John saw the One of the Throne with a scroll that could not be opened, until the Lamb appeared to unseal this scroll. Then (in chapter 6), six of the seven of the seals of the scroll were removed. Finally, in this chapter, the last seal is removed. We now will see a repetition of the count to seven, representing either new events or a parallel description of the previous events.
Revelation 8: 1-6, The scroll opened
When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne.
4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand.
5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.
6 Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.
2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne.
4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand.
5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.
6 Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.
The scroll is finally opened, after removing seven seals. Why is there silence for a time?
Seven trumpets are about to be sounded, one after another, by seven angels. Before that happens, there is incense. Again we are told that incense represents the prayers of God's people. The incense flows out of a burning censer which, after being presented to God, is filled with fire from the altar and thrown down upon the earth.
The fire from the altar seems to be in response to the prayers, as if it is an act of support or justice, a response against the world system. From that viewpoint, the calamities that follow are part of God's justice.
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