Shabbat shalom kol beit Yisra'el and Mishpachah, welcome back to the 32nd part our study of the Book of Revelation as we commence the second cycle of judgments, the Seven Shofar or Trumpet Judgments. As we complete our examination of each of the three cycles I think, that like me, you will detect (in spite of the horrors of the unleashing of these judgments entails, of which humans are utterly deserving) that Yahweh repeatedly shows remarkable restraint, at the end of the first, and then the second, cycle giving human beings one last change to repent. Given He has waited for so many millennia to give His rebellious creatures a chance to collectively do what is right and change direction, which has in turn led both malakim (angels) and men - both the good and the evil - to conclude that He is either forgetful or indifferent, neither of which are of course true. He misses no detail and cares about all.

Last week we saw how approximately half-an-hour of silence in heaven was one of those moments for man to deeply reflect as His reality dawns upon them following the first seven catastrophes. So do not interpret the respites He gives as opportunities to carry on merrily sinning because that isn't what they're for. It is, rather, both an opportunity for the righteous to consolidate their strength and for the wicked to weigh their options: if He is finally able to unleash seven catastrophies and the wicked are being forced to consider, might He yet do worse if they are unresponsive? That's a question they need to bes eriously askingn themselves. We all of us need to bear that constantly in mind, both individually and as societies. Don't be foolish. Don't gamble your life in the vain hope that just because Yahweh held back the first time doesn't mean He will necessary do so the second. Don't consider reprieves to be opportunities to carry on sinning. Indeed, we are about to consider the implications of either repenting or ignoring His warnings.

With that in the back of our minds, let's now turn to today's text. Let me be open and blunt. These next verses are hard to understand and after we have read them I will prove that statement by sharing just some of the interpretations men have made over the centuries. Distinguishing between symbol and physical events may prove challenging so let us see:

"6 So the seven malakim (angels) who had the seven shofars (trumpets) prepared themselves to sound. 7 The first malak (angel) sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood ('water' - HRV) (Ex.9:13-25; cp. Ezek.38:22), and they were thrown to the earth. And {a third of the earth ('land' - Barclay) was burned up ('set on fire' - NLT), and/so that (LB)} [1], a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.

"8 Then the second malak (angel) sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood (Ex.7:20-21). 9 And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

"10 Then the third malak (angel) sounded: And a great star (Rev.6:13; 9:1) 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 (Gk. apsinthe = Bitterness; 'Poisonwood' - KNT; Dt.29:18; Prov.5:3-4; Jer.9:15; 23:15; Lam.3:19; Amos 5:7). A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.

"12 Then the fourth malak (angel) sounded: And a third of the sun was struck (Ex.10:21-21), a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened (Is.50:3; Jer.4:23-29; Joel 2:10; 3:4; 4:15; Hag.2:6; Mt.24:29; Lk.23:30; ). A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night. 13 And I looked, and I heard a malak (angel) flying through the midst [of heaven] {and it had a tail of blood - AENT} [2], saying with a loud voice, 'Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the shofar (trumpet) of the three malakim (angels) who are about to sound!" (Rev.8:6-13, NKJV).

Out of curiosity I picked up the Bible Commentary of a famous evangelical preacher of our own day and read what he believed these verses mean. He laid out his interpretation in three or four concise sentences. He was absolutely sure what he believed in and did not entertain alternative explanations. He did not even consider them nor show how spiritual leaders have interpreted this passage over the last 15 hundred years. He just stated his interpretation and moved on. Maybe I will tell you who this preacher is and what he concluded but first I want to tell you what other preachers and ecclesiatical authorities have said verses 6-13 mean. As I share these with you I want you to consider how they might have arrived at their conclusions and what assumptions they used:

• 1. The fiery mountain is Satan - the sea means the nations - the dying of the fish denotes the persecution and slaughter of Christians - the wreck of the ships denotes the extinction of congregations or churches;

• 2. The mountain was Genseric with his Vandals, forced by the Huns from their homeland - the sea was their plunging through France and Spain into Africa, settling themselves in the conquered territory - the destruction of fish, etc., was their depredations on the neighbouring islands and shores of the Mediterranean. In other words, E.B.Elliot (who came up with this interpretation) believed that this was a prophecy of an event that took place about 1,700 years ago;

