The seventh seal opened
Rev 8:1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
The seventh seal is opened. What is next? Many questions, but there is silence in heaven above. The space of silence was a half an hour. Silence speaks loudly, it is a time to reflect, to think, to examine our hearts.
Job experienced a time of silence.
Job 4:13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,
Job 4:14 Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.
Job 4:15 Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:
Job 4:16 It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying,
Job 4:17 Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?
Job 4:18 Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:
Job 4:19 How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?
Job 4:20 They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it.
Job 4:21 Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.
Silence can be filled with our undoing, especially in the presence of Almighty God.
Psa 50:3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.
It was silent in heaven.
Psa 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
The seventh seal was opened.
Rev 8:2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
Seven angels and seven trumpets to proclaim a message from heaven, or a sound for battle.
Rev 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
Rev 8:4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
A censor with incense was to burn at the altar of God. Here it is referred to as the prayers of the saints. They are a pleasant offering to God.
1 Th 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
1 Th 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Rev 8:5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
The opening of the seventh seal began the final events, beginning with the wrath of God being poured out upon the earth and those who refused to obey God. Before this God stopped the angels from hurting the earth until 144,000 Jews were sealed. These would not be hurt by the things God would send upon the earth. We have the antichrist destroying and now God comes to destroy the work of the devil and to judge the earth with his wrath. It is a time of great tribulation.
There were voices, Greek word phone, pronounced fo-nay. Sounds, as instruments, perhaps trumpets or voices. Jesus' voice was as a sound of a trumpet. (Rev 1:10)
There were thunderings and lightnings and earthquakes. These certainly would draw attention, yet more was to come, this was only the beginning.
The First Trumpet Judgment
Rev 8:6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
Now begin the judgments of God upon the earth and those who serve the Beast. I am reminded of the old testament story of Moses and Pharoah, where plagues from God were poured out upon the people of the world and the people of God were spared. Yet the people of God suffered under the hand of the wicked king. Moses would lead his people to freedom, but many lacked faith. The people of God are known for their faith in Jesus. Jesus will lead them all the way to his kingdom.
The first four of the seven trumpets are towards the elements of creation, the last three are towards man. The first of the seven angels who were before the throne of God, sounded the trumpet signaling the following events:
Rev 8:7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
Exo 9:23 And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.
Hail and fire, mingled with blood? Was the blood of those killed by this judgment, or perhaps symbolic that blood is required for sin? A third of the trees and grass were burnt up. Trees may refer to leaders as in Daniel 4. Yet it is hail and hail does damage the earths greenery. This was not caused by anything normally seen in nature. He has used natural things such as weather and foreign nations to do his will, but this appears to be uniquely created for this time, it was judgment from God.
The second, third and forth trumpets
Rev 8:8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
This may be a comet or meteor from outer space. It was burning and turned a third part of the sea as it were blood. One object fell in a sea. There are seven seas and four oceans. This must refer to the sea near Israel. Was this the lake called the Sea of Galilee? No, the Mediterranean Sea is a larger sea in this region near Jerusalem and the Mideast nations.
Rev 8:9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
A third part of the sea and a third part of the ships, perhaps with their crews, were destroyed.
Rev 8:10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
Another object looking like a burning star, falls from heaven. This time it falls upon a third of the streams and the springs of water.
Rev 8:11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
The waters were made bitter causing many to die. Wormwood is a bitter weed. This was a bitterness of the natural waters. To be sure many were perplexed and were bitter of spirit.
Exo 15:23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.
Exo 15:24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
Exo 15:25 And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD showed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,
Jesus on the tree, removes the bitterness of life.
Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
These people were already defiled by following the antichrist. They were receiving judgment for their wrong choices and the creation suffered because of them.
Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
Rev 8:12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
A third of the day will be in complete darkness, no sun and a third of the night, with no light from the moon or stars. God is in control of His creation. He covered this region with a blanket of darkness. These things must occur before Jesus returns.
Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Revelation is a look into the future. The Chapters are not necessarily in order of things happening, rather they are a record of what was revealed to John by Jesus. These things will occur as God sends them according to His time. People tend to trust in their natural things; God will remove them. Those who trust in themselves and government see that these things are crumbling. God is to be honored and trusted above all else.
Rev 8:13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!
The angels were mourning the people of earth, because of the remaining three trumpet judgments.
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