1When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
3Another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer. Much incense was given to him, that he should add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. 4The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand. 5The angel took the censer, and he filled it with the fire of the altar, then threw it on the earth. Thunders, sounds, lightnings, and an earthquake followed.
6The seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
7The first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. One third of the earth was burned up, and one third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
8The second angel sounded, and something like a great burning mountain was thrown into the sea. One third of the sea became blood, 9and one third of the living creatures which were in the sea died. One third of the ships were destroyed.
10The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from the sky, burning like a torch, and it fell on one third of the rivers, and on the springs of water. 11The name of the star is “Wormwood.” One third of the waters became wormwood. Many people died from the waters, because they were made bitter.
12The fourth angel sounded, and one third of the sun was struck, and one third of the moon, and one third of the stars, so that one third of them would be darkened; and the day wouldn’t shine for one third of it, and the night in the same way. 13I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the other blasts of the trumpets of the three angels, who are yet to sound!”
The first trumpet judgment brought hail and fire mixed with blood, burning a third of the trees and grass. This is likely the language of appearance. The physical material that will fall to the Earth will likely look like hail but not be made of ice. More likely, it is burning crystalline material that will ignite combustible materials it lands on. This is similar to the plague in Egypt, which involved literal hail that damaged trees and crops and killed people and livestock (Exod 9:13-35).
The extent of damage is limited to a third. “The earth” likely means more than the earth’s vegetation, since those are listed next. Rather, it could refer to such things as buildings, vehicles, and other items exposed to its fiery shower. A third of the trees will have a devastating impact since trees cleanse the air of pollutants and help produce oxygen, as do the grasses of the world. The grass being burned off does not mean it will not recover and grow back. However, replacing the forests will be impossible to accomplish in the short time left before Jesus returns.