• 3. The sea is the church or messianic community with its baptismal waters - the mountain is some great heresy - the blood is the corruption by deadly errror - the destruction of fish is the destruction of souls - the wreck of ships is the overturning of churches;

• 4. The sea is the Sea of Galilee, representing Palestine or the Holy land - the mountain is Emperor Vespasian - the fishes are the Jews - the ships are the cities of the Holy land;

• 5. The sea is pure doctrine - the mounatin is the prelacy (high church dignitaries like the bishops, metropolitans, patriarchs, etc.) - the fire is episcopal ambition - the blood-red waters means the introduction of false doctrine - the fishes are ecclesiastics, monks, etc.
  

• 6. The mountain is Rome - its burning is the burning of Rome by Alaric - the wreck of its ships is the sack of Rome; and

• 7. William Kelly said, "the second blow supposes a great change: it falls on the sea, and so refers not to that sphere which is under special and settled government, but to that which is, or will then be, in a state of confusion and anarchy". He continued: "the mountain burning with fire, represents a system of power, itself under the judgment of God and the occasion of judgment of others" (Apoc., p.141).

Did you understand any of those explanations? I could research and find dozens more, all of which are bunkum. How do I know they are bunkum? For one, they can't all be right, so which should we accept, and why? Why make it so complicated? As I mentioned early on in this course, the first readers of the Book of Revelation (and in particular the seven assemblies/churches in Asia Minor) would have known exactly what this passage meant because as students of the Tanakh (Old Testaments) the elements of the prophecy were familiar to them and are indeed familiar to all serious Bible students. So why, then, do men, carried away by flights of fancy and vivid imaginations, try to have us believe that Yahweh always means something different from what He says? Where does this spirit to complicate prophecy come from? What do we want with Vespasian, Alaric, Rhadagaisus, Attilla, Genseric, Romans, Goths, Vandals, Arians, and Pelates of the Devil anyway? A mountain-like object being cast into the sea...is a mountain-like object being cast into the sea, and water being turned into blood...is water being turned into blood. Why wouldn't such judgments affect the fishes in the sea and the ships when numerous scriptures have already interpreted these things for us?

So let me ask you - what do some of these events in Revelation 8 remind you of from the past? Where do we read of water being turned to blood? Yes, the seventh plague of the first Exodus under Moses (Ex.9:23-24). There are so many parallels with the the Exodus that strongly suggest that this is the Final or Last Exodus of Yahweh's people from the bondage of a world controlled by hostile, satanic powers. Why has Yahweh used all this familiar imagery if it isn't describing events similar to the Exodus that were literal and familiar to all? Does it not make sense, then, to assume that this will be literal too? Why is it so hard for some to believe this? I suspect it is because for some (liberal Christians) they don't believe in miracles involving the elements! Those of you who are Ben Shapiro admirers (he's a practicing Orthodox Jew) may not know that He believes that all the 'supernatural' events of the Exodus were in reality natural events just as many believe Noah's Global Flood was just a local flood caused by annual inundation. When miracles aren't happening in a religious community, it's members tend to be sceptical of them and to seek naturalistic explanations to justify their unbelief. That's just the way people are.

Now it's true that sometimes the sea turns red in certain places. It can turn red because of various iron oxide run offs from melting glaciers and at other times it can turn red because of a red alga multiplying prodigiously. Rivers can turn red because of erosion of iron-bearing rock. You've doubtless heard of the Red Nile, a tributary of the Nile, called that because of the silt that turns its water red. Nature does all sorts of 'out of the ordinary' things that have natural explanations. But Yahweh is clear both here, and in Exodus, that water was turned to literal blood which (in the case of the Exodus), being organic, naturally rotted which in turn would have resulted in bacterial multiplication causing oxygen depletion that would kill off the fishes...which is not to say the fishes of the sea couldn't have been killed by other means too, but principally we must suppose it is because of the blood suffocating them. If Yahweh had said the water turned to red ink or red paint instead of blood we would believe Him, but He didn't. He could have used the word 'like' or 'as' if He wanted to imply the sea turned red like blood. After all, He said the blazing rocky object falling out of the sky was "like" a mountain (v.8) so He's quite capable and willing to use comparitive language when He needs to. But no, as in Egypt, He says it turned into actual blood. Is anything impossible for Him?

