Revelation Chapter 8
The First Trumpet
One Third Taken Away = .666 etc.
Another reason for the conclusion that this trumpet is showing us something bad, was an interesting observation that was made in regard to the adjective “one third”, that this and the next three trumpets have as a part of their vision. Others have explained the symbol one third in a number of different ways, but the most promising way that we know of is actually quite simple.
If you were to take a calculator and place the number 1 into it, and then you were to subtract the exact quantity of 1/3 from it in decimal form, that is .333 out to infinity, the answer in decimal form would be all sixes or .666 carried out to infinity!
So we believe that the one third being taken away here is showing us the gradual step by step changing and corrupting of God’s true church into Satan’s false 666 System of church and state.
In the first four trumpets, we see 1/3 or .333 taken away from several symbols: the (1) earth, (2) Trees, (3) sea, (4) creatures, (5) ships, (6) the waters, (7) the rivers, (8) the sun, (9) the moon and (10) the stars. That there are 10 different things that are struck by the 1/3 is very interesting, since ten represents earthly completeness. In other words, all of society is shown in symbol being brought under control of the 666 system during the time of the first four trumpets.
The first four trumpets are showing us different elements of society and of the church being changed, one by one into 666 or Satan’s system! What we see happening is that doctrinal error and human failings are causing problems that are leading to the great falling away, and the turning of the system into 666.
Sixes in the Bible generally represent something earthly, or from man. God’s True Church began to be corrupted early on, and as we will see it was piece by piece being turned into man’s religion. Each succeeding church period resulted in the corruption of at least another element; until by the end of the fourth church there was nothing of value left except for the very few members of the true church that were hiding in the false church system. They were still trying to serve the Lord, but they were in great danger of their lives just like Elijah had been in his time.
In order to give us a place to start as to how to interpret the first trumpet, we are going to look at the first bowl (or plague) to see what is being punished, so we will know what is bad in the first trumpeter what occurred that led to something bad later.
First Bowl poured out on the Earth, Beast and the Image.
When we look at the first bowl of wrath, we see that it’s poured out on the earth, and the beast, and the image. So what we see happening is that the church and state power is being punished in the first bowl. The earth is representative of society, the beast was from the Roman civil power which is controlled by Satan, and the image was representative of the ecclesiastical power of the false church. So those are the same types of things that we should look for in the early church in regard to trumpet one and what was going wrong.
The first thing that we see when we look at the first trumpet is that the image or the false religious system couldn’t have existed yet at the time of the first church. The beast or Rome did however exist then, but it was not being controlled by the church yet at that time. The control of the civil power by the church did not occur until after the time of Charlemagne which was in 799 A.D.
The symbol of the earth does exist in both the early church and the end of the Gospel age and it is the common symbol between both ages. It represents the earthly society upon which everything else is built or supported (grows up out of). In that (early) earthly society we see one third of the trees burned up and all of the grass burned up. In this situation we think that the trees represent both religious organizations as well as earthly governments. Those are the elements that are beginning to be corrupted in the first church.
So what we need to look for in the first trumpet are the very beginnings of the problems that led to the terrible, oppressive church and state problem later. We know that Paul had said the apostasy and great falling away was already beginning in his day.
“For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.” (2 Thess 2:7)
As a help or guide to the interpretation needed here, we are going to look at what we had seen happening in the seals. As we recall the rider in the first seal was trying to get power or control over others as symbolized by the crown and the bow. So we think the problem is the same here in the first trumpet in that there was an abuse of power. We are going to explain this trumpet in that manner, and see if that interpretation looks correct. Again we see these symbols as being good, but we think they are being used and corrupted for the wrong purpose by the false system.
In misuse of hard truths (Hail), and the judgment of fire, we see that some in the early church began to misuse their knowledge and to judge others. That was the Nicolaitans that is mentioned in the first and the third church. Without going into specifics we know that Paul was constantly warning the early church about this judging of others in respect to food, holidays and even doctrine, etc. They were being warned about not thinking to highly of themselves and they were told that they should support the weaker brethren. Some were already honoring some as higher than others.
“For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 Cor 1:11-13)
These are just a few examples of some of the problems that the early church had in regard to misuse of doctrine and of misjudging others or thinking too highly of themselves. These things again led to the great falling away later on.
Continued with next post.
