The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Revelation 8:1-6, “When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
3 Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne.
4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.
5 Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake.
6 And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them.”

Under the Seventh Seal, there was silence in Heaven for about half an hour! Remember that the First Four Seals sounded out the voice of thunder: war, removal of peace, famine and death. The Fifth Seal revealed the cry for vengeance from the Tribulation martyrs. And the Sixth Seal was a fearful tremor, reverberating throughout the whole of nature.

Now, in chapter eight, the Seal Judgments continue. With the Seventh Seal comes silence that emphasizes a declaration of major importance. It may be compared with the temporary silence in a courtroom just before the foreman reports to the Court the verdict of the jury.

Seven presence angels now stand before the LORD. They are the highest and mightiest of all created beings. The seven receive trumpets through which divine declarations will be announced. These Trumpet Judgments are infinitely more intense than the prior Seal Judgments.

Trumpet One (8:7) sounds a Botanical judgment (ground, trees, grass, vegetation). With this trumpet comes hail and fire, mixed with blood –all thrown to the Earth. And a third of the Earth suffered destruction from burning. Leaves purify the air by taking out carbon dioxide and giving back oxygen. Without photosynthesis, the replenishment of the Earth’s fundamental food supply would stop, and the planet would become devoid of oxygen (Compton).

Trumpet Two (8:8-9) sounds a Marine Judgment “The second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood, and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed.”

Trumpet Three (8:1-11) sounds a Geological Judgment. “The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters. The name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter.” Wormwood “is a bitter, intoxicating and poisonous herb. Used freely, it produces convulsions, paralysis, and death” (Seiss, 197).

Trumpet Four (8:12) sounds an Astral Judgment (sun, moon, stars). “The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.” This is a distruction of the sources of light and heat to our world: the sun, moon and stars will shine with only a third of their light. This will disturb the seasons, hindering the ripening of fruit and harvests, and filling the world with a chill and an abundant sickness (Seiss, 198).

Give attention to the Eagle (8:13: “Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in mid-Heaven, saying with a loud voice: ‘Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!’”
(1)The Eagle is symbolic
A.…of Grace (Ex. 19:4, “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself”).
B.…of Judgment (Dt. 28:49, “The LORD will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the Earth, as the eagle swoops down, a nation whose language you shall not understand…”).
C.…of Christ’s Coming (Mt. 24:28, “Wherever the corpse is, there the eagles will gather.”)
(2)The Eagle is visibly allied with God (“flying in mid-Heaven”).
(3)The Eagle is audibly announcing God’s judgments (“shouting with a loud voice”).
A.Note well what he says: “Woe!”
B.Note well of whom he speaks: “…those dwelling on Earth.”

And still, these are only the beginnings of more intensive woes to follow. Evil will finally meet its execution! Make certain you belong to the LORD. He alone is your way of salvation!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom