Verses 7

Sometimes, in studying the Book of Revelation, it is not abundantly clear as to when we should understand the things presented as literal, and when they should be interpreted as symbolic. We must rely on the overall context applied to the passage(s) we are reading. In this book, the literal and symbolic are often weaved together. Most of the time, a careful reading of the text will reveal the sense in which something is used.

For example, we know from chapter 7 that four angels are assigned power to bring harm to the earth itself. It cannot possibly be construed that the harm they are to bring is anything other than literal harm. So the things related to the execution of that power need, by in large, to be viewed in a literal sense.

There are passages of Scripture which are clearly meant to be understood as literal, yet within those passages there are certain things, which through the use of symbolic imagery; leave a more graphic and impressionable image upon the mind of those who read, or hear to book read.

A common rule of thumb is that when we read the Scriptures, we should do so as if we were reading a newspaper. If something we read strikes us as literal in the reading, then it's fairly safe to assume that it is intended to be understood that way (a third of the trees burned up). If it is obvious that something is out of range of a literal interpretation (a beastly animal, with seven heads and ten horns, ruling the world); then it is safe to say that it should be interpreted as symbolic.

There are however, some instances in which it is not so obvious as to whether we should consider something as literal or as symbolic; but the general rule above holds true in most cases.

In some passages, it is also clear from the context, that the entities involved should be viewed as symbolic (i.e. one third of the stars of heaven cast to the earth - 12:4). In this example, it is obvious that there is not enough space for one third of the literal stars of heaven to fall upon the earth. Even if that were possible, the earth would be burned up by such an occurance. The sun, the star around which our solar system revolves, is relatively small when compared to many stars of the Universe, yet the earth, on which we live, is dwarfed in size when compared to it.

The earth and the things therein (the trees, grass, sea, waters etc.), which are subject to the judgments unleashed by the first three angels of chapter 8, should be understood as literal. However, it seems perfectly permissable that certain things related to the execution of those judgments (i.e. "...the third of the sea became blood.") can be understood as symbolic terminology.

When we get to the fifth trumpet (chapter 9), a fallen star is given a key with which it opens the bottomless pit. That star is given personal characteristics, and therefore can be understood as a symbolic representation of a literal truth: just like the seven stars of chapter 1:20, which we are told, represent the seven angels of the seven churches. In chapter 9, we also find something which normally appears as literal (a fallen star), symbolically representing another entity which is indeed literal (an angel). He appears to be the same angel which is further identified in {9:11}

"...third part of the trees was burnt up..."

At this point, the sealing of the 144,000 of Israel in chapter 7 has been completed and the first of the seven angels, is ready to sound the trumpet given to him, causing the initial "winds of judgment", to be released against the earth and its inhabitants.

There are really two ways to look at the scope of these judgments. Firstly, they can be understood to be applied on a regional scale: all three of the first judgments are aimed at a particular section of the earth. Secondly, they may be applied on a global scale since the tribulation period will be a global event. We also observe here that the judgments, unleashed by the first three trumpets, are meted out in increments of one-third. So the judgments dispensed at this level would constitute the full measure of God's wrath in this series: 1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3 = 3/3. It may also be noted here, that the 144,000 of Israel are sealed from harm in connection with these judgments; so the third part of the earth upon which they are released, may be in the region of the middle east.

With the sounding of the first trumpet, we have judgment administered using two components, which are usually regarded as opposites: hail mingled with fire (ice and fire together). Trumpets two and three employ single components in their judgments (a burning mountain, and a great burning star).

What is suggested here, is that two of the four angels, of chapter 7, standing upon the four corners of the earth, are each controlling one of the component of the first judgment. One is empowered to dispense fire upon the earth whereby a third of the trees and all green grass are burned up. The other unleashes a great bombardment of hail upon the inhabitants of the earth.

We also cannot overlook the enormous potential for damage which hugh amounts of hail may bring. Naturally occuring storms are sometimes accompanied by concentrations of very large hailstones which often destroy whatever they hit.

In this, we can see that with the sounding of the first trumpet, two of the four angel standing on the four corners, release winds which bring down and direct the impact of these components so that they affect only a third part of the trees of the earth. By this, it becomes more understandable as to how three trumpets can be used as a signal to unleash the steering forces (winds) held by four angels of chapter 7. Two of the four participate in the sounding of the first trumpet; with the other two acting independently of each other with the sounding of the next two trumpets.

The hail and fire mixture is reminiscent of the divine judgment poured out in Egypt, in the days when Moses went before Pharoah, {Ex. 9:23-26}. The mingling of blood with these two elements speaks of presence of the shed blood of the martyrs which is crying out for judgment against their killers.

This may possibly be fulfilled by a relatively small comet penetrating the earth's atmosphere, and through disintegration, spraying a third of the earth with ice (hail) and molten (fiery) rock particles igniting forest fires in multiple locations. It appears that it is the literal winds of the earth, controlled by these two angels, which determine where on earth these destructive events will occur.

While we tend to think of comets as large bodies in far away regions, there are many undetected comets which, while smaller in size, have the potential to bring catastrophic consequences to the earth should there be an impact. Comets are thought to have a core of rock and ice and are known for their tails of ice crystals.

Dr. Sten Odenwald has this to say about the potential danger of comets:

"Comets are weird and unpredictable. Of course we know the orbits of the known comets discovered every year, but the problem is that every year, a dozen new comets enter the inner solar system, thanks to events that occur way out in the Kuiper Belt beyond the orbit of Jupiter and Saturn. We cannot see bodies way out there that are smaller than a few hundred kilometers, which means that most of the bodies that can damage the Earth are not detectable until they are a few months out from the inner solar system. It can takes weeks to get a good orbit determination. In the next 50 years, the KNOWN comets will be our friends. It is the unknown ones discovered by AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS the world over that are the most frightening..."

Whether we are dealing with asteroids, comets or some unknown entities in these judgments of earth, it's clear that each judgment is a literal exercise aimed at the wicked of the earth. By these things, the wicked are given cause to repent, but they will only harden their hearts all the more against God, just as Pharoah did, bringing even greater disaster upon themselves.