Revelation 8:1-4

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Revelation 8:1-6

In these verses we have the prelude to the sounding of the trumpets in several parts. I. The opening of the last seal. This was to introduce a new set of prophetical iconisms and events; there is a continued chain of providence, one part linked to another (where one ends another begins), and, though they may differ in nature and in time, they all make up one wise, well-connected, uniform design in the hand of God. II. A profound silence in heaven for the space of half an hour, which may be... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 8:1-5

8:1-5 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand in the presence of God, and seven trumpets were given to them. Another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense that he might add it to the prayers of the saints on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense went up with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God. And the angel took... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 8:2

8:2,6 And I saw the seven angels who stand in the presence of God, and seven trumpets were given to them; and the seven angels with the seven trumpets prepared to sound the trumpets. These seven angels, known as the angels of the presence, were the same as the archangels. Their names were Uriel, Raphael, Raguel, Michael, Sariel, Gabriel and Remiel ( Tobit 12:1 ; Tobit 12:5 ). That they were called the angels of the presence means two things. First, they enjoyed a special honour. In... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 8:1

And when he had opened the seventh seal ,.... That is, when the Lamb had opened the seventh and last seal of the scaled book: there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour ; not in the third heaven, the seat of the divine Being, of angels and glorified saints, where are hallelujahs without intermission; but in the church, which is oftentimes signified by heaven in this book, and where now the throne of God was placed, in that form as described in Revelation 4:4 , or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 8:2

And I saw the seven angels ,.... Not the seven spirits of God, Revelation 1:4 ; their names, as well as their office, differ; nor the ministers of the word, though these are often called angels in this book, and blow the trumpet of the Gospel, and lift up their voice like a trumpet; but the angelic spirits, and these either evil ones, since they are the executioners of wrath and vengeance, and bring judgments on the earth; and who, are sometimes said to stand before God, 1 Kings 22:21 ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 8:3

And another angel came ,.... The Ethiopic version adds, "from the east", as in Revelation 7:2 ; pointing to the same angel, and who is intended: for not a created angel, as Gabriel, or any other, is meant; nor any mere man, at least not Pope Damasus, who lived in Constantine's time, as Lyra thought; nor Constantine himself, which is the opinion of Brightman, who thinks that his, and the desires of other good men to make peace, and compose the differences occasioned by the Arian heresy, are... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 8:4

And the smoke of the incense ,.... For the incense being put, as it was used to be, upon burning coals of fire, caused a smoke to arise like a cloud, Leviticus 16:13 ; so that the whole house, or temple, was filled with it F4 Misn. Yoma, c. 5. sect. 1. : which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God out of the angel's hand ; alluding to the incense the priest took in his hand, and cast upon the burning coals; and shows how that by the smoke of the incense, or... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 8:1

The seventh seal - This is ushered in and opened only by the Lamb. Silence in heaven - This must be a mere metaphor, silence being put here for the deep and solemn expectation of the stupendous things about to take place, which the opening of this seal had produced. When any thing prodigious or surprising is expected, all is silence, and even the breath is scarcely heard to be drawn. Half an hour - As heaven may signify the place in which all these representations were made to St.... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 8:2

The seven angels which stood before God - Probably the same as those called the seven Spirits which are before his throne, Revelation 1:4 ; (note). There is still an allusion here to the seven ministers of the Persian monarchs. See Tobit 12:15. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 8:3

Another angel - About to perform the office of priest. Having a golden censer - This was a preparation peculiar to the day of expiation. "On other days it was the custom of the priest to take fire from the great altar in a silver censer, but on the day of expiation the high priest took the fire from the great altar in a golden censer; and when he was come down from the great altar, he took incense from one of the priests, who brought it to him, and went with it to the golden altar; and... read more

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