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Revelation 8:1
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1 And [kai] when [hote] he had opened [anoigo] the seventh [hebdomos] seal, [sphragis] there was [ginomai] silence [sige] in [en] heaven [ouranos] about the space of [hos] half an hour. [hemiorion] KJV-Interlinear
1 And when He broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. NASB
Have you ever been to an event where there is a large crowd and an announcer asks the crowd to recognize something solemn and that everyone respect it with a moment of silence?
Can you ever imagine a huge crowd, that would have something in front of them, that would cause them, without being asked, to remain silent for thirty minutes? I would guess that having a crowd remain silent for even a few minutes would be difficult.
The grim reality of what is to soon occur, becomes immediately apparent to all who will be in heaven, and witness to these events, that are now on the brink of execution.
In the first chapter of this book, we were introduced to the one, the unique person of the universe, Jesus Christ, the first and the last, the one who controls history, the one who will bring history, mans rule, and Satan’s rule to a complete halt. The one who will assume the reigns of rule over the world, and bring an end, through divine judgment, to all evil that has become unrestrained and totally destructive.
In the second and third chapters, we were introduced to the Church, the Royal Family, and their (our) role in history during our dispensation. Some believers will advance to maturity, but most will fail throughout our dispensation, which will end with an apostasy that will be second to none.
The Rapture will occur (door opening), and then in chapter four, we are introduced to the absolute phenomenal environment of heaven. A realm of peace, of truth, lacking all adversarial opposition, a place of clarity and of Gods sovereign power and rule over all things. This is in contrast to that which is going on back on earth, where there is controversy, adversity, and no clear wisdom in place with which to govern and operate life.
And then in chapters five and six, the first six seals were removed from the scroll.
The first five, demonstrate the phenomenal incompetence of mans rule, and the unbelievable failure of Satan’s effort to bring in a utopian life to all of mankind. Beginning with false hope from a false hero (white horse), to uncontrolled crime and violence, to a destroyed economy, to death and destruction. All leading to the deaths of innumerable believers, whose souls we heard, from under the alter.
And then the sixth seal, which reveals a level of violence and horrors so beyond imagination, that it is nearly impossible to describe them. And yet, people will die with increasing numbers, pouring (so to speak) into heaven as a result of the horrors that will have been occurring on the earth.
The seals reveal the written documentation of a history that will occur. They have thus far summarized that future record.
And now we will be introduced to seven trumpets.
Trumpets are used to announce, to bring everyone to attention, to signal something that is very near or just about to happen.
With the written record, there is time to read, to examine, to prepare ones self, but no indication as to exactly when the events will occur.
With the trumpets, the sounding of them, means that time is up, the events are fast approaching, entering in, they have arrived.
And later on when we get to the bowl judgments, then the bowls being poured out, are the actual events, occurring in all the fury and power of heaven. And there is no way to stop them until they have run their course.
In the last chapter, we noted that the common suffering throughout the Tribulation, of which all of those who die and enter into heaven will share, will be that they were hungry and thirsty. Certainly they lacked Bible doctrine and hungered and thirsted due to the lack of spiritual sustenance, but too, the common suffering will be due to the lack of food and water. And the lack will not be for just a few hours or days, but it will go on and get worse over the course of years. That will lead to untold and indescribable horrors.
However, knowing this, does not mean that this suffering will be the worst, for the worst has not yet been described in our study. The trumpets will add more detail to the judgments, and the bowls will add more details beyond that. And there is still the issue of the seven thunders, which have not and will not be revealed to us.
We who will be in heaven and those who are on the earth, will not know the details of the seven thunders, until they actually occur.
But those who are, or will be in heaven, will understand quickly just what history is all about and what is about to occur.
John heard a vastness full of noise, when he first arrived. He saw and heard an innumerable host of believers (perhaps numbering in the billions), and of angels (perhaps numbering in the trillions), singing and praising Christ.
And then silence.
And this silence will occur until verse five. But it is a deathly silence, an eerie silence, and it will mark the imminence of what is to come.
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