Have These Seven Trumpets Already Blown ?

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by FourthTrumpet

The First Trumpet
"The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up." (Revelation 8:7)

This verse addresses the massive deforestation and burning of the forests, which is a huge topic of discussion in our time. In general this verses talks about the destruction of greenery or foliage (example: In Savannah or Plains regions, this is grass, and in forested regions this would be trees) which in this century is unprecedented. As dramatic as the above verse sounds, it's important to note that it was being seen in a heavenly setting. Through our eyes, we of course can see that "a third" (33%) has already been rendered lifeless. Imagery such as "hail", "fire" and "blood" have a Spiritual meaning, like Jesus used in His own parables.

The Second Trumpet
"Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed."
(Revelation 8:8-9)

This verse addresses what researchers like Jacques Cousteau have discovered: at leaset 33% of the sea life is lifeless.

Regarding the "ships lost": there is no known number - but we are in the midst of a process that will continue into the FUTURE. It is not clear how this will happen, but it is interesting that in recent years there has been a huge drop in the number of fishing boats because of the decreasing number of fish. A more dramatic possiblity might be a large scale naval conflict, or perhaps things related to tsunamis or hurricanes.

The Third Trumpet
"Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning 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 men died from the water, because it was made bitter."
(Revelation 8:10-11)

This verse addresses the contamination of the world's fresh water sources. Truely not much water is drinkable without some form of purification and treatment. All this is due of course to things like industrial waste, sewage, agro-toxins carried by wind and rain, etc.

To those who disagree, just imagine for a moment if the world had not artificial means of water purification. Is it therefore safe to say that at least 33% of the world's fresh water is lifeless?

Since all this is speculation it falls into the area of "private interpretation". Besides your group does anyone else teach the 3 trumpets like this? If not are you saying your group is the only one that knows the truth of prophecy?

So the trumpets could well just be the natural evolution of man making mistakes and them coming back to bite them?

Sorry that does not sound like the wrath of God being poured out. Just mens mistakes effecting him.

[Esther]

Originally Posted by Eliseus

Sorry, I read too many pre-20th century books, lol.

A "scheme" is a system or method or framework. Short for "schematic".

Not meant in the current and somewhat erroneous way of meaning "disengenuous plot to deceive".

Sorry.

Thanks for the clarification. I thought that was an odd statement coming from you.

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

It must be very hard to try to find some HISTORICAL EVENTS that coincide with these seven trumpets.

Not hard IMPOSSIBLE remember they have to happen by 70AD. If not he turns into a Historists instead of a Preterist.

That's what I had anticipated would be one of the replies about it "not sounding like the wrath of God". But as I pointed out earlier, it isn't without precident when you consider that plenty of folks in Assyria, Babylon, and Mede-Persian were probably saying the same kind of things like "it's just men conquering us, and nothing to do with God" . Alexander the Great, Cyrus.. all these folks were just men.

I don't believe I've heard other groups with this exact outline as per the above - at least not to my knowledge.

This explanation makes the most sense to me and I like how it ties in with the three woes and all those references to the sun/moon/stars going dim in repeated references to the "day of the Lord" throughout the bible.

It also gives us something to guage the age in which we are living. What is unprecidented is there has never been a point in gentiles history where at least 1/3 of what I outlined above is gone: vegetation, sea life, and fresh water. Israel is back as a nation in 1948. Technology became quite advanced very quickly since that time until now. Prior to the 1900s technology was not making such grand leaps as we see today. Technology plays a big part in the destruction of the planet. The world is obsessed with this subject of the evironment and jumping from theory to theory rather than acknowledge that maybe, just maybe God told us first.

Any how just some food for thought. I had the same objections at one point myself and the two hangups for me was:

1) how can this be a bonefide judgement.. this is unprecidented if it's from the hands of man...then I remembered how God overthrew world empires.

2) how can there not be a linear sequence.. then I considered that maybe the bible doesn't have to fit our cultures way of presenting ideas in linear order (e.g. how Jesus is presented in Hebrew is in a cyclical style).

Once I got over those two hurdles it clicked for me.

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Steve Epley

Nope the Church goes out in chapter 4. Glad I could help y'all.

And you talk about us spiritualizing texts! Chapter 4 shows John caught up in the Spirit to see a vision. How do you get rapture out of that?????????

[Esaias]

Happy Day of Trumpets 2020, everyone!

By the way, MTD, your response to "FourthTrumpet" is a typical example of why most of us do not bother getting into in depth discussions with you. This thread is about 13 years old, but it might as well have been yesterday.