There seems to be a relationship between these two series of separate events. In some ways they are similar in nature. It appears to me they are cause and effect events. The trumpets are more announcements, followed by the events. The bowls are more of a pouring out event, causing the disasters of the trumpets to spread. We know that they happen during the same time period because they both end with Christ defeating his enemies and His Kingdom coming to this world. The seven wraths of God seem to be announced and delivered to the inhabitants of this world by the two witnesses in Revelation 11:3-6.
Number One Trumpet and Bowl
Trumpet One – Revelation 8:6-7 “And the seven angels that had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. And the first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of the earth was burnt up, and the third part of the trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.”
Comment: After the stars fall on the earth there is the calm of the Seventh Seal, with no wind blowing. However, the falling stars striking the earth will affect the earth’s rotation and the weather patterns. Plus, the pollution in the air, caused by the stars falling, falls back to earth. This causes severe weather storms and pollution like acid rain that kills plant life.
Bowl One – Revelation 16:1-2 “And I heard a great voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, Go ye, and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God into the earth. And the first went, and poured out his bowl into the earth; and it became a noisome and grievous sore upon the men that had the mark of the beast, and that worshipped his image.”
Comment: The air pollution causes reactions in humans. As they endure the first trumpet experience those who have the mark of the beast will be affected. The mark of the beast (number of man Revelation 13:18) will probably be an implanted chip. Perhaps the pollution causes a chemical reaction with the chip making a sore that will not heal.
Number Two Trumpet and Bowl
Trumpet Two – Revelation 8:8 “And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;”
Comment: The burning mountain sounds like a meteorite coming through the earth’s atmosphere. It strikes the ocean, destroying one-third of the sea life and one-third of the ships – a direct hit that affects one-third of the ocean immediately.
Bowl Two – Revelation 16:3 “And the second poured out his bowl into the sea; and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living soul died, even the things that were in the sea.”
Comment: The ocean spreads, contaminated from the burning mountain striking it. This causes all life in the sea to die. The dead bodies end up affecting all of the ocean waters.
Number Three Trumpet and Bowl
Trumpet Three – Revelation 8:10-11 “And the third angel sounded, and there fell from heaven a great star, burning as a torch, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of the waters; and the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.”
Comment: The star described as a torch reminds us of a comet. Because the earth’s orbit will have been changed, we today have no idea which comet that might be. As the earth passes through the comet’s tail the fresh water is polluted. The fact that it affects one-third of the fresh water shows that it puts a direct pollution into a third part of the fresh water, causing many to die from the water they drink.
Bowl Three – Revelation 16:4-7 “And the third poured out his bowl into the rivers and the fountains of the waters; and it became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters saying, Righteous art thou, who art and who wast, thou Holy One, because thou didst thus judge: for they poured out the blood of the saints and the prophets, and blood hast thou given them to drink: they are worthy. And I heard the altar saying, Yea, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.”
Comment: As the polluted, formerly fresh water flows and mixes with the rest of the fresh water, it causes it to become contaminated, turning red like blood. Those forced to drink this water are those who have killed God’s people. By this time, mankind has learned how to treat the polluted water, so it does not kill men as with the third trumpet.
Number Four Trumpet and Bowl
Trumpet Four – Revelation 8:12-13 “And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; that the third part of them should be darkened, and the day should not shine for the third part of it, and the night in like manner. And I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a great voice, Woe, woe, woe, for them that dwell on the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, who are yet to sound.”
Comment: A third part of the sun, moon, stars, day and night are smitten, meaning they no longer exist. The cause for all these things being shortened can be explained if the rotation of the earth is speeded up, causing them to happen more frequently with shorter duration.
Bowl Four – Revelation 16:8-9 “And the fourth poured out his bowl upon the sun; and it was given unto it to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat: and they blasphemed the name of God who hath the power over these plagues; and they repented not to give him glory.”
Comment: The earth speeds up its rotation because its path takes it closer to the sun. The people are scorched with great heat. The orbit around the sun during the tribulation will be changed due to the fact that the sun is darkened at the end of the tribulation. It is possible that before the earth leaves the sun’s orbit it speeds up and makes a closer pass to the sun.
Number Five Trumpet and Bowl
Trumpet Five – Revelation 9:1-12 “And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven fallen unto the earth: and there was given to him the key of the pit of the abyss. And he opened the pit of the abyss; and there went up a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth; and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was said unto them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only such men as have not the seal of God on their foreheads. And it was given them that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when it striketh a man. And in those days men shall seek death, and shall in no wise find it; and they shall desire to die, and death fleeth from them. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared for war; and upon their heads as it were crowns like unto gold, and their faces were as men’s faces. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as teeth of lions. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to war. And they have tails like unto scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men five months. They have over them as king the angel of the abyss: his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek tongue he hath the name Apollyon. The first Woe is past: behold, there come yet two Woes hereafter.”