Now I freely admit that, as a trained scientist, I also take into consideration natural explanations when miracles occur but I am not a materialist who thinks that all supposedly supernatural events have a natural explanation. Just try putting the resurrection into a naturalistic category and see where that gets you - the explanations soon become absurd. I have seen too much of the supernatural to know better. I mentioned how the sea can sometimes turn red becdause of chemicals. It can also turn black sometimes too as it is reported to have done at Santa Cruz in May of 1900. It can also become luminescent at night when certain light-producing algae are present in abundance. Now I am not saying that Yahweh can't or doesn't use natural phenomena as signs - blood-red moons are a good example of something natural and we encounter these in a few places in Scripture. Today we know how this reddening happens because we understand the physics shadow-casting - the umbras and penumbras of the earth falling on the moon. We've all seen blood-red moons because they are quite common. However, when blood-red moons are mentioned in Scripture prophetically it's usually in conjunction with other visual changes in the heavenly bodies like the sun and stars taking place too. More about them in a minute.

Let's go through these verses one at a time and, using common sense and Scripture to interpret any symbols, consider the p'shat or plain sense of the meaning first of all before we start searching for more esoteric explanations. I shall be using a messianised version of N.T.Wright's Kingdom New Testament (KNT) this time:

"Then the seven malakim (angels) who had 7 shofarim (trumpets) got ready to blow them. The first malak (angel) blew his shofar (trumpet), and hail and fire, mixed with blood, were thrown down on the earth. A third of the earth was burnt up, a third of the trees were burnt up, and so was very blade of green grass" (vv.7-7, KNT).

It is admittedly hard for us to picture "hail and fire mixed with blood" but for now note that there are three elements and that these begin the numerous destructions of thirds - a third of the earth and a third of trees (though not a third of grass - all grass is destroyed).

Reading on:

"Then the second malak (angel) blew his shofar (trumpet), and something like a huge mountain, flaming with fire, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea (salt water) turned into blood, a third of all living creatures died, and a third of the ships were destroyed" (vv.8-9, KNT).

Reading on:

"Then the third malak (angels) blew his shofar (trumpet), and a huge star, burning like a torch, fell from the sky, falling on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Poisonwood (Wormwood): a third of the waters turned to poison, and many people died because of the waters that had become bitter" (vv.10-11, KNT).

"Then the fourth malak (angel) blew his shofar (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 would be darkened, with a third of the day losing its light and a third of the night as well" (v.12, KNT).

So begins the despoiling of the environment inhabited by rebellious humanity - land and sea, rivers and springs, lights in the sky overhead - yet divine restraint and forebearance delay the final cataclysm, prolonging the opportunity for repentance, as I said.

And this despoiling takes place in neat 'thirds'. Without getting too far ahead of ourselves, I should mention that the sixth malak (angel) causes a third of humanity to be killed (Rev.9:15) caused by fire, smoke and sulphur (Rev.9:18). A clue as to why a third of everything perishes and not some other fraction may perhaps be found later on in chapter 12 where "[the Dragon's] tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth" (Rev.12:4, NIV) which, as we shall see when we get there, must be interpreted symbolically as a reference to heavenly principalities and powers, namely, the fallen malakim (angels) who became demons, since, as both we know and the ancients knew, literal stars cannot obviously be thrown onto the earth. A third seems to somehow be connected with rebels and therefore rebellion. It is apparently the casualty rate of free agency of both natural human beings and supernatural ones (malakim/angels). This is the cosmic risk factor, the price that must be paid when created beings are given free will.

