HAIL AND FIRE MINGLED WITH BLOOD Revelation 8:7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
Trumpets in the Bible were often used as a warning, similar to the sirens we hear if a fire or tornado alarm sounds today. We would naturally take notice of the warning to avoid the present danger. The trumpets of Revelation warn us about the danger our souls are in. Human probation is soon to close. The God who created the world and everything in it, including humanity, wants to save as many who will recognise who he is, who will obey his word and commands as set out in the Holy Bible, and who will worship him in spirit and in truth.
In the book of Revelation God uses his servants in heaven – the angels, to also awaken humanity at the end of time. The messages in Revelation 14 summarise key warnings God wants us to sit up and take notice of. The first message sounded is a call to worship the Creator God of the universe:
Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Revelation 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
The key questions we have to ask ourselves are:
Have I heard, received and responded to the ‘everlasting gospel’? Am I ready to be judged by God? Do I worship the God who made the heavens, earth, sea and the fountains of waters?
The first trumpet that is about to sound is going to impact on the earth. Do you believe in the God who created the world? Or have you been seduced into worshipping what he created, just as the Egyptians did in the time of Moses? Maybe you have a love of money or travel or food or even yourself and your desires more than you love God? Maybe you worship another god – there are plenty to choose from – maybe it’s the Dalai Lama or Buddha or Shiva? Maybe you worship Satan? Idols are everywhere. It is so easy to spend our lives pursuing our own pleasure’s and not even give our Creator God one thought. The very first commandment given by God to Moses at Sinai was:
Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
The world has lost the knowledge of who the true, creator God is. To wake us up God is going to sound trumpet after trumpet. He wants you to realise that time is short. The time to make a decision to follow and obey the God who created the universe and individually formed you in the womb is running out.
God is going to execute judgment on the gods of this world just as he did upon the gods of Egypt. In Egypt the worship of nature had superseded the worship of the Creator God. The ten plagues poured out on Egypt were designed to show that the Creator God of the universe had command over all the natural world and over the powers which the Egyptians worshiped at the time of Moses. In Egypt worship of nature and a multiplicity of man-made gods was essential to an individual’s health, wealth and status. Today’s society is a mirror of history. The prime, motivating influence for many is to serve themselves. “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law” is an expression authored by Aleister Crowley an English occultist and writer who whilst in Egypt authored his ‘Book of the Law’ dictated to him by an entity named Aiwass who he later identified as his holy guardian angel. ( https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thelema )
This so called ‘Book of the Law’ is certainly not of heavenly origin yet the same spirit was prevalent even when Christ was on earth. Christ said:
Matthew 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
You cannot truly worship the Creator God if you are teaching and obeying the commandments of men. It is the commandments of God that He wants you to obey.
As the end of this world as we know it draws to a close, God’s true witnesses will be encouraging all nations, tongues and people to: “worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” His true worshipers will keep His law:
Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Before the trumpets are sounded, the outpouring of the latter rain takes place. The coals of fire are cast into the earth and the cleansing coals, representative of the spirit of God, purify His remnant readying them to prophesy in sackcloth (Revelation 11:3). An earthquake also signifies that the latter rain has taken place.
Revelation 8:5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. Revelation 8:6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. Revelation 8:7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: Joel 2:29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. Joel 2:30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
Joel describes the outpouring of the latter rain and refers specifically to the wonders that take place in the earth and heavens. These wonders refer to the trumpet warnings of Revelation 8 and 9. Blood and fire the first two wonders are combined in the first trumpet:
Revelation 8:7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
This trumpet warning of judgment is literal. The impact on the environment is devastating. Today man be-wails the destruction of forests like the Amazon. But when a third of the world’s forests are destroyed the whole world suffers. Trees and plants absorb carbon dioxide. Not only does the atmosphere have to deal with the smoke and pollution created by the burning of the trees, there are now significantly less forests to convert the CO2 into oxygen. Climate change now rapidly increases. Man’s attempts to avert a disastrous rise in world temperatures and the unpredictable climate changes that happen as a result are futile.
The judgments of God are very real and are designed to warn and remind people of the soon coming of Christ. He wants people to realise that time is running out. Fire, hail and blood are elements that God enables with his word to cause destruction and fulfil His word:
Nahum 1:3 The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. Nahum 1:4 He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.
