| In-Depth Study of The Book of Revelation Chapter 8 By Rabbi Esther Boucher |
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Do you ever recall from your school days being in a class where suddenly the teacher stopped
talking and there was silence, what happened? Those who were inattentive or talking suddenly
stopped their activity and looked up, awaiting perhaps the anger or wrath of the teacher. When
Jesus opens the seventh seal, John describes a silence in heaven that last for about a half hour.
This silence apparently suggests a solemn quiet that will proceed a terrible unleashing of the anger
of G-d. It is a period of silence in heaven soon broken by an earth shaking expression of what
Revelation calls seven trumpets.
Verse 1
When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
The contents of the 7th seal were so strikingly awesome that even the angels were moved to
silence. The silence shows the gravity of the situation, which has been wrought by man’s sinfulness.
Verse 2
And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.
The contents of the seventh seal are revealed in the person ages of the 7 trumpet angels, which now
appear into view. The awful plagues now to be released by these 7 are described in chapters 8 & 9
and their fierceness fully justifies the period of silence in heaven.
Verse 3-5
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.
The plagues on the earth brought by the trumpets will be the answer to many saints’ prayers. These
judgments will drive many to Christ, they will judge the sinners, and they will vindicate the testimony
of the saints as to G-d’s holiness, eventual judgment, and ultimate triumph.
Verse 6-7
So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. The first angel
sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth.[a]
And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
More (judgments) plagues now begin to fall upon the earth during this tribulation period already beset
with false prophets, wars and revolutions, famine, death, martyrdom and astounding signs in the sky.
A heavenly fire falls as the first trump sounds both a warning to those in rebellion against G-d and
gives a signal for the attack to the heavenly forces. A third of the trees and all of the green grass are
burned as a result of this first trumpet. The Greek word ge can mean earth or land and so the
account does not clearly specify whether 1/3 of all the trees in the world will be burned or whether
what is seen burned is a third of the grass and trees in the area of Eurasia and Palestine. In any
case, end-time godless man claims that he can control the natural environment and here G-d rains
fire from heaven to destroy grass and trees and humanistic man looks on helplessly.
Verse 8-9 (Judgments)
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.
At the second trump John sees a great mountain mass aflame, which is hurled into the sea turning
1/3 of the sea to blood. The exact nature and origin of the mountain is not specified. The sea may
well indicate the Mediterranean Sea; perhaps it refers to the oceans as well. Blood surely at least
signifies water that has turned to the color of blood. We must recall that John speaks in the language
of appearance. The fish dies and 1/3 of the ships are destroyed perhaps by the tidal effect of the
mountain striking the water. The world’s merchant fleet totals about 45,000 ships. This does not
include military ships such as destroyers, aircraft carriers and submarines. Add the navies of the
world with about 3000 more ships, a total of 48,000 vessels. If a third of these ships were destroyed
it would approximate 16,000 ships. It must also be kept in mind that approximately 1,527,000
personnel man the navy ships. This could mean that perhaps as many as one-half million men will
perish at sea with their ships. This disaster plus 1/3 of the fish dying will truly create a sea red with
blood.
Verse 10-11 (Judgments)
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.
The Greek word aster “star” refers to any heavenly light emitting body and anything fitting this
description could be meant. The effect produced gives this star its name, wormwood. Wormwood is
a bitter substance and this falling star causes the rivers and reservoirs to become bitter and
undrinkable.
Verse 12 (Judgment)
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.
Now something occurs that beclouds the light of the sun and moon. It is dark part of the day and
night. When the light is shining a third of the sky is still obscured. Since the darkness in the 9th
plague of Egypt Exodus 10:21-23 and with the crucifixion Matthew 27:45 were literal physical
phenomena we should expect the same to occur here with the 4th trump. How will people who deny
G-d explain this darkness? Will atomic weapons perhaps cause it? In any case the darkness will
come and multitudes will be chaotic.
Verse 13 (Judgment)
And I looked, and I heard an angel[b] 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!”
Just as the first 4 seals were segregated from the others by their being pictured as horses because of
their swiftness, so now the last 3 trumpets are called “woes” because of their intense severity.
Imagine if today the sun were darkened for 1/3 of the day. One would probably with the darkness
experience extreme or unusual cold 1/3 of the day. Then when the sun shines the heat would e
intense. The effects of climate and weather on man are considerable. Climate determines the
clothes people wear, the style of their houses, the food they eat and the animal life that surrounds
them. In the summer we sometimes experience power blackouts caused by overloading due to air
conditioners. Imagine the power failures that will occur when more electricity is used for longer
periods of time to light cool and heat.
talking and there was silence, what happened? Those who were inattentive or talking suddenly
stopped their activity and looked up, awaiting perhaps the anger or wrath of the teacher. When
Jesus opens the seventh seal, John describes a silence in heaven that last for about a half hour.
