SCRIPTURE: REVELATION 8
THE SEVENTH SEAL AND THE GOLDEN CENSER (vs. 1-5)
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 to them were given seven trumpets.
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 the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand. 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.
THE TRUMPETS (vs. 6-13)
Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.
The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burn ed up, and all the green grass was burned up.
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, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
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. The name of the star is wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died form the waters that had become bitter.
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.
As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in midair call out in a louds voice: “Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!”
THOUGHTS:
An incense burner filled with live coals was used in temple worship. The sweet smelling smoke drifted upward, symbolizing believer’s prayers ascending to God.
FOUR ANGELS WITH THEIR TRUMPETS:
| ANGELS | SCENE | CONSEQUENCES |
| First Angel | Hail and fire mixed with blood hurled down upon the earth. | 1/3 of the earth was burned up; All green grass was burned up |
| Second Angel | A huge mountain, all ablaze was thrown into the sea. | 1/3 of the sea turned into blood, 1/3 of the living creatures in the sea died, and 1/3 of the ships were destroyed. |
| Third Angel | A great star named “Wormwood”, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. | 1/3 of the waters turned bitter, and many people died form the waters that had become bitter. |
| Fourth Angel | 1/3 of the sun, 1/3 of the moon, and 1/3 of the stars were stuck. | 1/3 of the day was without light and also 1/3 of the night. |
John heard an eagle that was flying in midair. An eagle symbolize swiftness and destruction. It is a warning of the terrors yet to come. As the next three trumpet will sound, judgment will come to unbelievers while God guaranteed believers protection from spiritual harm.