The Seventh Seal

8 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal [^Cthe final and climactic seal; 5:1], there was silence in heaven for about half an hour [^Ca dramatic pause induced by awe]. ² And I saw the seven angels who stand before God and to whom were given seven trumpets [^Ctrumpets often announce God’s appearance, accompanied by judgment and victory; Josh. 6].

³ Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden ·pan for incense [censer; incense burner]. He was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all ·God’s holy people [^Tthe saints; Ps. 141:2]. The angel put this offering on the golden altar before the throne. ⁴ The smoke from the incense went up from the angel’s hand ·to [in the presence of] God with the prayers of ·God’s people [^Tthe saints]. ⁵ Then the angel filled the ·incense pan [censer; incense burner] with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there ·were thunder and loud noises [was rumbling thunder], flashes of lightning, and an earthquake [4:5].

⁶ Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them [8:2].

⁷ The first angel blew his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were ·poured [thrown; hurled] down on the earth [^Csimilar to the seventh plague against Egypt; Ex. 9:13–35; Joel 2:30–31]. And a third of the earth [^Lwas burned up], and a third of the trees [^Lwas burned up], and all the green grass were burned up.

The Seven Angels and Trumpets

⁸ Then the second angel blew his trumpet, and something that looked like a ·big [great] mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea [^Cperhaps referring to a volcano or a flaming meteorite; Jer. 51:25]. And a third of the sea became blood [^Cechoes the first plague against Egypt; Ex. 7:14–21], ⁹ a third of the living ·things [creatures] in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

¹⁰ Then the third angel blew his trumpet, and a ·large [great] star, burning like a torch, fell from ·the sky [or heaven; ^Cperhaps a meteorite]. It fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. ¹¹ [^LAnd] The name of the star is Wormwood [^Ca plant with a greenish, bitter oil; a symbol of bitter sorrow; Prov. 5:4; Jer. 9:15; 23:15]. And a third of all the water became ·bitter [^Lwormwood; ^Cagain an allusion to the first Egyptian plague], and many people died from ·drinking the water [^Lthe water] that ·was [became; was made] bitter.

¹² Then the fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars were struck. So a third of them became dark, and a third of the day was ·without light [kept from shining], and also the night [^Cechoing the ninth Egyptian plague; Ex. 10:21–23].

¹³ While I watched, I heard an ·eagle [or vulture] that was flying ·high in the air [^Lin mid-heaven] cry out in a loud voice, “·Trouble! Trouble! Trouble [ ^LWoe! Woe! Woe; ^Creminiscent of OT funeral laments, signifying their doom; Nah. 3:1] for those who live on the earth because of the remaining ·sounds [blasts] of the trumpets that the other three angels are about to blow!”