Revelation 8

1. What does the 1st trumpet represent?
2. What does the 2nd trumpet represent?
3. What does the 3rd trumpet represent?
4. What does the 4th trumpet represent?

Futurist-Prophecy yet to be fulfilled
1. Most view the hail, fire & blood as literal, perhaps resulting from nuclear war. Others view this symbolically as judgment of the future restored Roman Empire.
2. The great mountain, perhaps, will be an asteroid/meteor or an H-bomb. Those viewing it less-literally see an antichrist led coalition destroying non-adherents.
3. Literalists picture an actual cosmic event here. Others see this as a thermo-nuclear exchange. Still others view the star as a fallen leader (perhaps the Pope) whose demise destroys a third of his followers.
4. A 33% reduction in light caused by air pollution after the nuclear exchange. Non-literalists see this as the darkening of spiritual perception at the end of time.

Historicist-Prophecy fulfilled throughout the church age
1. Goths and Vandals attacked the Western Roman Empire in the early 400’s. God sent these attackers in judgment. Both land and leaders were destroyed.
2. The great mountain represents the Vandals from 428-468 under Genseric (the ‘Tyrant of the Sea) eliminating Roman control of charted waters.
3. The great star was the sudden appearance of Attila & the Huns. Some, however, view this as heresy in the 5th century church.
4. This was the end of the day for the Western Roman Empire (476)

Preterist-Prophecy fulfilled in distant past
1. Egypt had been destroyed by plague prior to the birth of the Hebrew Nation, now Jerusalem would be destroyed prior to the birth of the Kingdom of God.
2. Israel had been God’s holy mountain (Exodus 15:17), but now it was burning at the hands of the Romans (and ultimately, at the hands of an angry God). The destruction of Jerusalem sent surviving Jews into the sea (the gentile world).
3. Israel had been blessed with sweet water (Exodus 15:22-27), but had since broken the conditions necessary for blessing. Further, they would now taste the bitter judgment that Egypt had faced.
4. This is the familiar language of judgment Israel had heard so many times regarding their enemies. The heavenly bodies represent their fallen leaders.

Spiritualist-Prophecy fulfilled repeatedly throughout history
1. Natural disasters that occur throughout history as part of God’s judgment on the nations. They also serve to gain the attention of mankind.
2. The burning mountain represents the fall of great political powers throughout history and reminds mankind of the frailty of man-made kingdoms.
3. When men prefer the bitter waters of idolatry to the fountain of the living water, they will receive these bitter waters with the fatal consequences that follow.
4. God uses all components of the universe to call those who disobey and/or persecute His children. Even eclipses are brought about by God to cause people to look up toward Him.