Revelation 8:10-11 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water— the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.
The third trumpet sounds similar to the second trumpet. This time a comet strikes land, probably raising a dust cloud that poisons the rivers and springs of water. Wormwood is a bitter shrub sometimes used in medicines. The name is used symbolically here for the bitterness of the water after the star falls. Many people of the world rely on water from springs, rivers and lakes. People who use wells will be protected with this particular problem, but not for long. The polluted waters can also affect crops and livestock, which will lead to more death. With each trumpet, the catastrophe gets worse.
How will humanity react to these events? We will find this out at the end of chapter 9. More significant is how people should react now since we know what will take place in the future. People should heed the warnings given through this prophecy. Just like in the days of Jeremiah, people hear the message but refuse to listen and turn from their sins. God becomes a convenience or inconvenience. Scoffers will abound who explain away God’s warnings. Christians are becoming more and more marginalized. People criticize “the church” for this, but it is not only the fault of God’s people. The world will get worse and turn from God in the end.
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