Revelation 8 begins with the opening of the Seventh Seal, and silence in heaven for about the space of half an hour. The silence betokens the special seriousness of the breaking of the seventh seal.
And indeed its seriousness is seen in this respect. It is not so much a judgment in itself, but it is the prelude to the seven trumpets—a course of severer judgments than the seals themselves were.
Note, too, whilst the fourth seal affects the “fourth part of the earth” (Rev. 6:88And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. (Revelation 6:8)), these trumpet judgments have for their scope a wider area, a third part, and whilst affecting a wider area are more intense in their character.
Note, likewise, the seven trumpets are divided into four and three. Whilst all are called trumpets, the three last have an added description—woes, taking, as they do, a far more intensive form than the first four.
That these trumpets are distinctly direct interventions from heaven, and not strictly providential as the seals were, is proved by verses 3-5. An angel, evidently the Lord Himself, as the great High Priest, takes the golden censer and much incense, and offers up the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. Doubtless these are the prayers of the earthly saints, who, rightly according to the dispensation and circumstances in which they are placed, cried to God for vengeance on their persecutors. “How long? O Lord,” is their cry. Now the time for answering these prayers in the wisdom of God has arrived.
The angel, the Lord Himself—who else could have acted thus?—then takes the censer, fills it with fire off the altar, and casts it to the earth, and there are voices and thunderings and lightnings and an earthquake.
Of course all this is couched in symbolical language, which, however, furnishes us with a very vivid idea of what will take place. The time has come for direct heavenly intervention of a very serious nature to be taken in judgment upon the earth.
This is the signal for the seven angels to sound their trumpets. The angels' sounding brings out the heavenly character of the judgments. Unlike the governmental judgment of the seals, which are heralded by riders on horses, figures of providential and earthly happenings in judgment, here we have angelic agencies at work. Further, the trumpet, with its loud martial blare, speaks of that which must command attention.
The First Angel Sounds.—The symbols are terrific. The most contrary elements—hail and fire—unite in carrying out the visitations of God.
The result is that the third part of the trees is burnt up, and all green grass is destroyed. Trees symbolize those who are in positions of prominence and authority, whilst the green grass speaks of the masses. Observe this is the direct visitation of heaven in judgment.
The Second Angel Sounds.—A great mountain burning with fire is cast into the midst of the sea; the third part of which becomes blood; the third part of the creatures in the sea, and the third part of commerce are destroyed.
“A great mountain” stands for a great organized power. It may stand for an individual or for what is collective. “Burning with fire” speaks of complete destruction. “Cast into the sea” shows that the sudden descent of this organized power is moved from heaven, just like God used the Chaldeans against Israel, as seen in the prophecy of Habakkuk.
The result is seen in the Roman earth (the third part), as complete destruction, not only of life but of commerce. Commerce affected can bring people to the sorest plight.
The Third Angel Sounds.—A great star, burning as a lamp, falls from heaven. It falls on the third part of rivers and springs of water. The name, “Wormwood,” is given to the star in its new course, and its effect is to make the waters so bitter that many men die after using them.
The great burning star betokens some great source of light in the world, standing for morality, truth, uprightness, and honor—its fall speaking of its vast influence for good being perverted to that which is evil. The observance of common morality and uprightness will be terribly corrupted. The effect will be that the springs of living are so poisoned, that life will become unbearable for many.
A terrible picture, this, of what will obtain when all hold on the common decencies of life is given up. Again the third part—the Roman Empire—is affected.
The Fourth Angel Sounds.—The third part of the sun, moon, and stars is smitten; darkness prevails during a third part of the day and night. This evidently signifies confusion and weakness seizing the governing classes, whether supreme as symbolized by the sun; delegated, as by the moon; subordinate, as by the stars. The third part again emphasizes the Roman earth as the sphere of the judgments.
And now four trumpets are sounded and three are yet to come. The description of the trumpet series of judgments is arrested at this point. Revelation 8:1313And 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 8:13) describes an angel flying through the midst of heaven, crying, “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,” the thrice-repeated “woe” being taken up as an added name descriptive of the terrible nature of the three last trumpets (see Revelation 9:1212One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter. (Revelation 9:12)).