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Revelation 8

Revelation 8 places the saints’ prayers before God’s throne as the seventh seal opens into trumpet judgments upon the earth.

The seventh seal opens, and heaven falls silent for about half an hour. Seven angels receive trumpets while another angel offers incense with the saints’ prayers before God’s throne. Fire from that altar is then thrown to earth. As the first four trumpets sound, destruction strikes the land, sea, fresh water, and heavenly lights, often affecting a third of each. An eagle announces further woes from the three trumpets still to come.

fear for the futureinjustice and anger
Read
1When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
2I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
3Another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer. Much incense was given to him, that he should add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne.
4The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.
5The angel took the censer, and he filled it with the fire of the altar, then threw it on the earth. Thunders, sounds, lightnings, and an earthquake followed.
6The seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
7The first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. One third of the earth was burned up, and one third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
8The second angel sounded, and something like a great burning mountain was thrown into the sea. One third of the sea became blood,
9and one third of the living creatures which were in the sea died. One third of the ships were destroyed.
10The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from the sky, burning like a torch, and it fell on one third of the rivers, and on the springs of water.
11The name of the star is “Wormwood.” One third of the waters became wormwood. Many people died from the waters, because they were made bitter.
12The fourth angel sounded, and one third of the sun was struck, and one third of the moon, and one third of the stars, so that one third of them would be darkened; and the day wouldn’t shine for one third of it, and the night in the same way.
13I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the other blasts of the trumpets of the three angels, who are yet to sound!”
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
Revelation 8:3The saints’ prayers appear at the altar before God’s throne, just before fire from that altar strikes the earth.
Revelation 8:7The first trumpet begins the judgments with burning destruction, introducing the repeated measure of one third.
Revelation 8:13The eagle’s warning marks a pause after four trumpets and announces further woes for those dwelling on earth.
Where this chapter reaches

The hail, fire, blood, and darkness share imagery with the judgments in Exodus, while Psalm shares the association of prayer with incense. Jeremiah also links wormwood and bitter water with judgment, matching the deadly waters described in the third trumpet.

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Notice

After reading the whole chapter

What do you notice about the saints’ prayers appearing before the trumpet judgments begin?

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How does the eagle’s warning shape your reading of the destruction that comes before it?

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Questions people ask about Revelation 8

Why is there silence in heaven in Revelation 8?

The silence follows the opening of the seventh seal and lasts about half an hour. The chapter does not explain its purpose. Its position before the altar scene and trumpet judgments suggests solemn expectation, though the text gives no stated reason for either the silence or its duration.

What is Wormwood in Revelation 8?

Wormwood is the name of the great star that falls onto rivers and springs when the third trumpet sounds. The waters become bitter, and many people die from drinking them. The chapter does not identify the star with a named historical event or explain how the vision’s imagery will be fulfilled.

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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).