Revelation 8:1 kjv
And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
Revelation 8:1 nkjv
When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
Revelation 8:1 niv
When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
Revelation 8:1 esv
When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
Revelation 8:1 nlt
When the Lamb broke the seventh seal on the scroll, there was silence throughout heaven for about half an hour.
Revelation 8 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rev 5:1-5 | I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll...and no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll...then one of the elders said... "Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah...has overcome to open the scroll." | Context of the scroll and the Lamb's authority. |
| Rev 6:1 | Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard... | The Lamb's continued action in opening seals. |
| Hab 2:20 | But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him. | Silence before the awe and judgment of God. |
| Zep 1:7 | Be silent before the Lord GOD! For the day of the LORD is at hand... | Command for silence preceding the Day of the Lord judgment. |
| Zec 2:13 | Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD; for He is aroused from His holy habitation. | Call for silence before God's mighty actions. |
| Lk 1:10 | And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. | Temple silence during incense offering/prayer. |
| Job 4:16 | There was silence, then I heard a voice: | Awe-filled silence preceding a divine revelation. |
| Ps 76:8-9 | From heaven You uttered judgment; The earth feared and was still... | God's judgment leading to earthly silence/awe. |
| Isa 41:1 | "Listen to Me in silence, O islands..." | Divine command for silence before God speaks/acts. |
| Joel 2:1 | Blow the trumpet in Zion... For the day of the LORD is coming... | Foreshadows trumpet blasts accompanying the Day of the Lord. |
| Rev 8:2-6 | I saw the seven angels who stand before God...And another angel came...And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. | Immediate consequence: angels prepare to sound trumpets after silence. |
| Rev 7:9-12 | After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude...crying out with a loud voice...All the angels stood around the throne...saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom...be to our God..." | Contrast: previous loud heavenly worship vs. Rev 8:1 silence. |
| Gen 18:25 | Far be it from You to do such a thing...Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is right? | God's righteous judgment. |
| Ps 104:27-29 | These all wait for You, that You may give them their food in due season... | God's timing and sovereign provision. |
| Dan 7:9-10 | A river of fire was flowing...the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. | Divine judgment involving heavenly actions and records. |
| Amos 8:3 | The songs of the temple shall become wailings in that day," declares the Lord GOD. "Many dead bodies everywhere!" Silence! | Silence can accompany widespread devastation and mourning. |
| Ez 12:20 | So the inhabited cities shall be laid waste, and the land shall become a desolation... | Prophecy of land's desolation preceding judgment, implying eerie quiet. |
| Rom 11:33 | Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments... | God's unsearchable judgments evoke awe and silence. |
| Heb 12:29 | For our God is a consuming fire. | Awe and fear inspired by God's holiness and power. |
| Rev 11:15-18 | Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven... Your wrath has come, and the time for the dead to be judged... | Final trumpet blast contrasts initial silence, confirming judgment theme. |
Revelation 8 verses
Revelation 8 1 Meaning
Revelation 8:1 describes a profound, preternatural silence that descends upon heaven immediately after the Lamb, Jesus Christ, opens the seventh and final seal of the scroll. This dramatic cessation of all heavenly activity marks a pivotal transition in John's vision, serving as an awesome, terrifying, and reverent pause before the release of a new series of intensified divine judgments, signaled by the seven trumpets. The silence signifies a moment of ultimate anticipation and cosmic solemnity, preceding the culmination of God's revealed plan of judgment upon the earth.
Revelation 8 1 Context
Revelation 8:1 marks a crucial juncture within John's apocalyptic vision, serving as a solemn bridge between the initial judgments symbolized by the first six seals (Rev 6) and the intensified judgments unleashed by the seven trumpets (Rev 8:6-9:21). The opening of the seventh seal completes the divine disclosure held within the scroll, which only the Lamb was worthy to open. Chapters 6 and 7 unfolded with various plagues, wars, famines, cosmic disturbances, and the cries of martyrs, culminating in an interlude in chapter 7 depicting the sealing of the 144,000 and the multitude before the throne.
