October 12: PARALLEL EVENTS (part 2)
Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. Amos 3:7 (see also John 15:15)
God’s judgements do not fall without warning. History bears this out, yet warnings of divine judgement generally go unheeded. Those who bear the warning messages are generally viewed with disdain. The church in Jerusalem prayed fervently in one accord (Acts 2:1) and the Holy Spirit was magnificently poured out (Revelation 6:2). The message of salvation marched forth in purity and power – and rocked the world, symbolized by an earthquake (8:5).
But the vast majority of the Jews in Jerusalem rejected the message. In great sadness, Jesus had announced that [their] house [of worship] is left…desolate. The coming destruction of the temple and the city would be so utterly complete that not one stone [would] be left upon another (Matthew 23:38; 24:2). When Jesus spoke the parable of the landowner to the hard-hearted religious leaders (Matthew 21:33-40) – it was a re-telling of Isaiah 5:1-7 – the religious leaders answered regarding what should be done: They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably…” (v.41) Unwittingly, they had pronounced their own impending judgement.
The trumpet judgements are laid out in Revelation chapters 8-11. This span of time is the same span covered by church history (chapters 2-3) and the opening of the seals (chapters 6-7). Seven angels assigned to trumpet the judgements are introduced (8:2). The prayers of God’s people were powerfully answered (vv.3-5; see also Acts 2). Now we return to the angels mentioned in v.2: So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound (v.6).
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. (v.7)
Jerusalem’s destruction by Roman armies in 70AD, the first trumpet judgement, is a “type” for the world’s end (see the disciples’ question in Matthew 24:3). Below are verses that shed light on symbols that are found here:
hail – “Have you seen the treasury of hail, Which I have reserved for the time of trouble, For the day of battle and war?” (Job 38:22-23 – symbolic hail – worse than the literal hail in Exodus 9:24-26)
fire – “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Matthew 7:19; see also 13:30; Luke 3:9)
blood – “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed.” (Genesis 9:6) “And I will bring him to judgement with pestilence and bloodshed; I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.” (Ezekiel 38:22)
a third [part] – refers to those who are deceived by lies (see Revelation 12:4 and Isaiah 9:15)
trees – refers to leaders/nations (see Daniel 4:20-22; Matthew 3:10; 7:17-20; Luke 3:9; Romans 11:24)
green grass – When the wicked spring up like grass, And when all the workers of iniquity flourish, it is that they may be destroyed forever (Psalm 92:7; see also Isaiah 40:7)
to be continued…