Revelation 8

The seventh seal is open whereupon there followeth silence in heaven 2 after which silence seven heaven angels are seen with seven trumpets 3 but thee appeareth first another angel which layeth incense upon the golden altars together with the prayers of the saints 5 then fileth his censer with fire from the altar and casteth it upon the earth 7 that being done the first angel bloweth the trumpet and also the second whence the terrible things follow 10 then the third angel bloweth the trumpet and the star called wormwood falleth from heaven into the waters 12 finally the fourth angel bloweth the trumpet and the third part of the sun, moon and the stars is smitten with darkness 13 after which another angel crieth woe because of the plagues of the three following trumpets.

1. And when it had opened the seven seal [namely the last of the book with seven seals which the lamb took out of the hand of him that sat upon the throne chapter 5.7]there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour[that is there was a calm or a cessation from speaking and from the sound of other voices that were heard before by which calm or silence some understand a cessation from presenting the church on earth which continued for a short time after the subduing of the Tyrants by Constantine others take this calm and quietness to be an earnest expectation of all the spirits in heaven upon that which should follow after the opening of the seventh seal and is also taken by some of the manner and practice that was wont to be used in the temple at the hour of prayer when the incense went into the holy pace to offer incense as the angel will do here immediately and all the congregation that was quiet and still without waited for the priest coming forth as appeareth Luke 1:10.]

2. And I saw the seventh angel which stood before God and to them were given seven trumpets[by the seven angel some understand the whole multitude of the holy angel that stand continually round about the throne of God because the number of the seven is a perfect number but this my also be here understood of the special seven angels which were chosen out of the whole multitude to receive this special charge from God and the angels are said to stand before God here and Luke 1:19 and always to behold the face of the father in heaven Matthew 18.10because they always have access unto the throne of God and are always ready to receive and execute the commands of God Hebrews 1:14.]

3. And there came another angel [namely of another nature which here stept in between both before the other seven did sound their trumpets: and by this angel is here necessarily to be understood Christ our Mediator, the Angel of the covenant and of God’s face, Malachi 3:1. And Isa. 63. Ver. 9. Who alone is the Priest of heaven, and (as followeth) offereth and presenteth our prayers with the incense of his merits upon the golden altar, that is, upon himself, unto God for a sweet smelling savour, as is testified, Romans 8:34. Ephes. 5. 2. Heb. 4. Ver. 14. And 9. 14. And 13. Ver. 10. 15. 1 John 2:1.] and stood at the altar, having a golden censer: and much incense was given unto him, [namely, of God his Father, forasmuch s he ordained him to be a Mediator] that he should lay it (with) the prayers of all saints, [Gr. Should give it to the prayers, etc. Some understand this of the prayers of all believers on earth, who continually cry and sigh unto God, that his kingdom might come, and that he would deliver them from the evil one. Others understand this of the prayers of the Martyrs in particular, whereof is spoken before, ch. 6. 10. But may be indeed understood of all the prayers of God’s children in general] upon the golden altar which is before the throne.

4. And the smoke incense (with) the prayers of the saints, [Or laid by the prayers, & c] went up before God [namely, to be heard of the Father: after which the following jugements of God, as a fruit of that hearing, should follow. See acts 10. Ver. 4.] out of the Angel’s hand.

5. And the Angel took the censer, [The Greek word signifieth properly incense, but it appeareth plainly by that which followeth, that it must here be taken for the censer, as also v. 3.] and filled it with the fire of the altar, [hereby is fitly understood Christ’s servent desire whereby he desireth that our prayers joined with his merits, should be accepted of God, and heard of him, John 17:24.] and cast it upon earth: [namely, the fire of the altar, whereby as he always desireth that which maketh for the good and salvation of believers, so doth he likewise desire that the justice of God his Father should be executed against the impenitent oppressors of his Church. See Psal. 2. 12. As this also would appear by the fruits of the sounding of the seven Angels] and there were voices, and thundering, and lightnings and earthquake. [namely, s it is always heard. See Joh. 11. Ver. 41, 42. And 12. 28, 29.]

