Revelation Chapter 6. Vision 2 - The Seven Seals part 3. Opening the Seals.

VISION 2:- THE SEVEN SEALS.

REVELATION CH6; 8:1,3-5:- OPENING THE SEALS.

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FURTHER COMMENT ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE REST OF THE BOOK.

We have noted that in the remainder of the book there are three main cycles of events which are revealed, the Seals, the Trumpets and the Bowls. The three cycles actually cover the same time period but look at different events which have a different emphasis. They build from a lesser judgement to the greater judgement.

A comparison of the sequence of events in the three series show that some events in one series are actually dependent on events in other series in such a way that the three series must be concurrent in time and not sequential.

Comparison of the Seals, Trumpets and Bowls.

Seal 1. First Horseman.

White = Victory in War.

Stephanos, a victory crown. Implies Antichrist.

Trumpet 1. Fire, Hail with Blood 1/3 Earth destroyed. Is this Nuclear?

Bowl 1. Foul sores on the apostate masses of mankind. Is this radiation sickness?

Seal 2. Second Horseman.

Civil war, violence.

Trumpet 2. A great mountain thrown into the sea,1/3 sea turns to blood, i.e. is

polluted.

1/3 ships,

1/3 fish destroyed.

Is this the result of a chain nuclear reaction caused by the destruction of submarines?

Bowl 2. All of the sea turns Red - to blood,

Seal 3. Third Horseman.

Black - Famine, Inflation.

Trumpet 3. A great Star (Satan?) cast into rivers, 1/3 of them polluted.

Many men die. Again is this actually an intercontinental missile attack?

Bowl 3. All rivers and fountains polluted.

Seal 4. Fourth Horseman.

Pale green - like a corpse.

Plague. Sickness to death. Is this nuclear fallout cloud bringing radiation sickness?

Trumpet 4. 1/3 sun struck, 1/3 moon, 1/3 stars, 1/3 day and night altered somehow.

Bowl 4. Sun scorches men who curse God.

Seal 5. The martyrs cry for justice.

Trumpet 5. Star fallen from heaven opens bottomless pit. Demons released.

Bowl 5. Kingdom of Antichrist in darkness. Sores and pain on his

throne. Men curse God.

Seal 6. A great earthquake, sun black, moon like blood. Stars fall, sky rolls up, mountains and islands removed.

Trumpet 6. 4 angels released, 1/3 men killed. 200 million man army (From the East?)

invades Israel.

Bowl 6. Euphrates dries up. Kings of east come. 3 Evil spirits call together 3 empires.

The seven thunders speak and are sealed.

Great earthquake.

Cities destroyed.

INTERPOLATIONS:

The Seals: REVELATION chapter 7, The Sealing of 144000 and the Great Multitude

appear in heaven.

The Trumpets: The Two Witnesses and their rapture. The Temple.

The Bowls REVELATION ch15 - the multitude appear in heaven.

Seal 7. Silence in Heaven for 1/2 hour.

Incense mixed with Prayers of saints.

Trumpet 7. The Day of Lord. The Kingdom comes. Judgement seat of Christ.

Bowl 7. A Cry "It is Finished". Islands and mountains moved.

Then in each, the Seals the trumpets and the bowls we see the following:

"Earthquake,thunder, loud noises, lightening,heavy hail."

It is easy to see from this paralleling of events that the seventh seal, trumpet and bowl are the same events. The build up in the sixth of each series also closely parallels, and in places overlaps. Also we see that the sixth bowl must come before the sixth trumpet, as the bowl dries up the Euphrates so that the armies of the 6^th Trumpet can cross over.

The Trumpets appear to be partial destructions where the bowls are the final and total judgement in each case.

Hence it is clear that the three visions are not consecutive in time on earth, rather overlap in some way. Each series builds up the Day of the Lord.

THE SEVEN SEALS.

6:1-8 THE APOCALYPTIC HORSEMEN.

Background Ideas: -

(1) The seven seals depict events which affect the whole world in its manner of living. This is suggested by the fact the scroll is the title deed of the whole earth, not just of a part of it. The Trumpets, on the other hand, seem to deal with events in a more limited geographical area, Palestine and the nations affecting it.

(2) The symbolism of the horsemen is drawn from Zechariah 1:8-11, 6:1-8 where they are four spiritual forces that go out to bring judgement on Israel. They appear to be related to the four Gentile empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome - which were interpreted by the prophets to be God's rod of discipline on rebellious Israel (see Leviticus 26, Deuteronomy 28). However in the process of each one fulfilling its God appointed role each in turn got proud and so became the victim of another judgement of God brought on them in the form of the next empire in its turn.

