Zechariah, Reference and the Structure of Revelation 6-8:1 97 sees it as a liturgical pause, a literary device.25 Stuart argues that it is an “expression of deep and fearful sympathy” based upon the fulfilment of events that will take place in the opening of the seventh seal.26 Charles and Carrington understand the silence to mean that heaven stays silent while the prayers of those suffering on earth are heard.27 Pieters considers it to refer to the “breathless expectancy, waiting for the solemn pageant to proceed”28. Beale interprets the silence in the context of the use of sh; in Hab 2:20, Zeph 1:7 and Zech 2:17, “The main point is the horror of judgment which has such an awesome effect that no human is able to verbalize a response”29. If we step back and look at the big picture, there appears to be a line of logic flowing from the 1st to 6th seals in that lots of terrible things appear to happen to God’s people (i.e. the four horsemen) that then leads them to cry out, “How long?” with the result that God brings out His judgement. However, explanations for how these events then lead to the apparent parenthesis in chapter 7 appear unsatisfactory. It is unclear why John added an interlude. There are a lack of markers to indicate the relationship between the 144 000 and the multitude (although Bauckham’s argument is persuasive). Finally, there appear to be a lack of markers in 8:1 to indicate the nature of its relationship with chapter 7, and the fact that 8:1 is incorporated into the seal-structure suggests that it is linked to chapter 6. One further paradox in the text can be seen between chapters 7 and 8. In chapter 7, God’s people are before the throne, praising Him so what is the point in opening a seventh seal with the result that there is silence? What is required is an importation of further information that could link and explain these sections. 2. A Proposed Solution to the Difficulties Found in Revelation 6-8:1 The structure of Revelation 6-8:1 appears to be based on the structure of Zechariah 1-2: 25 Harrington, Revelation, 104. 26 M. Stuart, The Apocalypse (Edinburgh 1848) 563. 27 P. Carrington, The Meaning of the Revelation (London 1931) 151; R. H. Charles, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Revelation of St. John: with introd., notes, and indices, also the Greek text and English translation II (Edinburgh 1920) 223-24. 28 A. Pieters, Studies in the Revelation of St. John. 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids 1954) 126. 29 Beale, The Book, 447.