heavens and darken their stars; I will cover the sun with a cloud and the moon will not give its light. All the shining lights in the heavens I will darken over you and will set darkness on your land” (Ezekiel 32:7–8). Isaiah, Joel, and Amos also wrote of the sun going dark (Isaiah 13:9–10; Joel 2:10, 31; 3:15; Amos 8:9). The Lord Jesus Christ added His own prediction, warning that “there will be signs in sun and moon and stars” (Luke 21:25; cf. Mark 13:24).
The dimming of the celestial lights sets the stage for a startling and ominous announcement. As John looked, he heard “an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, ‘Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!’ ” The imagery is that of a strong bird of prey rushing to consume its victim. In this case, it refers to the rapid approach of God’s final vengeance. Depicted in the vision as flying in midheaven, the bird would be at the height of the midday sun, visible to all. His loud voice assures that everyone will be able to hear his pronouncements. The eagle’s dire warning is that the last three trumpet judgments will be even more devastating than the first four.
While double woes are used for emphasis (cf. Rev. 18:10, 16, 19; Ezekiel 16:23), the eagle’s triple pronouncement of “woe, woe, woe” introduces one threat for each of the remaining three trumpets about to sound (9:1–21; 11:15ff.). Woe is used throughout Scripture as an expression of judgment, destruction, and condemnation. God’s wrath and judgment will come upon “those who dwell on the earth,” a descriptive phrase used in Revelation for those who reject the gospel (6:10; 11:10; 13:8, 12, 14; 17:2, 8). Although they will acknowledge that the disasters have come from God (6:15–17), they will not repent. They will be destroyed because they fail to listen to the warning God addresses to all sinners (cf. Hebrews 3:7–8).