This was their historical task, but by John's time this task was fulfilled so they are free to do other work. They are spiritual beings and so do not cease to exist simply because their first task is completed, God simply assigns new tasks. Instead of judging Israel they are to bring judgement on the world.

Hence we should expect their work in the End Times to be similar to their previous work - they will direct nations to war with each other to bring devastation and judgement. In particular they are aspects of the Spirit of Antichrist (see notes on Revelation 17) and so will bring about the Antichrist empire.

(3) The point of these Horsemen is to tell us that even at the time of the end God is still in control. The Antichrist's empire will be the most evil empire to ever have been on the earth, but even this is under God's direct rule.

(4) C/f Zechariah 6:5,6 "four winds" = "the four horsemen". Hence they are to be identified in Revelation 7:1 with the winds. This fluidity of symbolism happens often in prophecy so we should not be surprised at the change of title.

If we look at the four living creatures of Ch4 from an astrological viewpoint we see that they represent the "four corners" of the Zodiac, hence the four directions - North, East, West, South. Hence there seems to be some sort of association of the four creatures (the Cherubim) with the four winds, or horsemen. This again illustrates the fluidity of symbolism in REVELATION.

6:1,2 The First Seal.

REV 6:1 I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!"

REV 6:2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

There is some dispute as to the meaning of this seal. Two interpretations are common.

(1) The seal depicts war on earth. The rider is Antichrist, or Gog. The bow symbolises warfare carried out at, or from, a distance, hence invasion of one country by another.

(2) The rider is Christ. The bow is God's word; hence the seal tells of the spread of the gospel in the last days.

It is the view of this writer that the first view is correct.

Arguments for (1): -

(i) John has taken a traditional symbol and reworked it. The other three horses have remained symbols of judgement or horror, hence it should be so for this one also.

(ii) The sequence of plagues this interpretation gives is traditional - war, bloodshed, famine, death; c/f Ezekiel 14:21; Jeremiah 15:2; Leviticus 26:18-28; Matthew 24.

(iii) The bow - Christ usually is seen coming with a sword, and the bow in the OT generally symbolises God's word coming in judgement, not in salvation.

(iv) Gog (Ezekiel 38,39) comes with a bow. He is the end time enemy of God's people and is identified elsewhere with Antichrist.

Ezekiel 39:17-20 c/f REVELATION 19:17-21.

(v) The other three horsemen retain a demonic nature; thus we should expect this one to also.

Arguments for (2):-

(i) Astrology - Sagittarius caries a bow, and he symbolises Christ.

Objection:- Sagittarius is a Centaur, not a man on a horse.

Hence the identification is invalid.

(ii) REVELATION pictures Christ as a horseman elsewhere.

Objection:- The enemies of God are also seen on horses in REVELATION, so this proves nothing.

(iii) Antichrist does not appear until ch 13, therefore this is too early.

Objection:- This idea is based on a linear time interpretation of REVELATION. We have already demonstrated that REVELATION is cyclic, not linear in its presentation. Hence Antichrist can easily appear here, and we should expect that he would be in this sort of brief way. Ch 13 is the full development of the idea, but that is no reason to say it cannot be hinted at earlier. For example Babylon is hinted at in ch 11 & 16, but the full development of what is Babylon waits until ch 17 & 18.

(iv) White symbolises righteousness, and this is only true of Christ.

Objection:- White also symbolises victory. It need not always symbolise the same thing, hence does not need to mean righteousness here. At this stage of the Tribulation Antichrist is being victorious in battle so the symbol clearly fits. Anyway the Antichrist claims to be the Messiah. He is a pretend Messiah, so we should expect him to claim a pretend righteousness.

It seems best to understand this vision as the victories of Antichrist as he establishes his kingdom. Daniel clearly states that Antichrist has to "put down (by force) three kings" in his empire.

If we accept this interpretation then there is an amazing parallel here with Mark 13.

Mark 13 - Seven Portents of the End.

(i) The concept of seven judgements on the earth for sin is borrowed directly from the OT (c/f Leviticus 26).

This suggests that the cycles of sevens in Revelation are in some ways final judgements on the earth. The Seven cycles of seven has a finality about it.

(ii) A plan of 4+3 plagues:

(1) A warning against false prophets who belong to Antichrist.

(2) Wars and Bloodshed.

(3) Earthquakes.

(4) Famine.

(A Break.)

