Revelation 8:1-13 - Warning Sounds of Impending Judgment

Revelation 8:1-13

Seventh Seal: Prelude to the Seven Trumpets

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 to them were given seven trumpets. 3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.

6 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

First Trumpet: Vegetation Struck

7 The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.

Second Trumpet: The Seas Struck

8 Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9 And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

Third Trumpet: The Waters Struck

10 Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning 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 men died from the water, because it was made bitter.

Fourth Trumpet: The Heavens Struck

12 Then the fourth angel sounded: 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 were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night.

13 And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”

The seventh seal would be broken and then the trumpets will sound forth as revealed to John of what will happen in the future as the end of time approaches and judgment on the earth looms heavily.  The presentation of the events begins with silence in heaven for a time before the incense of the altar was mixed with the prayers of the saints and offered to the Lord before His throne on a golden altar of which the earthly temple was just a shadow (Hebrews 8:4-5) seen before by Israel.  We see here how the smoke of the heavens incense will be mingled with the prayers of the saints and ascend before God from the angel’s hand who ministers it on His behalf for us.   Then the silence will be broken by the sound of the censer being hurled with violent force to the earth as a judgment announced with thunder and lightning as an earthquake would shake the world.  There was a pause then as a prelude to the seven trumpets about to sound forth.  This scene must have struck John with absolute awe and terror as he heard the sound of the first heavenly blast trigger hail and fire thrown down to burn up a third of the trees and grass covering the ground.  Then the second followed this disastrous scene with a monstrous burning rock hitting the sea as if an immense flaming meteorite as big as a mountain.  This spectacle caused a third of the oceans to turn blood red as a third of all the sea life was extinguished in the flaming impact.  The the aged apostle witnessed the third trumpet that will sound in the end.  It announced a larger object fall from space as if a comet burning like a star came hurtling down on the rivers and springs of the entire planet, wiping out the drinking water and sources of food and trade as it contaminated the waters and made them poisonous.  When the fourth trumpet blast its sound, the very heavens were struck with darkness that resulted in diminished light from the sun, moon, and stars.  This cosmic catastrophe was also told by Jesus to the disciples, including John, whole He walked among us as we read in Matthew 24:29 and Mark 13:24-25 before His return for judgment.  In Luke 21:25-26 we see also that people’s heart will fail them as they witness these events as the powers of the very universe will be shaken with the earth tainted by sin (Romans 8:22) until all things are made new apart from sin (Hebrews 9:28) and its lasting effects.  The angel will be flying over this world with an announcement of woe to all who inhabit this world as the remaining three angels blow their fifth, sixth, and seventh horns of God’s judgment on them.  How much more warning do we need after reading these future certainties to be reconciled with the Lord by believing the gospel of deliverance from sin in trusting the work of Jesus as the Son of God in His sacrificial death for our sin, His burial to put it to permanently to rest, and His resurrection as assurance of our salvation from these judgments?  When the warning sounds of impending judgment come, will you be ready with the promise to not be overcome by these, an overcomer who trusts the Lord (1 John 5:4-5, Revelation 21:7) for a place with Him in the new world in His presence (Job 19:25-27, 29) at last, or will you suffer the fate we all deserve if not for His mercy and grace in Christ?  These things beg the question, where do you stand now in readiness for that day?