A vast, silent evening over a perfectly still lake among bare hills, the sky pale and empty.

The Book of

Revelation 8

Heaven falls silent. Then the prayers of God’s people rise before His throne, and the earth hears the answer.

13 verses≈ 3 minBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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Where we are

1–3Seven churchesChrist among His lampstands
4–11Seals & trumpetsThe Lamb opens the scrollChapter 8
12–16The great conflictThe dragon, the beasts, the bowls
17–20The King comesBabylon falls; the Lamb wins
21–22All things newA new heaven and a new earth

The Seventh Seal

Revelation 8:1

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John

And the smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, rose up before God from the hand of the angel.

Revelation 8:4

Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it to the earth; and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.

Pray

Your prayers rise

John saw “the prayers of all the saints” offered on the golden altar, rising “up before God.” Not one was lost on the way. What do you need to bring to Him today? Write it down as a prayer, for yourself, for someone you love, for the church that is suffering. Then pray it, knowing that He hears.

The First Four Trumpets

And the seven angels with the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.

Then the first angel sounded his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, along with a third of the trees and all the green grass.

A hillside of blackened tree trunks after a fire, smoke hanging in the air, green grass and untouched trees beyond the burned edge, a dim sun behind the haze.

Then the second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned to blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

Then the third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star burning like a torch fell from heaven and landed on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter like wormwood oil, and many people died from the bitter waters.

Then the fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun and moon and stars were struck. A third of the stars were darkened, a third of the day was without light, and a third of the night as well.

0:48

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

And as I observed, I heard an eagle flying overhead, calling in a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the remaining three angels!”

Question

Quick question

Again and again in these verses one fraction comes back: “a third.”

When the first four trumpets sound, how much of the earth, sea, rivers and sky is struck?

You’ve experienced

Revelation 8

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A verse to carry with you

And the smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, rose up before God from the hand of the angel.

Revelation 8:4

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