6. And the seven Angels which had the seven trumpets, prepared themselves to sound. [As it is noted on the second verse of the foregoing sixth chapter, that some Expositors interpret the Visions of the six first seals of the political changes and troubles that have befallen the world, and especially the Roman Empire, in regard of the oppressions of the Church of Christ, unto the times of Constantine: so there be also some that understand these Trumpets of the following changes and troubles, which the Roman Empire by reason of divers barbarous nations from all parts of the world, at sundry times of Constantine: so there be also some that understand these Trumpets of the following changes and barbarous nations from all parts of the world, at sundry times hath endured: whereby the same Empire in the West hath been quite subdued, and hath been divided into many Kingdoms and Principalities, which afterward by the spiritual dominion of the Bishop of Rome, were in some sort after another manner knitted and fastened to the other. Which opinion with the phrases that are here used, and with comparing of such like phrases seemeth to be also confirmed from the Old Testament: whereof see Isaiah 28:2. And 30. 30. Jerem. 15. 9. Ezekiel 32:7. But seeing it was said before, that Christ is here every where brought in, not as a Ruler of worldly Kingdoms, but as a spiritual Governour of his Church, and that by the mediation and intercession of Christ here, and by his marking out in the former chapter: and in the next chapter in the fourth verse, true believers are kept free from these following judgements and troubles, as Christ also prayeth for Peter, Luke 22:32. And assureth all believers, that they shall not be seduced by the false Prophets, Matth. 24. 25. Whereas they are not free from corporal troubles, therefore it’s more meet that this be understood of the Spiritual estate of the Church, and of the temporal estate only so far forth as it concerneth the Spiritual.]

7. And the first Angel sounded, and there was hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third (part) of the trees was burnt, and all the green grass was burnt. [Hereby is fitly understood the arch-heresy, which after a little rest of the Church in Constantine’s time, corrupted the sound and wholesome doctrine, namely, the heresy of the Arrians, who denied the eternal God-head of the Holy Ghost, and which corrupted a great part of the Church. As sound doctrine is compared unto rain, Isa. 55. Ver. 10, 11. So this destructive doctrine is fitly compared to hail and fire, which causeth the earth to wither. And here blood is also adjoined, because it was followed with great persecution under the Emperour Constantius and others, throughout a great part of the world, whereby a third part of it, that is, of Teachers, and other eminent members of the Church were seduced, and the green grass was burnt, that is, the vulgar sort or common members, who indeed seemed to flourish in the church, but having no true root, withered, as Christ speaketh of such as fall away, Matth. 13. Verse 20, 21.]

8. And the second Angel sounded, and there was (something) as a great mountain burning with fire cast into the Sea: and the third part of the Sea became blood.

9. And the third (part) of the creatures in the Sea, that had life died, and the third (part) of the ships perished. [by the great mountain burning with fire, etc. is understood the second arch-heresy, namely, that of the Pelagians, which rose up about the year four hundred, and assaulted the church of Christ for some considerable time: which is therefore compared to a mountain of fire, because it exalted the free will of man against the grace of Christ, and caused man so to be puffed up by his own seeming holiness and self conceitedness of his perfection and natural strength in heavenly and spiritual matters, as the Scripture also elsewhere compareth such kind of pride unto mountains, Isa. 2. Ver. 14, 15. Zach. 4. 7. This mountain is said to be cast into the Sea, because this Heresy, besides other places, did afterwards possess many islands, as Rhodes, Sicily, Britannie and others more as Histories testify. Otherwise Nations are also sometimes in this Book called waters, as is showed below, chapter 17. 15. And by the ships that are therein, were corrupted by this doctrine: yet so as that Christ still preserveth two parts thereof (by the diligence of faithful Teachers) in the sound and Orthodox doctrine.]

10. And the third Angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven burning like a torch, and (it) fell upon the third (part) of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters. [Hereby is fitly understood the third Arch-heresy, which began about the year four hundred twenty and five, and was broached by one Nestorius Bishop of Constantinople, an eloquent and eminent Bishop, who divided the two natures in Christ, and mad of Christ two persons, namely one that was man, and one that was God: for which respect he is called a great star burning like a torch. And though his doctrine seemed to gainsay the Arrians, yet he was bitter like worm wood as followeth whereunto also seducing doctrine is compared Hebrews 12:15 and it spread itself through many nations as fountains and rivers are wont to do until it was condemned by all the churches in the Synod of Ephesus.]

11. And the name of the star is called wormwood [that is like indeed was like wormwood that is bitter for it maketh doctrine bitter like the wormwood and unfit for good and wholesome nourishment though in the first it appeareth otherwise] the third part of the waters became wormwood and many men died for the waters as they were made bitter.

12. 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 and third part of them should be darkened and that the third part of the day should not shine and that of the night likewise [hereby is fitly understood the fourth part arch-heresy namely of Eutichians which sprung up about the year four hundred and fifty quite contrary to the Nestorian Heresy which taught that two natures in Christ were mingled and confounded and the one turned into the other whereby Christ the sun of righteousness was robbed of a great part of his honor the moon that is the church of Christ the stars that is their teachers in a great measure darkened and the light of doctrine itself deprived of its true splendor and brightness till in the Synod of the Chalcedon the same doctrine was condemned as destructive and evil after which arch-heresy did follow many and contentions about precedence did arise which at length rent the churches of the east and west and brought them into many troubles whence also in the next chapter greater troubles should arise as the angel here declareth.]

13. And I looked and I heard an angel flying in the midst of heaven saying with a great voice wo, wo, wo to them that dwell on earth by reason of the remaining voices of the trumpet of the tree angel which shall yet sound.