Originally published in the spring of 1967 by Leland Earls in the PROPHECIES FOR OUR TIME series, the following is an excerpt from "The Finished Mystery" section in Book 1 which deals with the 7 trumpets in the Book of Revelation.

"...As it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; and the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; and the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise." Revelation 8:8-9

What does this mountain represent? A mountain in the Scriptures is a type of a nation or kingdom (Isa. 2:2-3). Thus a great mountain would be a great or leading nation in the earth. Where do you find in the earth a nation which is great enough to fulfill this description? Think not that greatness is to be equated with size or land mass, neither with numbers of people.

One nation which can adequately fulfill that designation is the United States of America. Why would this nation, so great in its Christian tradition to be able to give direction and example to the entire world, be cast into the sea? And how would this take place? It is written that "to whom much is given much is required" (Lk. 12:48). What nation on the earth has received more in material wealth than America? What nation has been blessed with such an abundance that most other nations are paupers in comparison? What other nation has been so blessed in scientific achievement and accomplishment in the undoing of the burdensome toil that man has known for millenniums of time? What nation besides America has received as great an understanding and enlightenment from the Word of God through many movings of the Spirit of God unto the blessings of untold thousands?

But what has America done? She has failed miserably in her stewardship. Therefore she will be judged severely. And what will this judgment be? It will be that which will arise from within her own borders. Think not that America will escape destruction from without; for many bombs and missiles shall fall upon this land. But the primary judgment upon America will be the turmoil and unrest that will arise from within, plunging that nation into a "sea" of confusion and strife. For the "sea" is a type of masses of people in agitation and revolution. Already there are signs of this turmoil and unrest evident in many places and segments of society, for the trumpet of judgment has already been blown, and the inevitable falling of this great nation into a sea of revolution is now in its initial stages.

It also is stated that as a result of the mountain's fall, a third part of the sea became blood, and a third part of the creatures in the sea died, and a third part of the ships were destroyed (Rev. 8:8-9).

The sea is a type of peoples, and ships are a type of local governments which are in the midst of the sea of peoples. This portrays the fact that one-third of the people in this nation shall be embroiled in such serious conflict that they will become a menace to the very life of the nation, and the governing bodies represented by the ships will be so overwhelmed that law and order will be completely disrupted in many states and areas, causing a chaotic condition unprecedented in the history of the nation.

Violence shall erupt in many places as strife and unrest increases among the masses of the peoples. One out of every three persons shall be involved in one way or another in such violent disruption that the very existence of the nation will be threatened. Then shall come the necessity of clamping an all powerful dictatorship upon the inhabitants of this land with absolute controls in every facet of life. This will continue as the nation is involved not only in unprecedented civil strife, but also in increasing peril from without.

Only a great awakening and spiritual revival among certain segments of the nation will keep the nation from being completely inundated by the waters of internal turmoil. For truly a once great nation shall fall into the "sea" of conflict which will mean the end of an era.

Note that it is "a great mountain burning with fire" that is cast into the sea (Rev. 8:8). The fire is a type of the inflamed passions with which the people will become engulfed, and the burning desires which will become an obsession to multitudes. It will be these insatiable and unrequited "burnings" of lust, greed, avarice, jealousy and hatred which will pit class against class, race against race, employee against employer, people against government and people against religion, and people in general against one another in one mad orgy of lawlessness and violence.

This will be the direct result of the moral and spiritual decay which has been eating away at the vitals of the nation for many years. The "flames" will be continually fanned by subversive elements which have become entrenched in the nation in almost every segment of society.

Also notice that "the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died" (Rev. 8:9). The "sea" is not only a type of masses of people in turmoil, but water – whether in the sea or otherwise – is a type of the human soul with its emotions and desires. Even as water is unstable, so is the human soul unstable when uncontrolled by reason and righteous judgment (see Gen. 49:4).

The creatures in the sea are a type of the entire gamut of emotions and desires which "swim" in the human soul. Usually an emotion or desire does not have "life" unless it is stimulated or stirred up in one way or another. When "made alive" such emotions and desires have great power unto either evil or good.

The picture before us is one of base emotions and desires being stirred up or "made alive" unto evil and destruction. Thus they are a potential "killer" of the peace and well-being of others. This is the meaning of the statement that the third part of the creatures which had life, or which were made alive, died. The only way an emotion or desire which is stimulated unto life can die, from a carnal perspective, is to give vent to it until its strength is spent and it abates into silence. Thus it will be unto a once great nation which has lost its moorings, and unto a people who are no longer anchored to the faith of their fathers.

THE STAR CALLED WORMWOOD

...It is written that a great star fell from heaven onto the rivers and fountains of waters (Rev. 8:10). What is this star?

Notice that the star falls upon that which feeds the greater bodies of water: the rivers and fountains, or springs, of water. Since waters are a type of peoples, it shows that the very leaders and fountain-heads of society are affected by this star which is called "wormwood."

