Devotional: Revelation 8

Today’s passage: Revelation 8

Helpful thoughts:

• The opening of the seventh seal ushers in the next series of seven in the judgments of Revelation, the seven trumpets.
  • With the constant worship ongoing in heaven, this half an hour of silence would be full of suspense.  This suspense is fitting given the judgment which is to be executed.
  • The coming judgment is depicted as a response to the prayers of the saints.
• The first four trumpets are described in chapter 8.  Trumpets five and six will be explained in chapter 9.  The seventh trumpet will not be blown until chapter 11.
  • The judgment of God destroys a third of things on earth ranging from plants on land, to the sea, to rivers, to the sky (What we can see when we look to the sky (The sunlight, moonlight).
    • These trumpet judgments bring with them the death of animals on land and sea, as well as the death of many people.
• Wormwood is a bitter tasting plant with a poisonous extract.
• The judgments listed here in the first four judgments will not compare with what’s to come in the final three trumpets.

Questions to consider:

1. What does it seem the silence in heaven represents?  To what are all the hosts of heaven giving the attention?  What would their silence (in the presence of God) seem to indicate concerning the information that was being presented to them?  If God is continuously worthy of all glory and praise, how would it be glorifying to God for all of heaven to silence themselves in these moments?
2. If these trumpet judgments are describing specific historical events yet to take place, how do you think they would look?  What type of events would John be describing?  How would the world respond in the midst of such destruction?
3. How does the content of this chapter point to the majesty of God?  As much as it might draw our attention to speculation and imagination of life on this earth, what does it tell us about Him and the honor that is rightly due Him?  How should we respond?