(5) Persecution related to preaching.

(6) The Future of Palestine.

(7) Catastrophic events introducing the Parousia.

I.e. what we have here is a pattern of teaching that was common in the Early Church, probably originating with Jesus. John has adapted it to suit the purpose here in REVELATION.

6:1 "Lamb" - a Messianic title. It speaks of his vicarious sacrifice. In some way John is saying that the judgements to come are related to Christ's death on the cross.

"Come" - The command for the first horse to "Come" issues not from Satan, but from the throne of God. Even as things appear to be waxing worse on earth the confident assertion of REVELATION is that God is still in complete control. We see this right through the book. Bad things are coming, but God is the One who allows them to happen, and he sets limits on how bad it will be.

The appearance of Antichrist is therefore authorised by God. C/f 2 Thessalonians 2 where the appearance of Antichrist is restrained until God allows him.

6:2 "crown” - stephanos, a crown of victory. The crown is received in two ways,

(i) By victory in some way and

(ii) It is "given to him", i.e. it was not his by right of hereditary or appointment, but by the delegation of others, c/f 17:13.

This indicated in itself that Christ is not intended. Christ has his crown BY RIGHT of birth and appointment. Also Christ's crown is a diadema, a royal crown.

"conquering and the conquer" - implies a progressive victory over time. There is a protracted war carried out by Antichrist. One thing is sure, his empire does not submit to him willingly, but by reason of force and fear. The Antichrist peace is somewhat like the Roman peace - it was effective, but only because everyone knew what would happen if you stepped out of line! The latter chapters of Daniel describe the protracted war Antichrist carries out.

"bow" - Not a normal Roman weapon, rather it was associated with the Parthians, or modern Iran. The Parthians were famous as horsemen and bowmen.

The Seal speaks of invasion.

Isaiah 5:26ff; Jeremiah 50:14.

6:3,4 The Second Horseman.

REV 6:3 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!"

REV 6:4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword.

6:4 "red" - the colour of blood.

"to take peace from the earth".

The Antichrist's peace does not last long. It is very fragile. Constant rebellion, national and international, threatens the peace.

This rider does not do any killing himself; he only takes away peace so that men cannot live in harmony. Just when the dream of humanism seems to be within the reach of man God removes the one necessary ingredient out of human society that would allow it to happen. Without peace, which only comes by the grace of God, man cannot attain his dreams.

The removal of Peace in some ways will parallel the removal of moral restraints by God as sin takes a greater hold. To see the steps downward read Romans 1:18ff - "God gave them up..." The finality and horror of these words is striking.

The contrast between the violence in the world and the peace of God and Love in the church will thus be more marked than ever before. "There is no peace for the wicked" says the scripture, and this will be undeniably true to all alive at the end of the age.

"a great sword" - Great bloodshed is implied.

6:5,6 The Third Horseman.

REV 6:5 When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand.

REV 6:6 Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!"

6:5 "black" - symbolising suffering.

"a pair of scales" - to measure things with.

(i) Derived in part from Astrology. Libra, the scales, has the idea of measuring man's sin against God's judgement. Christ has totally paid the debt, but refusal to accept that payment means you will pay the debt yourself.

c/f Leviticus 26:18,24,26 "for your sins" = "in proportion to".

c/f Revelation 18:6 - "double" - one portion for their own sins, and one portion of wrath for the crucifixion of Christ.

(ii) The scales here balance food. Man's sin brings a curse on the earth's production (Genesis 3:17-19).

"a voice" - God's.

"a quart of wheat" - a day's ration for one man.

"denarius" - a day's (12 hours) wages. Normally 8 quarts could be bought for a denarius.

"barley" - an inferior food supply.

The situation appears to be such that inflation and scarcity of food will mean that a man can only earn enough to feed himself in doing a full day's work. His wife and children will starve.

"do not harm the oil and wine".

(i) These plants have deeper roots and so are not affected by drought. Hence the implication is that this judgement is brought about, in part at least, by a world-wide drought.

The drought could be related to the increase in the sun's heat which occurs in the fourth bowl judgement (16:8,9).

(ii) History shows that wars and violence, such as are depicted in the first two seals, always lead to a drop in food production and hence shortages. This will be a compounding factor.

(iii) Oil and wine are here not to be thought of as luxuries. In the East grain, oil and wine are the basic diet of the farming community. There is no indication that this shortage is limited to only a part of the earth. Hence we should take it symbolically to mean that there will be a severe shortage of the main part of our staple diet, whatever that may be.