This poses insurmountable philosophical questions for fatalists like Moslems and Calvinists who have no choice (pardon the unintended pun) but to assigm this figure of 33 per cent to Elohim's (God's) 'inscrutible will' which, if you analyse it deeply enough, can only mean that their god likes destroying a third of everything He creates since the rebels, bring allegedly predestined, have no choice but to rebel. In the Calvinists' own language, this apparently gives him 'glory' but in the minds of those who exercise common sense and who understand the character of Yahweh as revealed generally in Scripture, this makes him out to be an arbitrary tyrant who must compulsively destroy all he has decided beforehand will do evil and cannot be saved. In effect, this reveals both the nastiness and therefore the imperfection of the Calvinist god, reminding me of that fallen being who demands ritual sacrifice of human beings to satisfy his blood-lust. That is why I insist Calvinism is such an evil anmd blasphemous teaching and why I give it no quarter.

Ezekiel chapter 5 is an interesting aside which you might like to follow up in your spare time after this assembly because 'thirds' come to the fore again. It describes the fate of the inhabitants of Jerusalem who have committed idolatry and are about to reap judgment, and is therefore pertinent to what we're saying about this fraction. I'll read you but two verses:

"A third of your people will die of the plague or perish by famine inside you (the city of Jerusalem); a third will fall by the sword outside your walls; and a third I will scatter to the winds and pursue with drawn sword. Then My anger will cease and My wrath against them will subside, and I will be avenged. And when I have spent My wrath upon them, they will know that I, Yahweh, have spoken in My zeal" (Ezek.5:12-13, NIV).

This judgment is different from the judgment of the nations generally because two thirds perish in and out of Jerusalem, the capital city of Yahweh's covenant people who have broken covenant. In other words, the casualty rate is by default higher (by two orders of magnitude) amongst Yahweh's own people, who know the emet (truth), as opposed to those in the world system ('Egypt') who do not. This happened to us in the 1990's [3] when our numbers were decimated by three revolts. And though judgment takes place in 'thirds', by the time we have come to the end of the Book of Revelation, we will discover that more than a third of the world perishes overall, and this because they repeatedly refused opportunities to change direction and repent as we are seeing between the first and second - and will see between the second and third - sevenfold series of judgments.

I realise that the 'mathematics of judgment' may seem a little macabre but personally I would rather be informed than not. We should not, therefore, be at all surprised when we ourselves witness the high casuality rate of rebellion during judgment times, and not blame Yahweh who has given mankind so much time to turn around and do what is right. Judgment is necessary both because it satisfies Yahweh's nature, which is one of love and justice, and because He wishes us to live in shalom (peace) and that can only be accomplished by removing the instruments of persecution and murder after they have been given every chance possible to make things right for which we, as we've discussed already, must suffer for love's sake. And if we're honest, we too want to see Yahweh's vengeance carried out, the more so when injustice happens to us personally! Don't forget the two elements in redemption - forebearance and cleansing. People's objections to judgment and how Yahweh carries it out soon evapourate when it gets personal, which is why the martyrs under the altar are constantly crying out for vindication.

Before we look at the last verse of today's passage that describes an eagle, we need to make sure we clearly understand the symbolism of verses 6-12 that I have just read out for you again. The ecological damage caused by the judgments of the first four shofars to the earth is tremendous and it can be hard, at times, seeing anything constructive in them. You need to remember, though, that nature itself, which Yahweh designed, periodically renews itself through destruction. The huge forest and scrub fires that take place regularly in Australia, for example, are actually the means of renewing nature. Looking at the desolate landscape after a bush or forest fire and you might be tempted to think that everything has been lost. But not so. The deeper roots are unscorched and new life soon replaces the former life destroyed by the fire. Every spring here in Sweden people all over the country, like ourselves, burn off all the old vegetation. It's the way we cleanse the land to make way for new growth. Indeed, most of the grass above the surface is killed off during the cold winters but because the roots survive, our lawns soon spring back into life again.

Notice that Revelation 8:7 says every blade of green grass was burned up - it doesn't say the whole plant was destroyed. And you will recall that Yahweh promises not to destroy the earth - ever - only cleanse it. And here we see He does not seem to go beyond the 'third' boundary, save with His own people. Not only does He ensure that we are never tempted beyond what we can endure but apparently He treats nature in the same way. We may derive comfort from Yahweh's self-imposed limitations. We have these in-build boundaries ourselves and most of us know we should not push our bodies beyond what they can physically endure. It's a built-in instinct put there by the Creator.

