The First Six Trumpets
Why doesn't suffering always convince people to change their destructive ways?
Revelation 8:6-9:21
Read the whole passage before anything else. Everything below exists to help you understand what you just read.
6The seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
7The first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. One third of the earth was burned up, and one third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
8The second angel sounded, and something like a great burning mountain was thrown into the sea. One third of the sea became blood,
9and one third of the living creatures which were in the sea died. One third of the ships were destroyed.
10The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from the sky, burning like a torch, and it fell on one third of the rivers, and on the springs of water.
11The name of the star is “Wormwood.” One third of the waters became wormwood. Many people died from the waters, because they were made bitter.
12The fourth angel sounded, and one third of the sun was struck, and one third of the moon, and one third of the stars, so that one third of them would be darkened; and the day wouldn’t shine for one third of it, and the night in the same way.
13I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the other blasts of the trumpets of the three angels, who are yet to sound!”
1The fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from the sky which had fallen to the earth. The key to the pit of the abyss was given to him.
2He opened the pit of the abyss, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke from a burning furnace. The sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke from the pit.
3Then out of the smoke came locusts on the earth, and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4They were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those people who don’t have God’s seal on their foreheads.
5They were given power, not to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a person.
6In those days people will seek death, and will in no way find it. They will desire to die, and death will flee from them.
7The shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for war. On their heads were something like golden crowns, and their faces were like people’s faces.
8They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like those of lions.
9They had breastplates like breastplates of iron. The sound of their wings was like the sound of many chariots and horses rushing to war.
10They have tails like those of scorpions, with stingers. In their tails they have power to harm men for five months.
11They have over them as king the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is “Abaddon”, but in Greek, he has the name “Apollyon”.
12The first woe is past. Behold, there are still two woes coming after this.
13The sixth angel sounded. I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Free the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates!”
15The four angels were freed who had been prepared for that hour and day and month and year, so that they might kill one third of mankind.
16The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million. I heard the number of them.
17Thus I saw the horses in the vision and those who sat on them, having breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the horses’ heads resembled lions’ heads. Out of their mouths proceed fire, smoke, and sulfur.
18By these three plagues, one third of mankind was killed: by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur, which proceeded out of their mouths.
19For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails. For their tails are like serpents, and have heads; and with them they harm.
20The rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, didn’t repent of the works of their hands, that they wouldn’t worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood, which can’t see, hear, or walk.
21They didn’t repent of their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immorality, or their thefts.
What just happened?
Imagine standing on a high point in the ancient city of Ephesus, looking out over the Aegean Sea. It’s late in the first century. The air is thick with the smell of salt and commerce, but also with the lingering scent of incense from temples dedicated to Artemis, the Roman emperors, and countless other gods. For a Jewish follower of Jesus named John, exiled on the island of Patmos just across the water, the world was in upheaval. The Roman Empire, a seemingly invincible force, demanded worship, and those who refused faced persecution, even death. This wasn't a world of clear-cut good and evil, but a messy, often brutal reality where power seemed to reside with those who rejected God.
John's visions, recorded in Revelation, are a direct response to this environment. They're not a news report about future events, but a powerful, symbolic message for people living under oppressive regimes then and now. The 'trumpets' in this passage echo ancient war signals, or perhaps the shofar blasts from Old Testament stories like Jericho, signaling a divine intervention, a turning point. But these are not just abstract ideas; they are deeply rooted in the experiences of suffering people. For those facing death for their faith, these visions offered a framework to understand their suffering, to see it not as chaos, but as part of a larger, divinely orchestrated narrative.
The imagery of these trumpets—hail and fire, a burning mountain in the sea, a star poisoning rivers—draws heavily from Old Testament plagues and prophetic literature, particularly the Exodus story. These were familiar, resonant symbols for John's audience. They understood that God had, in the past, used cataclysmic events to judge and to deliver. The suffering described isn't random; it's presented as a series of partial judgments, affecting "one third" of the earth, sea, and sky. This isn't the final, utter destruction, but a severe warning, a series of wake-up calls meant to jolt humanity into recognizing the consequences of their choices and turning back towards God.
Nature's Warning
The first four trumpets are a series of environmental catastrophes, each impacting "one third" of a different aspect of the natural world. First, hail and fire, mixed with blood, destroy a third of the earth, trees, and grass. This isn't just a natural disaster; the "blood" suggests violence, a defilement that goes beyond mere weather.
Then, a 'great burning mountain' plunges into the sea, turning a third of it to blood, killing marine life, and wrecking ships. Next, a star named 'Wormwood' falls, poisoning a third of the fresh water sources, leading to many deaths. The name 'Wormwood' itself evokes a bitter, toxic taste, a consequence of turning away from life-giving waters. Finally, a third of the sun, moon, and stars are struck, diminishing their light. These events are not just about destruction; they are about a cosmic unravelling, a world out of balance, a reflection of humanity's disorder being mirrored in the very fabric of creation.