(iv) North America is known as the "grain bowl of the world". Something like 80% of the world's wheat and barley are produced there. The failure of the American crop for any reason would devastate the food supply of the world. As we shall see there are indications from the trumpet judgements that 1/3 of the world is going to be destroyed at some stage early in the Tribulation. If this 1/3 was the Americas then that would tie in with this massive grain shortage; and with the incredible inflationary spiral we see here as the world's economy is upset drastically. One of Antichrist's coups is that he restructures the financial systems of the world. This could be forced on the world if America no longer existed as a potent force. At present it is the financial controller of the world.

6:7,8 The Fourth Seal.

REV 6:7 When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!"

REV 6:8 I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

6:8 "pale" Greek = Chloros (hence chloroform) = a pale, greeny-yellow colour, like the colour of a corpse, or a mangy horse with no hair.

The rider carries no symbol he is known by his name alone. His friends "DEATH and HADES" attend him.

"death" - Greek = Death, pestilence, sickness. I.e. plague.

Sickness and plague often are the results of war, bloodshed and famine.

"a fourth of the earth"

Is this:

(i) A fourth of the land area? - all the people in it being killed, or,

(ii) One quarter of all men on the earth are killed irrespective of geographic location?

If (i) is intended, which seems simpler, then we may ask, "Which quarter?" Two suggestions:

(a) Parts of the third world which regularly suffer famine would be hard hit if aid stopped. The mention of "wild beasts" would suit this as they would quickly gain ascendancy.

(b) Africa, Asia, Europe all figure at the Battle of Armageddon, so it cannot include them. Hence we must look at the only other large remaining land area, which is the Americas. There are indications that there will be a limited nuclear war, which may be what the Seals are depicting the results of, and this will destroy this quarter, or third, of the earth.

6:9-11 The Fifth Seal.

REV 6:9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.

REV 6:10 They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?"

REV 6:11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.

REVELATION is a book to encourage Christians. Terrible things are coming on the world, but what of the Church? It will be oppressed, persecuted and some of its members martyred, but that is not the end, there is a life to come.

C/f Matthew 24:9; Luke 21:12ff.

There is a parallel passage to this in the Apocrypha that helps us understand what this is about.

2 Esdras 4:36ff NEB.

Ezra, the OT scribe is questioning God about to time of judgement: -

"I asked, 'But when? How long have we to wait? Why are our lives so short and so miserable?' He replied, 'Do not be in a greater hurry than the Most High himself. You are in a hurry for yourself alone, the Most High for many. Are these not the very questions that were asked by the righteous in the storehouse of souls: 'How long must we stay here? When will the harvest begin, the time when we get our reward?' And the archangel Jeremiel answered them: 'As soon as the number of those like yourselves is complete. For the Lord has weighed the world in a balance, he has measured and numbered the ages; he will move nothing, until the appointed number is achieved.'"

This is an obvious parallel to Revelation 6 and is probably intended to be. Esdras was considered to be canonical in large parts of the early church, and even in some parts of the Church today it still is. It was a popular writing amongst Jews and Christians in the days of the early church.

"under the altar"

(i) In the OT temple there were two altars - the brazen altar of Burnt Offering (Exodus 27:1ff) and the Golden altar of Incense in the Holy Place (Exodus 30:1ff). The Brazen altar speaks of the necessity for sacrifice for sins, and as Christ has fulfilled its meaning it has been done away with. The incense altar speaks of the necessity for men to pray, and so has an abiding reality. Here we see the heavenly counterpart of which Moses made a copy. It appears several times in REVELATION and they are all to do with the offering and answering of prayer.

(ii) "Under the altar" appears to be a special place of waiting for the dead in Christ as they await the time of their reception of their resurrection bodies.

The fact that they had not yet received their "white robes" suggests that the process of the resurrection was not yet complete. But the symbolism of them being given the robes should not be pushed too far at this stage as they were instructed to "wait a little longer" before their vindication was complete. Hence the suggestion by some interpreters that when we die is for us the time of the resurrection seems to not hold up. There is clearly in heaven a place of security, before God's throne, where the dead in Christ are waiting until the resurrection – “under the altar”. But it is not fully in God’s presence and the promises of a new body are not yet fulfilled. This is consistent with the rest of scripture which indicates that we will all inherit together - no one jumps the queue on anyone else. (See 1 Thessalonians 4,5; Hebrews 11:40).

