In this verse the apostle John tells us there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. He must have estimated the time from an earthly perspective because such delays have little meaning in an eternal heaven. The silence is significant. Just as silence pervades a courtroom when the judge is about to render a verdict in a criminal trial, so the occupants of heaven fall silent as they anticipate what the Judge of the universe is about to do.

John tells us the Lamb opened the seventh seal. As each previous seal was opened, a specific judgment struck the earth. As we will learn later, the opening of the seventh seal includes all the horrific events described in Revelation 8:7—19:10. The trumpet and bowl judgments, that is, are themselves the result of the opening of the seventh seal. Seven trumpet judgments occur near the middle of the tribulation period, and seven bowl judgment occur in the second half of the tribulation. Each series of judgments intensifies the outpouring of God's wrath.

Revelation 8:1–5 describes what happens prior to the seven angels blowing their trumpets. There is rapt suspense throughout heaven between the opening of the seventh seal and the trumpet blasts. As in previous chapters, angels play a key role in performing God's will. So far in Revelation, angels have initiated praise to God and the Lamb, kept the symbolic winds of God's judgment from blowing, and sealed 144,000 saved Jews to keep them safe throughout the tribulation. Now, even as angels prepare to blow seven trumpets that initiate judgment, another angel burns a censer of incense with the prayers of the saints and then fills the censer with fire and hurls it down to the earth.

Revelation 8 tells us John saw seven angels receive seven trumpets. Another angel brought incense and the prayers of the saints at the golden altar, then filled the container with fire and cast it down to the earth. Next, four angels blew their trumpets in succession. The consequences were devastating: hail and fire mixed with blood; a third of the earth and trees were burned up; all green grass was consumed; a third of the sea became blood; a third of sea life died; a third of the ships were destroyed; the water supply became bitter, and many people died. Further, a third of the sun, moon, and stars experienced some kind of blackout, and darkness extended for a third of the day and night.

In chapter 7, an interlude occurs between the opening of the sixth seal and the seventh seal. In the interlude an angel seals 144,000 saved Jews as God's servants. Chapter 8 introduces the second series of judgments, the trumpet judgments. They begin when Jesus the Lamb opens the seventh seal. The trumpet judgments seem to follow the seal judgments without overlapping them. They are more severe than the seal judgments, resulting in catastrophic damage to plant life, salt waters, fresh waters, and light. Even so, this passage warns that the remaining judgments are even worse.

The word ''revelation'' means ''an unveiling or disclosure.'' This writing unveils future events such as the rapture, three series of judgments that will fall on the earth during the tribulation, the emergence of the Antichrist, the persecution of Israel and her amazing revival, as well as Jesus' second coming with His saints to the earth, the judgment of Satan and his followers, and finally, the eternal state. This content, combined with the original Greek term apokalypsis, is why we now refer to an end-of-the-world scenario as ''an apocalypse.''

Accessed 5/5/2024 9:57:44 AM

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