“And the fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were smitten…” (Revelation 8:12-13, NASB)

When it’s all said and done, the only thing that will remain standing is the Word of God. During the Tribulation Period, God will use the trumpet judgments to drastically change the face of the earth. In the previous readings, we saw that the sounding of the first three trumpets brought forth hail, fire, and stars out of the sky to devastate the things on earth. As a result, a third of the green earth, a third of the ocean and its creatures, a third of the ships, and a third of the water supply were destroyed. The fourth trumpet in today’s reading will affect the light sources of the earth and will bring more darkness over the face of the planet. It says in today’s passage,

“And the fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were smitten, so that a third of them might be darkened and the day might not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way. And I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, ‘Woe, woe, woe, to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!’”

The fourth trumpet will somehow strike the sun so that both the sunlight and the moonlight will lose their power. It will also strike the stars so that a third of them in the sky will not be seen. The word “smitten” (pléssó) here means “to be hit physically, to pierce, to sting, to be wounded, or to be ruined.” The implication here is that the sun, the moon, and the stars will somehow be physically struck, causing physical damage. While the sun and the moon will be partially damaged, a third of the stars in the heavens may actually be destroyed. The phrase “the day might not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way” may mean we will have a longer period of darkness, or that our 24-hour day may actually be changed to a 16-hour day. What do you think? Furthermore, not only will our light sources be dimmed, but our Earth will also grow colder as a result. Many speculations like these have been made by biblical scholars as to the aftermath of our light sources being smitten, but no one can truly know what it will be like on earth when we lose a third of the sun, the moon, and the stars! What do you think?

In any case, the main point of this judgment seems to say that the sun will not be shining in its full brightness during the day, and the moon and the stars will not shine in their full brightness during the nights. It is a proclamation to mankind that the true light of the world is God Himself. By drastically changing the face of the earth through these trumpet judgments, God will demonstrate that He is the Creator God by shaking the things that we consider unshakable. And much like the way God destroyed the Egyptian concept of gods through the ten plagues, He will destroy any and all objects that we rely on in heaven and on earth. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Mt.24:35). In other words, every and all things that will be shakable will be shaken in those days. In the end, the only thing that will remain unshaken will be the Word of God and everyone who puts his trust in Him. Psalm 112:6-7 (NIV) says, “Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.” Apostle Paul said similar things, encouraging the believers that though we will be afflicted, persecuted, and struck down, we will not be destroyed (2 Cor.4:7-10). Things that can be shaken show that they are not eternal, but God will demonstrate that those who trust in His eternal Word will not be shaken.

• What do you think will happen when God’s trumpet smites the sun, moon, and the stars?
• How can we remain steadfast today as those who will not be shaken eternally?