The Story-Line of Christian Apocalyptic Rhetorolect Lesson 4: Earthquake, Darkness, and Trumpets at the End of Time Christian apocalyptic rhetorolect also uses Hebrew Bible presentations of earthquakes, darkening of sun, moon, and stars, and trumpets blowing at the end of time as resources.  Click for the next slide and a Hebrew Bible resource for Christian apocalyptic rhetorolect.

The Rebellion of Korah and His Associates as a Resource for Christian Apocalyptic Rhetorolect After Aaron and Moses leave Mount Sinai to advance toward the land of Canaan, the persistent rebellion of Korah and his associates leads to their destruction. Christian apocalyptic rhetorolect uses the splitting of the earth apart and its swallowing of Korah and those with him as a resource to describe what will happen at the end of time to those who are evil.  Click to read the story of Korah and his associates.

The Earth Splits Apart and Swallows Korah and His Associates Numbers 16:28 Moses said, “Hereby you shall know that Adonai has sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of my own mind…. 16:30 But if Adonai make a new thing, and the ground open its mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain to them, and they go down alive into Sheol; then you shall understand that these men have despised Adonai.” 16:31 It happened, as he made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground split apart that was under them;  Click for continuation of the Korah story.

The Earth Splits Apart and Swallows Korah and His Associates cont. Numbers 16:32 and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who appertained to Korah, and all their goods. 16:33 So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into Sheol: and the earth closed on them, and they perished from among the assembly. (Read Numbers 16) Numbers 16Numbers 16  Click for Christian apocalyptic rhetorolect that uses this as a resource.

Christian Apocalyptic Rhetorolect: God Destroyed Korah and His Associates Jude 1:10 But these speak evil of whatever things they don’t know. What they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason, they are destroyed in these things. 1:11 Woe to them! For they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in Korah’s rebellion. (Read Jude) Jude  Click to read about earthquakes and darkening of the stars, sun, and moon in the Hebrew Bible.

Hebrew Bible Resources: Darkness and Earthquakes Isaiah 13:10 For the stars of the sky and its constellations will not give their light. The sun will be darkened in its going forth, and the moon will not cause its light to shine. (Read Isaiah 13) Isaiah 13Isaiah 13 Joel 2:10 The earth quakes before them. The heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. (Read Joel 2) Joel 2Joel 2  Click for Christian apocalyptic rhetorolect that uses this Hebrew Bible resource.

Christian Apocalyptic Rhetorolect: Darkness and Earthquakes Mark 13:24 But in those days, after that oppression, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, 13:25 the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. (Read Mark 13) Mark 13Mark 13  Click for other verses of Joel 2 that Christian apocalyptic rhetorolect uses as a resource.

Darkness, Blood, Fire, Smoke on the Day of the Lord Joel 2:28 “It will happen afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. 2:29 And also on the servants and on the handmaids in those days, I will pour out my Spirit. 2:30 I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, fire, and pillars of smoke.  Click for continuation of this Hebrew Bible resource.

Darkness, Blood, Fire, Smoke on the Day of the Lord cont. Joel 2:31 The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Adonai comes. 2:32 It will happen that whoever will call on the name of Adonai shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as Adonai has said, and among the remnant, those whom Adonai calls. (Read Joel 2) Joel 2Joel 2  Click for Christian apocalyptic rhetorolect that uses this Hebrew Bible resource.

Darkness, Blood, Fire, Smoke before the Coming of the Day of the Lord Acts 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke out to them… 2:16 “This is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel: 2:17 ‘It will be in the last days, says God… 2:19 I will show wonders in the sky above, and signs on the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and billows of smoke.  Click for continuation of this Christian apocalyptic rhetorolect.

Darkness, Blood, Fire, Smoke before the Coming of the Day of the Lord cont. Acts 2:20 The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes. 2:21 It will be, that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ (Read Acts 2) Acts 2Acts 2  Click to see how Joel 2 in the Hebrew Bible also features the blowing of a trumpet at the end of time.

Joel 2 features a Trumpet on the Day of the Lord that Brings Earthquake and Darkness Joel 2:1 Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of Adonai comes, for it is close at hand: 2:2 A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn spreading on the mountains, a great and strong people; there has never been the like, neither will there be any more after them, even to the years of many generations. (Read Joel 2) Joel 2Joel 2  Click for another Hebrew Bible resource for the blowing of a trumpet at the end of time.

Hebrew Bible Resource: A Trumpet will Sound on the Day of the Lord Zephaniah 1:14 The great day of Adonai is near. It is near, and hurries greatly, the voice of the day of Adonai. The mighty man cries there bitterly. 1:15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, 1:16 a day of the trumpet and alarm, against the fortified cities, and against the high battlements. (Read Zephaniah 1) Zephaniah 1Zephaniah 1  Click for the use of these Hebrew Bible resources in Christian apocalyptic rhetorolect.

Christian Apocalyptic Rhetorolect: A Trumpet will Sound on the Day of the Lord 1 Thessalonians 4:13 But we don’t want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you don’t grieve like the rest, who have no hope. 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 4:15 For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left to the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep.  Click for continuation of this Christian apocalyptic rhetorolect.