The first malak (angel) unleashed "hail and fire mixed with blood". I'm not even going to try and interpret 'how' that works together because I don't think we can and I see no point in causing confusion by speculating. Hail, fire and blood are all instruments of judgment in the Tanakh (Old Testament). Our own revelations paint a vivid picture in a couple of places that I think are worth sharing with you today so let me quickly read these to you:

"Rocks of ice shall fall out of the heavens (sky) and slay multitudes, and man in his boastfulness and arrogance shall be powerless to halt them" (OB 267:8 - see vv.4-10).

"And the hour cometh when great hailstorms shall destroy the crops of the earth, and great rocks of ice shall slay those who hear not My Voice neither obey it. And it shall be as it was ordained in the beginning" (OB 368:11-12).

Verses 8-9 of today's passage speak of a huge flaming mountain being cast into the sea which could well be describing a giant meteorite or small asteroid. Or it might be a literal mountain ripped up from the earth or it might even be hurled out of the earth by some gigantic volcanic eruption (though I think that is improbable unless Yahweh sovereignly elects to do it in His own power). Who knows. Whatever it is, it looks like a torch (which means it is only burning at one end - the top end as it falls down out of the sky) and its impact on the oceans will set off earthquakes and volcanoes and cause massive tsuanamis. We are not told how a third of the sea turns to blood other than it occurs after the impact - I somehow doubt the blood is that of killed sea creatures as some might be tempted to suggest because the ocean is just too vast compared to the tiny biomass of marine animals. This sounds more like a First Exodus miracle. I would be inclined to leave this passage as it stands and not try to interpret it further by either invoking the weapons of modern warfare or searching for some naturalistic explanation, for example. A helpful clue from the Tanakh (Old Testament) as to the identity of the giant mountain is to be found in Jeremiah 51:25 & 42 where Yahweh announced that He would make Babylon, the destroyer of Zion, a "burnt mountain" and cover it with the sea. It would be remiss of us to ignore this scripture as a possible source of a symbolic meaning of the 'burning mountain':

"I am against you, O destroying mountain, says Yahweh, that destroys the whole earth; I will stretch out My hand against you, and roll you down from the crags, and make you a burned-out mountain...The sea has risen over Babylon; she has been covered by its tumultuous waves" (Jer.51:25,42, NRSV)

This is just a reminder that mountains can symbolise kingdoms in prophetic scripture and that the Book of Revelation describes events in which a latter-day Babylonian power exercises world dominion. This might, then, additionally, be a prophetic picture of Babylopn being the instrument of its own destruction, particularly in the matter of commerce on the sea. You may remember how dependent the Baylonian world system is on ships and keeping the sea lanes open. Recently, one huge ship blocking the Suez Canal brought chaos to the world supply chain. Personally I would be careful not to read too much of this into Revelation 8:8-9 but I just wanted you to be aware of another possible prophetic layer to this passage. We would be wise, I think, to stick with the p'shat or plain sense. So we will move on from these verses and return to them only if we discover further exegetical clues as our study unfolds.

Last, but by no means least or unimportantly, you may remember that Yah'shua (Jesus) Himself uses the imagery of a huge mountain being thrown into the sea:

"So Yah'shua (Jesus) answered and said to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the [cursed] fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive'" (Matt.21:21-22, NKJV).

The fig trree literally shrivelled up but the shrivelling was also am prophetic picture of the and of Judah as an independent nation because of idolatry. Most assuredly we must learn to exercise this kind of faith because of what is coming. Now obviously I am not saying the the prayers of the qodeshim (saints, set-apart ones) are responsible for the flaming mountain here in the Book of Revelation. So what is the connection? Recall, first, what Yah'shua (Jesus) had said earlier:

"I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you'" (Matt.17:20, NIV).