A Triple Woe
Amidst the escalating disasters, an eagle, flying high in the sky, cries out a stark warning: "Woe! Woe! Woe!" This isn't a casual lament; it's a profound declaration of impending suffering. The eagle's cry connects the preceding judgments, severe as they were, to something even more terrifying yet to come. The first four trumpets were warnings impacting the natural world, but these three 'woes' will directly target humanity, intensifying the suffering and bringing it closer to home. The eagle serves as a cosmic messenger, amplifying the gravity of what is about to unfold, ensuring no one misses the point: more intense judgment is coming for 'those who dwell on the earth,' a phrase often used in Revelation to describe those who are hostile to God.
The Scorching Swarm
The fifth trumpet unleashes the first woe. A star falls, and is given the key to 'the pit of the abyss' – a bottomless chasm, often associated with hell or the underworld. From this pit emerges smoke so dense it darkens the sun and air, and from the smoke come locusts, but these are no ordinary insects. They are a terrifying hybrid: armored like war horses, with human faces, women's hair, lions' teeth, and scorpion tails. Their king is named 'Abaddon' (Hebrew) or 'Apollyon' (Greek), both meaning 'Destruction.'
Their mission isn't to kill, but to torment for five months, striking only those without "God's seal" on their foreheads. The torment is so excruciating that people long for death but cannot find it. This graphic imagery speaks to an overwhelming psychological and physical anguish, a suffering designed to be inescapable. It's a vivid picture of the consequences of rejecting God's protective mark, experiencing a hellish existence even before physical death.
Unrepentant Hearts
The sixth trumpet sounds, unleashing the second woe. From the golden altar in heaven, a voice commands the release of four bound angels at the Euphrates River. These angels, prepared for a specific moment in time, lead an army of two hundred million horsemen, described with fantastical, frightening detail: breastplates of fire, blue, and sulfur, lion-like heads, and mouths that spew fire, smoke, and sulfur. This army kills a third of humanity. The imagery here is designed to shock and awe, representing a devastating, divinely sanctioned destructive force.
However, the most chilling part of this passage comes next: after such immense suffering and loss, "the rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, didn't repent." They stubbornly cling to their idolatry – worshiping statues of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood – and their sinful behaviors: murder, sorcery (which can also imply drug use or occult practices), sexual immorality, and theft. Despite overwhelming evidence of divine judgment, their hearts remain hardened, unwilling to turn away from their destructive paths. This is the central, unsettling question: Why doesn't suffering always convince people to change?
What are we supposed to see?
In these trumpet judgments, God is portrayed not as a distant, uncaring deity, but as an active participant in human history, allowing a series of escalating consequences for humanity's destructive choices. He is shown as a God who issues warnings, providing opportunity for repentance, even amidst severe judgment. The partial nature of the early judgments—"one third"—suggests a measured, rather than immediate, finality. This implies a divine patience, a reluctance to completely wipe out humanity, instead offering a chance to reconsider their ways before ultimate destruction. Even the release of demonic forces, like the locusts, is under divine control, with specific limits on who they can harm and for how long.
Yet, these passages also reveal a God who allows severe suffering when warnings are ignored. The graphic descriptions of environmental collapse and human torment underscore the gravity of human sin and idolatry. The narrative emphasizes the direct link between human rebellion and the resulting chaos and pain. The fact that, even after such profound suffering, many still refuse to repent, highlights a core aspect of human free will and stubbornness, even in the face of unmistakable divine intervention. This portrayal isn't about arbitrary cruelty, but about the painful consequences of humanity's sustained rejection of their Creator.
- 1WHAT HE VALUES
God values repentance and turning away from destructive paths, even allowing prolonged suffering as a severe call to change.
- 2WHAT HE VALUES
God values loyalty, marking those who belong to him for protection, even amidst widespread judgment.
- 3WHAT HE CONFRONTS
God confronts idolatry, murder, sorcery, sexual immorality, and theft as fundamentally destructive to humanity and offensive to his nature.
Where this sits in the whole Bible
Revelation 9:20-21 → Romans 1:21-32
Both passages describe humanity's unrepentant idolatry and its resulting destructive behaviors, highlighting a consistent theme of spiritual blindness leading to moral decay.
Revelation 8:7-12 → Exodus 7-12
The trumpet judgments, particularly the environmental devastation, strongly echo the plagues in Egypt, serving as a powerful reminder of God's historic use of natural phenomena to judge and to call people to account.
Revelation 9:4 → Ezekiel 9:4-6
Both passages describe a divine mark of protection placed on God's faithful people, sparing them from judgment that falls on the unrepentant within the community.
The most unsettling part of these judgments isn't the scope of the destruction, but humanity's persistent refusal to change even after experiencing such profound suffering.
Don't rush past this
The hardest thing in this passage is the raw, unflinching portrayal of human stubbornness. After plagues that decimate the earth, poison waters, and bring horrifying torment and mass death, the survivors still refuse to repent. This isn't just about God's judgment; it's about the deep-seated human capacity to cling to destructive patterns, to idols, and to sin, even when the consequences are laid bare in the most horrific ways imaginable. It forces us to confront the reality that suffering alone does not guarantee a change of heart, and that free will, even when exercised destructively, is deeply respected.