In the OT period the waiting place was a division of Sheol, called by the Jews "Abraham's bosom" (Luke 17). However with the death and resurrection of Christ this was emptied out (Matthew 27:51ff), and these OT saints became with Christ the “first fruits” of the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15). Only the evil were left in Sheol awaiting the second resurrection (Revelation 20).

(iii) For the symbolism we should also refer to the Zodiac, where in the constellation of Sagittarius is the picture of an altar called ARA. It has the specific meaning of judgement coming on God's enemies.

(iv) C/f Revelation 8:3-5 - the seventh seal = The wrath of God, but it comes from the altar. This is the answer to the prayers we are now considering. Wrath will not be poured out on the earth until God's people pray for it to be so.

(v) C/f Revelation 14:18,19 - the wrath of God at Armageddon.

(vi) C/f Revelation 16:7 - the altar acknowledges that the judgement was just.

"Who had been slain"

This sounds like an exclusive group of martyrs, but in Revelation really refers to all Christians who overcome as they "love not their lives unto death" (Revelation 12:11). It is not so much the act of martyrdom as the spirit of martyrdom (Romans 12:1,2) that is in question here.

6:10 "they cried out" - this is the concept we find in scripture of innocent blood crying out for vindication and justice. C/f Genesis 4:10; Matthew 23:34,35, 24:9ff; Psalms 44:22, 94:1-3; Hebrews 11:4, 12:24; Leviticus 17:11.

This is the language of Hebrew Public Justice. In a law court the plaintiff plead his own case, and the judge would decide of guilt and innocence. In acquitting one man he automatically condemns the other.

Mankind has condemned these people, so they cry out to a higher court for vindication. It is not a cry for personal vengeance, but for the vindication of God's word and salvation in which they put their hope and trust.

These people are asking God for justice and vindication, but God cannot vindicate them without AT THE SAME TIME condemning the guilty and executing judgement on them. This is the system of Hebrew justice – the righteous and the guilty must be dealt with together. Justice must be SEEN to be done. Therefore full acquittal awaits the final judgement when wrath is the execution of perfect justice.

Hence to understand the judgement seat of Christ we need to see that it involves two things:

(i) The acquittal of the innocent Church, and the giving of its reward.

(ii) The condemnation of the world and its punishment, which is wrath.

Hence in respect of the timing of the judgement seat of Christ, it cannot happen until God is also ready to dispense judgement, i.e. it waits until the end. The Dispensational view that the judgement seat of Christ happens prior to the coming of wrath is based on a misunderstanding of the Hebrew concept of justice.

6:11 "white robes" - c/f 19:8.

"rest" = death (1 Corinthians 11:30, 15:6; John 11:11) so called because it is a period of separation from the physical body, and hence we are unable to work.

6:12-17 The Sixth Seal - The Day of the Lord.

REV 6:12 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red,

REV 6:13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind.

REV 6:14 The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

REV 6:15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains.

REV 6:16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!

REV 6:17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?"

c/f Joel 2:10-11,30-32; Matthew 24:29,30; Hebrews 1:10-12; Micah 1:10f

The events mentioned here were to the Jews a sort of signature of the Day of the Lord.

There will be great natural "disasters". In actual fact these will be the reversal of the judgements of God on the earth at the time of the flood, but to mankind experiencing them they will be horrifying. The mountains will be levelled - but this is just a sideline effect, the real emphasis is symbolic. The events symbolise the destruction of man's society in rebellion against God.

"earthquake" - Isaiah 2:12-17; Haggai 2; Isaiah 30 = the overthrow of man's arrogance. These all refer to the same earthquake as Revelation 11:13.

This is not a local earthquake but is cosmic in its dimensions.

"sun... moon" c/f Joel 2:28,33 = judgement on nations who oppose God's people.

"stars fall" = the angelic rulers of the nations.

c/f Isaiah 24:21, 34:2-4; Revelation 12:3-6.

"mountains and hills" = political blocs, political powers in rebellion against God.

6:15 - seven classes of people - includes every man.

6:16 c/f Hosea 10:18

6:17 c/f Joel 2:11.

"the face of him" - this is a Hebraism meaning "the presence of him". It implies an open vision of the face, hence here we see the open revelation of God to mankind.

"the wrath of the Lamb"

"The Lamb" is always a reference to the Cross in the NT. Hence the idea of the "Wrath of the Lamb" must mean "the working out in history of the consequences of the rejection and crucifixion of the Messiah, i.e. the rejection of the price of redemption paid as is talked of in REVELATION 5.

NOTE ON THE WRATH OF GOD.

