Revelation 8
CHAPTER 8
The seventh seal
And when he opened the seventh seal, there followed a silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels that stood before God; and there were given to them seven trumpets.
3 And another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given to him much incense, that he should add it to 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 took the censer, filled it with the fire of the altar and cast it upon the earth. There followed thunders, voices, lightnings and an earthquake.
The first four Angels sound
6 And the seven angels that had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
7 And the first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mingled with blood; and they were cast upon the earth. The third part of the earth was burnt up, as was the third part of the trees; and all green grass was burnt up.
8 And the second angel blew his trumpet and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea; and the third part of the sea became blood. 9 And there died the third part of the creatures (even they that had life) which were in the sea, and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
10 And the third angel blew his trumpet, and there fell from heaven a great star, burning as a torch; and it fell upon the third part of the rivers and upon the fountains of the waters. 11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood, and one third of the waters became bitter-tasting; and many men died because the waters were made so bitter.
12 And the fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck and a third of the moon and a third of the stars. This meant that the third part of them were darkened; and the day would not shine for the third part of it, and the night in like manner.
13 And I saw and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a great voice: Woe, woe, woe, for those who dwell on the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, who are yet to sound.
Commentary
8:5 The visual image of incense smoke ascending to Heaven and then fire and Angelic activity ensuing shows the power of prayer- the silent words of a man praying at a bus stop really reach Heaven itself, and call forth Angels running hither and thither, causing dramatic events on earth.
8:13 Terrible things are to come upon earth in the very last days, but those who have kept the Lord’s word will be kept from them (3:10). The Hebrew and Greek words translated “earth” can just as well refer to ‘the land’- of Israel. Perhaps these Angelic judgments are specifically to occur in the land of Israel.
