The Book of the Revelation
CHAPTER 8
Revelation 8:1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
The seventh seal judgment is where the Lord Jesus Christ stands up to bring judgment on the earth to answer the prays of the saints. Zechariah 2:13 Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.
Revelation 8:2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
Revelation 8:3 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.
This is the first time we see an alter before the throne. The temple is mentioned in Revelation 7:15-17. There is a temple in heaven and the pattern of it was given to Moses to build the tabernacle. We see this temple again in Revelation 11:19 and it is evidently in heaven until New Jerusalem comes down from heaven, which no longer has a temple.
Hebrews 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
Revelation 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Revelation 8:4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
Revelation 8:5 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.
The prayers of the saints in the tribulation period come up to God as incense. The prayers are answered with vengeance from God. The fire of the altar is cast into the earth.
Revelation 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Revelation 8:6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
Revelation 8:7 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.
The first trumpet judgment was against all the plant life and a third of it was burnt up with all the grass.
Revelation 8:8 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;One third of the salt water becomes blood.
Revelation 8:9 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.
The second trumpet destroyed one third of all the creatures and ships of the sea.
Revelation 8:10 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;
Revelation 8:11 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.Jeremiah 9:15 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.
This prophecy is fulfilled here with the sounding of the third trumpet. The waters become poison. During the tribulation period, the Nation of Israel will have the apostolic powers promised them by the Lord Jesus Christ in Mark 16:17 and if they drink any deadly thing it will not hurt them.
Mark 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Revelation 8:12 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.The sun don’t shine for a third part of the day and the moon don’t shine for a third part of the night.
The four trumpets judgments are like the judgments against Egypt. They happen very quickly and are not discussed anymore.
Revelation 8:13 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!There are three more trumpet judgments yet to come and when God says woe, woe, woe these judgments will be great. They are given in much details in Chapters 9, 10, and 11.