Jehovah's Plagues on Christendom - Like a Burning Mountain

Like a Burning Mountain

"And the second angel blew his trumpet. And something like a great mountain burning with fire was hurled into the sea. And a third of the sea become blood; and a third of the creatures that are in the sea which have souls died, and a third of the boats were wrecked."  (Revelation 8:8, 9 ) What does this frightful scene picture?

We may best understand it against the background of the convention of Jehovah's people held in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A., on August  18-26, 1923.  The featured Saturday afternoon talk by the Watchtower Society's president was on the topic "Sheep and Goats."  The "sheep" were clearly identified as those righteously disposed person who would inherit the earthly realm of God's  Kingdom.  A resolution that followed drew attention to the hypocrisy of "apostate clergymen and 'the principal of their flocks,' who are worldly men of strong financial and political influence."  It called on the multitude of the peace and order loving ones in the denominational churches . . .to withdraw themselves from the unrighteous ecclesiastical systems  designated by the Lord as  'Babylon' " and to ready themselves "to receive the blessings  of God's kingdom."

Doubtless, this resolution cam as a result of the sounding of the second trumpet.  Those who would in due course respond to that message would separate from the goat like group that Isaiah described in these words:  "But the wicked are like the eat hat is being tossed, when it is unable to calm down, the waters of which keep tossing up seaweed and mire."  (Isaiah 57:20; 17:12, 13)  Thus, "the sea" well pictures restless unsettled , and rebellious humanity that churns up unrest and revolution.  (Compare Revelation 13:1) The time will come when that "sea" will be no more.  (Revelation 21:1) Meantime, with the blast of the second trumpet, Jehovah pronounces judgment against a third of it-the unruly part that is in the realm of Christendom herself.

Next time: Jehovah's Plagues on Christendom - Conclusion of Like a Burning Mountain

From the Book of Revelation