Biblical Symbolism used:

Then Zech. 13:8 and 9.

Israel was often likened to Trees (Num. 24.5,6)

In Great Controversy Chapter One we read that Christ had brought Israel as a goodly vine out of Egypt (Ps. 80:8) He had planted it in a fruitful hill; pruning and tending it. But they did not bring forth fruit-- they had despised and rejected God's calls-- now the destroying angel with sword uplifted stood over Jerusalem. "Unhappy Jerusalem rent by internal dissensions, the blood of her children slain by one another's hands crimsoning her streets, while alien armies beat down her fortifications and slew her men of war....

"It was the sight of Jerusalem that pierced the heart of Jesus— Jerusalem that had rejected the Son of God and scorned His love. He saw...what she might have been had she accepted Him who alone could heal her wound.....How can I give thee up? How can I see thee devoted to destruction." (DA 575-578)
The first trumpet sounds the warning of judgment on those who trust in legalism-in themselves-- for salvation.

This foreshadows the agony of the world Christ saw in Jerusalem a symbol of the world hardened in unbelief and rebellion and hastening on to meet the retributive judgments of God. "The visitation of judgments upon Jerusalem is to have another fulfillment, of which that terrible desolation was but a faint shadow. In the fate of the chosen city we may behold the doom of a world that has rejected God's mercy and trampled upon His law."(See GC p. 36)

The first trumpet sounded its warning. Its history stands as evidence that judgment will come.

It also clearly shows that SALVATION is not to be found in Jerusalem.

Do not look to Jerusalem or any temple there for salvation.

2nd Trumpet, And the Fall of Rome

Fulfilled:
Announces the fall of Rome, that great empire that persecuted the Christians and later helped combine paganism with Christianity. In the first centuries of the Christian era, the chief agent of Satan in making war upon Christ and his people, was the Roman Empire. Thus it is the Roman Empire which receives the next judgment.

Like a great burning mountain the mighty Roman empire fell as the barbaric tribes came in waves leaving blood shed and confusion in their wake.

It is noteworthy that the century of disasters upon Rome (378-476) happened after Rome had professed to accept Christianity. Constantine, in 312, converted. He and his successors turned Rome into a Christian empire.

Yet, for the most part it was an illusion; the pagan worship styles being converted to Christianity as destructive religious delusions that simply brought paganism into the church. Again the judgment fell on professors who had the knowledge of Christ, but refused the life changing truths of the gospel. They were not authentic Christians. Indeed, history shows that the standards of public morality did not improve with the Christianizing of the empire.

Biblical symbolism used:

The "sea" in Biblical symbolism represents large centers of people. (The beasts of Daniel and Revelation rose out of the sea)

A great many people were dependant upon Rome, Rome ruled the western civilized world. When Rome fell, it let down multitudes, sending them adrift in a sea of confusion.

The "mountain" in symbolism represents a great nation.

In Jeremiah 51, the immediate reference is to the oppressive kingdom of Babylon which is compared to a “destroying mountain”, and which will be thrown down. Yet, in the New Testament times the term "Babylon" was used for Rome.

The "fish" of the sea, are individual people, the living "schools" of fish in the sea of humanity."

The ships of the sea are a symbol of merchandize and wealth, trade and commerce.

Just like in Jeremiah 51 the one who destroyed Jerusalem is now facing her own judgment of destruction.

Like a great burning mountain the mighty Roman Empire fell as the barbaric tribes came in waves leaving bloodshed and confusion in their wake.

It is noteworthy that the century of disasters (378-476) happened after Rome had professed to accept Christianity. Again the judgment fell on professors who had the knowledge of Christ, but refused the life changing truths of the gospel. They were not authentic Christians. Indeed, history shows that the standards of public morality did not improve with the Christianizing of the empire.

Future issues:

Do not look to any great nation for your salvation.

Interesting parallels of Jeremiah 51's symbolic connections to the second trumpet now draw ones attention to Rev. 18-- for the similarities are rather striking.
The merchants
The mighty city Babylon,
Sea trade
A Mighty angel taking a huge stone and casting it into the sea, saying, thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more.

