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revelation 8
Haystack bible commentary"Stacks and stacks of commentary...."
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==Revelation 8:1:
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When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
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In Habakkuk 2:20 the Old testament prophet was inspired to say "The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence."
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Revelation 8:1 describes the Lamb opening the seventh and final seal on a scroll, which results in "silence in heaven for about half an hour". This pause precedes the unleashing of the seven trumpets of judgment, which are subsequently given to the seven angels standing before God.
==Revelation 8:2-3:
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2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.
3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne |
Another angel was given much incense, and he offered it at the altar (most likely, an altar of incense like the one in Exodus 30:1-10). This incense was meant to accompany the prayers of the saints to make their prayers pleasant and acceptable before God.
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==Revelation 8:4-13:
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4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.
5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake. 6 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. 7 The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. 8 Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9 And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. 10 Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter. 12 Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night. 13 And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!” |
Revelation 8:4-13 describes a sequence of divine judgments that occur after the seventh seal is opened, beginning with the prayers of the saints ascending to God and then followed by four distinct trumpet blasts. The first trumpet brings hail, fire, and blood that burn vegetation; the second, a burning mountain thrown into the sea, turns a third of it to blood; the third, a star named Wormwood, makes a third of the waters bitter; and the fourth, a striking of the sun, moon, and stars, darkens them. An eagle's cry of "Woe! Woe! Woe!" follows, warning of impending woes from the remaining three trumpets.
After the Lamb opens the seventh seal, a half-hour of silence occurs in heaven. Seven angels are introduced, who are given seven trumpets by God. An angel offers the prayers of God's people to God, symbolized by the smoke of incense from the altar. The angel takes the censer (incense burner), fills it with fire from the altar, and casts it upon the earth. This act causes thunder, flashes of lightning, and a great earthquake. Hail, fire, and blood are thrown to the earth. A third of the trees and all green grass are burned up. A burning mountain is cast into the sea. A third of the sea becomes blood, a third of the sea creatures die, and a third of the ships are destroyed. Third Trumpet: A great star, named Wormwood, falls from heaven and lands on a third of the rivers and springs. A third of the waters become bitter, and many people die from them. Fourth Trumpet: A third of the sun, moon, and stars are struck. A third of the day and night are darkened. The Angelic Warning (Revelation 8:13). An eagle flying in the sky cries out, warning of the woes that will come from the remaining three trumpet blasts. |
The prelude to judgment (verses 4–5): "The smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand". This act links the righteous prayers of believers to God's ensuing judgments. The angel fills the censer with fire from the heavenly altar and hurls it to the earth. This symbolic act initiates the trumpets, bringing about "peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake".
The first four trumpets: The sounding of the first four trumpets brings distinct calamities: The first trumpet brings hail, fire, and blood, destroying a third of the earth's vegetation. The second trumpet involves a burning mountain-like object cast into the sea, turning a third of the sea to blood and killing a third of its creatures and destroying a third of the ships. The third trumpet sees a star named Wormwood fall, poisoning a third of the fresh water sources and causing many deaths. The fourth trumpet results in a third of the sun, moon, and stars being struck, causing a partial darkening of day and night. The passage concludes with an eagle proclaiming three woes, indicating that the remaining trumpet judgments will bring even greater devastation upon the earth's inhabitants.
The first four trumpets: The sounding of the first four trumpets brings distinct calamities: The first trumpet brings hail, fire, and blood, destroying a third of the earth's vegetation. The second trumpet involves a burning mountain-like object cast into the sea, turning a third of the sea to blood and killing a third of its creatures and destroying a third of the ships. The third trumpet sees a star named Wormwood fall, poisoning a third of the fresh water sources and causing many deaths. The fourth trumpet results in a third of the sun, moon, and stars being struck, causing a partial darkening of day and night. The passage concludes with an eagle proclaiming three woes, indicating that the remaining trumpet judgments will bring even greater devastation upon the earth's inhabitants.