Revelation 8:6-7

6             Then the seven angels with the seven trumpets prepared to blow their mighty blasts.

7             The first angel blew his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were thrown down on the earth. One-third of the earth was set on fire, one-third of the trees were burned, and all the green grass was burned.

The trumpets blasts have three main purposes:

• They warn of certain judgment.
• They call the force of good and evil to battle.
• They announce the return of Jesus.

The first trumpet started with a storm of fail and a fire-blood combination. There are a few words of this study. These words probably won’t change how we ready this passage, but they will be important to understand the original Greek so that we can interpret what this trumpet truly sounded. These words are trumpet, hail, fire, and blood.

To blow a trumpet is the Greek verb salpizó (sal-pee’-zo). This refers to making the sound with the trumpet. It signifies the beginning of a significant event or a major announcement. It’s associated with both warning and celebration, as well as revering God’s presence or judgment. It was an instrument used to start festivals, start wars, or, as mentioned, start announcements. We know that this trumpet begins the significant start to God’s judgment. It’s the beginning of the end. 1/3 of the earth is being set ablaze, burning down 1/3 of the trees and all the fresh green grass.

Hail is the Greek noun chalaza (khal’-ad-zah). This is the normal ball of frozen ice falling from the sky that we know. However, it’s also used to symbolize God’s power and wrath against sin and disobedience. In the ancient Near East, hail would destroy crops, livestock, and property. The Israelites at this time would have connected this act of destructions to God’s displeasure. The current audience would have seen hail as God’s wrath against the judgment of humanity. The first trumpet saw the judgment of God’s wrath against sin and disobedience.

Fire is the Greek noun pur (poor). It can both refer to actual fire, but god’s symbolic presence, judgment, purification, and the Holy Spirit in itself. The Old Testament saw fire as a sign of God’s presence, and the New Testament saw fire as a sign of the Holy Spirit. We’re finding God’s judgment against sin and disobedience, but now we’re finding how this wrath is coming out. God will combat the sin and deliverance through a purification ritual. God will purge his creation of the sin-filled spirits and allow for his goodness to take precedence.

Blood is the Greek noun haima (hah’-ee-mah). It both refers to actual blood and the sacrificial blood of Jesus. It highlights the these of atonement and redemption. God’s act of wrath and judgment against sin and disobedience would be through purification mixed with atonement. The atonement is a sign of forgiveness, found in the old sacrificial system in Leviticus. It was a way to transfer your life force to another animal and allow that animal to die for the sinful behavior that you committed. God is ready to take back the world from the evil forces through major purification routes and ways of atonement.

Associated Scripture

Revelation 8:7: Ezekiel 38:22

Read the next part here: The Trumpet Sounds – Part 2