Revelation 8:1-6

Strauss-' Comments
SECTION 24

Text Revelation 8:1-6

And when he opened the seventh seal, there followed a silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels that stand before God; and there were given unto them seven trumpets.
3 And another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should add it unto the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel's hand. 5 And the angel taketh the censer; and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and cast it upon the earth: and there followed thunders, and voices, and lightnings and an earthquake.
6 And the seven angels that had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

Initial Questions Revelation 8:1-6

1.

What does the trumpet signify - Revelation 8:2?

2.

What were trumpets used for in the New Testament world?

3.

Does Revelation 8:3-4 contain biblical justification for the Roman Catholic doctrine of the power of the prayers of the dead saints?

4.

What does the casting of fire upon the earth signify - Revelation 8:5?

5.

Who prepared to sound the trumpets - Revelation 8:6?

Opening of the Seventh Seal: The Half Hour's Silence in Heaven; The First Four Trumpet Blasts

Chapter Revelation 8:1-13

Revelation 8:1

As with the seven seals (Revelation 5:8-10), before the trumpets sound there is an initial vision of the function of the prayers of the saints. Here we see the power of the pryaers of the righteous to avail God's intervention in the events of history (Revelation 8:2-5), described in almost the same way as before.

The first four trumpet blasts are (Revelation 8:6-12) closely related as were the first four seals. (The figure of the trumpet is used by Paul - see 1 Thessalonians 4:16). John's imagery comes primarily from Exodus 10 :, the records of the Egyptian plagues.

John declares that when (hotan - indefinite particle - giving us a picture of indefiniteness) he opened the seventh seal there came silence - (egento sigç - 2nd aor. middle voice) in heaven about (hôs - indefinite - about) a half hour. Heaven was silent; there was no speaking or singing.

Revelation 8:2

John next saw the seven angels who stand (hestçkasin - perf. indicative) in front of (before) God. They receive the seven trumpets. A new period of woes begins.

Revelation 8:3

On (epi or above) the altar (thusiastçriou). The problem here is whether this altar is the brazen altar (as Revelation 16:9) or the altar of incense (as Revelation 9:13). The angel takes the place of the priest at the altar in John's imagery. The priest took fire from the brazen altar to light the censer. (See Swete, op cit., p. 108) for good discussion of this point; also the extensive discussion of Charles). The angel was given the incenses in order that (hina clause - for the purpose) he will give (it) with the prayers of all the saints.. The imagery relates that the holy incense was to be added so the prayers to that they could both (incense and prayers) ascend before (or in front of) the throne of God. Note how the martyrs were praying in spite of their trials and martyrdom for the Faith. What can we learn from their prayer life?

Revelation 8:4

The smoke of the incenses - went up (anebç) with the prayers of the saints.

Revelation 8:5

The angel cast (ebalen - 2 aor. active - ind. - in a single momentary act the fire was cast!) The judgment of fire covers the entire earth (eis tçn gçn, Ezekiel 10:2); and there occurred (egenonto - 2 aor. ind. middle voice) thunders, and sounds, and lightenings, and an earthquake. This same phenomenon occurred when the first four seals were opened (Revelation 6:12 ff).

Revelation 8:6

The angels have put the trumpets to the mouths (prepared themselves) in order that (hina clause - for the purpose that) they might trumpet (salpisôsin - 1st aor. subj.)

Review Questions for Entire Chapter 8

See Revelation 8:13.