Revelation 8

Revelation 8:1

On the opening the seventh seal, the seven angels appear with their trumpets, and the four first of them sound. Rev. VIII. throughout.

REV VIII. 1.

AND when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

REVELATION VIII. 1.

THUS I have given an account of the manner in which the Lamb proceeded in opening six of the seals, and of the effects produced by them: and I am now to add, that when he had opened the seventh seal, there was a profound silence in heaven a for about the space of half an hour; to awaken, by that means, a more earnest attention to the extraordinary things that were to appear in consequence of the opening

And I saw the that seal. And I saw the seven angels b which 2

a Silence in heaven.] Some are of opinion, here is an allusion to the silence which used sometimes to be kept in the worship of God in the temple, while the people were praying, Luke i. 10. I think, with Mr. Lowman, that the seventh seal was only introductory to the trumpets, and the seventh trumpet to the vials.

b The seven angels which stood, &c] The manner in which this is expressed in the Greek, τα: ἀγγελία;—οι εὐαγγελί, is

very emphatical. It seems to signify the seven angels, who had before been mentioned as standing before the throne; and this form of speaking so plainly refers to what had been said before, that it does a great deal towards proving, that the seven Spirits of God, mentioned chap. v. 6, as the eyes and horns of the Lamb, are the same with these angels mentioned in the note on Rev. iv. 5, though, as I have there intimated, it is not absolutely certain.

And of an angel be ore the altar, with a golden

I have before mentioned, and which then stood before the throne of God, and seven trumpets were given to them, that they might each of them successively sound an alarm; which I understood to be the symbol of some very important and awakening events, which were, in order of time to succeed those which had been expressed by the seals. And while they were preparing to execute the orders they had received, another angel, whom I understood as a typical representation of the great High Priest of the church, came and stood before the altar which I saw in this celestial temple, having a golden censer, and there was given to him much fragrant incense, consisting of a variety of excellent perfumes mingled together, that he might present [it] with the prayers of all the saints, upon the golden altar which was before the throne; just as the Jewish high priest used to burn incense on the golden altar in the temple, while the people were praying in the courts of it, at the hour of morning and evening sacrifice. And the smoke of the perfumes went up in a thick and odoriferous cloud, together with the prayers of the saints, from the hand of the angel as he stood before God; and seemed thereby emblematically to signify, how grateful to the Divine Being those prayers were, which proceeded from holy

« With the prayers of all the saints ] Some have thought, that this is a plain intimation of the doctrine of the intercession of the angels, which is urged to have been an erroneous Jewish notion; and those who imagine it to be taught here, have made it an argument against the inspiration of this book. But I rather agree with those interpreters, who consider this angel as an emblem of Christ. If we were indeed to consider Christ as appearing in the shape of a lamb, this would be a difficulty; but it does not appear at all absurd to me, that while the efficacy of Christ’s atonement was represented by a lamb-slam, his intercession consequent upon it, should be represented by an angel offering the incense; which seems only a symbolical, or hieroglyphical, declaration of this truth, that the prayers of the saints on earth, are rendered acceptable to God by the intercession of one in heaven, who appears as a priest before God: Just as the vision of

the lamb represents to us, that a Person of perfect innocence, and of a most gentle and amiable disposition, eminently adorned and enriched with the Spirit of God, has been offered as a sacrifice; and is, in consequence of that, highly honoured on the throne of God. But who this important Victim, and this Intercessor is, we are to learn elsewhere; and we do learn, that both these offices met in one, and that this illustrious Person is Jesus the Son of God. As the golden altar made a part of the scene, there was a propriety in its appearing to be used, and the time of praying was the hour of incense. This vision may probably be designed to intimate, that considering the scenes of confusion represented by the trumpets, the saints should be exceeding earnest with God, to pour out a spirit of wisdom, piety, and zeal, upon the church, and preserve it safe amidst these confusions.

t fire upon the earth, and it thundered, &c.

