Uploaded September 2017 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
The chronology of events in the Tribulation period is not clearly demonstrated in the book of Revelation. There is no particular event that can be pointed to that officially launches this period of judgment. In fact, it cannot be certain about the timing required for all of the events to occur. By the time Revelation 8 occurs, six seals have been broken, giving us a view of what can be believed as being war and destruction. After the sixth seal, John presents a parenthetical passage offering a view of the martyrs of the Tribulation. We come now to the breaking of the seventh seal:
"And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour (Revelation 8:1).
When the first seal was broken, a voice like thunder was heard, saying Go! It was the same at the opening of the three succeeding ones. At the breaking of the fifth, there was a great cry from beneath the altar. And when the sixth was broken, a fearful tremor ran through the whole frame of nature, filling the Earth with consternation. But, at the opening of the seventh, not a voice is heard; not a mention is seen; and awful pause ensues; and all of Heaven is silent. A little while ago, everything was ringing with triumphant exultation over the multitude which no man could number, but now silence takes the place of songs, and everything is mute and motionless in anticipation of the sudden and sobering destruction that is about to be release upon earth.
"And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets" (Revelation 8:2).
It is possible that these seven angels given the seven trumpets in verse 2 may be the mighty angels referred to by the Apostle Paul in his second epistle to the church at Thessalonica:
"And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ ... " (2 Thessalonians 1:7).
These may be the angels to whom Christ referred to in his parable of the wheat and tares:
"As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 13-42).
Before they sound their trumpets, however, another scene becomes appropriate, indicating that the time of judgment has arrived. In the fourth seal, we have the story of a continuing war as death takes it's toll around the world. The man on the white horse in the first seal wins the battle of the second seal, and establishes a worldwide government, wherein he will control the economy as seen in the third seal. The result of the war of the second seal can be seen in the continuing upheaval of the fourth seal. Immediately, upon the breaking of the fifth seal, we see the souls of martyrs under the altar of incense. Corresponding to this, upon the breaking of the seventh seal, we have silence in Heaven followed by the events at the same altar of incense as seen in the fifth seal. It seems that we have returned to the altar of incense for the prayers of those martyrs (8:4) - at which time the Lord takes fire from the altar and casts it upon the Earth (8:5). The first four trumpets seem to be working out of the events of the fourth, fifth and sixth seals:
First, at the breaking of the sixth seal, there is an earthquake (6:12). This seems to correspond to the earthquake that results from casting the fire of the altar into the Earth (8:5).
Second, at the breaking of the sixth seal, the sun becomes "black as sackcloth of hair" (6:12). This seems to correspond to the smiting of the sun at the sounding of the fourth trumpet (8:12).
Third, at the breaking of the sixth seal, the moon becomes as blood (6:12). This seems to correspond to the smiting of the moon at the sounding of the fourth trumpet (8:12).
Fourth, at the breaking of the sixth seal, stars fall unto the Earth (6:13). This seems to correspond to the first four trumpets as hail (8:7), a great mountain (8:8), and a star called Wormwood (8:10) fall; along with the smiting of the third of the stars (8:12). All of these events listed in the fourth, fifth and sixth seals seem to be the same events described in the seventh seal with it's trumpet judgments. Why? Because in the arrangement of the menorah, the seventh lamp was used to relight the fourth lamp. This helps to explain why the depicted events do not seem to be arranged in a chronological order - the trumpets following the seals and the vials following the trumpets.
The chronology of events in the Tribulation period is not clearly demonstrated in the book of Revelation. There is no particular event that can be pointed to that officially launches this period of judgment. In fact, it cannot be certain about the timing required for all of the events to occur. By the time Revelation 8 occurs, six seals have been broken, giving us a view of what can be believed as being war and destruction. After the sixth seal, John presents a parenthetical passage offering a view of the martyrs of the Tribulation. We come now to the breaking of the seventh seal:
"And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour (Revelation 8:1).
When the first seal was broken, a voice like thunder was heard, saying Go! It was the same at the opening of the three succeeding ones. At the breaking of the fifth, there was a great cry from beneath the altar. And when the sixth was broken, a fearful tremor ran through the whole frame of nature, filling the Earth with consternation. But, at the opening of the seventh, not a voice is heard; not a mention is seen; and awful pause ensues; and all of Heaven is silent. A little while ago, everything was ringing with triumphant exultation over the multitude which no man could number, but now silence takes the place of songs, and everything is mute and motionless in anticipation of the sudden and sobering destruction that is about to be release upon earth.
"And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets" (Revelation 8:2).
It is possible that these seven angels given the seven trumpets in verse 2 may be the mighty angels referred to by the Apostle Paul in his second epistle to the church at Thessalonica:
"And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ ... " (2 Thessalonians 1:7).
These may be the angels to whom Christ referred to in his parable of the wheat and tares:
"As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 13-42).
Before they sound their trumpets, however, another scene becomes appropriate, indicating that the time of judgment has arrived. In the fourth seal, we have the story of a continuing war as death takes it's toll around the world. The man on the white horse in the first seal wins the battle of the second seal, and establishes a worldwide government, wherein he will control the economy as seen in the third seal. The result of the war of the second seal can be seen in the continuing upheaval of the fourth seal. Immediately, upon the breaking of the fifth seal, we see the souls of martyrs under the altar of incense. Corresponding to this, upon the breaking of the seventh seal, we have silence in Heaven followed by the events at the same altar of incense as seen in the fifth seal. It seems that we have returned to the altar of incense for the prayers of those martyrs (8:4) - at which time the Lord takes fire from the altar and casts it upon the Earth (8:5). The first four trumpets seem to be working out of the events of the fourth, fifth and sixth seals:
First, at the breaking of the sixth seal, there is an earthquake (6:12). This seems to correspond to the earthquake that results from casting the fire of the altar into the Earth (8:5).
Second, at the breaking of the sixth seal, the sun becomes "black as sackcloth of hair" (6:12). This seems to correspond to the smiting of the sun at the sounding of the fourth trumpet (8:12).
Third, at the breaking of the sixth seal, the moon becomes as blood (6:12). This seems to correspond to the smiting of the moon at the sounding of the fourth trumpet (8:12).
Fourth, at the breaking of the sixth seal, stars fall unto the Earth (6:13). This seems to correspond to the first four trumpets as hail (8:7), a great mountain (8:8), and a star called Wormwood (8:10) fall; along with the smiting of the third of the stars (8:12). All of these events listed in the fourth, fifth and sixth seals seem to be the same events described in the seventh seal with it's trumpet judgments. Why? Because in the arrangement of the menorah, the seventh lamp was used to relight the fourth lamp. This helps to explain why the depicted events do not seem to be arranged in a chronological order - the trumpets following the seals and the vials following the trumpets.