The historical context for John's audience in Asia Minor was one of significant persecution and pressure to conform to Roman imperial cult worship. The profound silence in heaven stands in stark contrast to the clamor of the Roman world, where emperors were hailed as divine, and their decrees enforced with great pomp and noise. This celestial silence asserts God's ultimate sovereignty, demonstrating that even the heavenly realms, teeming with worship and activity, are brought to a complete, awe-struck stillness before His decisive, impending actions. It signals the unparalleled gravity and imminence of God's final, righteous judgment, which transcends any earthly power or noise.
Revelation 8 1 Word analysis
- When He opened: hotan anoixen. This emphasizes the active, authoritative role of the Lamb (Jesus Christ), previously established in Revelation 5 as the only one worthy to open the scroll. His opening of the final seal signifies the fulfillment of God's predetermined plan.
- the seventh seal: ten sphragida ten hebdomen. This is the culmination of the sealed scroll's revelation. Each seal previously brought a judgment or vision; this last seal does not unleash immediate disaster but rather a dramatic pause, signaling a transition to a new, perhaps more severe, phase of divine judgment.
- there was: A simple existential verb that sets the stage for a dramatic, sudden occurrence.
- silence: sige. This is a profound, active silence, not just a lack of sound. It signifies a complete cessation of all the fervent worship, loud acclamations, and movement described earlier in the heavenly court (Rev 4-5). It's an extraordinary phenomenon that creates immense anticipation. This silence is an expression of holy dread and awe before the imminent unleashing of God's absolute power.
- in heaven: en tou ouranou. This specifies the location. The silence is not on earth but in the celestial realm, affecting the angelic host, the twenty-four elders, and all beings before God's throne. This emphasizes the cosmic, universal impact and significance of the event, reinforcing God's dominion over all creation.
- about half an hour: hos hemioron. A precise, measurable, yet brief duration. This detail suggests the silence is not endless or indeterminate, but a purposeful, temporary interlude. Its short duration intensifies the moment, underscoring the immediate proximity and magnitude of what is to follow, making the suspense unbearable.
Words-group analysis:
- "When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven": This phrase dramatically juxtaposes an action (opening the seal) with an astonishing effect (silence). It highlights the absolute authority of the Lamb and the unparalleled significance of this final seal, as it ushers in a cosmic hush preceding earth-shattering events. The heavenly realm holds its breath.
- "silence...about half an hour": This brief, intense period of quietude creates an atmosphere of suspense, solemnity, and profound anticipation. It implies a pause for sacred deliberation or perhaps to allow for the ascension of the prayers of the saints (as revealed in subsequent verses) before the outpouring of judgment. The deliberate nature of this pause indicates God's meticulously planned, unwavering purpose.
Revelation 8 1 Bonus section
The profound silence described in Revelation 8:1 is directly followed by the preparation of the seven angels with trumpets and the pouring out of incense with the prayers of the saints before God (Rev 8:2-5). This suggests a strong connection: the silence might serve as a divine "listening space," allowing the fervent prayers of God's persecuted people to fully ascend and be heard before the subsequent judgments are dispatched. The casting of fire from the altar to the earth immediately after these prayers could be understood as a direct answer, implying that the judgments about to be unleashed are in part a response to the prayers of God's people for justice. The "half an hour" might thus be the precise amount of time allocated for this critical interchange between heaven and earth, setting the stage for a new phase of divine intervention that answers the cries of the saints for vengeance (Rev 6:10).
Revelation 8 1 Commentary
Revelation 8:1 captures a singular moment of profound dramatic tension: a complete, anticipatory silence in the very heart of the universe. This hush is not a void but a charged space, marking a solemn interlude between the revealing judgments of the seals and the more overtly destructive trumpet judgments. The "half an hour" specifies a purposeful brevity, amplifying the intensity of the pause. It speaks volumes of the magnitude of what is about to transpire. The immediate effect is to heighten the drama and awe, signifying that even the celestial beings are silenced in reverent anticipation or holy dread of the unparalleled divine judgments and actions that are imminent. This silence highlights God's sovereignty and deliberate timing, asserting His control over all events and emphasizing the gravity of His unfolding wrath and righteous plan.