The Sounding of the First Angel's Trumpet Revelation 8:7

As John the apostle continued to share about the “tribulation” that was to come upon the earth, he shared concerning the first six seals Jesus removed from the “scroll” in God's right hand. He continued to write about what happened when Jesus, “had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.” In chapter eight and verse seven John saw what happened when “the first angel sounded” where we read:

The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

The verse reads, “The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth:” John began with the words, “the first angel” which means “the first of the messengers, envoys and ones sent who stood before God's throne” “sounded” or “blasted his trumpet”, “and there followed” which means “there became, happened and appeared” “hail” or “ice or frozen water” “and fire” which refers to “a fiery lightning” “mingled” or “mixed” “with blood” which means “alongside bloodshed by violence, slaying or murder”, “and they were cast” or “thrown, scattered and poured out” “upon the earth” which means “on the arable lands, countries, territories and regions” . John saw “hail and fire mixed with bloodshed” thrown down to the “earth” when the “first angel” blew his trumpet.

The verse continues, “and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.” John added the words, “and the third part” which means “one third” “of trees” which means “of the trees upon the earth” “was burnt up” or “were consumed wholly by fire”, “and all” which means “and each, every, the whole and everyone of the” “green grass” or “the green or yellowish pale herbage, hay and growing crops” “was burnt up” which means “were consumed wholly by fire”. John saw the “trees” and all “green growing herbage” destroyed by fire as a result of the “hail and fire mixed with bloodshed” being thrown “upon the earth”.

When we consider John's words in this verse, we see the effect of the “first angel” blowing his trumpet. “Hail mixed with fire and blood” will be thrown upon the earth, and as a result one third of the “trees” and “growing herbage” shall be burnt up. Environmental destruction is destined for the “earth”, and no one shall be able to stop it once God unleashes His anger and wrath. God desires to “save” people from this destruction through a relationship with His Son Jesus, however, if someone resists Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, that person should be prepared because a “third” of all the “trees” and “growing herbage” are destined to be destroyed around them.

Next time John shares what happened when “the second angel sounded”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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