The timing of the 7th seal.
Revelation 8:1 And when he had opened the
seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the
space of half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels
which stood before God; and to them were given seven
trumpets.
"When he had opened the seventh seal".
According to the original Greek text, there is no "had"
in this verse.
The correct context is "When he opened the
seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half
an hour".
Concerning how long the "half hour" is, we
find the clue in Revelation 3:10.
Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the
word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour
of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to
try them that dwell upon the earth.
Jesus makes promise to Philadelphia church
that he will keep the church from the hour of
temptation, which is to try them that dwell upon the
earth. "The hour of temptation" is 7 years tribulation.
So the "half hour" in Revelation 8:1 is 3.5 years or
simply the first half of tribulation. Having said this,
Jesus shall open the 7th seal in the middle of
tribulation. The reason is because in the middle of
tribulation, Jerusalem is under siege by gentiles
nations. Jesus opens the 7th seal to bring forth the 7
trumpets judgment, in order to punish these nations who
are gathered against Jerusalem.
Ray