1And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
In chapter 5 the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, took the will-scroll from the right hand of His Father, the One on the throne. With the opening of the seven seals, He would receive the nations of the world as His decreed inheritance (Psalm 2:7-9). His long anticipated earthly kingdom would begin. In chapter 6, the Lord Jesus opened the first six seals of the scroll.
In chapter 7 John saw two different groups of believers. The first was a group of 144,000 Jewish servants of God and the second an innumerable multitude of martyrs. John’s vision of these two groups provided important information about believers and the spread of the Gospel during the period of time described in chapter 6.
Now in the first verse of chapter 8, John records that the Lamb opened the last of the seven seals of the scroll. We would expect that an immediate and overwhelming climax of rejoicing and revelation concerning Christ’s receiving the kingdom would follow. But in John’s vision there was instead a measurable time of silence. It seems that all heaven waited in awe and anticipation. But, probably significantly, there is no statement of rejoicing until later in the book:
“…there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (11:15).
“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ…” (12:10)
The first of the statements above occurs after the sounding of the seven trumpets in the coming chapters. The second statement above occurs after Satan is cast out of heaven to the earth at the middle of the seven-year Tribulation period. Both of these statements of rejoicing, then, seem to be intermediate, anticipative expressions which occur before the final events of the Tribulation and the return of Christ.
It is probably also significant that, even though we read in 8:1 of the Lamb’s opening the seventh and final seal of the scroll, we don’t see the Lamb again until chapter 14. The emphasis in the reference in chapter 14 also is not upon His returning to reign. Thus, the period of silence in heaven in awed anticipation of Christ’s receiving the nations of earth as His inheritance does not seem to find fulfillment until much later in the book (chapter 19).
Chapter 6 gave us an outline of the events of the two periods of time Jesus told His disciples about in Matthew 24:4-14, but chapter 6 gave very little information about the second period. After the fifth seal John saw some of the martyrs of the first period, and after the sixth seal he saw the cataclysmic events which will occur at the end of the second period, but he received no further revelation about the second 3½ years. Chapters 8-18 detail the judgments and events of the Tribulation period. Rather than advancing the narrative of events following the opening of the seventh seal, they go back to fill in the details of what will happen between the opening of the fifth and sixth seals of chapter 6.
2And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
Why trumpets? God told Ezekiel that the responsibility of a watchman was to blow the trumpet to warn the people whenever danger was approaching. God said, Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head (Ezekiel 33:4). The seven trumpets of Revelation each announce a coming judgment. Each of the judgments carries a message and warns of God’s final judgment of the world.
The trumpets were given to the seven angels. The language is similar to that used concerning the four horsemen (6:2,4,8), the martyrs (6:11), and the four angels restraining the four winds (7:2). The seven judgments which follow the seven trumpets are part of the carrying out of God’s plan.
3And 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. 4And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
The same language is used in this verse. The incense was given to the other angel. In the tabernacle which was commanded in the Law, there was a golden altar for incense just outside the Holy of Holies. Every morning and every evening Aaron was to burn incense on the golden altar (Exodus 30:7-8). David said, Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice (Psalm 141:2). The incense symbolizes the intercession of Christ. Only by the intercession of the One whose sacrifice paid for our sins are our prayers made acceptable to God.
The altar that John saw was in front of the throne of God in heaven. Like Aaron, the angel that received the incense was but an instrument. Like the four living creatures, this angel imaged an aspect of the Person and work of Christ, but the angel is not Christ. Christ does not need to be given incense. The incense symbolizes His intercession for us. It is also important that the angel was not given our prayers. The prayers were already present. The angel added to them the incense that was given to him.
The verse does not say “all prayers.” It says “all saints.” The context of the vision and the trumpet judgments which follow indicates that these are prayers for the coming of the kingdom of God. These prayers specifically include the cry of the martyrs in chapter 6:10: “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” By the intercession of Christ, these requests will be granted.
5And 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. 6And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
The connection between the actions of the angel at the golden altar and the preparation of the seven angels to sound their trumpets is important. Made effective by the intercession of Christ, the prayers of all saints in desire for the coming of the kingdom of God (see notes at 5:8) and the cry of the martyrs for the avenging of their own blood (6:9-11) have ascended before God. The prayers have been heard. In response, the angel at the golden altar casts to the earth fire from the altar. This is similar to the action of the cherub in Ezekiel 10:2 in God’s judgment on Jerusalem. The voices, thunderings, lightnings, and earthquake indicate that a storm is about to break (see 4:5). The seven trumpets will herald judgments on the earth.
In 7:1-3 the four angels restraining the four winds were waiting. In 8:2 the trumpets were given. The other angel came to the golden altar at the right moment with censer ready in hand. Incense was given to that angel to offer with the prayers of all the saints. As soon as the angel cast fire from the altar to the earth, the seven angels with the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. Each step of God’s plan was being carried out in perfect sequence.
7The 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.
The judgment after the first trumpet clearly resembles one of the plagues God sent on Egypt because of Pharaoh’s refusal to let Israel go: 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. So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. (Exodus 9:23-24).
