“The Sound of Silence”

Revelation 8:1-13
December 12, 2021

Main Point: When Jesus breaks the seventh seal, both the redeemed and the angels are reduced to silence as they see the magnitude of God’s final wrath up to the triumphal return of Christ.

I. The Preparation in Heaven, Verses 1-6

A. Silence, Verse 1

B. Sounding, Verses 2, 6

C. Supplication, Verses 3-5

II. The Desolation on the Earth, Verses 7-12

III. The Proclamation of the Angel, Verse 13

Questions for Spiritual Growth

Our Cornerstone mission is To Know Christ and Make Him Known. Community Groups help us to live out our mission as Family, Missionaries, and Servants.

1. What happened when the 7th seal was first opened in 8:1? What is the significance?
   

2. What were the seven angels given in 8:2? What is the significance of trumpets?
   

3. What did the angel with the golden censer do? What purpose did the golden altar serve in the Old Testament?
   

4. Where else have we read of prayers of saints? How does this relate to chapter 8?
   

5. How does your observation of the effect of the prayers of the saints influence your own prayer practice?
   

6. What did the angel do with the fire from the altar? What was the result? Explain.
   

7. What happened when the first trumpet sounded? What harm followed? What is the significance of one third?
   

8. What happened when the second trumpet sounded? What harm followed?
   

9. What happened when the third trumpet sounded? What is wormwood? What harm followed?
   

10. What happened when the fourth trumpet sounded?
    

11. Someone might read Revelation 8 and conclude that God is an angry deity only seeking to inflict pain on people. How would you respond to such an accusation?