Worship Message No. 25, February 22: Revelation Chapter 8
Scripture: Revelation 8:1–13
[Introduction: From the Joy of Chapter 7 to the Silence Before the Storm]
Good morning, everyone. Today, we are opening together the “Book of Revelation,” the most dramatic book in the Bible, which depicts the end of the world.
Today we enter Chapter 8, but before that, let us briefly recall the climax of Chapter 7, which we opened last time.
In Chapter 6, terrifying scenes of judgment were depicted: earthquakes, darkness, and human terror. And at the end, the people cried out:
“For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?” (Revelation 6:17, NIV)
Chapter 6 ended with that question of despair.
However, in Chapter 7, the scene changes completely.
Four angels stand at the four corners of the earth, holding back the winds of destruction. And another angel shouts,
“Wait! Until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”
Then, a dazzling sight appeared.
People from every nation and all languages, wearing white robes, were rejoicing and singing before God. There was no more tearing or suffering.
It was promised:
“‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst… For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’” (Revelation 7:16–17, NIV)
“Springs of living water”—what do you imagine when you hear these words?
For those of us living here in Kurobe, water is special.
The Kurobe River flowing from the Tateyama Mountains. Kurobe Dam, boasting the highest height in Japan.
The pristine water flowing through the Kurobe Gorge. The abundant flow pouring into Toyama Bay.
We live amidst the blessings of water. We truly live in a blessed land.
Chapter 7 promised the “water of life” in heaven.
However, in today’s Chapter 8, the story takes a sudden turn. A scene is depicted where that water becomes contaminated. The water that gives life turns into water that brings death. This is by no means a distant matter for those of us living in Kurobe.
Today, we will learn three things from Chapter 8:
- What the Silence of Heaven Speaks
- Your Prayers That Reach Heaven
- The Four Trumpets and Modern “Wormwood”
And finally, we will discover where the true “water of life” is found. Please open your hearts and listen.
[First] What the Silence of Heaven Speaks
Let us read Chapter 8, verse 1.
“When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.” (Revelation 8:1, NIV)
The moment we enter Chapter 8, that great roar of cheers stops abruptly.
Until then, songs of praise had been echoing incessantly in heaven.
But suddenly, everything becomes still.
This “silence for about half an hour”.
Have you ever experienced complete silence here in Kurobe? On a snowy day in the early morning of midwinter. That sensation when the entire town becomes hushed and still. All sound is absorbed by the snow, and it becomes truly quiet.
Or deep in the Kurobe Gorge, after getting off the trolley train and walking a bit. A place where no sounds of civilization can be heard. The silence you feel there.
Heaven became still because the “trumpets of warning” about to begin are so grave. God is waiting for us to reflect on the path of our lives within that silence.
[Second] Your Prayers That Reach Heaven
Next, let us look at verses 3–4.
“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. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand.” (Revelation 8:3–4, NIV)
Here, a scene is depicted where our prayers are being delivered to heaven. Moreover, look at how they are delivered—contained in a golden vessel and offered before the throne of God along with fragrant incense. There is an important truth here: our prayers have the power to move history.
The other day, I spoke with an elderly lady. She was worried about her daughter. Her daughter moved to the Kansai region and hasn’t returned for over 20 years. Even when they occasionally speak on the phone, she hangs up quickly.
The lady said:
“Every morning, I’ve been praying as hard as I can in my heart. But naccha-kawaran (nothing changes at all). My prayers probably aren’t reaching anywhere, are they?…”
Indeed, to our eyes, it may seem like nothing has changed.
But look at today’s passage of the Bible.
The half-hour of silence in heaven was for God to catch your small prayer—the one where you lament that “nothing changes”—on a great golden plate and listen to it intently.
Just as the groundwater flowing beneath Kurobe moistens the earth even if it’s invisible, not a single drop of your prayer is spilled; it is cherished by God.
And verse 5. This is important.
“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.” (Revelation 8:5, NIV)
What does this mean?
It means that “God does not just look at our tears and say, ‘That’s pitiful.'”
God is not one who remains silent in the face of the injustice and evil of this world.
Our prayers are the switches that move history.
The intense disasters that will be spoken of are God’s response to a world that ignores Him and hurts others; it is an intervention born of love.
[Third] The Four Trumpets and Modern “Wormwood”
In verse 6, seven angels take up their “trumpets.” In the Bible, a trumpet is a “signal of warning.” Here in Toyama, too, disaster prevention radio broadcasts ring out during large earthquakes or heavy rains, don’t they? It serves the same role.
And from verse 7, the trumpets are blown one by one:
First Trumpet: A third of the earth is burned up.
Second Trumpet: A third of the sea turns into blood.
Third Trumpet: A third of the rivers become bitter.
Fourth Trumpet: A third of the sun, moon, and stars turn dark.
In this way, abnormalities occur in the natural world through the four trumpets. First, note the repetition of the phrase “a third.”
Not everything, but a third. This indicates that the judgment is gradual and that opportunities for repentance still remain.