This star, burning as a lamp, in one application, is the false idealism which masquerades as true light, but is indeed a deception and counterfeit. And because of this deceptive idealism it is almost always the educated classes, the leaders of society, who first fall under its influence and succumb to its propaganda. This is why the star is seen as falling upon the springs or fountains and upon the rivers which eventually reach the larger bodies of water. The masses of people are reached with the deceptive philosophy (such as happens with communism) only because the educated classes first embrace it in its propaganda phases. Once such indoctrinated leaders gain control in a nation or among a people, the idealism, which was so prominent in their thinking in their initial contact with such idealism, begins to fade – and the latent lust for power, subtly embedded in every unregenerated person, begins to raise its ugly head.

Especially is this true among those who are taught, as were the communists, that there is no God. Without God, expediency and often unrestrained license replace truth and moral values. The result is tyranny and ruthless suppression of freedom. Then it is that the "wormwood" phase of the star is seen.

Wormwood is a bitter plant that grows in the desert. The waters which became bitter represent the inevitable aftermath of such an idealistic takeover (Rev. 8:11). That which was presented as the ultimate in idealism and emancipation for the people becomes instead a bitter experience, as that which was promised does not materialize and the lot of the people becomes even more desperate than ever. It truly is bitterness in the waters, or souls, of men. (Historically, this was true in the French Revolution, the Bolshevik Revolution, in China and elsewhere.)

In that a third of the waters became wormwood, indicates that a third of the population of the world will come fully under the Beast's scourge through the takeover of governments by leaders who are completely sold out to the Beastial conspiracy. Most other nations will be affected by the new global idealism in its propaganda and revolutionary phases, but not completely taken over. Yet because of fear, almost all nations will seek an accommodation with the Beastial philosophy in one way or another. And because of tremendous internal pressures, most nations will submit to coalition governments, with "one-worlders" playing an instrumental role in the life of the nations – thus creating instability and continuous strife. The strife phase is seen in the statement that "many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter" (Rev. 8:11). Many men shall resist the takeover of their nations and die in their efforts. Since the "great star" is seen falling from heaven, it symbolizes the fact that the new ideal and global philosophy is of supernatural origin. It emanates from the invisible realms of Satanic dominion; the spiritual wickedness in heavenly places (Ephes. 6:12). It is the result of Satanic influence and deception.

THE EUROPEAN CONNECTION

...It is written that a third part of the sun, and a third part of the moon, and a third part of the stars were smitten (Rev. 8:12). And it says that a third part of each was darkened because of this. This indicates that which will effect a certain segment of nations.

The first trumpet unleashed atomic destruction; the second trumpet may see its fulfillment in the United States of America. We have also seen a third of the earth's inhabitants coming under the complete power of a new idealism promoted by the Beast (probably some phase of a "one world government") under the third trumpet.

Now consider that there is another portion of the human race which will be effected by the blowing of the fourth trumpet. Its effect shall take place on the continent of Europe in the days that are ahead. The fourth angel has already sounded the initial blast and the stage is being set for its complete fulfillment.

It will be exceedingly dark as the forces unleashed by the fourth trumpet take their toll. It says that the sun was smitten. The sun is a symbol of Christianity, and in that a third part of the sun is smitten, indicates that the portion of the Christian world which has its stronghold in Europe shall be darkened as revolutionary forces rise up within the nations of Europe to destroy the traditional forms of Christianity which have long been entrenched in the life of the people. This will include both Catholic and Protestant bodies, for none shall escape as the forces of darkness rise up to put out the light of the sun, and also strike at the moon and the stars.

What does this mean? It means that the moon and the stars will be darkened even as the sun is darkened. For the moon, which reflects the light of the sun, is a type of the state, which reflects or gives support to the church; and the stars are a type of the leaders in both church and state who will feel the impact of the forces of darkness rising up against them. Thus the church-state combination, which has been entrenched in Europe for centuries, will be completely disrupted.

The sun, moon, and stars will be darkened to the extent that the church-state relationships which exist in both Catholic and Protestant groups will no longer be tolerated. Violent forces will arise within the nations of Europe to completely overthrow the existing order of things. The stars are those high in political and religious offices who benefit from the church-state relationship and who long have had favored positions in the existing system of things. They will be suddenly cast out of their privileged sanctums.

It says that the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise (Rev. 8:12). This means that for four years there shall be extreme strife in Europe. A third part of a day of 12 hours is 4 hours; and God appoints an hour for a year. And in that it speaks of both the day and the night, that represents a double witness of that which will be. The double into the night, as well as the day, indicates the extremity of that which will come on the nations of Europe as both church and state – sun and moon – are violently disrupted by the darkening effects of that which is coming.

The Scripture says that following the blowing of the fourth trumpet, an angel flies...

"...Through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, `Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabitants of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound.'" Revelation 8:13

This is because of the intensity of turmoil and conflict which comes with the blowing of each succeeding trumpet. The intensity of the developing world crisis is a result of that which is unleashed under the fifth trumpet....