8:1 ¶ And when he had opened the
seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
2 And I saw the seven angels which stood
before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. 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. 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. 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. 6 And the seven angels which
had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
The assumption that the events
around the seals, trumpets, and vials happening at the same time is incorrect
as it seems that, after a space of time, the seven trumpets proceed from the
seventh seal, as a part of it. So, the trumpets are after the seals.
Literally, there is silence in
heaven for the space of a half hour. Based on the use of time in the Bible the
question arises is this a literal 30 minutes or some other metaphor for time? A
half an hour is a brief period, not a moment, but certainly not a day either.
What could it represent?
For sure, it is a clear division
as activity ceases for a time.
Seven angels stand before God and
are given seven trumpets.
Revelation 1:20 The mystery of
the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden
candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the
seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
Seven stars, being seven angels,
represent the seven churches. The seven stars are the seven angels are linked
to the seven Spirits of God.
Revelation 3:1 And unto the
angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven
Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name
that thou livest, and art dead.
Revelation 4:5 And out of the
throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven
lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
Revelation 5:6 And I beheld,
and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of
the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven
eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
The seven angels of the seven
churches are seven stars which are the seven Spirits of God which are seven lamps
of fire which are the Lamb’s seven horns and seven eyes, as the church or
churches are Christ’s body on earth doing His will at their best but now
removed physically.
The golden censer of the other
angel has incense to be offered up with the prayers of all saints upon the
golden altar before the throne ascended to God. The angel filled the censer
with fire from the altar and threw it down on the earth. There were voices,
thundering, lightning, and an earthquake. Then the seven were ready to blow
their trumpets.
Is this then the church
participating in God’s judgments from heaven?
In the sixth seal there was also
an earthquake.
Revelation 6:12 And I beheld
when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and
the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
Earthquakes of lesser magnitude
precede earthquakes of greater magnitude many times.
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