earts, being recommended by the intercession f that great High Priest, whom this glorious ngel had the honour, upon this occasion, to epresent; as Aaron and his sons did in the ewish tabernacle of old. And when the ngel had performed this office, in order to shew the awful manner in which God would avenge the injury which his praying people upon earth received from its tyrannical and oppressive powers, he took the censer, and advancing towards the brazen altar of burnt offerings, he filled it with fire of the altar,⁴ and threw it upon the earth; and as soon as ever this action was performed, there were long and terrible voices and thunders,⁵ and lightnings, which seemed to break out from the Shechinah, the glorious token of the Divine presence; and there was also the sudden and violent shock of an earthquake, which seemed to shake the foundation of the world; And the seven angels, who had the seven trumpets, stood out in order, and prepared themselves, that they might sound, as every one should receive the appointed signal; which hereupon was given to each in his order.

And the first angel sounded his trumpet; and there was a violent storm of hail and fire, and the shower was also mingled with blood,⁶ and it was cast down upon the earth, greatly to the

⁴ With fire of the altar.] There was no fire upon the golden altar, but that which was in the censer, in which the incense was burnt; so that we must necessarily, by this fire of the altar, understand that of the brazen altar, though it is not expressly declared to be so; and this may intimate, that in some other places the same words may, by comparing different circumstances, have different ideas annexed to them.

⁵ Voices and thunders.] If the latter word be intended to explain the former it might be rendered, voices, even thunders. But, if different ideas are to be annexed to the words, I must confess, that I know not what they are. Yet we may imagine some distinct articulate sounds different from thunder, to be mixed with it, like that which some of those present heard, John xii. 29. (Compare Isa. xxix. 6.) This representation may be intended to intimate, in general, the confusion and

calamities, with which the period, expressed by the successive trumpets, should be filled, and the regard God would shew to his praying people during its continuance.

⁶ Hail and fire mingled with blood.] Grotius explains this, of the hardness of heart, and bloody rage of the Jews; Mr. Mede, of the invasion of the northern nations upon the Romans; and Mr. Clark, of the Arian heresy and persecution, whereby many professors of Christianity were infected, and many destroyed. See his Annotations in loc. But Mr. Lowman, more probably, interprets it of the bloody wars in Constantine’s family, which, with the invasion of the neighbouring nations, almost ruined the whole strength of the Roman empire, fell heavy on its great men, and particularly the family of Constantine, which, during this period, was quite extinguished; from A. D. 337, to A. D. 379.

The second and thir ange soun.

detriment of its productions; and particularly, it seemed to me, that a third part of the trees were burnt up, and all the green grass of the field was also burnt and scorched up. (Compare Exod. ix. 23.)

And the second angel sounded; and it was as if a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea; and it produced so great an alteration in the colour of the waters, that it seemed as if a third part of the sea became blood, which I easily apprehended to signify the slaughter which should come upon many people by means of some victorious prince, and those who fought under his banner. And, as a further token of it, a third part of the creatures which had animal life in the sea died, and a third part of the ships were destroyed thereby, and the persons sailing in them all perished. (Compare Jer. li. 25.)

And the third angel sounded; and to represent some great destroyer that was to appear, and become very conspicuous, both for the mischief he should occasion, and the ruin in which he should be involved, there fell from heaven a great star, burning like a torch; and it fell upon a third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; to signify the influence which the Person represented by it should have upon human affairs, and upon those things that were the springs of comfort and support to mankind. And, in reference to the effect it was to produce, the name of the star is called Wormwood, and a third part of the waters

s Mountain burning] Grotius explains this, of the soldiers’ rapine upon the people of Jerusalem, and firing the towers; Mr. Mede, of the firing of Rome; Mr. Clark, of the spirit of ambition and pride among the clergy; Mr. Lowman, of the invasion of Italy by the northern nations, and the taking of Rome by Alaric, general of the Goths, who plundered it and petit on fire; and this calamity was followed by the spoil of the greatest part of Italy, from A. D. 379, to A. D. 412.

