The Book of Revelation
Chapter Eight

Preface

Before moving on in this chapter a point should be made regarding the multitude before the throne mentioned in Chapter 7:9 Notice in verse 14 the description elucidated by the elder, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” The point being is that this verse is a notable expression of “free will,” which God has granted to man. Notice that it is “they” who “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” From the creation, God has allowed mankind freedom of choice. God could have made us robots, never to be “self-aware” of our being and thereby know and experience fulfillment, purpose, accomplishment, joy and love. All the occurrences and emotions that we experience in life that are truly real are only possible if we “have a say in” or can “understand” them from a position of “independence” (free-will).

We are reminded of what the Apostle John said regarding Christ and His tenure on earth, “He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God”. (John 1:10-12) This is the primary passage in God’s Word that defines what it means to “receive” Jesus Christ, which is to accept Him by “faith” alone. Anyone, through freedom of personal choice, may become a “child of God” and thereby possess permanent eternal life - by simply accepting Christ alone by faith alone. Just as a person can do nothing for a “gift” other than simply receive it, so it is with the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Once we understand that Christ paid the entire price for our sins on the cross by spiritually dying in our place as payment for our sins and then physically dying to be resurrected alive after three days, we are granted eternal life when by an act of will we accept this “work of Christ” instead of relying on anything we or any other person or organization can do for our personal salvation.

This principle of faith was true prior to the Cross of Calvary in the symbolism of Old Testament sacrifices, it is true today as we now see through the clarity of God’s Word and it will be just as clear during the Tribulation Period. The vast multitude that stand before the throne of God with robes of white got there because they “voluntarily” washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. The “focus” of the entire Bible is the Cross of Calvary and what it represents. Everything before it pointed forward to it, and everything after it pointed back to it. This is the central theme of God’s Word. This is the foundation of our faith.

Therefore this vast multitude that comes out of the Tribulation Period confirms our belief that the message conveyed by the 144,000 witnesses of chapter 7:4, the two witnesses of chapter 11:3 and the flying angel in chapter 14:6 is in fact God’s good news of salvation through Jesus Christ, a.k.a. the Eternal Gospel, a.k.a. the gospel of the Kingdom of God.

Revelation 8:1,2
When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.

This chapter is the continuation from chapter 6 in which Christ opened the first six seals of the “scroll of judgments,” or, some believe, the “title-deed” to earth. After the parenthetical chapter (7), Christ now opens the seventh seal, which results in a “silence” in heaven for about half an hour.

When this seventh seal is broken the entire scroll is now fully opened and nothing remains to restrain God’s full and total judgment upon the earth. But before God’s fury is further released, an uncanny and eerie silence occurs for half an hour. During this time there will be no rumblings and thunder coming from the throne of God, there will be no talk by the living creatures, there will be no praise from the living creatures or the 24 elders and there will be no singing. There will only be absolute and universal silence. This will indeed be the “lull before the storm.”

This seventh seal introduces and launches God’s 7 trumpet-judgments, the most terrifying of His judgments yet. They remind us of God’s ten plagues that He poured out on Egypt (Exodus 7-11). The first four trumpet-judgments will affect the natural world, and the last three the unredeemed people of earth. The trumpet-judgments will increasingly become more horrific, and the last three are synonymous to God’s three “woe” judgments. Yet, the last trumpet-judgment will also announce the glory of the Kingdom of Christ, which is to come.

In the Old Testament trumpets were used to call the congregation together for the purpose of war or to sound an alarm (Numbers 10:9). They were also used to signify and execute a miraculous act of God, as in the toppling of the walls of Jericho. In these two verses the seven angels who are standing before God are given the seven trumpets.

Revelation 8:3,4
Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand.

The venerable H.A. Ironside in his book, Revelation, concludes that the angel in this passage is an “angel-priest,” who is none other than Jesus Christ. He states, “I think you will agree that he can be no created angel. Scripture never speaks of any created angel offering incense with the prayers of saints to make them acceptable to God.” His case has merit, since throughout the Old Testament the pre-incarnate Christ is repeatedly presented as the “Angel of Jehovah,” e.g., He appeared to Hagar (Genesis 16:7), He appeared to Abraham (Genesis 22:15), He guided the children of Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 14:19), He wrestled with Jacob at Peniel (Genesis 32:24-30), He appeared to Balaam (Numbers 22:31), He appeared to the children of Israel (Judges 2:1-4), He appeared to Manoah and his wife (Judges 13:1-11), and on and on. After the crucifixion, Christ as the “Angel of the Lord,” appeared to Mary Magdalene and the “other Mary” at the tomb (Matthew 28:1-7), spoke to Philip (Acts 8:26) and stood by Paul during the storm at sea (Acts 27:23).

