Revelation 8-9

The seventh seal is broken; heaven is silent
for half an hour, then the trumpet judgments
begin. Scripture tells us that it is a terrifying
thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Those on earth during the Great Tribulation
are about to find that out…

The Seventh Seal Broken: Drama in Heaven (8:1-6)
· Silence for half an hour
· An angel-priest mediates prayers of saints (see 6:10-11)
· Fire of altar thrown to earth: Time for judgment!

The First Four Trumpets of Judgment Sound (8:7-12)
· 1st trumpet: Hail and fire and blood (7)
· 2nd trumpet: Fiery mountain cast in sea; death and blood (8-9)
· 3rd trumpet: ‘Falling star’; fresh water becomes bitter (10-11)
· 4th trumpet: Sun, moon, and stars darkened (12)

The Last Three Trumpets: Three Woes!
· The Woes announced (8:13)
· 5th trumpet/1st woe: Demonic locust plague! (9:1-12)
· 6th trumpet/2nd woe: Army of fire and death! (9:13-21)
· 7th trumpet/3rd woe/Bowl Judgments: Still to come!

Reflections on Sin, Wrath, and Grace
· God is not trying to reform us; He wants to regenerate us!
· God never does anything to us that is not for our good!
· God’s wrath is against all sin; His grace is for all men!

And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets
prepared themselves to sound them.
Revelation 8:6

For Further Study

1. Revelation 8:1-5 reveals a drama played out in heaven before the trumpet judgment begin. Why is there silence in heaven for half an hour? Incense represents prayer (Ps 141:2; Rev 5:8), so what does adding incense to the saints’ prayers do? What were these prayers (see Rev 6:10-11)? Some believe this angel is a reference to Jesus Christ, often called in Scripture “the angel of the Lord” (Gen 16; Ex 3; Num 22; Judg 2; etc.), serving in His role as a priest. If this is Christ, how do His actions reflect His work now on our behalf (see Rom 8:34; Heb 2:17-18; 4:14-16; 7:25; 9:24; 1 Jn 2:1)? How do the actions of the angel in v5 answer the prayers of the saints? (What is the answer?)

2. Read over the first four of the trumpet judgments (8:7-12). What is the extent of the devastation on earth? What things that people take for granted are suddenly shown to be gifts from God which can be taken away? Scenes from movies like Book of Eli come to mind! Sometimes we may get the idea that God is ‘soft on sin’ since it seems to be so rampant today. What picture do these judgments give?

3. The final three trumpet judgments are called “woes” (8:13). In a concordance or cross references, look at other “woes” in the Bible. Who are they from? What do they signify is coming?

4. The fifth trumpet (9:1-12) has a “star from heaven which had fallen to the earth.” Other judgments have stars falling to earth (6:13; 8:10), but this is different. What is this “star”? Who might this ‘star’ be? Describe the nature of the locusts.

5. The fifth trumpet reveals a demonic plague that brings torment, causing men to want to die. What demonic force does the sixth trumpet reveal? What are its results?

6. Look at the response of the survivors of the first six trumpet judgments in 9:20-21. How do their sins, and their response to sin, compare with our world today? Thank God for His grace, and tell others of it, while they can believe and be saved.

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