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Answer
As the apostle John recounts an extensive vision of God’s throne room, he depicts the Lamb seated on the throne receiving a scroll sealed with seven seals (Revelation 6). The Lamb proceeds to open the seals one by one, leading to a series of judgments on earth. Upon breaking the seventh seal, a profound silence envelops heaven for approximately half an hour «And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.», (Revelation 8:1). Following this period of silence, the seven trumpet judgments commence (Revelation 8:6—9:21;11:15-19).
The Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, is the sole worthy individual to unseal the seven seals of the scroll (Revelation 5:1-5). In essence, all judgment has been entrusted to the Son «For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:», (John 5:22). The first six seals unleash unprecedented judgment upon the earth during the tribulation period. The opening of the sixth seal prompts individuals from all walks of life to seek refuge in caves and implore the mountains and rocks to shield them from the presence of the One seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. They cry out, “For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?” (Revelation 6:16-17).
Revelation 7 serves as an interlude between the sixth and seventh seals. During this interval, John witnesses a vast multitude standing before God’s throne, united in proclaiming with a resounding voice, “Salvation belongs to our God, who…
Sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” «and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. », (Revelation 7:10).
Then in Revelation 8:1, Jesus breaks the seventh seal. John says that after this seal was broken, “there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.” This silence immediately follows the loud and jubilant songs of heavenly worship in chapter 7, making the absolute, sudden silence even more dramatic. There is something about the seventh seal that stops every mouth and silences all of heaven.
Scripture does not specify the reasons for the silence in heaven for that half an hour. But here are some possibilities:
1) The silence in heaven for the space of half an hour is a sign of deep respect and awe in the presence of the Judge of all the earth. Just as earthly courtrooms demand silence when the judge is presiding, so does the heavenly courtroom. “Be silent before the Sovereign LORD, for the day of the LORD is near” «Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. », (Zephaniah 1:7). “The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him” «But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.», (Habakkuk 2:20).
2) The half-hour silence in heaven is the result of somber reflection on what has just been revealed. When Jesus Christ breaks the seventh seal, the scroll of God’s judgment is fully revealed for the first time. Now all heaven can see God’s plan to judge the wickedness of the earth, destroy the kingdom of the beast, and set things right. All heaven remains silent as God’s righteousness is on display.ay. At the sight of the full scroll and all the judgments about to fall, the denizens of heaven take their cue from Job, who, faced with God’s awesome presence, said, “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth” «Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. », (Job 40:4).
3) The silence in heaven is due to the severity of the actions the Lord God is about to take. With the scroll fully open, heaven can now see the trumpet judgments in the next verse. Seven nearby angels are handed seven trumpets of judgment (Revelation 8:2) and the bowl judgments (which the seventh trumpet introduces). These judgments are more terrible than anything the world will have ever seen (Mark 13:19-20). The final catastrophes are about to befall the earth, and silence and stillness fill the time of tense expectation. “Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD, for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling” «Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.», (Zechariah 2:13, ESV).
In a way, the silence in heaven could be seen as the calm before the storm—the storm of final judgment coming upon the earth. The silence emphasizes the importance and impressiveness of the seventh and final seal. With the opening of the seventh seal comes a climax in the Day of the Lord. Evil has had its day; now the Lord will have His.
