When He broke open the aseventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour in awe of God’s impending judgment. Zeph 1:7Rev 5:1; 6:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12 2 Then I saw athe seven angels who stand before God, and seven 1btrumpets were given to them.In the Old Testament, trumpets announced God’s commands to congregate, move camp, and prepare for war (Num 10:1-9). Trumpets were also used to announce celebrations (Num 10:10; 29:1), royal coronations (1 Kin 1:34, 39; 2 Kin 9:13), and God’s impending wrath (Josh 6:1-8; Zeph 1:14-16). Angels will blow trumpets during the judgment and resurrection (Matt 24:31; 1 Cor 15:52; 1 Thess 4:16).Rev 1:4; 8:6-13; 9:1, 13; 11:151 Cor 15:52; 1 Thess 4:16
3 aAnother angel came and stood at the baltar. He had a cgolden 1censer, and much 2dincense was given to him, so that he might add it to the eprayers of all the saints on the fgolden altar in front of the throne. Ps 141:2I.e. a special container for burning incense.I.e. fragrant spices which exude perfume when burned.Rev 7:2Amos 9:1; Rev 6:9Heb 9:4Ex 30:1; Rev 5:8Ex 30:3; Num 4:11; Rev 8:5; 9:13 4 And athe smoke and fragrant aroma of the incense, with the prayers of the saints , ascended before God from the angel’s hand.Ps 141:2 5 So the angel took the censer and afilled it with fire from the altar, and bhurled it to the earth; and there were cpeals of thunder and loud rumblings and sounds and flashes of lightning and an dearthquake. Lev 16:12; Ezek 10:2Lev 16:12Ezek 10:2Ex 19:16; Rev 4:5; 11:19; 16:18Rev 6:12
6 aThen the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them initiating the judgments.Rev 8:2
7 The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there was a storm of ahail and fire, mixed with blood, and it was hurled to the earth; and ba third of the earth was burned up, and ca third of the dtrees were burned up, and all the green egrass was burned up. Ex 9:13-35Ex 9:23ff; Is 28:2; Ezek 38:22; Joel 2:30Zech 13:8, 9; Rev 8:7-12; 9:15, 18; 12:4Rev 9:4
8 The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a great amountain blazing with fire was hurled into the sea; and a bthird of the csea was turned to blood; Jer 51:25Jer 51:25Zech 13:8, 9; Rev 8:7-12; 9:15, 18; 12:4Ex 7:17ff; Rev 11:6; 16:3 9 and aa third of the living creatures that were in the sea died, and a third of the bships were destroyed.Zech 13:8, 9; Rev 8:7-12; 9:15, 18; 12:4Is 2:16
10 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star afell from heaven, burning like a torch flashing across the sky, and it fell on a bthird of the rivers and on the csprings of fresh waters.Is 14:12; Rev 6:13; 9:1Zech 13:8, 9; Rev 8:7-12; 9:15, 18; 12:4Rev 14:7; 16:4 11 The name of the star is 1Wormwood; and a athird of the waters became bwormwood, and many people died from the waters, because they had become bitter .Gr apsinthos, cf Eng “absinthe.” This is a plant from which a bitter oil is extracted that is highly toxic to the nervous system. The name “wormwood” comes from the fact that the oil was used medicinally to kill intestinal worms.Zech 13:8, 9; Rev 8:7-12; 9:15, 18; 12:4Jer 9:15; 23:15
12 Then the fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a athird of the bsun and a third of the cmoon and a dthird of the estars were struck, so that a fthird of them would be darkened and a gthird of the daylight would not shine, and the night in the same way would not shine. Ex 10:21-23Zech 13:8, 9; Rev 8:7-12; 9:15, 18; 12:4Ex 10:21ff; Is 13:10; Ezek 32:7; Joel 2:10, 31; 3:15; Rev 6:12f
13 Then I looked, and I heard a solitary eagle flying in 1amidheaven for all to see, saying with a loud voice, “2bWoe, woe, woe great wrath is coming to cthose who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpets which the dthree angels are about to sound announcing ever greater judgments!”The Greek word used here refers to the meridian or zenith, the highest point of the sun in the sky, where the sun is directly overhead.During the first four trumpets, judgment fell on nature, but in the final three trumpet judgments (chs 9-11), unbelieving humanity will be directly punished through torment, death, and at last total destruction.Rev 14:6; 19:17Rev 9:12; 11:14; 12:12Rev 3:10Rev 8:2