The Seventh Seal–the Trumpets
1 When He (the Lamb) broke open the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour [in awe of God’s impending judgment].
2 Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seventrumpets were given to them.
3 Another angel came and stood at the altar. He had a goldencenser, and muchincense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints (God’s people) on the golden altar in front of the throne.
4 And the smokeandfragrant aroma of the incense, with the prayers of the saints (God’s people), ascended before God from the angel’s hand.
5 So the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it to the earth; and there were peals of thunderandloud rumblings and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake.
6 Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them [initiating the judgments].
7 The first [angel] sounded [his trumpet], and there was [a storm of] hail and fire, mixed with blood, and it was hurled to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.
8 The second angel sounded [his trumpet], andsomethinglike a great mountain blazing with fire was hurled into the sea; and a third of the sea was turned to blood;
9 and a third of the living creatures that were in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
10 The third angel sounded [his trumpet], and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch [flashing across the sky], and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of [fresh] waters.
11 The name of the star isWormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the waters, because they had become bitter (toxic).
12 Then the fourth angel sounded [his trumpet], and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and a third of the daylight would not shine, and the night in the same way [would not shine].
13 Then I looked, and I heard a solitary eagle flying inmidheaven [for all to see], saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe [great wrath is coming] to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpets which the three angels are about to sound [announcing ever greater judgments]!”