The Second Trumpet:
A Third of the Sea Turned Into Blood
8: 8-9
The second trumpet: a third of the sea turned into blood DIG: What was it that hit the earth? How did it affect the sea? Why is Ha’Shem doing this? What is His purpose? How does this relate to the first plague in Egypt?
REFLECT: What does YHVH have to do to get your attention? What can you do to get the attention of others about this? What responsibility do you have to get the Word of God out concerning the future of this world?
No sooner had the hail stopped falling and the fires stopped burning, then an even greater judgment hit the earth. A fiery mass crashes into the sea.
The second angel sounded his shofar, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. John is trying to describe events that he has never seen before. It wasn’t a mountain, but something like a mountain. A giant meteorite will probably be hurled toward the earth, surrounded by combustible gasses that will catch fire as they enter the atmosphere, guided by the angels of God.
Although its actual collision with the sea will only impact one location, it is clear that the whole earth will get the message. People will track it from space as it enters the earth’s gravitational pull and inevitably be pulled toward the sea itself. The whole world will be watching on a continual twenty-four hour news cycle.
The powerful explosion will dwarf that of any hydrogen bomb and be frightening beyond belief. A third of the sea will be turned into blood. Here we are reminded of the first Egyptian plague, where the Nile was turned into blood, killing the fish and making the water undrinkable (see my commentary on Exodus, to see link click – Bk The First Plague of Blood). It was real blood in the Nile and it will be real blood in the Great Tribulation. There is no need to try to find something symbolic here. The Nile was turned into blood when Moses struck the Nile with his rod, and a third of the sea will be turned into blood when struck by a giant meteorite. And like all the plagues of Egypt, the sea turning to blood defies any natural phenomena. This is no “red tide” because one has never come close to duplicating the devastating results of this judgment.
And a third of the living creatures in the sea died because the blood poisoned it. It is not surprising that a third of the fish and other marine life will die, thus adding to the poisoning, stench and horror of it all. Though no mention is made of the land animals, there can be no doubt that they will also be affected. The grass was scorched as a result of the first trumpet judgment, and a third of the marine organisms died when the second trumpet sounded. These are the lowest and most basic components of many of the world’s food chains, so their destruction must produce a domino effect on many higher life forms. There is no doubt that the physical effects will be devastating.
The psychological effects; however, will be even greater because of God’s two witnesses. They had already called for a worldwide drought that will still be in effect, and then they prayed for the waters to become blood. These men have the power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have the power to turn the waters into blood (11:6a).
And a third of the ships were destroyed. How could that happen? More than likely the same meteor impact that poisoned the sea would also generate a monstrous tsunami, which would batter the great number of ships anchored on shore to pieces, and capsize huge vessels in the ocean. The loss of human life will still be minimal in spite of the vast destruction in the biosphere and hydrosphere. The resulting disruption of commerce and transportation will cause economic chaos. These events will surely give a tremendous warning to mankind of great tragedy imminent for those who persist in rebellion against God the Father and His Son.252
Dear Heavenly Father, You are our shelter in this time of storm. Before the Great Tribulation began, You will rapture all believers to heaven: For this we tell you, by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall in no way precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the blast of God’s shofar, and the dead in Messiah shall rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left behind, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air – and so we shall always be with the Lord. (First Thessalonians 4:15-18). There will be multitudes of new believers during this future Great Tribulation Dispensation who will place their love and trust in you. We ask for these brave, wise, and new children of God, to be encouraged by your love at that time, and that You see them and are always with them (Hebrews 13:5). At that time, may You remind them often that Yeshua has prepared a wonderful home for them in heaven where they will live forever in eternal joy and peace. We love You! In Your holy Son’s name and power of resurrection. Amen
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