This silence apparently suggests a solemn quiet that will proceed a terrible unleashing of the anger
of G-d. It is a period of silence in heaven soon broken by an earth shaking expression of what
Revelation calls seven trumpets.
Verse 1
When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
The contents of the 7th seal were so strikingly awesome that even the angels were moved to
silence. The silence shows the gravity of the situation, which has been wrought by man’s sinfulness.
Verse 2
And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.
The contents of the seventh seal are revealed in the person ages of the 7 trumpet angels, which now
appear into view. The awful plagues now to be released by these 7 are described in chapters 8 & 9
and their fierceness fully justifies the period of silence in heaven.
Verse 3-5
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.
The plagues on the earth brought by the trumpets will be the answer to many saints’ prayers. These
judgments will drive many to Christ, they will judge the sinners, and they will vindicate the testimony
of the saints as to G-d’s holiness, eventual judgment, and ultimate triumph.
Verse 6-7
So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. The first angel
sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth.[a]
And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
More (judgments) plagues now begin to fall upon the earth during this tribulation period already beset
with false prophets, wars and revolutions, famine, death, martyrdom and astounding signs in the sky.
A heavenly fire falls as the first trump sounds both a warning to those in rebellion against G-d and
gives a signal for the attack to the heavenly forces. A third of the trees and all of the green grass are
burned as a result of this first trumpet. The Greek word ge can mean earth or land and so the
account does not clearly specify whether 1/3 of all the trees in the world will be burned or whether
what is seen burned is a third of the grass and trees in the area of Eurasia and Palestine. In any
case, end-time godless man claims that he can control the natural environment and here G-d rains
fire from heaven to destroy grass and trees and humanistic man looks on helplessly.
Verse 8-9 (Judgments)
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.
At the second trump John sees a great mountain mass aflame, which is hurled into the sea turning
1/3 of the sea to blood. The exact nature and origin of the mountain is not specified. The sea may
well indicate the Mediterranean Sea; perhaps it refers to the oceans as well. Blood surely at least
signifies water that has turned to the color of blood. We must recall that John speaks in the language
of appearance. The fish dies and 1/3 of the ships are destroyed perhaps by the tidal effect of the
mountain striking the water. The world’s merchant fleet totals about 45,000 ships. This does not
include military ships such as destroyers, aircraft carriers and submarines. Add the navies of the
world with about 3000 more ships, a total of 48,000 vessels. If a third of these ships were destroyed
it would approximate 16,000 ships. It must also be kept in mind that approximately 1,527,000
personnel man the navy ships. This could mean that perhaps as many as one-half million men will
perish at sea with their ships. This disaster plus 1/3 of the fish dying will truly create a sea red with
blood.
Verse 10-11 (Judgments)
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.
The Greek word aster “star” refers to any heavenly light emitting body and anything fitting this
description could be meant. The effect produced gives this star its name, wormwood. Wormwood is
a bitter substance and this falling star causes the rivers and reservoirs to become bitter and
undrinkable.
Verse 12 (Judgment)
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.
Now something occurs that beclouds the light of the sun and moon. It is dark part of the day and
night. When the light is shining a third of the sky is still obscured. Since the darkness in the 9th
plague of Egypt Exodus 10:21-23 and with the crucifixion Matthew 27:45 were literal physical
phenomena we should expect the same to occur here with the 4th trump. How will people who deny
G-d explain this darkness? Will atomic weapons perhaps cause it? In any case the darkness will
come and multitudes will be chaotic.
Verse 13 (Judgment)
And I looked, and I heard an angel[b] 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!”
Just as the first 4 seals were segregated from the others by their being pictured as horses because of
their swiftness, so now the last 3 trumpets are called “woes” because of their intense severity.
Imagine if today the sun were darkened for 1/3 of the day. One would probably with the darkness
experience extreme or unusual cold 1/3 of the day. Then when the sun shines the heat would e
intense. The effects of climate and weather on man are considerable. Climate determines the
clothes people wear, the style of their houses, the food they eat and the animal life that surrounds
them. In the summer we sometimes experience power blackouts caused by overloading due to air
conditioners. Imagine the power failures that will occur when more electricity is used for longer
periods of time to light cool and heat.
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