November 13, 2023 | Be On Mission
The Seventh Seal and the Trumpets
Scripture: Revelation 8(NIV)
1 When he 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, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.
6 Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.
7 The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.
8 The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, 9 a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
10 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky 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 turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.
12 The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.
13 As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in midair call out in a loud voice: “Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!”
Devotional
In Revelation 4-7, the imagery was built around seven seals, which when opened revealed God’s activity in heaven and on earth. Now in Revelation 8-11, the imagery is built around seven trumpets, which when sounded revealed God’s judgment from heaven to earth.
The first two verses of chapter 8 connect the two scenes together: “When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.” The opening of the first six seals resulted in countless multitudes crying out to God in a loud voice of praise. The seventh seal simply led to awestruck silence, in reverent expectation of what comes next.
In Revelation 5:8, the four living creatures and twenty-four elders each “had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.” Here in Revelation 8:3-5, similar imagery is used, where the prayers of all God’s people rise to heaven like incense fills a room. All of heaven comes to a silent standstill as prayers rise to God. Walter Wink said it best: “History belongs to the intercessors - those who believe and pray the future into being.” How does this encourage you as you offer prayers to the Lord?
In the remainder of the chapter, the first four trumpets are sounded by the angels. As with the first four riders on horses, the first four trumpets declare troubled times. In this scenario, the destruction affected a third of the earth’s vegetation, sea life, fresh waters, and celestial bodies. And if you think that’s bad news, an eagle declared in midair: “Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!”
These disasters are reminiscent of the plagues brought upon Egypt some 1500 years earlier. But now they are visited upon Rome, who was similarly oppressing the faithful. The number “a third” is symbolic in apocalyptic literature, indicating that there was a limit to the damage from God’s judgment.
Recall that the people who received John’s writing of Revelation were under severe persecution from the Roman emperor. They were being told that their prayers would move God to action against their oppressors. There was hope! There is always hope. What prayers do you need to offer to God in great hope? Can you do it now?
Poem
Silence... Then Trumpet Blast!
Revelation 8 & 9
Then as the seventh seal was ripped
Great silence by all present gripped
The angel guard, trumpets received
Attention stood, gold bowl retrieved
The prayers of saints, great incense gave
The prayer of saints asleep in grave
Welcomed by God upon the throne
Then suddenly, a deep, wild moan
Each angel set their horn to mouth
First blast, blood fire, hail heaven spout
One third of earth was scorched and burned
God’s purifying fire returned
On second blast, volcanos spilled
Blood making sight on sea distilled
One third of ships were then destroyed
The oceans’ depths—one third devoid
At third blast, something like a star
Depleted lakes, creeks, springs and shore
Fourth blast hit moon, then hit the sun
Great darkness came, great night had come
Doom! Doom! The eagle’s cry did shriek
From ocean’s depth to mountain peak
Upon fifth blast, a key did fall
Unlocking deep abyss of hell
Smoke rose choking life giving air
Locust destroying everywhere
The unmarked cried for death to come
Their pleas were silent to the Son
Time had run out, the judgment due
The first Woe struck as trumpets blew
With number six of trumpet blast
Four angels long restrained, unclasped
One third of humans were destroyed
Yet, those not killed, seemed to avoid
The warning call to bow, repent
From evil ways did not relent
