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 second trumpet judgment killed a third of the sea life and destroyed a third of the ships by throwing a mountain burning with fire into the sea. John is again using language of appearance, as seen in his use of “like” to describe the object that lands in the sea. The destruction includes sea life and shipping. This could indicate that the meteorite’s impact will cause a tsunami that will sink ships and damage ports. The “blood” may again be the language of appearance. It is not likely to be red tide. It is more likely to be the poisonous pollution caused by the “mountain’s” impact with the ocean bottom or the spread of its dissolving material by ocean currents.
Although the world is presently attempting to track potentially threatening asteroids and working on plans for diverting them, enough streak past undetected that the arrival of this judgment will be a complete surprise, however, Earth’s scientists will likely provide a scientific explanation rather than acknowledge it is a judgment from God.