Revelation 8 - The Seven Trumpets

When the seventh seal was open in heaven there was silence for about half an hour. We are not told exactly why this silence happens but for sure it signaled the seven angels with seven trumpets that are about to sound. I personally believe that the opening of the seventh seal and the judgments that were about to be released were so awesome and terrible that it caught everyone’s attention and took their breath away. For some reason my mind went back to Job chapter 2, when the three friends of Job heard about him losing all of his ten children in a day, losing all his wealth in a day, and losing his health, they came to visit him. When they got there, they saw Job covered with painful boils from the sole of his feet to the crown of his head. He was sitting in a heap of ashes scaping his painful boils with broken pieces of pottery. They didn’t even recognize him and when they saw his grief it says that they sat down and did not speak for seven days. They didn’t know what to say. Maybe that’s what happen for these thirty minutes of silence in heaven, no one knew how to respond to the wrath of God that was about to be poured out on earth! During this silence, the seven angels were given trumpets, significant to John, because he was a Jew and understood the place of trumpets in Israel's national life. According to Numbers 10, trumpets had three important uses: they called the people together (Num. 10:1-8); they announced war (Num. 10:9); and they announced special times (Num. 10:10). The trumpet sounded at Mount Sinai when the Law was given (Ex. 19:16-19), and trumpets were blown when the king was anointed and enthroned (1 Kings 1:34, 39). Of course, everyone familiar with the Old Testament would remember the trumpets that sounded on the seventh day as the people Israel gave a great shout and the walls of Jericho came down and they conquered Jericho (Josh. 6:13-16). Also remember when the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ sounded to John, it was like a trumpet (Rev. 1:10). The voice of a trumpet summoned John to heaven (Rev. 4:1), telling him to come up to heaven. When the promise of the Rapture of the church was given in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, it says: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” Sounding seven trumpets certainly would announce a declaration of war, as well as the fact that God's anointed King was enthroned in glory and about to judge His enemies. This also reminds me of Psalm 2. Read this with me from the New Living Translation and notice how it describes what is happening in our world today and what will take place when God releases these seven trumpet seals: “Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the LORD and against his anointed one. “Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from slavery to God.” But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury. For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain.” The king proclaims the LORD’s decree: “The LORD said to me, ‘You are my son. Today I have become your Father. Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession. You will break them with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.’” Now then, you kings, act wisely! Be warned, you rulers of the earth! Serve the LORD with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling. Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities— for his anger flares up in an instant. But what joy for all who take refuge in him! We should submit ourselves to the Lord today and take our refuge in Him!