Revelation Study Week 20: Rev. 8:1-13

Rev 8:1-13 The New Revised Standard Version

When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.3 Another angel with a golden censer came and stood at the altar; he was given a great quantity of incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that is before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. 5 Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth; and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.

6 Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets made ready to blow them.7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were hurled to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.8 The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea. 9 A third of the sea became blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.10 The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many died from the water, because it was made bitter.12 The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light was darkened; a third of the day was kept from shining, and likewise the night.13 Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew in midheaven, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!”

Up to this point in Revelation we have seen some amazing things.

John’s vision of the heavenly Christ - chapter 1

The letters to the 7 churches - chapter 2-3

Vision of the throne-room - chapter 4

The scroll and the Lamb - chapter 5

the opening of 6 seals - chapter chapter 6

White horse

Red horse

Black horse

Pale green horse

Soul of those martyred under the alter

Devastation on the earth and sky

The 144,000 and the Great Multitude - chapter 7

Now we get to the seventh seal which is the next wave of judgements - the trumpets

First wave of judgement is the first six seals

Second wave of judgement is the first six trumpets

Final wave of judgement are the bowls

Vs - 1-5 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.3 Another angel with a golden censer came and stood at the altar; he was given a great quantity of incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that is before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. 5 Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth; and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.

With the opening of the 7th seal we see a heavenly silence…some believe the silence is to hear the prayer of the saints, others use it as an emphasis for what is about to take place.

What do the trumpets represent?

The imagery of trumpets has a number of connotations in the OT and Jewish writings, which are determined by the context in which the image appears. In the OT trumpets predominantly indicate: a warning to repent, judgment, victory or salvation, enthronement of Israel’s king, eschatological judgment or salvation, or the gathering together of God’s people.

G. K. Beale, The Book of Revelation: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, Cumbria: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 1999), 468.

Considering the context, Judgment would be the correct understanding. A judgement against hardened unbelievers.

All the prayer of the saints in the tribulation are gathered for this purpose, to be offered with the incense which in turn causes the angle to fill the censer with fire and throw it on the earth...

Vs. 6-7 6 Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets made ready to blow them.7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were hurled to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up

As the first trumpet blast of judgement was blown and we a third of the earth was burned up with trees and grass...

The method is hail and fire mixed with blood. Each of these judgments bring us back to the plagues of Egypt.

It is also special to note that like the seals the trumpets are grouped in a 4-3 pattern.

The first four seals where a grouping involving the 4 horsemen.

The first four trumpets are a wrath from God upon the physical planet.

What do we mean by a 1/3 of the earth?

A third spread out across all the earth or one large are that constitutes a third of the earth?

The latter would be a better understanding.

Vs. 8-9 The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea.. 9 A third of the sea became blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

The second trumpet, like the first affects a third, this time a third of the sea which kills a third of all living creatures and a third of all ships.

As with the land, the effects would be more severely felt if it was one large area affected instead of a scattering of areas...

What is this “great mountain, burning with fire...” some believe it is a great meteor, others have proposed a great volcano. But these were known things to John, so when he uses the work like, he is seeing something unfamiliar to him. Probably something un-natural in nature.

How would it effect the ships? One pastor because the displacement of water is different than that of blood it is believed the ships would tip over.

The greater implication is that all ships will no longer be able to be used, it was the main source of travel for goods.

Vs. 10-11 10 The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many died from the water, because it was made bitter.

Who is this star? an angel.

Then Wormwood would be a fallen angel. There is not biblical definition of wormwood but it would simply mean bitter...

Result: many died

Vs. 12 12 The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light was darkened; a third of the day was kept from shining, and likewise the night.

Darkness is always portrayed as something evil in the scriptures.

But this is even greater because of the severity of the dark.

Vs. 13 13 Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew in midheaven, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!”

Who is this eagle?

Could it be an angel, a messenger?

What is mid-heaven?

If we go with the 3 heavens concept in Jewish understanding, the mid-heaven would be outer space...