The Lord Defends the Saints

Reflections on Revelation 8:6-14

What is the significance of the blowing of the seven trumpets in this vision? In the Old Testament, God commanded the Israelites to make trumpets to call assemblies, to announce the Day of Atonement, and to call Israel to battle (Numbers 10:1-10). God promised to remember Israel and to fight for them when he heard the trumpet blasts.

View of Plain
from Mt. Carmel

And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the LORD your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies. -- Numbers 10:9 ESV

Accordingly, Israel marched into battle against Balaam and the Midianites to the sound of trumpets, and God gave them victory (Num 31:1-7). God leveled the walls of Jericho when the trumpets were blown in the days of Joshua (Joshua 6:20). Gideon and 300 men blew trumpets and defeated an army as numberless as the sand of the sea (Judges 7:8). Nehemiah assured those working on the walls of Jerusalem that God would fight for them when they were attacked if they sounded the trumpets (Nehemiah 4:20). The trumpet blasts assure suffering saints that God will fight for them.

The trumpet blasts also assure the suffering saints that they will be victorious because the Lord will send out angels to gather them with a loud trumpet call (Matthew 24:31), and at that last trumpet call, the dead will be raised (1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16).

Each of the first four trumpet calls brings a plague on the earth similar to one of the plagues that fell on the Egyptians when God chastised them for afflicting his firstborn son (Exodus 4:22-23). He responds similarly against those afflicting his firstborn ones during this age. A third of the earth is burned up when the first trumpet is sounded (8:7). A third of the seas become blood and a third of the ships are destroyed (8:8-9) when the second trumpet is sounded. A third of the fresh waters are made bitter (8:10-11), and a third of the sun, moon, and stars are darkened for a third part of the day (8:12) when the third and fourth trumpets are sounded.

After that, John sees an eagle flying in the midst of the heavens. The eagle announces that the three calamities to follow will be even greater. He says, "Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!"

God sees the suffering of his saints, hears their cries, and sends plagues on their enemies assuring the saints of eventual victory.