Seventh Seal – Releasing the Trumpet Judgments
When He opened 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 to them were given seven trumpets. 3 Then another angel, having
a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. And he was given much incense, that he should offer it with
the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the
incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand. 5 Then the angel took
the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings,
lightnings, and an earthquake. 6 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to
sound. (Revelation 8:1-6)
I. INTRODUCTION TO THE SEVENTH SEAL
A. The most powerful and dramatic of the seals is the seventh seal, which functions both as a conclusion to the seals as
well as the introduction to the trumpets (which release the bowls of wrath). Those who interpret the seals, trumpets and
bowls as covering the same time frame from different points of view usually give no real interpretation of this seal (nor of
the seventh trumpet).
B. Five main activities of the seventh seal – seven angels are commissioned with escatological trumpets, heavenly silence,
and an eighth angel is given Divine incense to enhance the End-Time prayer movement, which releases fire (judgment)
on earth along with cosmic disturbances including an earthquake.
C. The significance and intensity of the seventh seal is that it contains the remaining judgments of the Tribulation
(trumpets, bowls) that are necessary in fully establishing God’s Kingdom on earth.
II. SEVEN ANGELS COMMISSIONED WITH ESCATOLOGICAL TRUMPETS
I saw the 7 angels who stand before God, and to them were given 7 trumpets. (Revelation 8:2)
The 7 angels who had the 7 trumpets prepared themselves to sound. (Revelation 8:6)
A. In God’s time, seven angels who stand before God will be commissioned. They will be prepared as they are properly
positioned and given eschatological trumpets. There will be much drama in heaven as they prepare to sound these
trumpets that release the 7 trumpet judgments.
B. There are different angelic beings who stand in the counsel of the Lord (Jeremiah 23:18), including four cherubim,
four Seraphim and these seven angels who stand before God. Jewish tradition taught of seven archangels (Gabriel,
Michael, Raphael, Uriel, Raguel, Saragael, Remiel). Gabriel is described as standing in God’s presence (Luke 1:19).
C. The fall of Jericho associated with the blowing of seven trumpets (Josh. 6) is a prophetic picture of this. Seven priests
with seven trumpets played before the Ark (I Chronicles 15:24). God will release prophetic End-Times messengers who will
blow the trumpet in Zion (Revelation 10-11; Joel 2:1).
III. TERRIFYING SILENCE IN HEAVEN
There was silence in heaven for about half an hour. (Revelation 8:1)
A. There will be a dreadful yet glorious silence on earth and in heaven coming from the awful anticipation of the full
release of God’s judgments. Silence is associated with God’s judgment (Zechariah 2:13; Habakkuk 2:20).
B. There is an agonizing suspense of expectancy of God’s awful and glorious manifest presence of Jesus as
Bridegroom-King-Lion-Lamb. The angels are overwhelmed as all heaven becomes awestruck with the knowledge of
the climatic event to end this age.
C. The issue of sound is associated with each of the seven seals. The first four seals are opened and they are followed
by a voice like thunder, saying, “Go!” The fifth seal describes the great intercessory cry from beneath the altar. The sixth
seal reveals the terrifying cries of the kings of the earth. Here, the terrifying silence of the seventh seal is in great contrast
with the other six seals.
D. About half an hour – the time if took the priest to offer incense in the temple. About a half hour was time it took for a
priest offer incense (Leviticus 16:13-14; Luke 1:10, 21).
IV. FULLNESS OF JESUS AND THE HOLY SPIRIT’S INTERCESSION MANIFEST
Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. And he was given much incense,
that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand.
(Revelation 8:3-4)
A. The seventh seal will include God releasing the fullness of His anointing on the End-Time prayer movement. It will be
dynamically enhanced with Holy Spirit authority and angelic involvement.
B. Another angel – an eighth angel will be given much incense to enhance the prayer movement.
C. Angel with a golden censer came and stood at the altar – drama of the approaching angel.
D. The fullness of Jesus’ and the Holy Spirit’s intercession will be manifest in the seventh seal. The angel will be given
much incense – supernatural element added to the prayer movement. This Divine incense represents Jesus’ person,
cross, intercession together with the manifest authority of the Holy Spirit’s intercession (Psalm 2:7-9; Hebrews 7:25;
Romans 8:34; John 17:21-26; Joel 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Isaiah 42:13; Revelation 22:17; Zechariah 12:10). This
all works together as incense.
“I will pour out…the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me." (Zechariah 12:10)
The Spirit helps in our weaknesses (in prayer). For we do not know what we should pray…the Spirit Himself makes
intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (Romans 8:26)
The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come!” (Revelation 22:17)
It is Christ…at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. (Romans 8:34)
Jesus is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make
intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)
“I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ‘…8 Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations (Great Harvest) for
Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron (judgment on
rebellious nations); You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.’” (Psalm 2:7-9)
The LORD also will roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; the heavens and earth will shake; but the LORD
will be a shelter…and the strength of…Israel. (Joel 3:16)
The LORD shall go forth like a mighty man; He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war. He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud;
He shall prevail against His enemies. (Isaiah 42:13)
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth…7 to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples;
8 to bind their kings with chains…and nobles with fetters of iron; 9 to execute on them the written judgment -- This honor
have all His saints. (Psalm 149: 6-9)
E. The angel will offer much incense with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar. The combination of Divine
incense with our prayers will bring a unprecedented manifest authority.
1. The angel will add much incense to the prayers of the saints on the altar of incense. The prayers of saints have
been imperfect with human weakness. The angel will offer (adds) Divine incense to the prayers of the saints. The only
thing needed to be “added” to the prayers of saints is the perfect intercessions (incense) of Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus’ prayers are added to ours, they will shift history to the full consummation of the Kingdom.
All Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia… (Psalm 45:8)
2. Given to the angel – this angel cannot provide this incense; but it is given to him by God, who causes our prayers to
reach their highest effectiveness.
3. The prayers of all the saints – these are prayers for vindication on their persecutors. Every prayer offered in the will of
God by the Spirit will be answered.
4. The seventh seal is about the increase of the supernatural dimension added to the Church’s prayer life. The fifth seal
is about the increase of prayer in the human arena due to martyrdom whereas the seventh seal is the Divine arena
increasing in the prayer movement.
F. The fragrance of Jesus is released through us to God.
Thanks be to God who…through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the
fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved… (2 Corinthians 2:14-15)
Golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. (Revelation 5:8)
G. The fragrant smoke of the Divine incense along with our prayers will ascend before God in full authority and
acceptance that releases the End-Times judgments. When fragrant incense is poured out on burning coals (from the
heavenly altar) it produces smoke that has a sweet odor to God. The smoke…with the prayers…ascended before God
from the angel's hand – impact of incense on coals of fire on the altar (Isaiah 6:2) releases intensity (energy), color,
fragrance, smoke. Divine coals from God’s altar will give effectiveness to our prayers.
H. This is a prophetic picture of how God sees intercession and worship to the Father that comes out of unity (intimacy)
with Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the End-Time Church.
V. FIRE BEING CAST TO THE EARTH IN JUDGMENT
The angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. (Revelation 8:5a)
A. The End-Time prayer movement (enhanced with supernatural effectiveness) will release the End-Time judgments
including the intercession for vengeance seen in Revelation 6:10.
B. As our prayer ascends with incense, so God’s fire descends in judgment to the earth.
C. The most terrifying force in history is seen here – prayers of the saints in unity with God results in the fire from the
golden censer being thrown to earth releasing the fullness of God's justice (Luke 18:7-8) as seen in the judgment of
Jerusalem in the generation of Ezekiel. This occurred just after God sealed the righteous on the forehead (Ezekiel 9:4-6).
This is the same sequence seen in Revelation 7-8.
1. The coals from the altar used to destroy Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BC.
There in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubim, there appeared something like a sapphire stone, having
the appearance of the likeness of a throne. 2 Then He spoke to the man clothed with linen, and said, “Go in among the
wheels, under the cherub, fill your hands with coals of fire from among the cherubim, and scatter them over the city.”
(Ezekiel 10:1-2)
2. The coals from the altar used to redemptively to anoint God’s servants.
I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips…For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of
hosts.” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the
altar. 7 He touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your
sin purged.” 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here
am I! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:5-8)
There appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. (Acts 2:3)
VI. COSMIC DISTURBANCES INCLUDING AN EARTHQUAKE
There were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake. (Revelation 8:5b)
A. Cosmic disturbances like those described in the sixth seal will continue.
B. Noises – voices (?), sound of a mighty rushing wind from heaven (Acts 2:2, 6)
C. Earthquakes are prophesied in the End-Times (Matthew 24:7; Mark 13:8; Isaiah 29:6; Ezekiel 38:19; Zechariah
14:5, 10). Earthquake sequence during the Tribulation period (Revelation 6:12; 8:5; 11:13,19; 16:18).
VII. PROPHETIC PICTURE OF THE EVENTS OF THE SEVENTH SEAL
Prophetic picture of the human and Divine elements in the seventh seal drama are seen in Zacharias the priest walking
blameless and righteous before God. On one occasion, as he was burning incense in the temple while a multitude of
believers were praying outside at the hour of incense, he was visited by an angel. Suddenly, the angel Gabriel, who stood
in the presence of God, appeared to him as he was standing at the altar of incense. Zacharias was troubled, being filled
with fear and became silent. The angel assured him that his prayers were heard resulting in the supernatural activity
around the birthing of the child with the spirit of Elijah and the forerunner ministry who would turn many to God (Luke 1:5-19).