The Lamb opens the seventh seal, and there is silence in heaven for about half an hour. After all the loud praise, everything stops. Then John sees seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets are given to them. In the Bible, trumpets often announce that God is acting.

Another angel stands at the golden altar with a golden censer. He is given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints. The smoke rises before God. Then the angel fills the censer with fire from the altar and throws it to the earth. Thunders, lightnings, and an earthquake follow. The prayers of God’s people are part of how God’s plan moves forward.

The first four trumpets sound. Each one strikes a third part of creation: the land and trees, the sea, the rivers and springs, and the sun, moon, and stars. A third is not everything. These judgments are warnings that call people to turn to God. An eagle flies through the sky crying, Woe, woe, woe, because three more trumpets are coming.

When the Lamb opens the seventh seal, there is silence in heaven for about half an hour. After the songs of chapters 4 to 7, the silence is striking. It may picture awe before God acts, or a hush so that the prayers of the saints can be heard. Then John sees the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets are given to them. Trumpets in Scripture call people to attention, sound alarms, and announce the Lord’s coming.

Before any trumpet sounds, another angel stands at the altar holding a golden censer. Much incense is given to him to add to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, goes up before God. Then the angel fills the censer with fire from the altar and throws it on the earth, and there are thunders, sounds, lightnings, and an earthquake. The cries of chapter 6, How long, have been heard. God’s answer to his people’s prayers begins.

The first four trumpets echo the plagues on Egypt in Exodus: hail and fire, water turned to blood, darkness. Each affects a third of the land, sea, fresh waters, or sky. The limit to a third shows these are partial judgments meant to warn, not to end everything. Then John sees an eagle flying in mid heaven, crying with a loud voice, Woe! Woe! Woe for those who dwell on the earth, because of the other voices of the trumpets of the three angels, who are yet to sound!