B i b l e S t u d y
Lesson: Revelation 8:1-13
SCRIPTURE READING: Revelation 8:1-13
GOLDEN TEXT: Revelation 8:2
1. Did the apostle John see four angels holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree? (Revelation 7:1.) In Revelation 7 the four angels were holding the four winds until the 144,000 (12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel) were sealed or protected and the great multitude were killed in the great tribulation. How long is the great tribulation? (Revelation 11:2-3, 12:13-14.) The Book of Revelation indicates that these traumatic ‘end time’ events will last for forty-two months, or one thousand two hundred and sixty days. Both of these terms equals three and half years. An interesting point to keep in mind is that when John wrote in the Book of Revelation something regarding ‘good’, such as God’s ‘two witnesses’, he used the term ‘days’ which would pertain to bright light and when he wrote of something ‘bad’ such as the ‘Gentiles would tread the holy city underfoot’ he used the term ‘months’ which refers to the moon which would pertain to darkness with little light. (Revelation 11:2-3.)
2. Is it now time for the seventh seal to be opened and who is it that is opening the seals? (Revelation 8:1, 6:1.) Does the Bible refer to Jesus as being a Lamb? (John 1:29, 36.) Is there now a certain period of silence in heaven? (Revelation 8:1.) God is pausing because of the great calamity that is about to fall upon humanity. Let’s continue and see why He is pausing.
3. Is it now time for the angels to blow their trumpets? (Revelation 8:2.) Are these seven trumpets that are going to be blown called plagues? (Revelation 9:20.) The seventh seal is composed of the seven trumpet plagues. Did Jesus say that God would avenge His people, the elect? (Luke 18:7-8.) Is the great ‘Day of the Lord’ a day for trumpets? (Zephaniah 1:14-17.) In prophecy, does one day equal one year? (Numbers 14:34, Ezekiel 4:6.) Does God prophesy that before the ‘Day of the Lord’ that He may come and strike the earth with a curse (Malachi 4:5-6.)
Note: The great tribulation leads up to the ‘Day of the Lord’ when God will begin avenging His people with the seven trumpet plagues. The ‘Day of the Lord’ will last for one year, the last year of the three and half years, making the great tribulation lasting two and half years.
4. Did another angel come and stand at the altar before the Throne of God? (Revelation 8:3-5.) What was the angel holding and what was in this item? (Vs. 3.) What did the incense represent? Does God hear the prayers of His saints who have been martyred? (Revelation 6:9-11.) Are our prayers like incense before God? (Psalms 141:2.)
Note: Now let’s ponder why God was pausing and there was silence in heaven for a short while (Revelation 8:1.) Our prayers are like incense to God and when you burn incense there is a sweet smelling aromatic odor and some smoke that is released into the air and it doesn’t make any noise. So in essence, in the quietness of the moment, God was smelling the prayers of the saints who had been martyred and He was reflecting upon their prayers for Him to avenge them.
5. Did the angels take deep breaths and prepare to blow their trumpets? (Revelation 8:6.) What happened when the first angel blew his trumpet? (Verse 7.) Is this similar to the seventh plague of Egypt? (Exodus 9:25.) This first trumpet plague will destroy one third of the world’s agricultural crops, vegetation, trees and grass. This would produce an incredible amount of smoke and would affect the production of food. A question to ask as we look at all of the seven trumpet plagues is: Are these the ‘acts of God’ or ‘the acts of man’? Did Jesus, in His Olivet Prophecy, tell the people who would be in Judea to flee when they saw the 'abomination of desolation,' set up? (Matthew 24:15-21.) Did He say that unless those days were shortened, that no flesh would be saved alive? (Verse 22.) It sounds like the ‘acts of man’ will almost bring mankind and the earth to utter destruction unless God intervenes. Who would God shorten the days for? (Same verse.)
6. What happened when the second angel sounded his trumpet? (Revelation 8:8-9.) Could this great mountain burning with fire be a meteor or perhaps a missile with a nuclear warhead that exploded? Will it destroy one third of sea life and ships? (Verse 9.) This will severely impact the world’s economy, especially Japan and Southeast Asia who depend on shipping for their food, grain and oil.
7. What happened when the third angel sounded his trumpet? (Revelation 8:10-11.) Could this great star from heaven be a meteor, or chemical warfare or perhaps a missile with a nuclear warhead that exploded? Whatever this is, it must have gone deep into the earth and infected the underground water system or as the Bible calls it the springs or fountains of water. Wormwood is a poison and so the earth’s underground water system will be poisoned and will cause many people to die. This could affect drinking water of many cities and irrigation in parts of the world.
8. What happened when the fourth angel sounded his trumpet? (Revelation 8:12.) This trumpet plague will affect the sunlight which will affect the light and heat of the earth which will then affect crop production in germination and development of crops. This darkening perhaps could be caused by a sideways band stretching around the earth like a ring around the planet of Saturn probably running north and south in the outer atmosphere. Perhaps this ring or band could be caused from nuclear war or volcano ash and smoke. Whatever is it, it will affect the light, heat and crop production on the earth.
9. Did John see an angel flying in the midst of heaven? (Revelation 8:13.) What was the angel saying? (Same verse.) What we have seen in the six seals (Revelation 6) and the four trumpet plagues is very bad, but what is to come will be worse and the final three trumpet plagues are called woes.
Scriptures
Scripture Reading:
(Revelation 8 NKJV) 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.
The Trumpets
{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!"
Golden Text: (Revelation 8:2 NKJV) And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.
1.) (Revelation 7:1 NKJV) After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.
(Revelation 11:2-3 NKJV) "But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. {3} "And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."
(Revelation 12:13-14 NKJV) Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. {14} But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.
2.) (Revelation 8:1 NKJV) When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
(Revelation 6:1 NKJV) Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, "Come and see."
(John 1:29 NKJV) The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
(John 1:36 NKJV) And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!"
3.) (Revelation 8:2 NKJV) And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.
(Revelation 9:20 NKJV) But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk.
(Luke 18:7-8 NKJV) "And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? {8} "I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"
(Zephaniah 1:14-17 NKJV) The great day of the LORD is near; It is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the LORD is bitter; There the mighty men shall cry out. {15} That day is a day of wrath, A day of trouble and distress, A day of devastation and desolation, A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness, {16} A day of trumpet and alarm Against the fortified cities And against the high towers. {17} "I will bring distress upon men, And they shall walk like blind men, Because they have sinned against the LORD; Their blood shall be poured out like dust, And their flesh like refuse."
(Numbers 14:34 NKJV) 'According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely forty years, and you shall know My rejection.
(Ezekiel 4:6 NKJV) "And when you have completed them, lie again on your right side; then you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days. I have laid on you a day for each year.
The Day of the LORD
(Malachi 4:5 NKJV) "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. {6} And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse."
4.) (Revelation 8:3-5 NKJV) 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.
(Revelation 6:9-11 NKJV) When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. {10} And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" {11} Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.
(Psalms 141:2 NKJV) Let my prayer be set before You as incense, The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
5.) (Revelation 8:6-7 NKJV) 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.
(Exodus 9:25 NKJV) And the hail struck throughout the whole land of Egypt, all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail struck every herb of the field and broke every tree of the field.
(Matthew 24:15-22 NKJV) "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), {16} "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. {17} "Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. {18} "And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. {19} "But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! {20} "And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. {21} "For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. {22} "And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.
6.) (Revelation 8:8-9 NKJV) 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.
7.) (Revelation 8:10-11 NKJV) 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.
8.) (Revelation 8:12 NKJV) 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.
9.) (Revelation 8:13 NKJV) 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!"