Rome too foreshadows a time when government will pass religious laws and "those who honor God's law are accused of bringing judgments upon the world, ...and Satan will excite to still greater intensity the spirit of hatred and persecution." (GC 614) But God will pour out judgment upon those who oppress His people.

THIRD TRUMPET

The vast empire of Rome crumbled to pieces, and from its ruins rose that mighty power, the Roman Catholic Church. This church boasts of her infallibility and her hereditary religion, yet she received her seat from Rome and changed the living waters of the gospel into wormwood.

We are faced with another destructive religious delusion.

A great star fell The fallen star is the power behind all these destructive religious delusions. There came a time when paganism in the Roman Empire fell before the advancing form of Christianity. As more and more power was transferred upon the pope we see that "the dragon had given to the beast 'his power, and his seat, and great authority.'" that is, Satan elevated to power and then began to work through the papal system, just as he had formerly worked through the Roman Empire.

Fulfillment: The rise of Papal Rome.

The rivers and fountains of water are symbolic of the "waters" of life which Christ offers to all who come to Him, if they partake of this "living water" they will never thirst, they will have eternal life. But the Papal system filled those waters with "wormwood" and made them bitter. Polluting the sweet waters of the gospel of truth and life, with wormwood doctrines that lead only to death. And many died of the poisoned doctrines. It is the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

The warning here is not so much for immediate physical destruction, but a warning against spiritual and eternal destruction. It's a warning that people need to seek out truth as for a priceless treasure and not simply follow the "accepted" modes of Christianity. For Satan, clothed in garments of Christianity and working through a Christian system, is offering poisoned water.

Biblical symbolism used:

The name of the star is WORMWOOD:

Compare with 2 Thess. 2:3-12 “ comes a falling away…mystery of iniquity…exalts himself above all that is called God…because they receive not the love of truth God sends delusion, that they should believe a lie, damned who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

The star from heaven burning as it were a lamp.

This is the false “religious system” of the false prophets and teachers we saw in the above verses, teaching the false doctrines; a religious leaders representing a Christian system, acting as “lamps” to guide the people.

The Lamp

The star falling from heaven pretends to be THE LAMP, but it is a counterfeit religious system teaching false doctrines containing counterfeit commandments and counterfeit “light”.

Fallen FROM HEAVEN

The third trumpet— revealed in Christianity’s poisoned truth during the rise of the Papal system.

What a warning this message contains— the papal system poisoned the truth of the covenants, the streams of living water. God calls us to “worship HIM that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of waters.” The Sabbath has a large part to play in this — the truths were brought forth, but most chose to continue to drink the wormwood water of bitter poison. “Babylon made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”(Rev. 14:8) And she and her followers will end up “drinking the wine of the wrath of God, poured out without mixture. (Rev. 14:8)

We must study the warnings of the trumpets past if we would know what the issues of the future are. If we do not understand the trumpet warnings of the past, we will BE SWEPT AWAY by the delusions that will sweep the religious world.

This foreshadows the woman of Revelation 17 with her cup of wine, drunk with the blood of saints; she too, will receive her judgment.

Do not look for SALVATION in the Papal System.

The Fourth Trumpet

The obscuring of truth.

The third trumpet warned that the Christian church is taken over by the "fallen star"

The fourth trumpet warns of more destructive religious delusions. Christ's heavenly ministry is partially obscured from the sight of the inhabitants of the earth. This parallels Daniel 8 where the little horn reaches up to heaven and casts down stars and exalts himself as high as the Prince of the host and casts down the place of His sanctuary.
The key issue in both Daniel and Revelation is the sanctuary in heaven where Christ is ministering for our redemption. This sanctuary truth was obscured from the people and an earthly system put in its place.

The light of truth, the light of heaven, was darkened -- not totally -- This is a graphic depiction of the "dark ages".

It is through Christ that people are rescued from the realms of darkness and brought into God's marvelous light. (Col.1:13-14, 1 Peter 2:9)

It's also interesting to note that the end of this period was marked with signs in the sun, moon and stars. (Matt. 24.29)

This too, foreshadows the day when people will search for truth, but will not find it. The plague of darkness. The next two trumpets I believe are judgments on the "apostate church".