REVELATION 8

1. BREAKING THE SEVENTH SEAL (Vs. 1-2)

1. Silence in heaven -God is about to pronounce judgment on the earth and the silence in heaven is like the silence in a courtroom when the judge is about to pronounce the death sentence on a murderer.

2. The events that take place at the breaking of the seventh seal are announced by the sounding of trumphets. When the seventh trumphet is sounded the earth will be in the hands of Jesus Christ.

2. THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS -(Vs. 3-6)

1. Here God has the prayers of ALL THE SAINTS (not ALL THE PRAYERS of the saints) brought up before Him. God is preparing here to answer the prayers of all who have ever really prayed “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” This will be the answer to every saint’s prayer to God to put down evil and to wipe it from the face of the earth.

3. SOUNDING THE FIRST TRUMPHET (V-7)

1. The first judgment falls on the vegetable kingdom: trees, grass and such.

2. See Ezekiel 38:14-23 with this verse.

4. SOUNDING THE SECOND TRUMPHET -(Vs 8-9)

1. The second judgment falls upon the sea and all creatures in it.

2. This is not a real mountain but as large as (“As it were a mountain”) a mountain, and burning with fire. See Exodus 7:20-30.

5. SOUNDING THE THIRD TRUMPHET (Vs 10-11)

1. The third judgment falls upon the rivers and fountains (the source of drinking water) and corrupts them so that men who drink from them will die.

6. SOUNDING THE FOURTH TRUMPHET -(Vs 12-13)

1. The fourth judgment falls upon the sun, moon and stars. This sort of thing will cause fear to come upon the people, and fear is the worst sort of punishment man can experience.

2. John then hears another angel crying “Woe, woe, woe.” The earth is then in for the most awful judgment it has ever known.

7. GOD'S JUDGMENT:

1. This is God’s judgment.

2. Please note (1) It is not man fighting against man (2) It is not man fighting against beasts (3) it is nor man battling the natural elements (4) it IS God pouring out HIS judgment upon HIS enemies on the earth.

3. It will take all of this to dis-lodge the rebellious human race from their hold on God’s earth.