Revelation 8:1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Saint John often uses the number of seven angels, because it corresponds to this age, to sabbath rest, and to the repose of the saints. Therefore the opening of this seventh seal indicates the passage from earthly life.

The seven angels assist this passage by striking those men who need correction and instruction. The silence signifies good order, reverence, and the angels' ignorance of the time of the Second Coming.

The half hour is a short time when, after the punishments and the end of the world, the Kingdom of Christ will come.

The opening of the seventh seal forms for us the most perfect glory. It does not signify the remission of sins, as before, nor our conversion to God and God's turning to us. It signifies the inexhaustible good: to be called sons of God, heirs of God, and fellow heirs with Christ. It means being brothers, friends, and children of Christ, reigning together and being glorified together. It is what eye has not seen and ear has not heard (1 Cor 2:9). And what is the opening of the seventh seal? It is the Second Coming and the recompense of good things. For although some sinners will undergo punishment, the aim and meaning of Christ's becoming man is that all should become heirs of His Kingdom. And so, when the seventh seal was opened, as it says, there was silence for about half an hour. This was, of course, because the King of all creation had arrived. All the angelic and supramundane powers were filled with the abundance of the glory of Him who came, and therefore silence fell.

We believe that after the destruction of antichrist, peace will reign in the Church for a certain time. Daniel prophesied of this: "Blessed is he who waits and reaches the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days" (Dan 12:12). Blessed Jerome speaks of the same in this way: "Blessed is he who, after the destruction of antichrist, will wait another one thousand two hundred and ninety days, that is, three and a half years, and another forty-five days. For then the Lord and Savior will come in His glory." Why silence will reign for forty-five days after the destruction of antichrist, only God knows. Unless we say with certainty that the delay of the coming kingdom of the saints is a trial of patience. Take note: on the sixth day the hardest trials usually befall the Church, while on the seventh comes rest. So also the Lord, crucified on the sixth day, rested on the Sabbath, awaiting the time of the resurrection.

The trumpets signify the authority given by God to His servants to proclaim the truth, foretell, teach, correct, punish, and the like. These saving sounds are to reach the hearing of all mortals, both bodily and spiritual.

Then the Apostle John saw that the Lamb opened the seventh seal, and there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. According to the interpretation of Saint Andrew, this signifies "good order, reverence, and the angels' ignorance of the time of the Second Coming" of Christ, though it is already very near.