What’s the Meaning of the First Trumpet of Revelation?
Bible Study Guide
As we begin to explore the meaning of the first trumpet of Revelation the phrase “hell on earth” is about to meet its reality. We are coming upon the mid way point of the seven year tribulation.
The Tribulation is the name of the seven year period that begins after the rapture. It’s the period that has been foretold since ancient times of God’s wrath upon His creation. Those who’ve rejected His Son, Jesus Christ and His offer of salvation. Salvation that will reunite God’s people with Him.
The Great Tribulation is known as the second half of the Tribulation period. Also known as the second three and half year period of the Tribulation. If you think things aren’t bad enough from the first half, wait until the second half rolls around.
Christ gave us a glimpse of what it would be like in the Great Tribulation in His Olivet Discourse.
“For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.” (Matthew 24:21-22)
Unimaginable Devastation and Pain
In the approach to the Great Tribulation, the earth has experienced unimaginable human and ecological devastation. War is raging among nations and families because of the lack of love and betrayal of one another.
Crime and drug use has exploded. Store shelves are empty and economic collapse has taken over every city and town. Famine is setting in and beginning to drive people mad. The death of 2 billion people has left the smell of blood in the air which is driving animals out of the wilderness to prey on people.
The man the Bible calls the antichrist has been revealed to the world as the one with the answer to all the worlds problems. He’s going to convince his followers that he has the answers to the suffering and he asks that they trust in him.
He’s going to devote the first half of the Tribulation to fixing things. In the process, he’ll raise himself up as a political leader and eventually as a world leader with his own ruling kingdom of ten nations. But three will break away. Likely due to the fact that they won’t agree with his ambitions for the world. (Daniel 7)
His true goals are much greater than being a world leader of a ruling nation. It’ll be in the Great Tribulation when he’ll reveal himself and his true ambitions. But we’ll get into that a bit later. (Daniel 11)
The conventional wars that have been ravaging the planet since the beginning of the Tribulation will likely be escalated into a nuclear conflict as we approach the half way point. It may require the use of nuclear weapons as a solution to the antichrist gaining the global power he needs to accomplish his ultimate desire. Let’s take a closer look.
The Sounding of the First Trumpet
(Verses 6-7) The seven angels are equipped with their seven trumpets. They’re prepared to unleash the second set of judgments upon the earth’s inhabitants.
The first angel sounds his trumpet which unleashes a storm of hail, fire and blood.
Hail has often been used in dispensing God’s judgment upon the earth. Today, in our own time
we see record breaking weather events delivering staggering amounts of hail. Could this be just a foreshadowing of the Tribulation events to come?
One of the biggest concerns for scientists today is not necessarily the number of hailstorm events, but rather the size of the hailstones. These weather events keep delivering larger and larger hailstones. Could this also be a foreshadowing of the hailstorms of Revelation? We can see for certain that it is, as we explore this Revelation passage.
“From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.” (Revelation 16:21)
So yes, today’s scientist are onto something when it comes to the growing size of hailstones. If they would only recognize the God of creation and why this is happening, they would come to understand where all of this is truly headed.
We also see fire again used as a tool of judgment upon a sinful mankind.
What’s the Reason for the Blood?
John records that he sees blood mixed with hail and fire that is raining down on earth. What’s the reason for this blood? Why has it become a part of the trumpet judgments? It’s not entirely clear why. But we can look back to try and find some answers.
Blood has played a significant role in the lives of the ancient Israelites. Leviticus reveals to us that God explained to the Israel the purpose of blood.
“‘I will set my face against any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them who eats blood, and I will cut them off from the people. 11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life. 12 Therefore I say to the Israelites, “None of you may eat blood, nor may any foreigner residing among you eat blood.” (Leviticus 17:10-12)
We see that blood is the life within a living creature. The Israelites were taught early that eating blood was strictly forbidden. Also, the blood of a sacrificed animal was used as an atonement to cover up the sins of God’s people.
But there’s more.
The Blood of the Innocence
If we go back even further to Cain and Abel, we see the effect that spilled blood of an innocent man has on God.
The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.” (Genesis 4:10)
But it’s not until we move forward to Jesus’ ministry where we see the Lord rebuke the religious leaders. He delivers an ominous warning for the spilling of innocent blood upon the earth.
“Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.” (Luke 11:50-51)
Could the blood be a symbol of the innocent blood that has fallen on the earth over the ages, or is there something more grim behind the blood in this judgment.
The Seventh Seal and Ecological Calamity
More grave than what John sees coming from the sky is the impact it’s leaving on the surface of the planet. The first trumpet of Revelation will bring a record breaking ecological apocalypse the likes of which this planet has never before seen.
A third of all vegetation on the earth will be destroyed. This is going to cause catastrophic ecological imbalances across the planet. It’ll impact necessary food for both humanity and animals. It’ll be devastating to those who live in affected parts of the world.
Are the record shattering and never seen before weather anomalies that we see today across the globe a foreshadowing of the record breaking and never seen before ecological ruin of the Tribulation?
Is John witnessing the transition of mankind in the Tribulation from conventional warfare to nuclear warfare?
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