156    The Bible and the Future of the World 

such as this could be as big as a mountain and would be burning with fire as 

it came through the atmosphere. If it struck the ocean, it would cause 

destruction on a global scale, including: tidal waves, atmospheric 

disturbances, and abrupt changes in ocean temperature. 

    Notice that the cause of the events of the first and second trumpets is the 

same: a comet which breaks into pieces. In the event of the first trumpet, 

many smaller pieces of the comet cause the described destruction. And in 

the event of the second trumpet, one large piece of the same comet would 

explain the destruction. A single comet breaks into pieces, causing the first 

event, and one large piece of what is left  also falls to earth, causing the 

second event. Thus one comet causes the events of both the first and second 

trumpets. 

    One large piece of the comet falls to earth and causes a catastrophe. A 

third of the ships are destroyed and a third of the ocean's creatures die. The 

phrase  the sea became blood  is a metaphor for death and destruction. The 

ocean water in a large area will change for the worse, will not support life, 

and will be full of death. 

The Third Trumpet (Rev 8:10 11) 

     The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, 

blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the fountains of 

water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became 

wormwood, and many men died of the water, because it was made bitter.  

(Rev 8:10 11). 

    Wormwood is a plant which gives off a toxic substance to inhibit the 

growth of plants around it. The rivers and other sources of fresh water will 

be made toxic and cause the death of many people. 

    The star which falls from Heaven, blazing like a torch, may represent the 

explosion of a nuclear bomb. The waters will be made toxic,  probably  by 

radioactive fallout. This passage may also be referring  to a number of 

nuclear weapons (or similar weapons) which together have this one effect. 

Perhaps the weapon or weapons which cause this radioactive fallout are 

used at this time, after the first and second trumpet. But I think it is more 

likely that this fallout will be the result of the earlier nuclear war described in 

the sixth seal. When radioactive particles from the use of nuclear weapons 

enter the upper atmosphere, they spread throughout the upper atmosphere 

and only descend upon the earth as nuclear fallout after a period of months 

or years. Thus, the event of the third trumpet is probably the delayed effect, 

from the earlier nuclear war, of radioactive fallout.