John’s vision of heaven continues. We now witness what happens when judgment is unleashed on disunity from God:
“Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them. The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up” (Rev 8:6-7).
It is unexpected that God’s judgment would first burn up a third of the natural resources that are needed to sustain life. But this is just the beginning of the “first woe”:
“The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed” (Rev 8:8-9).
Surely, the destruction of things in thirds rather than all at once has to do with God-provided opportunity for repentance before it is too late?
“The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the water, because it had been made bitter” (Rev 8:10-11).
More horror contaminating a part of the earth but not yet all of it; again the chance for survivors to repent?
“The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night” (Rev 8:12).
This reflects another of the steps in the Cycle of Perfect Unity’s bad fork in the road: warning. If you think all this would be horrible in the daylight, imagine how it would feel in something that seems to be heading toward a darkness deeper than night! And imagine the screech of an eagle in this impenetrable darkness:
“Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead, ‘Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow’” (Rev 8:13).
Yet there are three angels and three trumpets left. What could be worse than the disasters erupted from the first four?
Those who do not dwell on the earth, souls of those killed in the great tribulation, plus those who have taken the good fork in the road to perfect unity with God and Christ, need have no fear. Ultimately we will be lifted up together in perfect unity with each other and will watch from the sky.
Hurry back for Part 2!