Book of Revelation
Chapter 8
Chapter 8 of Revelation continues the narrative as the Lamb opens the seventh seal, signaling a profound silence in heaven. Seven angels are given seven trumpets, and another angel with a golden censer offers incense along with the prayers of the saints on the golden altar before the throne. The angel then hurls the censer to the earth, resulting in peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake, setting the stage for the trumpet judgments.
REV 8 7-13 The first angel blew his trumpet, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were hurled to the earth, and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea became blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many died from the water because it was made bitter.
The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light was darkened; a third of the day was kept from shining and likewise the night.
Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew in midheaven, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!”
Chapter 9
In Chapter 9 of Revelation, the fifth angel sounds his trumpet, unleashing a swarm of locusts upon the earth, with a distinctive sting that torments people for five months. These locusts are given power like scorpions and are commanded not to harm those sealed by God. The sixth angel then sounds his trumpet, releasing four angels bound at the Euphrates River to lead an army of two hundred million horsemen. This immense cavalry inflicts death and destruction upon a third of mankind, emphasizing the severity of God’s judgment. Despite the calamities, the rest of humanity does not repent of their idolatry, sorceries, murders, and other sins.
REV 9: 7-10 In appearance the locusts were like horses equipped for battle. On their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, their hair like women’s hair, and their teeth like lions’ teeth; they had scales like iron breastplates, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle. They have tails like scorpions, with stingers, and in their tails is their power to harm people for five months.
Chapter 10
In Chapter 10 of Revelation, John sees another mighty angel descending from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head, and legs like pillars of fire. The angel holds a small, open scroll in his hand, and he sets his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, symbolizing authority over the entire earth. Seven thunders utter mysterious messages, but their content is sealed and not revealed to John. The angel, standing on both land and sea, raises his hand to heaven and declares that there will be no more delay in the fulfillment of God’s plan. John is then instructed to take the open scroll from the angel’s hand and eat it. The scroll tastes sweet in his mouth but turns bitter in his stomach. John is told that he must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.
REV 10 1-4 And I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head; his face was like the sun and his legs like pillars of fire. He held a little scroll open in his hand. Setting his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, he gave a great shout, like a lion roaring. And when he shouted, the seven thunders sounded.
Chapter 11
In Chapter 11 of Revelation, John is given a measuring rod and instructed to measure the temple of God, the altar, and the worshipers. However, the outer court is excluded, as it is given to the nations. Two witnesses are introduced, prophesying for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth, performing miracles, and having the power to shut the sky and turn water into blood. They are identified as the two olive trees and the two lampstands. After completing their testimony, the witnesses are killed by the beast that rises from the abyss, causing the world to rejoice over their demise. Their bodies lie in the street for three and a half days while people celebrate, but they are resurrected and ascend to heaven, striking terror in those who witness it. The seventh trumpet is sounded, marking the climax of the trumpet judgments and signaling the establishment of God’s kingdom. Voices in heaven declare the reign of the Lord and the rewarding of the faithful.
REV 11 1-5 Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Come and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample over the holy city for forty-two months. And I will grant my two witnesses authority to prophesy for one thousand two hundred sixty days, wearing sackcloth.”
These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes; anyone who wants to harm them must be killed in this manner.
Chapter 12
In Chapter 12 of Revelation, John sees a great sign in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head, symbolizing Israel. The woman is in labor, about to give birth, and a great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns stands before her, ready to devour her child. The child is born, a male who will rule the nations with a rod of iron. The dragon, identified as Satan, attempts to devour the child, but he is caught up to God’s throne. War breaks out in heaven, and Michael and his angels fight against the dragon, who is cast down to the earth. The dragon then pursues the woman, and she is given wings of a great eagle to fly into the wilderness, signifying God’s protection of the faithful remnant.
The dragon, enraged, spews water from his mouth to sweep the woman away, but the earth helps her, swallowing the flood. Frustrated, the dragon goes to make war against the rest of the woman’s offspring, identified as those who keep God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
REV 12 14-16 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle, so that she could fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to her place where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. Then from his mouth the serpent poured water like a river after the woman, to sweep her away with the flood. But the earth came to the help of the woman; it opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth.
Chapter 13
In Chapter 13 of Revelation, John sees two beasts rising from the sea and the earth. The first beast, with ten horns and seven heads, receives authority from the dragon (Satan) and is worshipped by the world. This beast represents a political power that persecutes the saints for forty-two months. The second beast, coming from the earth, is associated with false prophet-like qualities, promoting worship of the first beast and causing miraculous signs. It introduces the mark of the beast, a symbol of allegiance to the first beast’s authority, without which people cannot buy or sell.
The chapter warns against receiving the mark, emphasizing the spiritual significance of loyalty to God. The number 666 is introduced as the numerical representation of the beast. The beasts’ actions deceive many, and their oppressive rule is foreseen, causing endurance and faithfulness to be crucial for believers.
REV 13:9-10 Let anyone who has an ear listen:
If you are to be taken captive,
into captivity you go;
if you kill with the sword,
with the sword you must be killed.
Chapter 14
In Chapter 14 of Revelation, the Lamb is once again seen, this time standing on Mount Zion, accompanied by the 144,000 redeemed ones who bear His name. They sing a new song before the throne, a hymn that only they can learn. Three angels deliver messages to the earth: the first angel proclaims the eternal gospel, urging people to worship God and anticipate the impending judgment; the second angel announces the fall of Babylon, warning against aligning with worldly systems; and the third angel warns of the consequences of worshiping the beast and receiving its mark, emphasizing divine wrath.
A voice from heaven declares that those who die in the Lord will find rest from their labors, reinforcing the blessedness of faithful endurance. The Son of Man is depicted as wielding a sharp sickle, symbolizing the harvest of the earth. Another angel also wields a sickle, gathering the clusters of grapes, which represent the wicked, for the winepress of God’s wrath.
REV 14: 14-16 Then I looked, and there was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like the Son of Man, with a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand! Another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to the one who sat on the cloud, “Use your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” So the one who sat on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.