Revelation 8:1-13
Please read your Bible text: Rev 8:1-13
It is helpful to note that the seven seals judgment on earth does not necessarily happen in consecutive order. Instead, it is a broad sweep of the entire end-times sufferings, the intensity of which will culminate into the Great Tribulation.
Here in chapter 8 – the breaking of the seventh seal uncovers the seven trumpet-judgments on the earth. These seven trumpets-judgments further intensify the sufferings in the tribulation. Seven angels are given each a golden trumpet, ready to blow, and with each trumpet blown, comes the respective judgments.
The Awesome Silence – vv.1-2
The seventh seal breaks to reveal the seven trumpets-judgments to be unleashed. Suddenly the boisterous worship of the multitude and the echo of angelic hosts come to a stop, and an awe-inspiring silence permeates the heavenly throne. In the wake of the seven trumpets-judgment which will bring catastrophic disasters on earth, there is an awful silence for half an hour. It is as if heaven stands still in grief over the judgments to come.
In our world of sight and sound, we are never used to silence. Yet silence is useful to capture the essential details in life. Sometimes it is in the quietness, we hear God’s still small voice. It was Elijah in the Old Testament of the Bible who heard God’s voice in the stillness of silence (1Kings 19:11-13).
The prayer of the saints – vv.3-4
Besides the seven angels with the golden trumpets each, another angel has a golden censer with much incense to offer. This angel mixes the incense with the prayer of the saints and offers it on the golden altar before the Throne of God. The prayers of the saints were never in vain. It will go up as incense before the altar of God. These prayers were probably prayers to hasten the coming of the Lord to judge the evil world, to do justice, and to establish His righteous kingdom.
How often have you prayed that the Lord Jesus would come quickly to put things right in this world? We must never give up on praying because our prayers will rise like incense before God. Even the weakest cry of the saint in prayer is never bypassed. Jesus once taught in a parable that men ought always to pray and faint not (Luke 18:1-2). He once stops at the cry of a blind beggar. Your prayer is precious.
The destruction to come on Earth – vv.5-13
The hurling of the incense with the altar’s fire on earth was to mark the beginning of a series of seven catastrophes on earth. The sound of the 1st trumpet destroys one-third of the earth’s trees and vegetation. That can mean a lack of food because the destruction of the earth’s tree and plant breaks the food chain. There will be not enough fruits and vegetables for human consumption. And if the herd and flock lack the green pasture – they will die, leading to the lack of meat for the human. Famine will follow if the harvest of wheat and grains are disrupted because a third of the world’s trees and vegetation are destroyed.
The 2nd trumpet sounds the destruction of one-third of the sea turning it to blood. This can mean the destruction also of marine lives. All the fishes for human consumption will be wiped out. In recent times, there are occasional news reports of the unusual happening of fishes dying in certain places, by the multitudes on the seashore. Also, some birds and sea animals were behaving strangely and even died prematurely on the seacoasts. Can these be a grim reminder of the coming catastrophe?
The 3rd trumpet sounds the destruction of one-third of the world’s fresh water, turning it bitter. This can mean the contamination of our drinkable freshwater, becoming bitter and undrinkable. The water that flows out from your tap will taste bitter, and the water in the reservoirs, the rivers, and the springs will taste bitter as well. One-third of the world’s freshwater is undrinkable. Can you imagine how this will affect people and livestock all over the world? In fact, John writes that many died from drinking the water. So, it is not only bitter but also poisonous.
The 4th trumpet sounds the destruction of the heavenly luminaries. This agrees with the sixth seal judgment’s continual intensification on cosmic disturbances. A third of the sun, the moon, and the stars will refuse to shine. These are scary and strange phenomena. If a third of the day becomes dark – you can expect the day to be darker and the night to be even darker. Undoubtedly the life of everyone will be disrupted. In recent times, in this generation – we have heard so much about the climatic changes of the earth, the melting of the north pole, the increasing frequency of earthquake and extensive spread flooding, the depleting of the earth’s protective ozone – could these be a grim indication of what is coming? Indeed, all creation is groaning for the glorification of the saints for then the earth, and all creation would be restored to its former glory, never again subject to decay.
Think: If we cannot be faithful now, how can we be faithful then?
Prayer: Lord, with each destructive happening on earth, with each earthquake, or flood or killing or war or terrorism, help us to discern the season of the time. Help us to be mentally prepared and our spirits are strong for the coming trouble, the Great Tribulation.
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