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Revelation 8
6 The seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
7 The first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. One third of the earth was burnt up, and one third of the trees were burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood
Note the contrast between extreme cold (hail) and extreme heat (fire). The final events we are now entering will cause every human being to be totally polarized in one direction or the other, unlike the condition of Laodicea where hot and cold are compromised. The sharp clash between hot and cold colliding likely results in bloodshed.
God's temple that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of the Lord's covenant was seen in his temple. Lightnings, sounds, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail followed. (Revelation 11:19)
Great hailstones, about the weight of a talent, came down out of the sky on people. People blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, for this plague is exceedingly severe.
(Revelation 16:21)
Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as has not been in Egypt since the day it was founded even until now. Now therefore command that all of your livestock and all that you have in the field be brought into shelter. Every man and animal that is found in the field, and isn't brought home, the hail shall come down on them, and they shall die."'
" Those who feared the word of Yahweh among the servants of Pharaoh made their servants and their livestock flee into the houses. Whoever didn't regard the word of Yahweh left his servants and his livestock in the field. (Exodus 9:18-21)
It happened, as they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth Horon, that Yahweh cast down great stones from the sky on them to Azekah, and they died: they were more who died with the hailstones than they whom the children of Israel killed with the sword. (Joshua 10:11)
Have you entered the treasuries of the snow, or have you seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war? (Job 38:22-23)
Yahweh examines the righteous, but the wicked and him who loves violence his soul hates. On the wicked he will rain blazing coals; fire, sulfur, and scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup. (Psalms 11:5-6)
At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire. Yahweh also thundered in the sky. The Most High uttered his voice: hailstones and coals of fire. (Psalms 18:12-13)
He destroyed their vines with hail, their sycamore fig trees with frost. He gave over their livestock also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts. (Psalms 78:47-48)
Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one. Like a storm of hail, a destroying storm, and like a storm of mighty waters overflowing, he will cast them down to the earth with his hand. (Isaiah 28:2)
I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plumb line. The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place. (Isaiah 28:17)
Yahweh will cause his glorious voice to be heard, and will show the descent of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and the flame of a devouring fire, with a blast, storm, and hailstones.
(Isaiah 30:30)
Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there is no peace; and when one builds up a wall, behold, they daub it with whitewash: tell those who daub it with whitewash, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and you, great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it. Behold, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said to you, Where is the daubing with which you have daubed it? Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will even tear it with a stormy wind in my wrath; and there shall be an overflowing shower in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to consume it. So will I break down the wall that you have daubed with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation of it shall be uncovered; and it shall fall, and you shall be consumed in the midst of it: and you shall know that I am Yahweh. Thus will I accomplish my wrath on the wall, and on those who have daubed it with whitewash; and I will tell you, The wall is no more, neither those who daubed it; (Ezekiel 13:10-15)
With pestilence and with blood will I enter into judgment with him; and I will rain on him, and on his hordes, and on the many peoples who are with him, an overflowing shower, and great hailstones, fire, and sulfur. (Ezekiel 38:22)
I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, fire, and pillars of smoke. (Joel 2:30)
One third of the earth was burnt up
His tail drew one third of the stars of the sky, and threw them to the earth. (Revelation 12:4)
one third of the trees were burnt up
The stars of the sky fell to the earth, like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when it is shaken by a great wind. (Revelation 6:13)
After this, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth, or on the sea, or on any tree. (Revelation 7:1)
They were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those people who don't have God's seal on their foreheads. (Revelation 9:4)
What might we find from the clues given about what is represented by grass and trees? Is it possible that maybe combining the meaning of the numbers along with the meaning of trees that it may indicate these trees represent those appearing or claiming to be God's followers while in reality remaining deceived by the dragon who deceived one third of the angels in heaven?
The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree. He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in Yahweh's house. They will flourish in our God's courts. They will still bring forth fruit in old age. They will be full of sap and green, (Psalms 92:12-14)
For there will be a day of Yahweh of Armies for all that is proud and haughty, and for all that is lifted up; and it shall be brought low: For all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, for all the oaks of Bashan, (Isaiah 2:12-13)
The light of Israel will be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame; and it will burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day. He will consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body. It will be as when a standard bearer faints. (Isaiah 10:17-18)
Yahweh, I cry to you, For the fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame has burned all the trees of the field. (Joel 1:19)
all green grass was burnt up
How might grass differ significantly from the meaning of trees? How does that affect how to interpret what or who the grass might represent?
They were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those people who don't have God's seal on their foreheads. (Revelation 9:4)
It happened after many days, that the word of Yahweh came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain on the earth. Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. The famine was sore in Samaria. Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared Yahweh greatly: for it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Yahweh, that Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) Ahab said to Obadiah, Go through the land, to all the springs of water, and to all the brooks: peradventure we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we not lose all the animals. (1 Kings 18:1-5)
Don't fret because of evil-doers, neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither like the green herb. (Psalms 37:1-2)
though the wicked spring up as the grass, and all the evil-doers flourish, they will be destroyed forever. (Psalms 92:7)
My heart is blighted like grass, and withered, for I forget to eat my bread. (Psalms 102:4)
Therefore as the tongue of fire devours the stubble, and as the dry grass sinks down in the flame, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust; because they have rejected the law of Yahweh of Armies, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 5:24)
The voice of one saying, "Cry!" One said, "What shall I cry?" "All flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, because Yahweh's breath blows on it. Surely the people are like grass. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God stands forever." (Isaiah 40:6-8)
How the animals groan! The herds of livestock are perplexed, because they have no pasture. Yes, the flocks of sheep are made desolate. Yahweh, I cry to you, For the fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame has burned all the trees of the field. Yes, the animals of the field pant to you, for the water brooks have dried up, And the fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness.
(Joel 1:18-20)
But if this is how God clothes the grass in the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith? (Luke 12:28)
But let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position; and the rich, in that he is made humble, because like the flower in the grass, he will pass away. For the sun arises with the scorching wind, and withers the grass, and the flower in it falls, and the beauty of its appearance perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in his pursuits. (James 1:9-11)
For, "All flesh is like grass, and all of man's glory like the flower in the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls; but the Lord's word endures forever." This is the word of Good News which was preached to you. (1 Peter 1:24-25)
Both trees and grass are vivid reminders of God's design for all creation in how they receive to give or pass on to others. The circuit of life reflects the nature of love itself in that it receives love, life and power from one and passes it freely to others. This requires a minimum of three entities involved, which I find compelling to believe there must be three entities in the Godhead if they lived in love previous to anything coming into existence. Simply having two cannot reflect accurately the nature of love, and only one in existence defies all possibility that God could claim to be love.
Trees and grass thrive and grow as they demonstrate this principle of life, ever receiving from the ground, the air and sunlight to process what they receive in order to pass along blessings, nourishment, oxygen, shade and much more to be enjoyed by many others. They do not relate only to their sources but provide life and blessing to others which in turn can be passed along what is received to even more. Ultimately it comes back around to again supply the needs of the vegetation and the circle continues.
My point here is that Satan's system used in this world violates and distorts this principle of freely receiving to freely give. It operates by exploitation and selfishness. Can we see in the symbols here a violent reaction resulting in what is represented as a fiery mountain plunging into a deep ocean of humanity erupting in mayhem and death where God designed life to circulate and thrive? One third infers association with the spirit of Satan. Trees can represent righteous people, yet here we find a symbolic third of them burned up and all the green grass burned up. Notice too that it is green.
How might this correspond to Revelation 9:4 where instruction is given to not hurt the grass or any tree? That happens after the 5th trumpet which is 4 trumpets later.