Comment: This star striking the earth opens the pit to the abyss. The locusts go after people who are not God’s followers. The word abyss is the same as the one used in the Gospel of Mark where the demons begged Jesus not to send them there. In that story we know the demons possessed the pigs and caused them to run into the sea. The locusts in Revelation are demons controlled by their king, Satan, who possesses them. Coming from the abyss they are used to living in darkness. The men are living in darkness from the smoke and the locusts are attacking them, causing intense pain. They will wish they were dead, but will be unable to find death. Demon-possessed people in the Bible did not kill themselves, even though they harmed their bodies.
Bowl Five – Revelation 16:10-11 “And the fifth poured out his bowl upon the throne of the beast; and his kingdom was darkened; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they repented not of their works.”
Comment: The smoke from the pit of the abyss (with the fifth trumpet) darkens the kingdom of the beast. Men gnaw their tongues because of the pain from the locusts. They curse God because they are unable to stop the pain that they realize is from God. It should be remembered they still have sores from the first bowl. Still, they refuse to change and serve God.
Number Six Trumpet and Bowl
Trumpet Six – Revelation 9:13-21 “And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God, one saying to the sixth angel that had one trumpet, Loose the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, that had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, that they should kill the third part of men. And the number of the armies of the horsemen was twice ten thousand times ten thousand: I heard the number of them. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates as of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone: and the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceedeth fire and smoke and brimstone. By these three plagues was the third part of men killed, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone, which proceeded out of their mouths. For the power of the horses is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails are like unto serpents, and have heads; and with them they hurt. And the rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk: and they repented not of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.”
Comment: This great army comes from the area around the river Euphrates. This is an indication of the area where the beast’s powers are centered. One-third of men will be killed. This will be survival of the most wicked. Their lifestyle is one of worshipping demons. Their idols are of gold, silver, brass, stone and wood. The riches of this world drive them. They take their riches by murdering, stealing, trickery and committing fornication with wickedness.
Bowl Six – Revelation 16:12-16 “And the sixth poured out his bowl upon the great river, the river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way might be made ready for the kings that come from the sunrising. And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, as it were frogs: for they are spirits of demons, working signs; which go forth unto the kings of the whole world, to gather them together unto the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. (Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walked naked, and they see his shame.) And they gathered them together into the place which is called in Hebrew Har-magedon.”
Comment: The drying up of the Euphrates River reveals where the main forces of the kings and armies are coming from against Israel. They are from east of the Euphrates River. This bowl reveals the three main adversaries against God and Israel. They are Satan, the beast and the false prophet. The representatives from these three are demon-possessed and go to the other countries of the world to bring them against the remaining Israelites in the battle of Armageddon. John describes them as frogs, no doubt because he saw them hopping by airplane from country to country. The closest comparison that he could come up with in his day was to describe them as frogs hopping all around.
Number Seven Trumpet and Bowl
Trumpet Seven – Revelation 11:14-19 “The second Woe is past: behold, the third Woe cometh quickly. And the seventh angel sounded; and there followed great voices in heaven, and they said, The kingdom of the world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ: and he shall reign forever and ever.
And the four and twenty elders, who sit before God on their thrones, fell upon their faces and worshipped God, saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who art and who wast; because thou hast taken thy great power, and didst reign.
And the nations were wroth, and thy wrath came, and the time of the dead to be judged, and the time to give their reward to thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to them that fear thy name, the small and the great; and to destroy them that destroy the earth. And there was opened the temple of God that is in heaven; and there was seen in his temple the ark of his covenant; and there followed lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and great hail.”
Comment: With the sounding of the seventh trumpet, Christ receives His Kingdom. He destroys those who destroy His creation, the earth. God’s people are resurrected to take their place in His Kingdom. The Ark of the Covenant is revealed in God’s temple. God is with mankind. In the Scriptures when God is present, lightning, voices, and thunders evidence it. The earthquake and great hail indicate the trumpet’s relationship with the seventh bowl and the battle of Armageddon.
Bowl Seven – Revelation 16:17-21 “And the seventh poured out his bowl upon the air; and there came forth a great voice out of the temple, from the throne, saying, It is done: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since there were men upon the earth, so great an earthquake, so mighty. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and Babylon the great was remembered in the sight of God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And great hail, every stone about the weight of a talent, cometh down out of heaven upon men: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof is exceeding great.”
Comment: God remembers the evil of Babylon, which is wickedness. All who have committed fornication with her are punished. This brings the end of God’s wrath. The islands flee away and the mountains are not found, indicating the earth is returned to its original state before the flood. The great hail of one hundred pounds brings on God’s winepress of Revelation 14:20. The earthquake is described in Zechariah 14:4-5 “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east; and the mount of Olives shall be cleft in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee by the valley of my mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azel; yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah; and Jehovah my God shall come, and all the holy ones with thee.” God provides an escape route.
Summary: Trumpets and Bowls
These events bring God’s wrath upon this earth. His wrath has a physical affect on the earth, which in turn becomes disastrous for all mankind. If God did not shorten His wrath, no man would be left to enter His Kingdom. The trumpets and bowls in one way or another are related to the earth’s orbit. At the fall of Babylon, the earth is shaken from its place. When this happens, man will be unable to stop the coming of God’s wrath. Satan and his followers are angry with God and determined to silence His message. Even though they have power over God’s people, it does not prevent the coming of God’s Kingdom and their complete destruction.