It is not therefore wrong to think on such a scale. To the wicked a flaming mountain is a picture of terror but to the qodeshim (saints, set-apart ones) it is something to be moved. Was Yah'shua (Jesus) exaggerating? Did He exclusively speak symbolically of the usual obstacles of life? It does not read that way, though on one level it could. In the rare event that a literal mountain might need removing to allow, for example, those on the Last Exodus to reach their destination, then He clearly means, yes, you have the power to remove a literal mountain if your faith is great enough. So believe Him. Pray with emunah (faith), nothing doubting. And remember, faith is not so much a quantity that can be measured but a quality. Yah'shua's (Jesus') expression, "Move from here to there", was a known first century proverbial expression meaning to 'remove great difficulties' (Is.54:10; 1 Cor.13:2) with the context here almost certainly being the work of the Kingdom. So Yahweh will not answer a prayer to move a mountain if it is for entertainment or for some evil purpose. Whatever is blocking the path of the Kingdom can, and should, be moved 'from here to there' by the exercise of great faith through prayer. I can think of a few mountains that need removing right now!

Let us now address the important but controversial Wormwood prophecy because over the years this has been the source of all sorts of speculation, some of it outlandish. Let's keep in focus a first century AD audience and ask ourselves, 'What did Wormwood mean to them?'

The source of this poison is a huge star or ball of fire since obviously a literal star cannot have been thrown onto the surface of the earth but rather something much smaller resembling one in appearance only. Recall that the Israelites made no distinction between stars, meteorites, asteroids and comets about which they had no scientific knowledge. One reason we need to carefully unpack the meaning of Wormwood is because there is a whole school of prophetic interpretation which says Wormwood has something to do with 'Nibiru' or 'Planet X' returning, a thought that had me interested for a while until the astronomical predictions just didn't happen. I haven't dismissed it completely, I just now think it to be highly improbable. Certainly we are due for another encounter with a large heavenly body because we know one in the past messed up our calendar which is now out of sync, requiring an extra 13th month to be added periodically. I now believe that body to have been the planet Mars as the most likely candidate given its eccentric elliptical orbit.

So I am not going to speculate what the blazing star or ball of fire is today. If it is the Red Planet (Mars), that might be the source of the blood-like redness if you still insist on a naturalistic explanation. Rather, I want to see what the Bible already teaches us about Wormwood because at least we'll know that that is accurate. Let me first of all summarise what the Bible, including today's passage, says about 'Wormwood': Wormwood is a bitter, poisonous substance derived from the root of a plant that causes drunkeness and eventually death (Dt.29:18; Prov.5:4, Jer.9:15; Lam.3:15) and is a mataphor for calamity and sorrow (Prov.5:3-4; Jer.9:15; Lam.3:19) and though it is not always fatal, its bitterness suggests death. From the point-of-view of the First Exodus under Moses, what we have here in Revelation with water being turned bitter is a reverse of the miracle at Marah, where bitter waters were made sweet (Ex.15:25). Whatever it is that pollutes our fresh water rivers, lakes and springs in this prophecy, it must be a chemical, or cluster of chemicals, that the 'star' brings or indirectly a living organism that produces these poisonous chemicals.

That a supernatural element is involved cannot be denied but exactly what is we cannot say, just as a supernatural element was involved when the navi (prophet) Elisha healed poisonous waters using salt as a symbol of Yahweh's purifying powers:

"The men of the city [of Jericho] said to Elisha, 'Look, our master, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.' 'Bring me a new bowl,' he said, 'and put salt in it.' So they brought it to him. Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, 'This is what Yahweh says: 'I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.'' And the water has remained wholesome to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken" (2 Kings 2:19-22, NIV).

I believe this passage will be a blessing to those of you who live to experience this endtime calamity, for you may well find yourself in territory in your journeying to the places or gathering - and finally to the Promised Land - where the spring waters are contaminated and will need to be purified it in order to survive. The true Remnant will have Elijah Nevi'im (Prophets) for such eventualities as this. I am chiefly mentioning this passage, though, to remind you that the salt itself was not the curative agent, but the power of Elohim (God) that it represented. Take a look at our Salt Covenant material sometime if you want to understand this better. The point is, Wormwood can be reversed by the end time Elijah nevi'im (prophets) for the sake of the righteous if they follow the divine tavnith or pattern given here by Elisha. So whatever that blazing 'star' is, it isn't exclusively a natural phenomenon (using literal materials containing a chemical poison) but a supernatural one too in order to make this a global phenomenon. How, and where exactly, the third of waters is affected I cannot say.

