INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 8 This chapter contains the opening of the seventh seal, and the things that followed on it, and particularly the sounding of the first four trumpets. Upon the opening of the seventh seal there was silence in heaven for half an hour, Revelation 8:1; then follows a vision... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN HE HAD OPENED THE SEVENTH SEAL,.... That is, when the Lamb had opened the seventh and last seal of the scaled book: THERE WAS SILENCE IN HEAVEN ABOUT THE SPACE OF HALF AN HOUR; not in the third heaven, the seat of the divine Being, of angels and glorified saints, where are hallelujahs with... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I SAW THE SEVEN ANGELS,.... Not the seven spirits of God, Revelation 1:4; their names, as well as their office, differ; nor the ministers of the word, though these are often called angels in this book, and blow the trumpet of the Gospel, and lift up their voice like a trumpet; but the angelic sp... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ANOTHER ANGEL CAME,.... The Ethiopic version adds, "from the east", as in Revelation 7:2; pointing to the same angel, and who is intended: for not a created angel, as Gabriel, or any other, is meant; nor any mere man, at least not Pope Damasus, who lived in Constantine's time, as Lyra thought; n... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SMOKE OF THE INCENSE,.... For the incense being put, as it was used to be, upon burning coals of fire, caused a smoke to arise like a cloud, Leviticus 16:13; so that the whole house, or temple, was filled with it d: [WHICH CAME] WITH THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS, ASCENDED BEFORE GOD OUT OF THE... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE ANGEL TOOK THE CENSER,.... The golden one before mentioned, the use of which was to take and carry in it burning coals of fire: AND FILLED IT WITH FIRE OF THE ALTAR; of burnt offering, for upon that, and not upon the altar of incense, fire was; the allusion is to the priest "that was worth... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SEVEN ANGELS WHICH HAD THE SEVEN TRUMPETS,.... Given them, Revelation 8:2; PREPARED THEMSELVES TO SOUND; they stood up, took their trumpets in their hands, and put them to their mouths; this was giving notice of what was coming upon the earth, and a kind of warning to men, and a call upon t... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FIRST ANGEL SOUNDED,.... Or blew his trumpet: AND THERE FOLLOWED HAIL AND FIRE, MINGLED WITH BLOOD; somewhat like one of the plagues of Egypt, Exodus 9:23; in which was hail mingled with fire, only no blood, but what was caused by its fall on man and beast. Some have thought the Arian heresy is... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SECOND ANGEL SOUNDED,.... His trumpet: AND AS IT WERE A GREAT MOUNTAIN BURNING WITH FIRE WAS CAST INTO THE SEA; by which is meant not the devil, as some think; called a "mountain" from his height of pride, a great one from his might and power, and a "burning" one from his great wrath and ma... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE THIRD PART OF THE CREATURES WHICH WERE IN THE SEA,.... The fishes; by whom men are meant, the inhabitants of the Roman empire; see Ezekiel 29:4, where by fish the Targum understands mighty princes and governors: AND HAD LIFE, DIED; were put to death by these savage and barbarous people, who... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE THIRD ANGEL SOUNDED,.... His trumpet: AND THERE FELL A GREAT STAR FROM HEAVEN; not Mahomet, as some think, for this time is too soon for him, who rose up under the fifth trumpet; nor Arius, for whom it is too late, who lived in the times of Constantine; and still less Origen, who lived befo... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE NAME OF THE STAR IS CALLED WORMWOOD,.... Because of the bitter afflictions, sorrows, and distresses which it was the instrument of; just as Naomi called herself Mara, because the Almighty had dealt bitterly with her, Ruth 1:20; AND THE THIRD PART OF THE WATERS BECAME WORMWOOD; that is, the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE FOURTH ANGEL SOUNDED,.... His trumpet. Some think this refers to the Eutychian heresy, which confounded the two natures of Christ, and of two made one mixed nature, neither human nor divine; and brought great darkness upon the doctrine of Christ's person, the sun of righteousness and into th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I BEHELD, AND HEARD AN ANGEL FLYING THROUGH THE MIDST OF HEAVEN,.... The Alexandrian copy, the Complutensian edition, the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, instead of "an angel", read "an eagle"; and to "fly" agrees with either of them, and the sense is the same let it be read either... [ Continue Reading ]