When the angel takes the golden censer, that is mixed with incense and the prayers of all the saints, and fills it with fire, he then throws it to the earth. This causes peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and a earthquake. It seems that the fact that the prayers of the saints are cast down in the censer, must mean that God is answering these prayers. Looking back to Chapter 6, verse 10, you will see that the saints who had been martyred were under the altar at this time and where making a request before Jesus, saying,
"How long, O Lord, holy and true, wilt Thou refrain from judging and avenging
our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"
They were told to wait until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been been, should be complete. We saw this completed and whole church (the Body) is now in heaven before the throne and no longer under the altar. Jesus now is answering their request and will now be avenging their blood. Remember, the only people remaining on the earth, at this time, are all those who refused to believe the truth of Jesus as to be saved. Some of these are the ones that participated in putting the saints to death. Also remember that Jesus wrath will come because they are militarily destoying the earth. The other group of people that remain are the 144,000 sealed ones from the tribes of Israel that will not be harmed.
This is what will occur when trumpets 1 thru 4 are sounded,
1st trumpet:
Hail and fire mixed with blood are thrown to the earth and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the grass was burned up.
2nd trumpet:
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 creatures, which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed.
3rd trumpet:
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; and the name of the water is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood; and many men died from the water, because they were made bitter.
4th trumpet:
A third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were smitten, so that a third of them might be darkened and the day might not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way
Obviously all the thirds should be examined as to what that might mean. If these first four trumpets effect a third of the earth, it might be because the first four trumpets are targeted at the area of the earth where most of the violence had been taking place against the saints, the people and the earth, by the aggressors. Therefore, they will loose a third of the sunlight during the day, and the light from the moon and stars at night because of the smoke that looms over the horizons. Those west of the targeted area will loose the light during the rising of the sun. Those east of the targeted area will loose the light at sunset. Likewise their nights will be effected in the same way.
In finishing Chapter 8, we are left with a warning on how bad the last three trumpets will be. In verse 13 it says that John looked and heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice,
"Woe, woe, woe, to those who dwell on the earth, because the remaining blasts of the
trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!"
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