What does the name "Wormwood" symbolize in Revelation 8:11, and why is it significant? Scene of the Third Trumpet (Revelation 8:10-11) “Then the third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star blazing like a torch fell from heaven and landed on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter like wormwood, and many people died from the waters that had been made bitter.” What “Wormwood” Literally Is • A shrubby plant (Artemisia species) common in the Middle East • Tastes intensely bitter; a small amount can make large quantities of water undrinkable • In Scripture, always linked to poison, sorrow, or judgment Old-Testament Echoes The name instantly recalls earlier warnings of divine judgment: • Deuteronomy 29:18 – a “root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit” that leads Israel into idolatry • Jeremiah 9:15 – “I will feed this people wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink.” • Jeremiah 23:15 – false prophets cause the people to drink “wormwood” • Lamentations 3:19 – wormwood pictures deep affliction • Amos 5:7 – turning justice into “wormwood” These passages set the prophetic pattern: bitterness follows persistent rebellion. Why the Star Is Named “Wormwood” • Names in Revelation describe mission; here, the star’s God-appointed task is to turn fresh water bitter. • The title reveals effect before it happens, underscoring that nothing is random—God is actively judging. • It bridges Testaments: the same God who warned Israel now judges a rebellious world. Physical Impact (Literal Judgment) • One-third of earth’s rivers and springs contaminated • People die directly “from the waters that had been made bitter” (v. 11)—not mere symbolism but an actual ecological catastrophe • Echoes Exodus 15:23-25 where bitter Marah water required divine intervention—except here mercy is withheld Spiritual Message • Sin’s sweetness always ends in bitterness (Proverbs 5:3-4) • False teaching poisons nations just as wormwood poisons water (Jeremiah 23:15) • Trumpet judgments are progressive warnings; refusal to repent (Revelation 9:20-21) brings the harsher bowl judgments Why the Name Matters Today • Reminds us that God’s warnings come long before His wrath—He is patient but just • Urges personal vigilance: doctrinal compromise can taste appealing yet prove toxic • Highlights the temporary nature of earth’s resources; ultimate security is found only in the Living Water (John 4:14) The name “Wormwood” thus encapsulates both the literal bitterness of poisoned waters and the moral bitterness of a world that rejects its Creator—underscoring the gravity of repentance before the final trumpets sound. |
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