AM Bible Study for Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Revelation 8:1-6

Theme: This passage describes the sober scene in heaven just before the outpouring of God’s wrath on earth begins.

This morning’s passage presents a remarkable contrast to the joyous celebration in the heavenlies that we read about in chapter 7. There, all of heaven shouted the praises of God for the greatness of His salvation as a great multitude stood redeemed before Him. But now—as the seventh seal is about to be opened—all heaven is in sober silence.

This passage shows us something of God’s holiness. He is a just God who will judge sin—and that judgment will be displayed upon those who persist in rejecting His offer of grace (see John 3:36). But He is also a loving God, who is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (see 2 Peter 3:9). Here, we see that the outpouring of His wrath is begun with great soberness, poured out in an orderly way, and brought to completion with great deliberation.

I. A SOBER SILENCE (v. 1).

A. The passage begins with our being told that “He opened the seventh seal”. The “He” being spoken of is Jesus—the Lamb before the throne (see 5:5). What a grievous task it will be for Him—who shed His blood to redeem the lost—to now open the final judgment upon those who rejected that act of love!

B. The opening of this final seal is met with “silence in heaven for about a half an hour”. Even a moment of silence would have been deeply impressive in heaven—but this is for a half an hour! All heaven, it seems, will reflect in quiet solemnness on what is about to happen. This is the kind of silence that we read of in Zephaniah 1:7-9 and Zechariah 2:13—a silence that precedes judgment.

II. SEVEN ANGELS WITH SEVEN TRUMPETS (v. 2).

A. Then, John saw that seven angels came forward. These are specifically identified as “the” seven angels who stand before God. Seven is a number of perfection; and so, these represent something of a perfection of God’s judgment on sin. They do so with great authority as those who stand before God.

B. To them were given seven trumpets. Trumpets in Scripture are used for such things as the call to war (Num. 10:9; Jer. 4:19), the gathering-together and sending-forth of the people (Numbers 10:1-8); the issuance of a danger-signal (Amos 3:6); the annunciation of festival (Numbers 10:10; Lev. 23:23-35; 25:9; 2 Chronicles 29:27-28); the annointing of royalty (1 Kings 1:34, 39; 2 Kings 9:13); the giving of the law (Exodus 19:16); the laying of the foundations of the temple (Ezra 3:10); and the destruction of the ungodly (Josh. 6:13-16).

C. Note that, in Joshuah 6:1-21, seven trumpets are used to announce the destruction of the city of Jericho. Jericho’s destruction—brought about through the blowing of seven trumpets—is an Old Testament picture of the future completion of judgment upon the unbelieving world.

III. AN ANGEL WITH A GOLDEN CENSER (vv. 3-5).

A. “Another angel” comes forward. This second angel is identified by some as the Lord Himself because of the handling of the prayers of the saints; but it seems best to see this as another of the angelic beings. He is given a golden censer; and with it, he is given much incense to offer “with the prayers of the saints”. Note that though prayers of the saints are at last heard and remembered (see 6:9-11); they were nevertheless always precious to God. They are in the end mixed with sacred incense and held in a golden bowl of worship.

B. This angel stands before the altar of God. He then offers the prayers of the saints with the incense before the throne of God—indicating that what is about to happen comes in response to the remembrance of their prayers. The smoke is said to arise from his hand; indicating that the prayers of the saints are most sacred.

C. Then, the angel takes the same censer in which the prayers were offered, fills it with fire from the altar (the place at which the sacrifice for atonement was made), and casts it to the earth. Imagine! The fire from that which symbolizes the grace of God is used to bring judgment upon those who persist in rejecting it.

D. Noises, thunderings, lightning and an earthquake follow. These same things are described at the completion of the seven-trumpet judgment (see 11:19).

IV. A PREPARATION (v. 6).

A. This section closes with the seven angels preparing themselves to blow the trumpets. There is an orderliness to their doing so; because each one blows in succession. God is a God of order—even in His grievous work of judgment.

B. Note that, though the opening of the seventh seal is followed by a solemn silence; the silence doesn’t last long. It is broken by the awful blasts of the seven trumpets (see 8:7-11:19).

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These things describe events that are yet to happen. They show us the beginning of God’s judgment. But today is the day of grace. Let’s be motivated, then, to call people to that grace today . . . so that they may be delivered from the wrath to come!