The revelation of Jesus Christ to His servants through John (Part 3): Revelation 8–11

In a world that’s rejected God, who’s to blame for all this violence?

• The first four trumpets—a third of everything suffers—a third of the trees and grass are burned; a third of the oceans become blood, ships destroyed, marine life dies; a third of the fresh water becomes bitter and anyone who drinks it dies; a third of the sun moon and stars are darkened, as is a third of the day and a third of the night (suggesting there might be some metaphorical language in there since the night is already dark).
• The fifth trumpet—locusts, which sound like war machines, bring 5 months of agony on unbelievers.
• The sixth trumpet—three horses and a massive army kill another third of the population with something that looks like chemical warfare.

Other than the moon and stars darkening, it’s easy to see how the first trumpet is happening and has been happening for some time: how much biodiversity have we lost? How many have died in world wars and continue to die in more wars? Imagine seeing that last few thousand years in a time-lapse movie that condensed them into a few minutes. It would look as horrific as the scene John described.

So whose violence is it? Who started it? Not God.

As it’s written, the nations were filled with wrath, then the judgement will come for all who have caused destruction on the earth.

^{Revelation 11:18} The nations were filled with wrath,
but now the time of your wrath has come.
It is time to judge the dead
and reward your servants the prophets,
as well as your holy people,
and all who fear your name,
from the least to the greatest.
It is time to destroy
all who have caused destruction on the earth.

It was time to end the violence.