Reading for June 28th

 Read Revelation 8.3-12. In 8.2-11.19: The sounding of the trumpets. In verse 2:The seven angels indicate the inner circle of angelic beings, the trumpets are more like bugles and were used for signaling in battle. In verses 3-5: The center of prayer. The small scene is a graphic description of how the prayers of the saints bring judgment to the earth, preparing the repeated scenes of judgment that follow. In verses 6-12: The four blasts of destruction. The destruction of a third is an increase over the earlier portrayal that affected one-quarter (6.8). The whole human sphere is contaminated earth, sea, fresh water, and heavenly bodies. In verse 11:Wormwood is a bitter herb; see Amos 5.6-7. In verse 12: The notion that both the day and the night could be diminished by one-third makes sense only poetically. Comments or Questions..