What does Revelation 8:7 mean?
Some interpreters speculate that "earth" refers to the land of Israel as the object of God's judgment. Along those lines, they interpret "trees" to mean Israel's apostate leaders and "grass" to mean Israel as a spiritual weak nation. They base these interpretations on Isaiah 2:13, which compares proud leaders to cedars and oaks, and on Isaiah 40:6–7 that compares all flesh to grass that withers.However, these horrific results also resemble what happened literally to Egypt under the seventh plague. Exodus 9:18–26 describes thunder, fire, and hail raining down on Egypt. The hail struck down every plant and broke every tree. So, there is good reason to interpret what happens in the first trumpet judgment as literal.
What specific mechanism this judgment takes—perhaps a volcanic catastrophe or meteor strike—the effects will be horrific. The target seems to be plant life, and possibly crops in particular. This level of destruction would not only cripple world food supplies, it would also disrupt economics and destabilize society. Losing a substantial portion of "grasses" might also restrict food available for livestock, further straining earth's ability to feed hungry people.