Revelation 8
13 verses
The Lamb opens the seventh seal, producing silence in heaven for about half an hour—a pause pregnant with apocalyptic tension and reverence before the disclosure of what follows. The seven angels stand before God with seven trumpets, and an eighth angel with a golden censer takes the incense representing the prayers of the saints and offers them before God, whose response is to cast fire from the censer to the earth—indicating that God hears and acts upon the prayers of his persecuted people. The first four trumpet judgments cascade in rapid succession: hail and fire mixed with blood fall upon the earth, burning up a third of the vegetation; a great burning mountain falls into the sea, turning a third of the water to blood and destroying a third of the sea creatures and ships. The star Wormwood falls from heaven and poisons the fresh waters, causing many to die from drinking the bitter water; a third of the sun, moon, and stars are darkened so that night is darker and day is dimmer. An eagle positioned at midheaven cries out with a loud voice: Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth at the sound of the three remaining trumpets, establishing the intensifying judgment that follows. The circulation of woes among the inhabitants of the earth signals that the most devastating plagues remain to be poured out. The progression from the opening of the seals to the sounding of the trumpets demonstrates the deepening and escalation of God's righteous judgment upon rebellious creation.
VERSES IN THIS CHAPTER
1
And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
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2
And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
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3
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.
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4
And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.
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5
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.
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6
And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
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7
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.
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8
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;
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9
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.
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10
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;
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11
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.
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12
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.
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13
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!
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