One is almost tempted to look upon the opening of the seventh seal as a type of celebration. I am reminded of the fireworks we see on occasion at weddings and the celebration of our nation’s birth and independence etc. First, comes one explosion and then another and still more after it, but, when the end comes, we have the celebratory Grand Finally, where explosion after explosion lights up the night and colors the darkened sky. So, too, are the opening of the seven seals. The first four reveal the vision of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, then the fifth and sixth seals, but the seventh and final seal explodes into seven trumpets, which, like the seals, are unveiled one after another, until the seventh trumpet, itself, explodes into seven final vials. When the vials are poured out, so ends the wrath of God, and the judgment upon the Great Harlot is over. Then comes the end, when each man is rewarded according to his works. Perhaps some wouldn’t see it this way, but I have to wonder, if we could ask believers in the first century AD, would they have looked for and longed for the appearing of the Lord at which time judgment would occur?
When the seventh seal was opened, there was silence in heaven for about the length of a half an hour (Revelation 8:1). Up to this point there were loud sounds of thunder and cracks of lightening (Revelation 4:5; 6:1), the sound of the great multitude and the angels singing out in worship (Revelation 7:9-11), and the ceaseless sound of the four living beings and the 24 elders in worship (Revelation 4:8-11; 5:8-14). Then, suddenly, as if to mark the occasion with awe, there is total silence in heaven. At last the book is open for the Lamb to read and the solemnity of the moment is marked out with a silent awe lasting for one half hour.
In the Jewish temple, musical instruments and singing resounded during the whole time of the offering of the sacrifices, which formed the first part of the service. But at the offering of incense, solemn silence was kept… [Jamison, Fausset and Brown]
Silent prayer is implied in the prayer “My soul waits upon God…” (Psalm 62:1), and even at the moment of trouble the tongue is silent, as one looks to God for his salvation (Psalm 39:1). Fleshy boasts at such a time would be inappropriate. When one looks to God, one is silent before him, and HE performs what must be done. Similarly, no one was worthy to open this book but the Lord (the Lion of Judah – cp. Revelation 5:5), so no one is worthy to utter a sound as the Lamb begins to unveil the mysteries therein. It would seem that the opening of the seventh seal was an occasion of when the prayers of the saints were offered before God, and just as was in the case of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, silence was observed in heaven at the hour of prayer (Revelation 8:3; cp. Acts 3:1).
Next, John saw seven angels who stood before God, and they were given seven trumpets to sound out an alarm, but not yet (Revelation 8:2). Some trumpets were made of rams’ horns (Joshua 6:8), while others were made of silver (Numbers 10:2). They were used to mark out the seasons of the Lord (Leviticus 23:24-25), to celebrate special occasions of joy (Nehemiah 10:10; cf. 8:2, 9-12), to call the people to assemble together (Numbers 10:7) and to sound the alarm or the approach of calamity (Numbers 10:6; Jeremiah 4:14). Trumpets are heard at the presence of God (Exodus 19:16-20), and to herald his judgments (Isaiah 58:1; Hosea 8:1; Zephaniah 1:16; Revelation 1:10; 4:1), and, so, at Christ’s coming in glory (Matthew 24:31; 1Corinthians 15:52; 1Thessalonians 4:16). It would seem that the blowing of these trumpets would indicate not only the pronouncement of judgment (Isaiah 58:1; Hosea 8:1) but also the presence of God (Exodus 19:16-20) at the coming of Christ (Matthew 24:31).
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