 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne,4 and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. 5 Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
The Seven Trumpets6 Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them. 7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. 8 The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9 A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. 10 The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing 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.[b] A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the water, because it had been made bitter. 12 The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night. 13 Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!” Meditation Hearts of humanity hunger for completeness and fullness which God alone provides. The number seven symbolizes satisfaction for our souls that God alone can give. The seven days of creation climax in God’s declaration of “very good” (Genesis 1:31) and the number seven symbolizes the goodness of God’s complete covenant faithfulness revealed in Revelation. The seventh seal is opened to silence in heaven (1), an OT allusion to the calm before the storm of God’s just judgement against the world’s wickedness. Seven angels take seven trumpets before interceding for the saints and commencing the coming chaos (2-5). The inspiring use of “seven” highlights Revelation’s sophisticated structure and invites us to rest in God’s all sufficient covenant completeness. There are seven structural units to Revelation including letters to the seven churches, seven spirits of God, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven bowls of God’s wrath, seven conflicts between the woman and dragon, seven announcements from heaven, seven times “every tribe and tongue and people and nation” is used to emphasize the completeness of God’s salvation… we could go on! The point is not the pattern but the completeness of God’s covenant promises and work. The completeness of creation was disrupted by sin. The invitation of God’s completeness is made available in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The consummation of completeness will be when Christ returns. Revelation re-orients our hearts, deepening appreciation for the “already” completion we have in Christ as it develops our hunger for the “not yet” complete application of redemption that will be applied to all of life. Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you about the use of seven emphasized in Revelation 8 as integrated with the use of “seven” throughout the book? Why? -Where does your heart hunger for completion and fullness? Where do you look for this sense of completion? -How can you more intentionally enjoy the completion Christ offers in His covenant faithfulness, His finished work, and the completeness of God’s covenant promises He provides? Key Verse 6 Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them. Comments are closed.
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