Chapter 8

 Some people may find the Old Testament of the Bible to be hard to read, either because of the literary style or because it's not as obvious in it's teaching as the New Testament, therefore, study of it is more required to completely understand it.  However there is great significance to the Old Testament.  Repeatedly in the New Testament, authors quote the Old Testament, and things that the Old Testament prophets speak about in prophecy, come to pass in the New Testament.  Why is this revelant now, aren't we in Revelation?  Yes, we are!  But I just want to point out that the result of each of the four angels blowing their trumpets here in this chapter, are a reproduction of the plagues that happen in the book of Exodus to the Egyptians.

        The first trumpet sounded and hail and fire, mixed with blood was thrown from the heavenly altar on to the earth, destroying a third of the earth and also destroying all the trees and all the green grass. This devastation is a reproduction of the seventh plague on Egypt in Exodus 9:24~ There was hail and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very heavy hail, such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.

        The second trumpet sounded and "something like a mountain burning on fire, was thrown in to the sea" and a third of the sea became blood, killing a third of the sea life and destroying a third of the ships on the sea.  This catastophe is a reproduction of the first plague in Egypt found in Exodus 7:20-21~ Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded.  In the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants he lifted up the staff and struck the water in the Nile, and all the water in the Nile turned to blood. 

        The third trumpet sounded and a star blazing with fire, and fell upon a third of the rivers and springs of water.  The star had an unusual name: Wormwood.  Wormwood is the name of a plant with a bitter-tasting extract.  Because of this bitterness that the star gave to the waters, it made the water undrinkable, just like the water in Exodus 7:21~ And the fish in the Nile died, and the Nile stank, so that the Egyptians could not drink the water from the Nile.  There was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.

        The fourth trumpet sounded and a third of the sun, moon and stars became obscured, so that a third of the light, whether day or night was affected.  This resembles the ninth plague in Exodus, when there was darkness on Egypt.  Exodus 10:21-23~ Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt."  So Moses stretched otu his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.  They did not see one another, nor did anyone reise from his place for three days, but all the people of Israel had light where they lived.

        I hope you find this as fascinating as I do.  The more you study Scripture (and have a good teacher of the Bible) the more you see umpteen parallels between the Old Testament, the New Testament and how stories of the Bible relate and point to Jesus.  This chapter ends with a talking eagle that says, "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!" Do you know what the word "woe" means?  Until today, I thought it mean't "be aware"...but I was wrong!  It means suffering or agony.  The eagle doesn't only say "woe" once to warn the people on earth that the stronger suffering and agony is yet to come- but he says it 3 times!  That should signify the severity of the coming wrath!  

        We have been given a revelation of the things to come at the end of this age.  Don't just read this and say, wow that's a neat dream!  But rather use it as a warning- love Jesus and repent of your sins, so that in the end times, we can have complete confidence and fully trust the will of our Father.

On Revelation Chapter 8

• Leanne
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