Joel spoke of a coming attack on Jerusalem (Joel 2:1-11). Jesus warned of “the abomination of desolation” (Matthew 24:15). The atrocities that will be committed against the people of Israel at that time will be great. Even as the martyrs under the altar cried, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” (6:10) and even as the censer of fire taken from the altar where their prayers ascended was flung to the earth (8:5), it seems right to understand the trumpet judgments as being retributive judgments for the mistreatment of God’s people. God judged Pharaoh in Egypt with hail mingled with fire, but John saw hail and fire mingled with blood. The shed blood of God’s people will be requited.
One third of all trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. In the judgments which follow, it is often “the third part” that is affected (8:7,8,9,10,11,12; 9:15,18). These “thirds” seem to culminate in the account in 12:4 of Satan’s having cast down a third of the stars of heaven, referring to the third of the angels who followed Satan in his rebellion against God. The retribution that John saw in the trumpet judgments may be in response to the evil provoked by Satan and his fallen angels at that time against God’s people on earth.
The judgment which follows each of the seven trumpets is literal. For example, in verse 11, many people die because of drinking poisoned water. However, it is likely that these literal judgments also carry spiritual significance. The trees burned up are literal but may picture judgment on rulers of the earth (see notes at 7:1). The grass is literal but may picture the green pastures of the Great Shepherd that the world refused.
8And 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; 9and the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
When the second trumpet was blown, something like a great burning mountain was thrown into the sea. The third part of the sea became blood. The enormous burning object is literal. The sea is literal. The blood is literal (see also Exodus 7:15-24). A third of sea life died and a third of the ships on the sea were destroyed.
A literal event with literal consequences, but what does it mean? When God spoke of the destruction of Babylon, He said, Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the LORD, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain (Jeremiah 51:25). In history, the Babylonian empire fell to the Medes. But there is yet a Babylon to be. It will have its own great commercial center (Revelation 18:9-16). That city will be thrown down: “And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all” (Revelation 18:21).
At the time of these judgments in the Great Tribulation, the restored Babylon will be present on earth. The second trumpet judgment anticipates the fall of that evil city. The sea spoken of may be the Mediterranean since that is the area of the powers involved (see chapters 13,17). Much of the commerce of future Babylon will be by sea. The literal destruction of sea life and ships after the second trumpet anticipates the later judgment on Babylonian commerce: “And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate” (Revelation 18:19). The trumpet judgment is partial (“the third part”), but the final judgment of Babylon which comes later will be complete.
The second trumpet judgment is fitting because the world rejected Christ’s offer of Himself and His kingdom. The kingdom which they choose instead and its Christless prosperity will be utterly cast down.
10And 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; 11and 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.
In chapter 9, we will read of another star that has fallen from heaven, and to that star will be given the key of the bottomless pit. The star will open the bottomless pit (9:1-2). Clearly, that “star” is a personal being, probably an angel. The star which John saw fall from heaven in the verses above is also likely a personal being, an angel. An angel that “falls” from heaven is probably a demon (see also 12:4).
The angel in the verses above is named Wormwood. This angel fell upon part of the fresh water sources of earth and made them toxic. Many people died by drinking the affected water.
The judgment on the water sources is literal. But what does such a judgment mean? The only other reference to a “lamp” in the book of Revelation is the reference to the “seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God” (4:5). The star that fell from heaven was burning “as it were a lamp”, perhaps to picture demonic deception. The world that rejected Jesus, the source of living water (John 4:10), will die from the toxic deception that Satan will bring during the Great Tribulation. The third trumpet judgment concerns literal water and is only partial (“the third part”), but it pictures the death that will come to all who listen to the deceiver.
12And 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.
The judgments of the first three trumpets were instantaneous events: hail and fire mingled with blood cast upon the earth, something like a burning mountain cast into the sea, a demonic being falling upon the third part of the waters. The results of the first three trumpet judgments were apparently temporary (the grass grew back, the sea and the rivers became clear again). The judgment of the fourth trumpet is likely also an instantaneous event with a temporary result. What is the message of the darkness? The world that refused Jesus, the Light of the World (John 8:12), faces darkness. The judgment at the sounding of the fourth trumpet is only partial, but the darkness faced by the lost at Christ’s coming will be complete and permanent.
At the sounding of the first four trumpets, one third of the land and trees were burned, one third of the sea became blood, one third of marine life died, one third of ships on the sea were ruined, one third of the rivers and springs of water became bitter, and one third of the day and night became completely dark. Is there any explanation given about how God will do this?
We need to go back to the first verses of chapter 7. John saw four angels restraining the four winds of the earth. They were told not to hurt the earth, the sea, or the trees until the servants of God were sealed on their foreheads. After the 144,000 servants of God were sealed, we read about the first four trumpet judgments. Given all the might of the north, south, east, and west winds to direct fires, control the flow of water, and move cloud masses, the “one third” judgments are understandable.
13And 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 majority of the Greek manuscripts have “eagle” rather than “angel.” In either case, there is given a warning concerning the severity of the remaining three trumpet judgments. All three “woes” (see 9:12; 11:14; 18:10,16,19) will greatly affect the inhabitants of the earth.
Note: All Scriptures are quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.