A Study Of The Book Of Revelation
Lesson No. 11: Chapter 8
Date: October 1st, 2003, Wednesday Evening
Adult Bible Class
Speaker: John Phillis
Note: Much
of the information for this Study of Revelation was taken from the
book “Revelation Through First Century Glasses” by W. B. West. Other sources: “The Living Word, Study
of Revelation, Parts I & II” by Dr. Frank
Pack; “Revelation” by Jim McGuiggan; “Commentary
on Revelation” by Homer Hailey; “Commentary on
Revelation” by Burton Coffman; “The Book of Revelation
– Spiritual Sword Lectureship, October 18 – 22,
1998”; “Commentary on Revelation” by Howard
Winters; “Revelation for Christians Today” by Lonnie
Woodruff; “Unlocking Revelation” by J. Stafford
North.
Objective in Studying this
Chapter:
1) To
review the opening of the seventh seal, the angel with the golden
censer and the sounding of the first four trumpets
2) To
offer an explanation concerning the significance of these
visions
A Brief
Introduction
In
Chapter 7, we saw two views of the people of
God. One view, represented by the 144,000, is the
church militant—the church on earth. The next
view of that innumerable host, the number which could not be
counted, is the church triumphant, standing before
the throne of God, and before the Lamb. As we closed out
chapter 7, we saw that the saved of all eternity,
along with the heavenly host, were engaged in a great period of
praise, of worship, and were reciting that seven-part doxology
[Revelation 7:12: “Amen!
Blessing and glory and
wisdom, Thanksgiving and
honor and power and
might, Be to our God forever and ever.
Amen.”].
Now, we come to
chapter 8. We are going to see the opening
of the seventh and final seal of the scroll.
A
Reading of Revelation, Chapter 8
When He
opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half
an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to
them were given seven trumpets. 3 Then another angel, having a
golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much
incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints
upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke
of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God
from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer,
filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And
there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an
earthquake.
6 So the
seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to
sound.
7 The first
angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and
they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned
up, and all green grass was burned up.
8 Then the
second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning
with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became
blood. 9 And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a
third of the ships were destroyed.
10 Then the
third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning
like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the
springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of
the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water,
because it was made bitter.
12 Then the
fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of
the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were
darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the
night.
13 And I
looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven,
saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants
of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the
three angels who are about to sound!”
THE SEVENTH SEAL –
SILENCE IN HEAVEN (VERSE 1)
The
Lamb Opens the Seventh Seal (verse 1a)
“When
He (the Lamb, Who was
worthy) opened the seventh seal….”
There is Silence in Heaven for About Half an
Hour (verse 1b)
“…there was silence in heaven for
about half an hour.”
Up to this
point, as we have been sharing this view of the throne room of God,
it has been something of a noisy place. There has been
praising; there have been shouts. But now, it becomes
quiet—quite because, perhaps, there is a great expectation
about what is going to occur. You know, we see that
sometimes, maybe as a crowd of people are around, and there is
noise and confusion. Then, something takes place, or maybe,
something is about to take place. You’ve see how a
crowd can suddenly become silent in anticipation of what is about
to happen. It would seem that, perhaps, that is what
we’re seeing here. The elders, the four living
creatures, the heavenly host, the assembled of all ages, all fall
silent.
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