God could destroy the world all at once. But God is patient, issuing warnings many times. Just as a parent repeatedly warns a child, “It’s dangerous”.
Let’s look closer.
The First and Second Trumpets: The greenery on earth is burned, the sea becomes red like blood, and living creatures and ships are lost.
And the Third Trumpet. This is the core of today’s message. Let’s read verses 10 and 11.
“The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water—the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.” (Revelation 8:10–11, NIV)
Pollution of rivers. Pollution of water sources. For those of us living in Kurobe, the city of water, this is extremely shocking content.
The water of the Kurobe River begins with the snowmelt from Tateyama. Pure snow from an altitude of 3,000 meters melts to become a river and reaches us. We grow rice with that water, cook with that water, and live by drinking that water.
● An Era Where the “Water Source” of the Heart is Poisoned
In the Bible, “water” is a symbol of “life” and “truth.”
What is “Wormwood” in modern times? It may not only be physical water pollution. Things that pollute our hearts and souls—lies, malice, hatred, and feelings of futility. Are these not also a kind of “Wormwood”?
Look at our local community. The water may be clean. But what about the “information” filling our hearts?
Slander on the internet, envy toward neighbors, and groundless rumors.
Are you not swallowing a large amount of “bitter poison” every day from your smartphone screen, which at first glance looks like clear water? Because of that poisonous water, aren’t there many people even here in Kurobe whose hearts have become bitter, who have forgotten gratitude, and who have lost hope for living?
Environmental pollution is scary, but what is scarier is the poisoning of the “water source” of our souls.
The era of “Wormwood.” It is the arrival of an era where people no longer know what to believe and become suspicious of one another.
● The Fourth Trumpet and the Meaning of “A Third”
Verse 12:
“The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.” (Revelation 8:12, NIV)
In this way, a third of the sun, moon, and stars are struck, and a third of the light is lost.
What is important up to this point is that the damage is limited to “a third.”
If this were a complete “destruction,” everything should disappear. However, God intentionally kept it to “a third.” Why? Because it is an “alert of love,” saying, “You can still turn back. Realize before it is too late”.
In verse 13, an eagle cries out, “Woe! Woe!” This is not a threat. It is the loving cry of a parent shouting to a child playing on the edge of a cliff, “It’s dangerous, come back!” It was not God who brought “Wormwood”-like suffering to this world, but we humans who have walked while forgetting God.
● [Gospel] The One Who Drank the Bitter Water for Us
Everyone, you might have become anxious after hearing this far, wondering,
“Then what should we do?”
The answer was actually in Chapter 7, verse 17. Do you remember?
“For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water.” (Revelation 7:17, NIV)
Who is this Lamb? It is Jesus Christ.
In Revelation 8, the story of polluted water was told.
But the Bible promises that there is water of eternal life that will never be polluted.
And the one who personally drank that bitter water to the last drop is Jesus Christ, who was hung on the cross.
Jesus said:
“but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14, NIV)
The water of the Kurobe River is wonderful. But that alone cannot quench the thirst of the soul. Money, success, relationships—these are also important. But these alone cannot fill the emptiness of the heart. The true water of life is in Jesus Christ.
Why is Jesus called the “Lamb”?
It is because He became the sacrifice in our place.
We have sin. There is not a single person who can be called righteous before God.
Therefore, originally, we should receive judgment.
But Jesus took that judgment upon Himself.
He died on the cross in our place.
Therefore, the Bible says:
“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” (1 John 4:9, NIV)
That is the Gospel of the Bible.
[Summary and Invitation] The One Who Turns Bitter Water into “Sweet Water”
Today, through “Wormwood” in Revelation 8, we have looked at three things together:
- The Seriousness of God’s Judgment — Shown by the silence of heaven, God’s deep consideration.
- The Reality of “Wormwood” — Already spreading in our hearts and society today.
- Salvation through Jesus Christ — The springs of living water.
Perhaps right now, there is someone who carries “Wormwood” in their heart.
Bitterness you cannot tell others, feelings you cannot forgive, regrets that won’t fade, or emptiness.
Or perhaps you feel, “I haven’t believed in God” or “I’ve lived however I pleased.”
But there is no need to despair. Because there is hope beyond that. Because there is a spring of water of life called Jesus.
At the end of Revelation, in chapters 21–22, it is promised:
“‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain…” (Revelation 21:4, NIV)
“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city.” (Revelation 22:1, NIV)
This is our hope. Water of eternal life, purer than the Kurobe River and more abundant than a dam. It is the river of God that will never be polluted.
God does not wish for you to perish in “Wormwood.” He wishes for you to know the truth and receive forgiveness and new life through Jesus Christ. If today you are moved to think, “I want to know this God. I want to start living by believing in Jesus Christ,” please try praying simply like this in your heart:
“God. I have lived while ignoring You.
I admit the bitterness and sin within me before You.
I believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins and was resurrected.
Please forgive me and make me new with Your water of life.
I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen”.
God cannot reject a person who whispers this prayer.
Rather, He accepts them with joy and gives their life a new start.
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