This is the retribution that must follow evil in a moral universe. It is not the fiery anger of a God out of control but is the outworking of justice. It is God's response to man's continued wickedness, but God does not exercise it until justice can be seen to be done.

Isaiah 28:21 - Wrath is God's "strange work" as it is against his real nature of mercy and forgiveness.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 - It is not for the church, Christ has taken the wrath of God for all who receive him as Lord.

The wrath of God IS NOT THE TRIBULATION. The Tribulation has judgements from God which are designed to lead men to repent. Wrath is not to lead to repentance; it is final destruction.

Tribulation is man reaping the effects of his sin; wrath is God's added extra, his divine justice in operation.

Wrath, at the end of the age, only ever appears in Scripture on the Day of the Lord, the day Christ appears in power and Glory. This is the sequence of events: Christ appears, the Church is raptured, then wrath falls. This timing of the coming of wrath as being on the “Day of the Lord” is consistent throughout the OT and NT. The mention of "wrath" then can be a guide to understanding the timing of events in REVELATION. Using the rest of scripture as a guide we can easily see the cycles in REVELATION by noting whenever "WRATH" is mentioned. It always occurs at the end of a cycle of seven - the seventh seal, the seventh trumpet and it is the seven bowls. This helps us sort out the chronology of the book.

Ezekiel 38:18 - God's wrath is not going to be aroused until Gog and Magog invade Palestine at the end of the Age.

Revelation 8:1-5 The Seventh Seal - Final Judgements.

REV 8:1 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

REV 8:2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.

REV 8:3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne.

REV 8:4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand.

REV 8:5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

(i) Ch 7 is an interpolation, an intrusion into the narrative to answer the question at the end of Ch6 "Who can stand?" The actual narrative of events begins again in ch 8:1-3.

(ii) Ch 8:2 is also a literary interpolation introducing the seven trumpets. This is to tie the two series together, but only in purely literary way. The chart above shows that this cannot be in any sequential way.

(iii) The seventh seal is the End, so it is best to see 8:2 as a stylistic attempt to give continuity to the visions. We may be intended to see in this part of the nature of prophetic vision. One vision crashes in on another before the first has really come to an end. Those with experience in the prophetic attest to similar experiences.

(iv) Clearly 8:3-5 are the content of the seventh seal, and are the End, so nothing can follow after them historically, and the comparison of the seventh trumpet with the seventh seal shows that they are the same event.

8:1 "Silence in heaven for about half an hour".

Three possible reasons:

(i) In heaven there is ceaseless praise, yet there must be a time for the prayers of the saints to be heard, in the sense of “actioned”. This is that time.
This interpretation is based on the idea found in the Talmud that "the angels sing unceasingly through the night but are silent during the day to allow the prayers of Israel to be heard".

(ii) The horrific nature of the judgements coming on the earth appal the inhabitants of heaven so much that their mouths are stopped.

(iii) It is the view of this writer that the silence is caused by the fact that for this short period of time Heaven is EMPTY, there is no one there to make any noise, hence silence is absolute.

Reasons:
This seal is the End, the day of the Lord when God and Christ come to earth in a visible way to vindicate and save his people. The sequence of events on that Day is simple:
(i) God and Christ descend with the angels to earth.
Matthew 13:39.
The angels come as reapers to collect the harvest of the earth.

(ii) The Dead in Christ are raised first, hence their spirits under the altar are at this time reunited with bodies and are present in the entourage of Christ coming to earth.
1 Thessalonians 4:14-16.

(iii) Those waiting for Christ alive are caught up to be with him in the air as he descends. Hence they join in the descent to earth, having in a moment been changed, translated and now descending.

(iv) As Christ descends his wrath is poured out on the earth.

Hence there would appear to be no one in heaven to make a noise at this point in time.

8:2 - See notes on the Seven Trumpets.

8:3 "another angel" - different from the seven of v2, probably the same one as 6:9-11 as he appears to be dealing with the same prayers.

"at the altar" - under which the souls of the dead saints used to be. They are not there now, but their prayers are offered and answered. They have been vindicated but now their accusers have to also be condemned. REVELATION 14:18,16:7 coincide in time with this.

"golden censor" - used in the temple to offer incense, symbolising prayer. The fire for the incense came from the altar of burnt offering in the temple, but here it comes from the incense altar itself where those who had been God's sacrifice had been kept.

C/f Ezekiel 10:1-9.

"threw it to earth" - as a judgement. It comes as the result of the church's prayers.

"peals of thunder...earthquake" - a way of describing the wrath of God..