Bible Commentaries
Revelation 8

Verse 1

had. Omit.

was = came to be.

silence. Greek. sige. Only here and Acts 21:40 .

heaven = the heaven. See Revelation 3:12 .

the space of. Omit.

Verse 2

saw. App-133 .

stood = stand.

God. App-98 .

trumpets. Compare Numbers 10:9 , &c.

Verse 3

another. App-124 .

at. Greek. epi. App-104 .

censer. Greek. libanoton. Only here and Revelation 8:5 . Figure of speech Metonymy of Adjunct. App-6 . See 1 Chronicles 9:29 (Septuagint)

unto = to.

incense. See Revelation 5:8 .

that = in order that. Greek. hina.

offer it with. Greek. add (literally give) it to.

prayers. App-134 .

saints = the saints. See Acts 9:13 .

upon. App-104 .

golden altar, &c. Glorious realities in heaven, The small golden altar of the Tabernacle and the larger one of Solomon's Temple were but copies in miniature. See Hebrews 8:5 ; Hebrews 9:23 , Hebrews 9:24 .

Verse 4

smoke. Greek. kapnos. Occurs thirteen times, all in Rev., except Acts 2:19 . Except here, always associated with "judgment" or the "pit".

out of. App-104 .

Verse 5

And. The seven "ands" give an instance of Figure of speech Polysyndeton. App-6 .

filled. Greek. gemizo. Here and Revelation 15:8 .

into. App-104 .

earth. App-129 .

earthquake. See Revelation 6:12 . Here apparently a convulsion of earth alone.

Revelation chapters 6 and 7 present the six seals, the sixth carrying on to the end. The seventh seal contains a new series of judgments under the seven trumpets (Revelation 8:7 , Revelation 8:11 , Rev 8:14 ) and the seven vials (Revelation 16:1 , Revelation 16:18 , Revelation 16:21 ). The seventh seal thus embraces the period of both trumpets and vials (Revelation 8:7 , Rev 8:18 , Rev 8:24 ), and is immediately followed by the Apocalypse (Unveiling of "The Word of God": see App-197 ), the Son of Adam ( App-99 ). The first six trumpets relate to the earth, the seventh to heaven (Revelation 11:15 ). The seven are divided into four and three, the last three being woe trumpets. The judgments and woes now to be set forth are just as real, as literal, as the judgments predicted and fulfilled in the past history of Israel; Exodus 34:10 . Deuteronomy 28:10 . Isaiah 11:15 , Isaiah 11:16 . Micah 7:13-15 .

Verse 6

to sound = in order that (Greek. hina) they might sound (Greek. salpizo. First of ten occurences).

Verse 7

angel. Omit.

followed = came to be, as Revelation 8:1 .

earth. Add, w i th all texts, "and the third part of the earth was burnt up".

third part. See App-197 .

trees. As in Revelation 7:1 , Revelation 7:3 ; Revelation 9:4 .

burnt up. As Revelation 17:16 ; Revelation 18:8 .

green. Greek. chloros. Occurs: Revelation 6:8 (pale); Revelation 9:4 .Mark 6:39 .

Verse 9

creatures. See Revelation 5:13 .

and = which.

life. App-110 and App-170 . Not only "living souls" (Genesis 2:19 ) in the waters of the sea, but the "living souls" (Genesis 2:7 ) on it.

Verse 10

lamp. Greek. lampas. Elsewhere Revelation 4:5 .Matthew 25:1-8 . John 18:3 (torch). Acts 20:8 (light).

waters. The texts read "the waters".

Verse 11

Wormwood. Greek. apsinthos. Only occurance.

men. App-123 . The second occurance is preceded by "the".

Verse 12

sun, moon, stars. The Lord Himself foretold these signs. See Matthew 24:29 . Mark 13:24 .Luke 21:25 , and compare Isaiah 5:30 . Jeremiah 4:28 . Ezekiel 32:7 , Ezekiel 32:8 . Joel 2:10 , Joel 2:30 , Joel 2:31 ; Joel 3:15 .Amos 5:20 ; Amos 8:9 . Zephaniah 1:14-16 .

so as = in order that. Greek. hina.

was = should be.

shone not = should not shine ( App-106 .)

not. App-105 .

Verse 13

beheld = saw, as Revelation 8:2 .

an = one.

angel. The texts read "eagle". Greek. aetos. Elsewhere, Revelation 4:7 ; Revelation 12:14 .Matthew 24:28 . Luke 17:37 . Compare Deuteronomy 28:49 . 2 Samuel 1:23 .Isaiah 40:31 .Hosea 8:1 .Habakkuk 1:8 .

through = in. Greek. en. App-104 .

the. . . heaven. Greek. mesouranema. Elsewhere, Revelation 14:6 ; Revelation 19:17 .

loud = great.

to . . . earth = to them dwelling (see Acts 2:6 ) on ( App-104 ) earth.

by reason of. Greek. ek. App-104 .

other. App-124 .

yet = about.