h There fell from heaven a great star.] compare Dan. viii. 10 Grotius interprets it of the Egyptian Impostor, Acts xxi. 38. Ir. Mede of the fall of the western empire under Augustulus; and Mr. Clark,

(see his Annot. in loc.) of the corruption of ordinances by an heretical churchman, of great parts and considerable figure, whom he supposes to be Pelagius. Some explain it of Mahomet, whose name signifies illustrious Mem. of Literat. Vol. V. p. 253. But Mr. Lowman, with greater probability, interprets it of the succeeding ravages in Italy, founding the Gothic kingdom there, and putting an end to the Roman empire; from A. D. 412, to A. D. 493. Agreeably to this, historians inform us, that several provinces of the empire were dismembered, the city of Rome again taken, and plundered, and Italy became a prey to the barbarous nations

Reflections on the intercession of Christ, &c.

became impregnated with wormwood; but with this additional circumstance, that it was poisonous as well as distasteful; and many men died in consequence of drinking the waters, because they were become bitter. (Compare Exod. vii. 20, 21.)

And the fourth angel sounded; and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so that the third part of them, even of their light, was darkened;¹ and the day did not appear, with respect to a third part of its lustre, and the night also; but there was as great a deficiency in the usual light of both, as when either the sun by day, or the moon by night, is so eclipsed, that a third part of the body of each is shaded; which I understood to imply, that God would, in the course of his Providence, draw a vail over the whole face of things, and obscure the glory of the state to which this vision referred. And I beheld, and heard one of the angels flying in the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, The things which have already happened, are terrible; but what is yet to come is much more so: wo, wo, wo, to those that dwell upon the earth, for the remaining sounds of the trumpet of the three angels which are yet to sound! Prepare therefore for the manifestation of these awful scenes.

IMPROVEMENT.

pare ourselves, with silent admiration, to attend were opening upon us, let us rejoice in the symbolization of the intercession of Jesus, our great High forth, in so beautiful and expressive a manner, ending at the altar, with the golden censer, and behold, how the prayers of all the saints ascend acceptance! See the method we are to take, if

pare Ezek. xxxii. 7, interprets it of the wars in Italy, bet s this of taking the the Goths and Justinian’s generals, w ; Mr. Mede of the by the exarchate of Ravenna was ere ght of Rome, when all remaining power and authori and consular majesty. Rome suppressed, and the imperial his Annot in loc ) of became subject to Ravenna, where the church by tradition exarch or lieutenant of the eastern em s. Mr. Lowman in- resided; from A. D. 492, to A. D. 5

The fifth angel sounds :

we desire that ours should be acceptable to him ; and, encouraged by such a view, let us offer them up, not only with humility, but with cheerful confidence, though we are conscious of their great unworthiness.

To what wretchedness are they exposed, who oppress and injure those, that, through their great Representative, have such an interest in the court of heaven. The hail and the fire, shall, at the Divine command, powerfully plead their cause ; the mountains shall be torn from their basis, and cast into the midst of the sea ; the sun, the moon, and the stars shall be darkened in their orbs, and all nature be thrown into convulsive agonies, ere God will suffer them finally to be overborn, or fail to punish, with becoming severity, those who continue to persecute, or evil entreat them.

Let such awful representations as these, remind us of the sovereign almighty power of God, whom all the hosts of heaven worship with reverence ; and at whose awful word, when he gives forth his voice, hailstones and coals of fire descend ; (Psal. xviii. 13 ;) at whose rebuke the pillars of heaven tremble, and the foundations of the earth are shaken ; who speaks to the sun, and it shineth not ; who darkeneth the moon, and sealeth up the stars. Who would not fear thee, O thou King of nations, so terrible in the judgments which thou executest on the earth ? Deliver us, we entreat thee, from the multiplied and accumulated miseries of those who continue obstinately to oppose thee ; and conduct us at length to thy heavenly presence, though it should be through days of darkness, and waters of bitterness, and seas of blood. Amen.