The exalted Christ responds to the prayers of his people in dramatic ways in this everyday world. Through their prayers (as they cry out to God in the face of injustices following from the rebellion of unbelief) the saints have greater effect on what happens on earth (say, in the weather) than those who are powerful by human standards.
The temptation is real, especially in our scientific age, to divorce daily events from the hand of God. But knowing how hailstorms happen or understanding the mechanics of thunder and lightning does not give reason to deny that God’s hand is behind the storms (see also Job 38:22–38). This vision makes plain that the exalted Christ is sovereign over every part of our daily experiences. Through the natural disasters we hear about and experience, the Lord is sounding the trumpet, warning humanity of his coming.
Despite all the scientific know‑how of the twenty‑first century, no one can stop a hailstorm or prevent a lightning strike from igniting a forest fire. No one can stop a hurricane or a tsunami (see Job 38:22–38)—let alone start one. Man is so small; the exalted Lord so majestically great. As the Lord sounds his warning trumpets, we do well to take note, confess our smallness and dependence on him, and realize that every storm, every hurricane, every water problem, every deeply dark sky is a reminder that the righteous Judge of all the earth is coming to fight for the people for whom Christ died. He most certainly executes his justice!
7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.