Revelation 8:1-2 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
The final seal is opened. The silence in heaven is like the quietness before a big storm. Silence is often difficult to be in, especially if you are in a crowd. Even 30 seconds of silence in a church service can be difficult to live through, but imagine 30 minutes with the untold number of God’s people and angels gathered around the throne. A new announcement is about to be made with seven angels. Each trumpet will announcement something cataclysmic upon the earth. This is the last opportunity for humanity to repent. Each trumpet is a warning, a “sign of the times.”
Those who accept the theory of a mid-tribulation rapture see the first six seals as happening in 3 1/2 years, then the rapture, then the blowing of the seven trumpets over the next 3 1/2 years. The text does not necessarily need to be interpreted this way, although the argument has some logic to it, as do most theories about the end times. Rather than try to speculate one way or another, it may be more useful for spiritual growth, to read these descriptions to discern at a deep level the timeless truths they contain. When these events take place, and if we are around, we can be prepared. Otherwise, we can use these passages to warn people of the dangers of sin and rebellion against God. Those who want will turn a deaf ear and end up like the close of chapter 9. There may be some who take the warnings seriously. But if the experiences of the Old Testament prophets can be an example, we should be prepared to face rejection, even among those who claim to be God’s people.
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