Note that “the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm”. All God has to do is speak just like He did at creation: Psalms 33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
He created by His word and He destroys by His word:
Psalms 104:6 Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. Psalms 104:7 At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.
‘He rebuketh’ the sea and dries up all the rivers at His word. David describes how God’s voice which is likened to thunder controls the movements of the oceans keeping them within their boundaries, but He can also dry seas up with His word (Psalms 106:9). The God who created nature, who ‘hath his way in the whirlwind and storm’ will plead with humanity through the judgments he delivers through His creation. The fiery storm of hail mingled with blood of the first trumpet will be sounded by God’s witnesses as with a loud voice they repeat the first angels message ‘the hour of his judgment is come – worship him that made heaven and earth and sea and the fountains of waters ‘ Revelation 14:7. Turn to the creator God and worship Him – honour Him by keeping His law.
Just prior to the outpouring of the plagues and after the seventh trumpet has sounded –Revelation 11:19 describes an earthquake and great hail:
Revelation 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
And when the seventh vial is poured out at the end of the plagues a great hail falls from heaven:
Revelation 16:21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
In all references in Revelation the hail is literal, just as the earthquakes are literal. They signify the beginning and end of God’s judgment
Job 38:22 Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, Job 38:23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
It is a well known theme throughout the word of God – He who created the earth, its inhabitants, its atmosphere and weather patterns utilizes the natural forces of His own creation as judgments, hoping that mankind would realise, before it was too late, that He is their creator and deserves their worship.
Hail and fire were the fifth plague in the land of Egypt:
Psalms 105:32 He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land.
Psalms 148:8 Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word:
It was through the plagues in Egypt that God tried to impress upon the mind of the Pharoah that his worship of other gods was futile. The creator God of the universe used his creative works to testify that he alone was the God that deserved worship.
A number of other references to hail being used as a judgment include:
Joshua 10:10 And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah. Joshua 10:11 And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.
Haggai 2:17 I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD.
Psalms 18:13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
Psalms 18:14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
The next passage from Isaiah refers to when the spirit is poured from on high. This is a reference to the latter rain:
Isaiah 32:15 Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest. Isaiah 32:16 Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. Isaiah 32:18 And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places; Isaiah 32:19 When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place.
What is shocking about this passage is Verse 19. God’s people will dwell safely when the hail comes down on the forest and the city will be devastated by the impact of the hail – it shall be made low – or brought down or abased. This one verse describes the hail of the first trumpet impacting the forest and refers to the seventh plague when cities will be laid low and destroyed. At this time in the future, the safety of God’s true followers is sure. They dwell in quiet resting places and peaceable habitations. This passage is truly a promise for those living in the time of the end.
The hail is mingled with fire and BLOOD. The question is asked: ‘If the hail and fire are literal is the blood literal too?’ It is interesting to note that the very word used for blood in Revelation is:
h1. G129 Transliteration: *aima* Phonetic: *hah’-ee-mah* *Thayer Definition*: # blood ## of man or animals ## refers to the seat of life ## of those things that resemble blood, grape juice # blood shed, to be shed by violence, slay, murder
This term can be used in both a literal sense, or in other words actually be blood, however the word can be used to describe those things that resemble blood. Because the trumpet is a future judgment of God the actual scientific composition of the blood will be totally at His discretion. The concept of blood rain is not new and throughout history events have been recorded where blood like substances have fallen from the sky. For further information on this topic check out: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_rain
From our study of the first trumpet we have come to the following conclusions:
Our creator God is going to judge the modern gods of this world as He did to the gods of Egypt – with fire, floods, plagues and earthquakes.
When God pours His spirit out (the latter rain) there will be seen: wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
God has used literal hail in judgments throughout the Bible and has an armoury or treasures of natural elements that he has reserved for the time of trouble.
The blood which comes down with the fire and hail will appear to be blood and may be literal or a substance resembling blood.
The first trumpet warning of hail, fire and blood is going to be a literal event similar to the plagues that fell on Egypt.
The first trumpet will herald the soon return of Jesus Christ. God is merciful and restricts its impact to a third of the forests. It is time to recognise that there truly is a God. The creator God desires that his children worship Him and obey Him.
Revelation 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.