The seventh seal is so much more diverse than the other seals as it covers all events from Chapters 8-14. Notice the first four seals are the beginning of sorrows described in Matthew 24:4-26. The fifth seal are the spirits of the saints under the altar who are waiting for their blood to be avenged as they died a martyr’s death. The sixth seal reveals mans shame and describes the 144,000 and the great multitude of Gentiles. The seventh seal begins the day of Gods wrath with the first four seals being destruction of the environment that will cause many to lose their lives. The ones who will be able to stand are those who have Gods seal upon them as they continue the witness and testimony of Jesus throughout the nations.
One thing we need to take into consideration before going forward in our study is that during the seven trumpet sounds this will be Global in what God causes to happen on earth. God’s wrath will not necessarily be centered in just one confined area, but one area can cause much damage throughout the world as a whole. A third of everything here on earth will be destroyed as in vegetation, water and even man.
One third of all the earth can be a very vast area as only twenty-five percent of the earth is dry land as water covers the other seventy-five percent as in oceans, seas, lakes and fresh water streams that feeds of the major source that is the ocean.
God’s wrath is poured out into the world as chastisements for disobedience, but also a warning that man needs to repent and turn back to God before the door of salvation is closed forever. The time of Gods long suffering and patience is coming to an end and God would that none should perish 2 Peter 3:9. Many will repent during this time as their ears are finally opened to the witness and testimony of Gods word as it is carried out into the word to every nation, Matthew 24:13, 14.
The reason there was silence in heaven for about a half hour was God was silent for a short time while the angels were preparing for the seventh seal to be opened. First, seven angels are given their trumpets as each one would be sounded in Gods timing. Then John sees an angel with a golden censer and this angel is given much incense to burn before the altar of God as it sends up a sweet aroma to him. The sweet aroma is all the saints under the altar and all around the world worshiping and praising God’s name as they send up their prayers before Him.
Fire usually represents Gods judgment. The censer that had incense in it and being a sweet aroma sent up to God filled with the prayers of the saints is now filled with fire and cast down to the earth. God is now ready to avenge those prayers of the saints as they wait for their fellowservants that are sealed with the seven spirits resting upon them.
These servants of God will also be persecuted to death during the time of the seven trumpet sounds as they keep the witness and testimony of God and preach to those that yet need to repent. Gods vengeful wrath is about to be released on all the earth as the voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake is Gods great power and authority ready to shake the earth as now is the time of his final wrath before the door of salvation is closed forever.
Hail and fire can be likened unto meteors that fall from the sky as the brimstone God brought down from heaven striking those in Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19:24. A third of the trees and all the green grass are burned up which makes a third part of the world with a shortage of oxygen in the air that is created from the carbon dioxide from the trees and living plants. I would only imagine the drifting smoke itself would cause respiratory problems for many people.
Seeing that this is Global the intense fire and smoke from all the trees and grass burning can travel for miles causing much more damage throughout the nations. The trees that produce various healthy foods for our well being will become scarce. The green grasses that would probably include crops of wheat, barley, corn and so forth will be destroyed causing a shortage in food. The animals we depend on as a food source will also die as they are left without vegetation they need to live on.
The blood that is mingled in with the hail and fires is the blood of the martyred saints that wait under the altar to have their blood avenged.
This great mountain burning with fire could be an asteroid the size of a mountain hitting the sea sent down from heaven as the third part of the sea is destroyed along with sea life and the third part of the ships that sit in it. The third part of the sea turned to blood by reason of all the ocean life that is killed and those men, women and children who are on these ships that are destroyed. Take into consideration the disease that would spread from all the rotted sea life that is rotting away washing up on the shore and the flesh of those who were burned along with the ships.
These ships will more than likely be types of fuel tankers, merchant, fishing and luxury cruises ships traveling the waters. With the third of these ships being destroyed means a third part of the world’s fuel and food supply would be destroyed.
Let’s look at this on a larger scale of what is being destroyed as in life, fuel and food as this would be Global and not centrally located as Gods wrath is Global. There is only one ocean, but divided by four regions as being the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Ocean, and the Indian Ocean. This would be like the four corners of the earth as being North, South, East and West. The only difference between the ocean and the sea is that the ocean is much larger and feeds into the 108 seas around the world.
Scripture is not clear on what a third part of the sea would be as in circumference of area or region so one can only assume since it is a third part of the world that could be thirty eight different seas around the world that are being destroyed by meteors at one time. A third part of food and supplies that are vital to our life will no longer be available in many areas of the world and many will starve to death.
John saw in his vision a great star that is burning like a lamp that falls to earth. In John’s time torches were used as a light source so this star burning like a lamp or a torch could be that of a burning asteroid or a series of meteors falling on earth. I can only think it to be many as they fall on the third part of rivers and streams as it poisons the third part of the earth’s fresh water supply and causes many to die from the bitter water they drink. This would also kill all fresh water fish leaving man without another food source.
This star is given a name called Wormwood because wormwood is a plant that can be potentially toxic in its pure form and has a bitter aroma to it. In large amounts, it can cause damage to the nervous system, resulting in convulsions, loss of muscle control, and sometimes death. Now we have a third part of the world without fresh water to drink.
With the third part of the sun, moon and stars being darkened this will affect mans source of electricity and heat that is vital to keep a certain degree of the earth warm, and generated power in homes, hospitals and manufacturing plants including nuclear reactors.
Agriculture and navigation would be hard pressed as it takes the solar power from the sun to run the solar cells that produces the energy needed to run farming machinery and trucks to take the produce to manufacturing plants where the produce is then distributed to market.
Vehicles such as cars, ambulances, planes, trains and the list goes on need an energy source from the sun in order to run their engines. The darkness of the third part of the day would be roughly around eight hours of daylight being lost and total darkness of night as the moon and stars are illuminated by the sun at night. A flashlight would be useless to see in the dark as it needs energy from the sun to run the battery that turns the light on.
This much darkness would cause people to panic in the streets creating chaos as the love of many will wax cold, Matthew 24:12. Riots would break out causing looting and lose of life as those who have not will do anything in desperation to take from those who have much.
This angel is in exclamation for men to repent for the next three trumpet sounds will bring even greater tribulation to those of the earth and that they need to repent before the door of Salvation is closed.