Receive the Blessing

Revelation 8:7-12 The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. 8 The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, 9 a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. 10 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 – 11 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. 12 The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.
 
EXODUS 7-12 record the plagues against Egypt. Those plagues that included the Nile River turning to blood and a great darkness over the land, served two purposes: 1) To show that the Creator, not creation must be worshiped. 2) The Lod God is sovereign over the heavens and earth.
   Now as we see what “must take place” (Revelation 4:1b) God expands the Exodus plagues onto a third of the earth. One third of the world’s water turns red. Darkness also covers one-third of the earth. Mountains fall into the sea. Fire scorched the earth. People who have witnessed severe volcanic activity and flowing lava know how fire scorches the earth and the mountains can seem to fall into the sea.
   Wormwood is a bitter root. In the third trumpet, this symbolizes the bitterness of sin’s sorrow and death. This water that becomes bitter is especially grievous as it reverses God’s blessing to Israel as they began their journey to the Promised Land: Exodus 15:23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter…25 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.
   Blessing is bitterness to sweetness. Curse is sweetness to bitterness. Sin turns sweetness into bitterness, living water into blood, light into darkness, fertile ground into scorched earth and life into death.
   Might you consider God’s judgments are too severe? Then it is good to stop and remember his great blessing for the world: Ephesians 2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins…4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.
   God’s grace is his unmerited mercy. We only deserve judgment. But he has given to us the way to life. Without Christ, our lives are cursed and bitter. Faith in Jesus turns bitter death to sweet salvation.  
 
Prayer: Thank you, LORD God, taking us to Jesus, the Living Water, so we may drink of your sweet salvation. Amen.