Wormwood, like hail, fire and blood, is an understood agent of judgment in Scripture as we read in a couple of passages from the Book of Jeremiah:

"And Yahweh said, 'Because they have forsaken My Torah (Law) which I set before them, and have not obeyed My voice, nor walked according to it, but they have walked according to the dictates of their own hearts and after the Baals, which their fathers taught them, therefore thus says Yahweh-Tsevaoth (LORD of hosts/armies), the Elohim (God) of Israel: 'Behold, I will feed them, this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink (Ex.15:25). I will scatter them also among the Gentiles, whom neither they nor their fathers have known. And I will send a sword after them until I have consumed them'" (Jer.9:13-16, NKJV).

"Therefore thus says Yahweh-Tsevaoth (LORD of hosts/armies) concerning the nevi'im (prophets): 'Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall; for from the nevi'im (prophets) of Jerusalem profaneness (blasphemy) has gone out into all the land'" (Jer.23:15, NKJV).

The events following the sounding of the malak's (angel's) fourth shaofar (trumpet) resemble the ninth plague on Egypt during the First Exodus where you will recall:

"Then Yahweh said to Moses, 'Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness will spread over Egypt -- darkness that can be felt.' So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days. No one could see anyone else or leave his place for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived" (Ex.10:21-23, NIV).

This brings us to the last verse in today's passage:

"Then I looked, and I heard a lone eagle flying in mid-heaven, and calling out loudly. 'Woe, woe, woe to the earth-dwellers,' it called, 'becaause of the sound of the other shofars (trumpets) that the last three malakim (angels) are going to blow!!" (v.13, KNT).

Whatever has happened up to now (and you'll agree they're pretty awful) they are not the end-time 'woes' normally associated with all 21 end-time judgments! Indeed, this is the first mention of a 'woe' in the Book of Revelation. The 'woes', each one denoting a particular disaster, start for real with the last three malakim (angels) when they blow their shofarim (trumpets) in Chapter 9. Everything so far has been an advance warning of the real and final judgment. Indeed, this may well be a division mark in time for a great many of the world's inhabitants for whom there is now absolutely no rescue because they have refused salvation for the last time. We'll find out more next time.

I am sure you are as curious about the 'lone eagle' as I was. The only mention of an eagle we have had so far in the Book of Revelation is the fourth Seraph, Zoan or Living Creature where we are told "the fourth creature (was) like a flying eagle" (Rev.4:7, ASV). And whilst the eagle as a bird of prey is used figuratively in several ways throughout Scripture - usually negatively of warring nations - it is rather specific in the Book of Revelation, as it attends to Yahweh's Throne as one of the Seraphim and announces His judgment messages for those on earth. So this could well be the fourth (and last) of the four Living Creature making an announcement at the end of the 4th shofar judgment, or it might even represent the apostle John himself whose fourth gospel is symbolically linked to an eagle. Or it could be both. There are also those who think that 'eagle' should be 'vulture' because of Matthew 24:28 and Luke 17:37 where the birds of prey gather around a carcass, a propecy by Yah'shua (Jesus) of His Second Coming. Either way, what it portends - the coming woes of the 5th, 6th and 7th shofar blasts - is the real time to be worried if you have still not accepted Messiah or repented of your sins.

Most importantly of all for us, and for the aspiring Remnant, is the connection with the first Exodus that firmly points us to the Second one but now on a global scale. The good news is that there is an escape route for the faithful, overcoming, children of Yahweh. Though all of these terrible things will be going on around them - like the children of Israel, they will be delivered from the latter-day 'Pharaoh' or Antichrist. The Remnant will be doing much as witnesses calling people to repentance that they might be saved inwardly (spiritually) and outwardly (physically). But, alas, there now comes a dividing line when further witness is futile and at this point the Remnant will retire to their twelve Cities of Refuge to wait out the rest of the judgments and tribulations before resuming their journey home to Israel.