H.A. Ironside is in good company with this interpretation of the angel. Hal Lindsey, the distinguished Biblical and prophetic scholar, writes in his book Apocalypse Code, “While many good Bible scholars believe that the ‘other angel’ here at the altar is simply another high-ranking angel, I believe that it is none other than Christ Himself functioning in His ministry of High Priest. The golden censer was used only in the Holy of Holies by the high priest in the ritual of prayer. It was this prayer-offering function of the coming Messiah which was portrayed by the Old Testament altar of incense.”

On the other hand, the notable Biblical and prophetic scholar Tim Lahaye, in his book Revelation Unveiled, argues that this angel is not Christ, since (1) Jesus Christ, when appearing in the Old Testament, is never referred to as “an angel,” but is always introduced as the “angel of the Lord” or the “angel of God;” and (2) there is no record of Christ appearing as an angel after His incarnation and ascension to heaven. His first point could be argued as incorrect, since in Genesis 32 He was described as a “man” and not “introduced” as either the angel of the Lord or of God; and, his second point could be argued as incorrect depending on the interpretation of Acts 27:23.

On the other hand, one may argue that Christ could not be in the “center of the throne” (7:17) and standing “at the altar” at the same time. But then we must remember that Christ and the Father are one, along with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Trinity is a fact. Mortal man cannot adequately explain this concept, either. It would be foolish to place such a limitation on Almighty God. A position of safety would be to say that this angel “may or may not be” Christ. The preference of this commentary is that He is Christ.

Either way, it is clear that by His own hand He offers up the smoke of incense, along with the prayers of the saints (Ephesians 2:18), on the golden altar before the throne to God. Within context, these are, or at least include, the prayers of the saints beneath the altar of God as mentioned in verses 6:9, 10, who beseech God to avenge them.

Revelation 8:5, 6
Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake. Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.

In exchange for the incense and prayers, the angel fills the censer with the holy fire of judgment, which comes from the altar before the throne of God. The persistent prayers of the saints are answered as He throws the fire upon the earth, creating booming thunder, continuous rumblings, piercing lightening and a mighty earthquake - all announcing the horrendous trumpet judgments of God. This was a huge contrast to the previous silence.

It is difficult to be dogmatic regarding the exact chronological placement of the trumpet judgments within the Tribulation Period. Some scholars believe that the trumpet judgments are initiated at the mid-point of the Tribulation. Others believe they take place during the first half of this period. Which interpretation is correct will depend on what one believes regarding the parenthetical portions of this Bible book. If chapter 10 and a portion of chapter 11 are not parenthetical, then the trumpet judgments are executed during the first half of the Tribulation. On the other hand, if they are parenthetical, then these judgments could take place at one of several places during the Tribulation.

Revelation 8:7
The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up

Upon the sounding of the first trumpet, hail and fire mixed with blood are hurled to the earth. This calls to memory how God dealt with Egypt and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. This event is literal, just as God’s previous dealings of judgment are literal. The result is that one third of the earth, one third of the trees and “all” the green grass was burned up. This means that while the hail and fire falls on all the earth, only a third of it is destroyed.

This action will lead to a tremendous famine. Remember that grain is grass, too. A third of the wheat, rice, oats, sorghum and barley are destroyed - resulting in a tremendous loss of beef cattle, milk cows, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, turkeys and other grass-feeding animals. In Apocalypse Code, Hal Lindsey states, “With the massive loss of vegetation will come rapid soil erosion, floods and mudslides. Air pollution will be immense; the smoke of the fire will fill the entire atmosphere. The remaining vegetation will be unable to adequately absorb the hydrocarbons from automobiles and industry. The present overstrained delicate balance of ecology will be thrown into a catastrophic breakdown with ominous, unpredictable results.”