It's also profoundly uncomfortable to grapple with the graphic descriptions of suffering, especially the specific torment by the locusts where people 'will seek death, and will in no way find it.' This imagery pushes the boundaries of human endurance, depicting a hellish state on earth. It challenges any simplistic view of divine intervention as purely redemptive or gently corrective, instead presenting a God who, when ignored, allows profoundly painful consequences that serve as a final, desperate attempt to awaken those who have hardened their hearts.
Turn it inward
Three questions from this passage. Answer them or just sit with them — nothing here is required to finish the lesson.
God, this passage is hard to read. It makes me uncomfortable to see how stubbornly people, and even I, can cling to things that aren't good. Help me to honestly examine my own heart. Show me any 'idols' or destructive patterns I'm holding onto, and give me the courage to let them go. May I always be quick to listen to your warnings and turn towards your life-giving ways.
This week, take a moment to honestly consider one area in your life where you might be clinging to a destructive habit or 'idol'—something you prioritize over genuine good, even when it causes you or others pain. Instead of waiting for a crisis, choose to actively take a step, however small, towards letting go of that thing and redirecting your energy towards something life-giving.
History, language, objections and sources. None of it is needed to understand the passage.
Why would a loving God inflict such horrific suffering, including literal torment and mass death, on humanity?
This is a fundamental question when reading Revelation. The text presents these events not as arbitrary cruelty, but as consequences of humanity's sustained rebellion and idolatry. From the perspective of the text, these are judgments, divine interventions to confront profound injustice and spiritual corruption. The 'one third' aspect of many judgments suggests a measured approach, leaving room for repentance, but the later, more severe plagues come after these warnings have been ignored. The passage implies that unchecked evil and idolatry lead to self-destructive outcomes, and these judgments are a form of divine allowing or direct intervention to break patterns that ultimately lead to greater destruction. Different theological traditions interpret the exact nature of God's role, but the text consistently links the suffering to human sin and a call for repentance.
Are these trumpet judgments literal future events, or symbolic descriptions of spiritual realities or historical periods?
This is one of the most debated aspects of Revelation. Some read these as precise predictions of future cataclysms, like literal meteor strikes or massive wars, often aligning them with modern headlines. Others see them as highly symbolic representations of spiritual warfare, the consequences of human evil throughout history, or recurring patterns of judgment in various eras. The highly stylized, fantastical imagery—like horsemen with lion heads breathing fire or locusts with human faces—suggests a symbolic rather than strictly literal interpretation for many. The 'apocalyptic' genre itself often uses vivid, non-literal imagery to convey profound truths about God's sovereignty, human responsibility, and the struggle between good and evil, rather than to provide a detailed chronological blueprint of the future. There is no scholarly consensus on whether these events are literal or symbolic, or when they might occur.
If God is all-powerful, why doesn't he just force people to repent and avoid all this suffering?
The Bible consistently presents God as honoring human free will. While God is sovereign and powerful, he does not typically override human choice. These judgments, as depicted in Revelation, are presented as a last resort, a series of increasingly severe wake-up calls, precisely because humanity refuses to repent willingly. Forcing repentance would arguably negate genuine love, faith, and moral responsibility, reducing humanity to automatons. The narrative suggests that true repentance and devotion must be freely given, even if the refusal to do so leads to profound suffering. This is a tension explored throughout scripture: God's desire for relationship, and his respect for the freedom of his creation to choose or reject that relationship, and face the consequences.
The Significance of 'One Third'
The repeated phrase 'one third' throughout these judgments is not arbitrary. In Hebrew prophetic literature, especially in books like Ezekiel and Zechariah, dividing by a third often symbolizes a partial judgment rather than a complete annihilation. For example, in Ezekiel 5:12, a third of the population dies by plague, a third by sword, and a third are scattered. This numeric symbolism suggests that these trumpet judgments are severe, impacting a significant portion, but they are not yet the absolute, final judgment. They serve as intense warnings, a call for a portion of humanity to repent, rather than a total end. This measured devastation highlights God's patience and desire for repentance, even amidst severe chastisement.
Furthermore, the imagery of these trumpets draws heavily from ancient Near Eastern and biblical catastrophe narratives. The 'hail and fire mixed with blood' echoes the plagues in Egypt (Exodus 9), and the 'burning mountain thrown into the sea' might evoke volcanic eruptions common in the Mediterranean, but is also reminiscent of divine judgments against nations (e.g., Jeremiah 51:25 against Babylon). The 'star Wormwood' recalls Old Testament passages where God makes waters bitter as a sign of judgment (Exodus 15:23). These are not simply literal predictions of future events, but rather powerful, culturally resonant symbols that would have immediately conveyed concepts of divine wrath and impending doom to John's original audience.