Brethren and sisters, we must once again pause in our study of the Book of Revelation, this time for a little longer, for nearly a month, to both make way for the autumn (fall) festivals, the first of which Yom Teruah - is in 8 days' time, as well as to prepare Yahweh's people for calamities of our own day that are rapidly unfolding before our eyes as NATO and Russia lock horns in the Ukraine. Alas, greater woes await the world in October. It is time for us to go up a gear in the execise of our faith. Perhaps we are not quite ready to move mountains yet but there are large rocks and hills that must now be moved. And any 'shouting' we do at Yom Teruah (Day of Trumpets/Shouting) must absolutely be matched by great faith! Have mountains in mind - be they besetting sins or obstacles to better health, bad finances, marriage difficulties, hindrances to witnessing, prepping, problems leaving the cities to avoid the full brunt of Penultimate Judgment, and the like, remembering that the perspective must always be the Kingdom:

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how Elohim (God) clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matt.6:25-34, NIV).

Endnotes

[1] This phrase is omitted from the KJV and NKJV but present in almost all other English translations, e.g. NASB, NIV, ESV, NRSV, HRV, JNT, NEB, JB, NLT, Barclay. The King James Version translators only had a small selection of MSS to work from compared with today's glut and their translation was therefore limited for choice and comparison. The weakest part of the KJV translation is the Book of Revelation which was in part reverse translated from Jerome's Latin vulgate. For more on different English translations, see Bible Versions, and for more on the KJV see King James Version Onlyism
[2] This reading is supported by Lamsa but others maintain this is a bad translation into Aramaic of 'in the midst of heaven' into 'in the midst of a tail of blood'
[3] See the Third Rebellion

Endnotes

[1]

Acknowledgements

[1] David Pawson, Unlocking the Bible: A Unique Overview of the Whole Bible (Collins, London: 2007)
[2] Tom Wright, Revelation for Everyone - The New Testament for Everyone Commentary Series, Vol.19 (SPCK, London: 2011)
[3] E.W.Bullinger*, Number in Scripture (Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, Michigan: 1967)
[4] E.W.Bullinger*, Commentary on Revelation (Kregel Classics, Grand Rapids, Michihan: 1984)
[5] E.W.Bullinger*, The Companion Bible being the Authorized Verion of 1611 with Structures & Critical Explanatory Notes (Samuel Bagster & Sons Ltd., London: 1974), pp.1883-1914
[6] David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary (JNT Publications, Clarksville, Maryland: 1992)

*E.W.Bullinger was a brilliant Anglican clergyman and scholar whose works merit careful study by serious students of the Bible. He was, however, seriously in error in at least three main areas, namely, (1) he believed the 'Church' has been raptured before the Book of Revelation opens, (2) he believed that the 7 churches in Revelation 2-3 are 7, literal Jewish churches or assemblies yet to come, and (3) he believed in a pre-tribulation, pre-millennial rapture.

• 1. White horse - military aggression
• 2. Red horse - bloodshed
• 3. Black horse - famine
• 4. Pale Green/Blanched/Pallid/Sickly-looking horse - disease, epidemics

  ---

• 5. Persecution & prayer
• 6. Tremour & terror

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  INTERLUDE I (Ch.7)
  (The 144,000 Redeemed)

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• 7. Silence in heaven, listening to prayers which are then answered in a final catastrophe: a severe earthquake I

• 1. Scorched earth
• 2. Polluted sea
• 3. Contaminated water
• 4. Reduced sunlight

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• 5. Insects and plague (for five months)
• 6. Oriental invasion (200 million army)

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  INTERLUDE II (Ch.10-11)
  (The Malak with the Little Scroll)
  (The Two Witnesses)

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• 7. The Kingdom comes, the world is taken over by Yahweh & Yah'shua (Jesus) after a severe earthquake II

  ---

  INTERLUDE III (Ch.13-14)
  (The First & Second Beasts)
  (The Lamb & the 144,000)
  (The Messages of the Three Malakim)

  ---

• 1. Boils on the skin
• 2. Blood in the sea
• 3. Blood from the springs
• 4. Burning by the sun

  ---

• 5. Darkness
• 6. Armageddon

  ---

• 7. Hailstorm (OB 368:11-12) and severe earthquake III, leading to international collapse