revelation 8, the second trumpet

revelation 8, the seventh seal
revelation 8, the first trumpet

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. Rev 8:8-9

In 410 Alaric invaded Rome and plundered it, destroying vegetation, orchards, and agriculture as he went. This was the first trumpet of judgment against Rome, which affected the agriculture in one- third of the Roman Empire. (The discussion on the division of the Empire into thirds is coming.)

After Alaric died, the Goths continued to wander, through southern Gaul, and then into Spain. Another German tribe, the Vandals, were already living in Spain. A few years before Alaric brought the Goths into Italy, the Vandals had plundered their way across southern Gaul (we get our word “vandalism” from their practice of reckless and wanton destruction) and finally settled in Spain. When the Goths arrived in Spain, they fought the Vandals for possession, and the Vandals then took to ships and crossed into the Roman provinces in northern Africa.

Here they rebuilt Carthage (429), and from there established a kingdom, conquering the islands which had belonged to Rome in the Mediterranean Sea. From these bases the Vandals under Genseric harried Roman commerce continually from the sea. Then in 455:

“Genseric, king of the Vandals, came over from Africa, captured Rome, and allowed his soldiers to sack it for fourteen days. As his men were very rough indeed, they destroyed many things which they could not carry away; and when they departed they took with them the widow of [the emperor], and her daughters, and reduced many noble Romans to slavery.”

— H. A. Guerber, The Story of the Romans, page 185

The symbolism of a mountain, is a kingdom. The kingdom of the Vandals fell (because they were defeated by the Goths and forced to flee Spain) into the sea, where they destroyed one- third of the shipping and life of the sea. Thus Genseric and the Vandals fulfills the second trumpet of judgment against Rome; and for the second time a German tribe invaded and plundered Rome without resistance.

revelation 8, the third trumpet
revelation 8, the fourth trumpet
revelation 8, the woes to come
revelation 8, the division of the empire

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Christine’s book The Revelation of Jesus Christ Revealed, based on these studies but greatly, is now available at Revelation Revealed Online. You may also be interested in reading the Book Extras and joining in on the Discussion.