Revelation 8 Footnotes

8:1 When the seventh seal is lifted, the scroll is finally completely open (5:1). The half hour of silence in heaven echoes Zph 1:7, “Be silent in the presence of the Lord GOD, for the day of the LORD is near,” indicating the day of the Lord begins with the trumpets.

8:8-12 The first four trumpet judgments bring horrific destruction upon a third of the focus of each judgment. Thus the trumpets are dramatically stronger than the strongest of the seals, in which a fourth of the earth was (selectively) impacted, but not totally destroyed, as with these trumpets.

8:13 The remaining three trumpet judgments will intensify the terror lying upon the earth dwellers, whom God has spotlighted for judgment and vengeance of the martyrs’ blood (6:10) during the hour of testing (3:10). Since the seventh trumpet is open-ended, including the bowls of divine wrath (15:1–19:6), these terrors extend to the second coming of Christ (19:11-16).