Revelation 8:8, 9
The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

When the second trumpet sounds, “something like a huge mountain, all ablaze,” crashes into the sea. What sea or ocean this mammoth meteor, rock or whatever hits, we are not told. We are told that it will cause one third of earth’s oceans to be turned into blood, one third of all ocean creatures to be killed and one third of all ships to be destroyed. This will only exacerbate the world famine, and in addition will initiate the spread of diseases.

Revelation 8:10, 11
The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water - the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.

Whereas the second trumpet judgment affects one third of the earth’s oceans, God now turns His attention to earth’s fresh water. At the sound of the third trumpet, another huge meteorite falls to earth. God’s name for this star is Wormwood, which is a bitter, intoxicating and poisonous herb. As a side note, it is interesting to note that the name “Chernobyl” located in the Ukraine (Russia) means “wormwood.” A third of all earth’s fresh water will become bitter and poisonous, resulting in further human death already on the rise from what has gone before. It may be well assumed that in addition to people, many fresh water fish and land animals will die, too. This will again add to the famine and disease present on the earth.

Revelation 8:12
The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.

The fourth trumpet brings increased darkness to the earth. Regarding this judgment, John Hagee in his book From Daniel to Doomsday says it best as follows:

“Like the heavy darkness that fell upon Egypt when Pharaoh made the lives of the Jewish people harsh with bitter bondage, darkness will cover the earth when the fourth angel sounds his trumpet. In Matthew 24:29, Jesus predicted that the heavens would declare the Tribulation: ‘Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’

Whether from supernatural provision or as a result of the fire, the hail, and the meteor, God will allow a veil of thick fog to dim the light of sun, moon, and stars. He will not totally blot out sunshine and starlight, for in Genesis 8:22 He specifically promised that ‘While the earth remains, / Seedtime and harvest, / Cold and heat, / Winter and summer, / And day and night / Shall not cease.’

God will keep His covenant with man. The earth will still know night and day, but she will be darkened under a black cloud that will bring humanity deep depression and unspeakable emotional torment.”

Hal Lindsey in Apocalypse Code further adds, “The impact of this upon the agriculture is beyond accurate calculation at this time, but it will be enormously destructive. Most of the farming on earth will be devastated. Millions will die of the ensuing famine.” He further maintains that, in addition to this, earth’s temperatures will be colder and people will experience lower immunity to disease as a result of the breakdown of sanitation resulting in an outbreak of many super strains of infectious deceases. Mr. Lindsey concludes, “The impact of all these enormous tragedies in such a short space of time upon mankind’s emotional stability will be unimaginable. Hundreds of thousands will suffer complete mental breakdowns. Only those who turn in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ will be enabled to cope with such soul-wrenching tragedy. Virtually every individual and every family will suffer the loss of loved ones under horrific circumstances.”

At this point we have seen a total of four trumpet-judgments. One cannot imagine how more horror can come to earth, yet the worst is to come.

Revelation 8:13
As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in midair call out in a loud voice: "Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!"

The King James Version of the Bible in this verse has the word “angel” instead of “eagle,” but many translations subsequent to the KJV have “eagle.” Whatever the case, this creature that is flying in midair proclaims with a loud voice “Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth.” This portends the especially grievous nature of the last three trumpets. In fact, we are informed specifically that the first two “woes” coincide with the fifth and sixth trumpet-judgments. The last “woe” then represents the last trumpet-judgment, which are all the seven bowl judgments soon to follow.

Whereas the first four trumpet-judgments are directed upon earth’s environment, the last three will be directed against mankind. Some Bible scholars suggest that the phrase “inhabitants of the earth” designates a specific class of people, i.e., those who have purposely rejected Christ regardless of God’s mercy, revelation and love. They maintain that this suggests that the darkest days of God’s judgment will now woefully fall upon only these degenerate, ungrateful and arrogant Christ-rejecters. This may be the case should one assume that God’s direction in 9:4, to withhold harm from those who have the seal of God on their foreheads, that He would also withhold harm from those who have been sealed by God’s Holy Spirit upon their acceptance of Christ as their personal Savior.

It may also be noted that the first bowl-judgment (16:2) is directed specifically at those who had the mark of the beast and worshipped his image. Of course the bowl-judgments arguably take place after the mid-point of the Tribulation, and this may be when all who are left on the face of the earth are so hardened that they will all have the “mark of the beast” and, regardless of their suffering, never repent and turn to Christ. If this is the case, this interpretation may coincide with 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12, whereby and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. There will be more on this “powerful delusion” later in this commentary.