“Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed” (Revelation 8:8-9).
The first global judgment of Revelation chapter eight affected the grass and trees. That was followed by a similar judgment upon the seas here in verses eight and nine. This catastrophic event was precipitated by “…what appeared to be a huge burning mountain [that] was thrown into the sea” (TLB). From a 21st century perspective, this appears to describe a meteorite or other stellar object entering the earth’s atmosphere prior to impact in one of the world’s oceans.
That event prompted the destruction of “…a third of the living creatures in the sea” (Revelation 8:9 NIV). Much like the previous judgment, the loss of one-third of the earth’s marine life would have a catastrophic effect on the food chain that sustains humanity. From the rancid odor of decaying fish to the collapse of various marine ecosystems, this act of judgment will bring an unprecedented level of devastation.
We should also note that one-third of all seafaring ships were destroyed in this event. With an untold number of sailing vessels throughout the globe, along with their passengers and crew, the human toll associated with this event will be immeasurable. That excludes the financial loss of any cargo that may have been aboard those vessels.
“Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter” (Revelation 8:10-11).
Verses ten to eleven describe another object falling from the sky. However, our author depicts this second item as “as great star” that was “burning like a torch.” This object thus appears to be less substantial than the one that resembled a “huge burning mountain.” Nevertheless, that was enough to poison one-third of the earth’s freshwater supply.
Verse eleven also adds some additional detail: “The name of the star is Wormwood.” Wormwood is a type of plant that is described by one commentator in the following manner…
“Many species of wormwood (a woody herb) grow in Palestine, and all have a strong, bitter (but not poisonous) taste, which causes the plant to be used as a symbol of bitterness, sorrow, and calamity. This plague will make a third part of the fresh water supply of the earth unfit for human consumption.” (1)
Image Attribution: Hermann Adolf Köhler (1834 – 1879), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
.jpg){kind=link}
(1) Ryrie, C. C. (1995). The Ryrie Study Bible. Note on Revelation 8:11