Christian Apocalyptic Rhetorolect: A Trumpet will Sound on the Day of the Lord cont. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with God’s trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first, 1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with God’s trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first, 4:17 then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever. (Read 1 Thessalonians 4) 1 Thessalonians 41 Thessalonians 4  Click for a presentation of seven trumpets at the end of time in Christian apocalyptic rhetorolect.

The Ten Plagues as a Resource for the Blowing of Seven Trumpets in Christian Apocalyptic Rhetorolect In Revelation 8-9, darkness, fire, blood, smoke, locusts, death of humans, lightning, thunder, earthquake, and hail come on the earth when angels blow seven trumpets in heaven. The ten plagues in Egypt are a resource for the presentation of the seven trumpets at the end of time in Christian apocalyptic rhetorolect.  Click for the seven trumpets at the end of time.

Christian Apocalyptic Rhetorolect: TRUMPETS WILL CAUSE PLAGUES ON EARTH Revelation 8:1 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 8:2 I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them…. 8:6 The seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.  Click for the first trumpet.

First Trumpet: HAIL, FIRE, BLOOD Revelation 8:7 The first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. One third of the earth was burnt up, and one third of the trees were burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.  Click for the second trumpet.

Second Trumpet: MOUNTAIN OF FIRE; BLOOD Revelation 8:8 The second angel sounded, and something like a great burning mountain was thrown into the sea. One third of the sea became blood, 8:9 and one third of the living creatures which were in the sea died. One third of the ships were destroyed.  Click for the third trumpet.

Third Trumpet: STAR FALLS FROM HEAVEN; BITTER WORMWOOD Revelation 8:10 The 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 the waters. 8:11 The name of the star is called “Wormwood.” One third of the waters became wormwood. Many people died from the waters, because they were made bitter.  Click for the fourth trumpet.

Fourth Trumpet: DARKENING OF SUN; MOON; STARS Revelation 8:12 The 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. (Read Revelation 8) Revelation 8Revelation 8  Click for the fifth trumpet.

Fifth Trumpet: A STAR FELL FROM HEAVEN; SMOKE DARKENS THE SUN; LOCUSTS Revelation 9:1 The fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from the sky which had fallen to the earth. The key to the pit of the abyss was given to him. 9:2 He opened the pit of the abyss, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke from a burning furnace. The sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke from the pit. 9:3 Then out of the smoke came forth locusts on the earth, and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.  Click for the sixth trumpet.

Sixth Trumpet: FOUR ANGELS; TROOPS OF CAVALRY; FIRE; SMOKE; KILLING HUMANS Revelation 9:13 The sixth angel sounded. I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God, 9:14 saying to the sixth angel who had one trumpet, “Free the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates!” 9:15 The four angels were freed who had been prepared for that hour and day and month and year, so that they might kill one third of mankind.  Click for continuation of the sixth trumpet.

Sixth Trumpet cont.: FOUR ANGELS; TROOPS OF CAVALRY; FIRE; SMOKE; KILLING HUMANS Revelation 9:16 The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million. I heard the number of them. 9:17 Thus I saw the horses in the vision, and those who sat on them, having breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of lions. Out of their mouths proceed fire, smoke, and sulfur. (Read Revelation 9) Revelation 9Revelation 9  Click for the seventh trumpet.

Seventh Trumpet: LIGHTNING; THUNDER; EARTHQUAKE; HAIL Revelation 11:14 The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe comes quickly…. 11:19 God’s temple that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant was seen in his temple. Lightnings, sounds, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail followed. (Read Revelation 11) Revelation 11Revelation 11  Click for a summary.

Excellent! You have learned in Lesson 4 that Christian apocalyptic rhetorolect uses the splitting of the earth to destroy Korah and his associates, the darkening of the stars, sun, and moon, and the blowing of trumpets in the Hebrew Bible as resources for its presentation of the end of time. When Revelation 8-9, 11 present seven trumpets in heaven at the end of time, they use the ten plagues God sent on Egypt as a resource for the destruction that occurs on the earth.  Click for a table that compares the plagues with the seven trumpets.

Ten Plagues Seven Trumpets in Heaven 1. Blood 1. Hail, fire, blood (cf. 7, 1) 2. Frogs 2. Fire, blood (cf. 7, 1) 3. Gnats 3. Darkness, wormwood (cf. 9) 4. Flies 4. Darkness (cf. 9) 5. Livestock killed 5. Darkness, smoke, locusts (cf. 9,7, 8) 6. Boils 6. Fire, smoke, killing humans (cf. 7, 10) 7. Thunder, hail, fire 7. Lightning, thunder, earthquake, hail (cf. 7) 8. Locusts 9. Darkness 10. Firstborn humans and livestock killed

Excellent! Great work! This has been another long lesson. You are now ready to continue to Lesson 5, where you will see the imagery Christian apocalyptic rhetorolect uses to present God, God’s throne, and creatures and people around God’s throne. May you have good strength as you continue.