Revelation
Chapter 8
Overview
John’s vision moves from the opening of the seventh seal to a new series of warnings. Heaven first falls silent, as if the whole scene is holding its breath. Then seven angels receive trumpets—ancient instruments used to signal public action, danger, or battle. The prayers of God’s people rise with incense before God, but fire from the same altar is thrown to earth. Four trumpet blasts follow, striking land, sea, fresh water, and the lights of the sky. Each disaster is limited to one-third, yet the closing cry warns that worse is still ahead.
1When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, heaven became silent for about half an hour.
2Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and they were given seven trumpets.
3Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden incense burner. He was given a great deal of incense to offer on the golden altar in front of the throne, together with the prayers of all God’s people.
4From the angel’s hand, the smoke of the incense rose before God together with the prayers of God’s people.
5Then the angel took the incense burner, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it onto the earth. Thunder, loud rumblings, lightning, and an earthquake followed.
6The seven angels who held the seven trumpets prepared to blow them.
7The first angel blew his trumpet. Hail and fire mixed with blood appeared and were thrown onto the earth. A third of the earth burned up, a third of the trees burned up, and all the green grass burned up.
8The second angel blew his trumpet. Something like a huge mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood.
9A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
10The third angel blew his trumpet. A huge star, burning like a torch, fell from heaven. It fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water.
11The star was named Wormwood, after a plant known for its bitter taste. A third of the water became bitter like wormwood, and many people died from drinking it because it had turned bitter.
12The fourth angel blew his trumpet. A third of the sun, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars were struck, so that one-third of their light was darkened. There was no light for a third of the day, and the same was true of the night.
13Then I looked and heard an eagle flying high overhead. It cried out in a loud voice, “Terrible suffering, terrible suffering, terrible suffering is coming upon the people who live on earth when the other three angels blow their trumpets!”