Christ Opens the Seventh Seal

And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. 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. offer...: Or, adde it to the prayers 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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! - Revelation 8:1-13

    ‘And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour’ (Revelation 8:1)

    In Revelation 6:10, we hear the cries of God's saints, ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?’ In this eighth chapter, with the opening of the seventh seal, we are shown the trumpets of judgment. These seven trumpets of judgment which are described in chapters 8-11 show God's retribution upon those who are the persecuting enemies of his church. The final, complete retribution is reserved for the great day of judgment. Yet, ‘even now the seals of persecution are followed by the trumpets of judgment’ (W. Hendriksen). These trumpets of judgment do not symbolize single, isolated events, or specific periods of time. Rather, they are symbolic pictures of God's providential judgments which fall upon the wicked again and again throughout history. They are God's warnings of wrath to come. These are the things which God brings upon men and women, cities and nations, because of their opposition to Christ and their persecution of his church. And every act of divine judgment in time is a warning of eternal judgment to come, calling for God's enemies to bow to Christ in repentance and faith. In chapters 8-11, God sends seven angels to ‘blow the trumpet and warn the people’ (Ezek. 33:3). In this eighth chapter, we will look at the first four trumpets of judgment as they are set before us. There are four things which stand out as prominent lessons to be gleaned from these thirteen verses.

    Judgment is God's strange work

    When the Lord Jesus opened the seventh seal of the book, John says, ‘There was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour’ (v. 1). For thirty minutes all songs, all praises, all movement stopped. Heaven was completely silenced when the Son of God began to open this seal of judgment. This silence was an indication of sober reflection. The calm before the storm is always a time of sobriety and thoughtfulness. The triune God, the Lamb, the four living creatures, the twenty-four elders, the seraphs, cherubs, and all the multiplied millions of angels, and all the church of God were silent. God was thinking about what he was about to do. The angels were thinking about their mission. And the redeemed of the Lord were thinking about God's great mercy to them. This half-hour of silence in heaven was also an indication of great anticipation. ‘Great things were upon the wheel of providence. And the church of God, both in heaven and earth, stood silent, as became them, to see what God was doing’ (Matthew Henry). Throughout the Old Testament the goings forth of the Almighty to judgment were introduced by reverent silence (Hab. 2:20; Zeph. 1:7; Zech. 2:13). Above all else, this silence in heaven indicated something strange and terrible. Someone said, ‘The steps of God from mercy to judgment are always slow, reluctant, and measured.’ Judgment is God's ‘strange work.’ He ‘delighteth in mercy’ (Micah. 7:18). But God is slow to anger and slow to wrath. The Almighty has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. ‘God is love’ (1 John 4:16). Judgment is ‘his strange act’ (Isa. 28:21). Yet, his judgment is sure! Justice demands judgment. God will punish every transgression, either in the one who commits it or in the Substitute, Christ Jesus (Heb. 2:2; Isa. 53:8; Gal. 3:13).

    The angels of God who minister to his elect execute judgment upon their enemies (v. 2)

    To God's elect these angels are ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those who shall be the heirs of eternal salvation (Heb. 1:14). They are messengers of mercy to the people of God. They watch over and protect them in this world. But those very same angels are messengers of wrath and judgment to all who oppose and persecute the church of God (2 Sam. 14:15-17; 2 Kings 19:34-35).

    There is a direct correlation between the prayers of God's people and his judgment upon their enemies (vv. 3-5)

    This angel of intercession is the Lord Jesus Christ himself, the only intercessor and mediator between God and men (I Tim. 2:5-6; Heb. 7:24-27; 1 John 2:1-2). And as surely as he makes intercession for his elect, so also he will avenge his elect (v. 5). As a king is honor bound to avenge the blood of his loyal subjects, so the Lord God is honor bound to avenge the blood of his people upon their enemies who have persecuted, abused, tormented, and killed them. The Lord Jesus Christ, our Mediator, who offered up the prayers of his saints by his own merit, ‘took fire from off the altar and cast it into the earth.’ This fire caused many strange commotions in the earth: voices, thunders, lightenings, and earthquakes. That came about as God's answer to the prayers of his saints (Rev. 6:10). God is our Defender. God is our Refuge. God is our Avenger. Our cause is safe in his hands! (Luke 18:17; Rom. 12:19). ‘And,’ after Christ gave the command of judgment, ‘the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound’ (v. 6). Now, look at the four trumpet judgments in this chapter, and understand, fourthly, that. . .

    Every providential act of judgment is a warning of the greater, eternal judgment that is to come (vv. 7-13)

    As you read the description of these trumpet judgments, you cannot fail to see a similarity between them and the judgments of God upon the Egyptians in the book of Exodus. As then, the plagues were all poured out upon Egypt and Israel was unharmed, even so, these judgments fall upon the wicked. They do not harm God's elect! God punished his elect in Christ for their sins. God's judgment against us fell upon our Substitute. Though the wicked must be punished, ‘There shall no evil happen to the just’ (Prov. 12:21; Rom. 8:1).

    The first trumpet sounds and brings a terrible storm, leaving destruction in its path (v. 7). It is a terrible mistake to limit the judgment to a strictly literal interpretation, though that is certainly included. Usually when divine judgment is dealt with in Holy Scripture, highly figurative language is used simply because it is such a horrible thing that nothing can properly describe it (Joel 2:28-32). Here is a terrible storm of hail, fire, and blood. Perhaps it refers to a violent hail storm that causes fire and death. It may refer to storms of pestilence, war, and economic/political upheavals falling upon society in general. Perhaps it refers to a spiritual storm and has reference to the heresies by which God's elect are proved and those who rebel against his truth are destroyed (1 Cor. 11:19; 2 Thess. 2:10-12). But even in wrath, God remembers mercy! The storm of judgment is limited to only a third part of the earth.

    The second angel sounds his trumpet and ‘as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea’ (vv. 8-9). The words ‘as it were’ are significant. They specifically tell us that the picture is symbolical, not literal. Most likely this refers to idolized spiritual leaders, famous evangelists or pastors who appeared to burn with zeal for Christ and his truth, falling publicly into sin and disgrace. These self-appointed false prophets are not God's servants, though multitudes follow them. When they fall, many are destroyed. Yet, ‘the foundation of God standeth sure’ (2 Tim. 2:15-19). God's elect are not deceived by such men.

    The third angel sounds his trumpet and a star falls from heaven polluting the waters of the earth (vv. 10-11). Unlike the mountain that fell, this star was not a heretic of the earth. Rather, he is one who is by profession in the kingdom of heaven, a preacher of the gospel, one who shines as a brilliant lamp in God's church. But at last he falls into heresy and with his heresy pollutes the Word of God and the souls of men.

    The fourth angel sounded his trumpet and brought great darkness into the world (v. 12). In the Scriptures, the sun represents Christ and the light of the gospel shining from him (Mal. 4:2; Luke 1:78; John 8:12; 2 Peter 1:19). The smiting of the sun represents the abundance of heresy in this world, engulfing the churches (represented by the moon) and preachers (represented by the stars) in thick darkness. But even this thick darkness is limited to one third. God always has his elect remnant! I will leave it to others to debate about the meanings of these symbols, but of this much I am certain: all temporal, providential judgments are but warnings of the infinitely greater, everlasting judgment that is yet to come (Read verse 13!). Are you ready for that great and terrible day?