As we saw in the message Sunday, the sad news is that many people will still not repent even in the face of God’s judgments.  As a result, darkness will cover the earth (see the 4th trumpet).  “A day of darkness and of gloominess” (Joel 2:1-2)  Not only will nature suffer loss, but human nature will take advantage of the long darkness and no doubt indulge in crime and wickedness.  One would think that the combination of five months of torment (trumpet 5) and then death (from fire, smoke and brimstone) (trumpet 6) would bring men and women to their knees in repentance; but such is not the case.  Like Pharaoh during the plagues on Egypt, the world refuses to repent.  In the face of this revelation it is clear why God’s patience with them will ultimately run out and “because of this, God [will give] them over to their sinful desires and shameful lust (Rom 1:24, 26).  They “show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads toward repentance” (Rom 2:4).  And “because of [their] stubbornness and [their] unrepentant heart [they] are storing up wrath against [themselves] for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed” (Rom 2:5).  Maybe that is why we should try even harder before that time to convince them of God’s love and mercy and win them over before their hearts become too hardened to repent later.