The Meaning of Natural Disasters - Revelation 8:6-7

So, incorporated into the opening of the Sixth Seal, our Lord now ordains the Six Trumpets. “Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them. The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came . . ..” (Revelation 8:6–7a, NIV).

Prior to a warning about the Fifth to Seventh Trumpets, four Trumpets sound bring partial devastation to the earth.

⁷ . . . A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. ⁸ . . .  A third of the sea turned into blood, ⁹ a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. ¹⁰.  .  . A Third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter. ¹²  . . .  and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night."

 

Some understand these Trumpets as following chronologically after the Sixth Seal. But this in unlikely. Note for instance that in the Sixth Seal there is a destruction of the sun, moon and stars. “I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.” (Revelation 6:12–14, NIV)

 

It would seem out of place that now in Chapter 8, verse 12 that these elements lost a third of their capacity AFTER being destroyed.  It is probably wiser to read these Trumpets as a recapitulation of the beginning of the endtimes, not just the end of the endtimes.  A further reading will show us that  the seventh trumpet is parallel with the sixth and seventh seals.

All of these occurrences are answers to the prayers of the saints in Chapter 6:9-11.  The intitial affects of the Seals was to ordain suffering and persecution on earth, whereas the Trumpets are God's response of judgment on the unbelievers seeking to bring them to repentance. "The trumpets are clearly patterned after the exodus plagues . . . This OT background highlights the trumpets as an answer to the prayer for vindication of 6:9–11, as evident from the introduction to the plagues in Exod. 3:7–9: “I [Yahweh] have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings. So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians … the cry of the sons of Israel has come to me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them.” [1]

"The first four trumpet plagues strike the four major regions of creation: land, sea, fresh water, and sky. The first four bowls affect the same four regions (16:1–9). Within the period of the early church, these visions were fulfilled both through natural calamities and through analogous spiritual calamities afflicting the souls of the wicked. In such apocalyptic imagery, the one type of calamity can represent the other. The general principles can be applied more broadly. Both human beings and the natural world undergo stress until the time of final renewal (Rom. 8:18–25)." [2]

These earthly and climatic plagues are intended to warn unbelievers and bring them to repentance.  But like the plagues of Egypt, if they fail to repent, their hearts become hardened. These plagues are actually the kindness of God. "The damage done with the trumpets is limited to “a third”: God restrains his wrath, while giving foretastes of total devastation to come if rebels ignore his warnings." [3]

Father, today we live where natural disasters are evident in the news every day.  I pray that those who have not surrendered to You as Savior and Lord will repent and call upon You and be saved.  Open their eyes to the serious warnings from Your Word.  Rip them from the security of this earth and turn their hearts to the Savior.  Lord that those in my family who have not trusted You, I pray that they will look to Christ and be saved.  

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1.  Beale, G. K. (1999). The book of Revelation: A commentary on the Greek text. New International Greek Testament Commentary (464). Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, Cumbria: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press. 

2. Whitlock, L. G., Sproul, R. C., Waltke, B. K., & Silva, M. (1995). The Reformation study Bible: Bringing the light of the Reformation to Scripture: New King James Version (Re 8:7–12). Nashville: T. Nelson.

3.  Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (2475). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles