THE SEVENTH SEAL:  THE WRATH OF GOD

(Revelation 8:1 KJV)

And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

Contrary to most people’s understanding, if it has even been considered, the scroll in the hand of Jesus has not been opened at this point, only the first six seals have been removed.  With the breaking of the 7^th seal, the scroll will be opened and the wrath of God will commence, but first, there is silence in heaven.  The anticipation of the judgment wrath of God brings awe and silence in heaven.

Scripture has described the throne of God as a place of continuous praise and worship.  The thing that can stop this praise, for about one-half of an hour, is the beginning of the wrath of God

Be silent before the Sovereign LORD, for the day of the LORD is near. The LORD has prepared a sacrifice; he has consecrated those he has invited.   (Zephaniah 1:7 NIV)

(Revelation 8:2 KJV)

And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

Seven angels, standing before God, are each given a trumpet.  Another angel came with a censer, and was given incense to be offered with the prayers of all saints. The censer is a golden pan or bowl used to carry coals from the altar of brass to the altar of incense, symbolizing the prayers of the surrounding saints.  Many of the prayers of the raptured saints around the throne may be one of vengeance.  There probably (though not certain) are no saints on the earth at this time, other than the Judeans who have escaped through the Mount of Olives and those selected by God for His purpose.

Prior to the first trumpet, evidence of God’s wrath is expressed with thundering, lightning, and an earthquake when the angel of incense took fire from the altar and cast it to the earth.  This earthquake is surely equal to or greater than the one of the 6^th seal.  There is also an occurrence of thunder at the removal of the seventh seal.

(Revelation 8:3-7 KJV)

And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

Old Testament research will show that trumpet sounds have traditionally been used for the following purposes:  1. A call for God’s people to come together; 2. An  appeal for repentance; 3. An announcement of judgment; 4. An appeal for salvation; 5. Attendance to the coronation of the king; 6. Announce eschatological judgment.  The seven trumpets of God’s wrath are definitely those of judgment.

THE FIRST TRUMPET

(Revelation 8:7 KJV)

The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

The sounding of the first trumpet brings: hail and fire to the earth’s surface which burns up a third of all trees and green grass.  Actual blood is doubtful.  Since it is mixed with the hail, which is probably rocks or meteorites, along with fire, it could be red dust from a comet-type object, or it could be rocks and dirt from several volcanic eruptions.  Falling water, contaminated with dust and gases could appear as blood.  Some suggest that lava could create vast forest fires.

NOTE:  The first four trumpets only effect things of nature.  They are of similar character and the Revelation only uses seven verses to describe them.

THE SECOND TRUMPET

(Revelation 8:8-9 KJV)

And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.

A huge fiery mountain lands in some unnamed ocean, which changes a third of the water into blood.  Could it be that the water becomes 1/3 blood or does it only effect 1/3 of the ocean’s surface area?  Probably the answer is the oceans (or perhaps one sea) become 2/3s water and 1/3 blood.  The bloody water causes 1/3 of sea life to die from lack of oxygen.

One possibility is a large erupting super volcano which could throw a huge section of the top of the mountain into a sea or ocean with dirt and dust creating a blood appearance.  A meteor could similarly be involved and also the possibility of extreme red tide created by one type of harmful algal bloom. Blooms occur when colonies of algae, simple ocean plants that live in the sea, grow out of control.

A third of ocean vessels are destroyed, possibly by a tidal wave created by the great mountain.  However, a study Greek dictionaries shows that the word translated “destroy” actually means to absolutely rot or decay:  Strong’s  to rot thoroughly, that is, (by implication) to ruin (passively decay utterly, figuratively pervert): – corrupt, destroy, perish.  It seems that whatever is causing the water to appear as blood (my opinion) is also a strong inducer of a chemical action to decay metal or accelerate the rust process.

THE THIRD TRUMPET

(Revelation 8:10-11 KJV)

And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

The star that fell from heaven is an unknown object.  It is astronomically impossible that an actual star could fall into the earth’s atmosphere without gravitational destruction of the entire universe.  A comet fragment or debris from the tail of a comet or some other cosmic object may be more of a possibility.

Wormwood is a plant that has a bitter extract. It also has a slightly aromatic dark green oil used in absinthe.  The waste material from this star produces bitterness, as the actual wormwood, to a third of all freshwaters.  Earthly wormwood oil is not supposed to cause death, however, the chemicals from this star results in the death of many people.  Moses warned that idolatry would bring sorrow and Solomon warned that immorality would bring bitterness like wormwood.  The text states that the water became wormwood, not mixed with wormwood.

Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood;    (Deuteronomy 29:18 KJV)

For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two edged sword.  (Proverbs 5:3-4 KJV)

THE FOURTH TRUMPET

(Revelation 8:12 KJV)

And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.

The fourth trumpet raises the destruction into the universe and affects the sun, moon, and stars.  Recall that the 6^th seal turned the sun black and the moon as the color of blood.  These warning signs were apparently temporary to provide the world with another cosmic light sources event.

A third part of the sun, moon, and stars were darkened along with the absence of light from the three sources for a third of the day and night.  The language suggests a sudden darkening not a gradual one.  It also is not saying the luminaries will be partially or 1/3 dark, but they will be completely dark for 1/3 part of the day and night.  Day and night will be indistinguishable.

Commentators have voiced several explanations for this trumpet wrath:  1. God will supernaturally reduce the intensity of the sun and stars temporarily; 2. The atmosphere will be so clogged with smoke and dust that celestial bodies will be darkened; 3. A comet or planet x type body will temporarily block the earth’s view of the universe. 

(Revelation 8:12 KJV)

And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

An eagle was seen and heard flying through the sky.  Eagles can be seen, but seldom if ever, is one heard flying.  The eagle may speak similar to Balaam’s ass (donkey) in Numbers 22:22, but this scene may only be a metaphorical figure of speech.  It may be that this vision demands seeing and hearing.

It is an Old Testament image for vengeance or wrath.  The eagle was also a bird of prey.

Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.   (Hosea 8:1 KJV)

However, the eagle issues three woes that target the living remainder of earth’s population.  There are three trumpets remaining to sound and they will be severe and catastrophic, specifically targeting individuals, not water, plants or animals.  The remaining population have refused to repent and will be the objects of the wrath of God.

Summary Wrath Chart