THE TROUBLE WITH TRUMPETS

The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the water, because it had been made bitter. The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night.
Revelation 8:7, 9-12 ESV



¶At the sounds of these trumpets, all the things which God had endowed at creation, first the green things good for food, then the streams that water them, and finally the light that fuels their growth are destroyed from the earth. Like a creation narrative in reverse, it ends with the extinguishing of the light. These things are not the vanities of life which we are cautioned not to treasure. They are the elements of this world's natural beauty that have been freely given us to enjoy with guiltless pleasure. The beautiful garden home in which God placed us is being demolished. We feel the foreboding sense that, with everything that supports us in decay, we ourselves are next.