Revelation Chapter 8

From The Open Bible Project

8:1 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

• (1) He returns to the history of the seals of the book, which the Lamb opens. The seventh seal is the next sign, a precise commandment for the execution of the most severe judgment of God on this wicked world, and being understood by the seal, all things in heaven are silent, and in horror through admiration, until the command to act is given by God to the ministers of his wrath. So he moves to the third part which I spoke of before in (Revelation 6:1) which is the enacting of those evils with which God most justly determined to afflict the world.

8:2 I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

• (2) Now follows the third branch of the common history, as even now I said: which is the execution of the judgments of God on the world. This is first generally prepared, down to (Revelation 8:3-6). The administers of the execution are seven angels: their instruments, trumpets, by which they sound the alarm at the commandment of God. They are seven in number, because it did not please God to deliver all his wrath on the rebellious world at once, but at various times, in segments, and in slow order, and as if unwilling to exercise his judgments on his creatures, so long called on both by word and signs, if perhaps they should decide to repent.
• (a) Who appear before him as his ministers.

8:3 Another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer. Much incense was given to him, that he should add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne.

• (3) This is the great emperor, the Lord Jesus Christ, our King and Saviour, who both makes intercession to God the Father for the saints, filling the heavenly sanctuary with most sweet odour, and offering up their prayers, as the calves and burnt sacrifices of their lips, in this verse: in such manner as every one of them (so powerful is that sweet savour of Christ, and the reliability of his sacrifice) are reconciled with God and made most acceptable to him, (Revelation 8:4). Then also out of his treasury and from the same sanctuary, the fire of his wrath descends on the world, adding also divine signs to it: and by that means (as of old the heralds of Rome did) he proclaims war against the rebellious world.

8:4 The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel's hand.

• (b) Our prayers are worth nothing, unless the true and sweet savour of that only sacrifice be especially and before all things with them, that is to say, unless we are first of all justified through faith in his Son, acceptable to him.

8:5 The angel took the censer, and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it on the earth. There followed thunders, sounds, lightnings, and an earthquake.

8:6 The seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

• (4) This is the work of the administers. The angels, the administers of Christ, by sounding trumpet and voice (for they are heralds) effectually call forth the instruments of the wrath of God, through his power. Until now, things have been general. Now the narration of specific things follows, which the angels fix in number wrought in their order, set out in (Revelation 8:7) and is concluded with the declaration of the event which followed these things done in the world, and in chapters ten and eleven.

8:7 The first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. [23] One third of the earth was burnt up, [See Revelation Footnotes 23] and one third of the trees were burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

• (5) The first execution at the sound of the first angel, on the earth, that is, the inhabitants of the earth (by metonymy) and on all the fruits of it: as comparing this verse with the second part of (Revelation 8:9) does plainly declare.

8:8 The second angel sounded, and something like a great burning mountain was thrown into the sea. One third of the sea became blood,

• (6) The second execution on the sea, in this verse and all things that are in (Revelation 8:9).

8:9 and one third of the living creatures which were in the sea died. One third of the ships were destroyed.

8:10 The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from the sky, burning like a torch, and it fell on one third of the rivers, and on the springs of the waters.

• (7) The third execution on the floods and fountains, that is, on all fresh water, in this verse: the effect of which is, that many are destroyed by the bitterness of the water, in the verse following.

8:11 The name of the star is called "Wormwood." One third of the waters became wormwood. Many people died from the waters, because they were made bitter.

• (8) This is spoken by metaphor of a commonly known bitter herb: unless perhaps a man following those that note the derivation of words would rather explain it as an adjective for that which cannot be drunk because of its bitterness, causing the liquid it is made into to be more bitter than any man can drink.

8:12 The fourth angel sounded, and one third of the sun was struck, and one third of the moon, and one third of the stars; so that one third of them would be darkened, and the day wouldn't shine for one third of it, and the night in the same way.

• (9) The fourth execution on the lights of heaven, which give light to this world.

8:13 I saw, and I heard an [24] eagle, [See Revelation Footnotes 24] flying in mid heaven, saying with a loud voice, "Woe! Woe! Woe for those who dwell on the earth, because of the other voices of the trumpets of the three angels, who are yet to sound!"

• (10) A lamentable prediction or foretelling of those parts of the divine execution which yet are behind: which also is a passage to the argument of the next chapter. Of all these things in a manner Christ himself expressly foretold in (Luke 21:24) and they are common plagues generally denounced, without particular note of time.