Trumpets 1 - 4
Immediately after the 144,000 are sealed the four angels who are holding the winds release the winds. The four winds blow and the first four trumpets sound.
Trumpet 1
"7 The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up." Rev 8:7
A barrage of meteorites hits the earth and thousands of fires are ignited. The crops that are ready for harvest are burned up and 1/3 of the trees in the forests are burned up. Every person on earth is personally affected.
Trumpet 2
"8 Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9 And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed." Rev 8:8,9
An asteroid the size of a mountain plummets into the ocean. 1/3 of the ships that are sailing on the ocean are sunk and 1/3 of the fish die. The ocean becomes like blood.
Trumpet 3
"10 Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter." Rev 8:10,11
An asteroid falls to the earth, blazing with fire. The asteroid contains a bitter contaminant. One third of the rivers and springs of water are poisoned. Many people die from drinking the water.
Trumpet 4
12 Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night. Rev 8:12
One third of the sun, moon and stars are darkened and the day and night turn dark. The smoke and ejecta from the first three trumpets darkens the air and the sky.
The first four trumpets sound over the course of a few days. They cause worldwide devastation and they get the attention of everyone on the earth.
These calamities are acts of God. They are not caused by man or by Satan. It is evident that God has interrupted the lives of people on earth. People are frightened beyond description. “Is God angry with us?” they are wondering. Preachers are calling on people to repent and return to God.
God is using the havoc caused by these trumpets to get the attention of each person on earth. He is opening each mind and every ear to hear His three angel's messages.
First Angel's Message
"6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth -- to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people -- 7 saying with a loud voice, 'Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.'" Rev 14:6,7
The 144,000 join the angel in proclaiming this message. They tell people to worship God who created the heavens, earth, sea and springs of water – the very four things that have been damaged by the first four trumpets.
| First Angel's Message | First four trumpets | Trumpet # |
| Earth | Earth | Trumpet 1 |
| Sea | Sea | Trumpet 2 |
| Springs of Water | Springs of Water | Trumpet 3 |
| Heavens | Heavens | Trumpet 4 |
The first four trumpets harm the heavens, earth, sea and springs of water. During these four trumpets the 144,000 will be preaching the everlasting gospel to the people on earth. The gospel includes the following commands:
- Fear God and give glory to Him because the hour of His judgment has come
- Worship the creator who made the heavens, earth, sea and springs of water
Everlasting Gospel
The everlasting gospel proclaims that Jesus will save people from their sins.
"You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:21
This is the same gospel that was preached to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. The same gospel that saved Abraham when he had faith. There was no change in the gospel when Jesus died on the cross. There is no change in the gospel during the Great Tribulation. This gospel will be preached to every person on earth.
"14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." Matt 24:14
Fear God
The first four trumpets have devastated the heavens, earth, sea and springs of water. People will be terrified because of the calamities that have just come on the earth. But they should not fear physical disasters or harm that other people may inflict on them. They should fear God.
"28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Matt 10:28
Everyone will be afraid of something during the Great Tribulation. If people fear natural disasters and threats of other people then they will live in constant fear. If they choose to fear God then He will replace their fears with peace. They will learn that they really can trust Him and depend fully on Him.
"29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." Matt 10:29-31
Hour of God's Judgment
The hour of God’s judgment has come. Every person on earth will be judged by God. During the judgment God examines a persons life to see whether that person has:
- Faith in Jesus
- Accepted Jesus' life and death instead of his own. Please note that this includes complete obedience to all ten of God's ten commandments.
- Settled into his decision to worship God forever
For the last 6,000 years, ever since Cain killed Abel, people have been judged after they died. Jesus looks through the complete and accurate record of their lives and judges them to be a follower of Him or a follower of Satan. But during the Great Tribulation people will be judged while they are alive. The judgment of the living is a process that will include these steps:
- Each person will be given a clear revelation of Jesus. He will choose to accept Jesus and worship Him or to reject Jesus and worship Satan. There are only two options.
- Each person will be tested on his decision.
- Each person will be settled into his chosen position. If he chooses to worship Jesus he will receive the seal of God and eternal life. If he rejects Jesus he will become a slave to Satan and will eventually die eternally.
Worship the Creator
God commands us to worship Him in four ways. They are the first four of His ten commandments. They are found in Exodus 20:3-11:
"You shall have no other gods before Me."
"4 You shall not make for yourself a carved image -- any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments."
"7 You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
"8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
These four commandments state:
- You shall have no other gods before Me
- You shall not make carved images or worship them
- You shall not take the name of God in vain
- Keep the Sabbath holy. Work 6 days and rest on Saturday, the seventh day of the week.
The first angel's message is given with clarity and power while the first four trumpets are sounding. It will continue to be given during the sounding of the fifth and sixth trumpets.
Just before the seventh trumpet sounds the judgment of the living will reach completion and the first angel’s message will cease to be given.
Read Trumpet 5 next.