And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast [it] into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
5. and cast it ] Probably cast the censer full of burning coals, but possibly only “scattered the fire,” as Num 16:37. The meaning must be, to represent the same instrument as obtaining God’s mercy on His people, and executing His vengeance on His enemies: cf. Eze 10:2.
there were voices, &c.] “Voices” and “thunders” should be transposed. We have similar signs in Rev 11:19, Rev 16:18, when the series of the seven trumpets and the seven vials respectively are ended: hence perhaps it is here rather than earlier that we are to look for the conclusion of the visions of the seven seals.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And the angel took the censer – Rev 8:3. This is a new symbol, designed to furnish a new representation of future events. By the former it had been shown that there would be much prayer offered; by this it is designed to show that, notwithstanding the prayer that would be offered, great and fearful calamities would come upon the earth. This is symbolized by casting the censer upon the earth, as if the prayers were not heard any longer, or as if prayer were now in vain.
And filled it with fire of the altar – An image similar to this occurs in Eze 10:2, where the man clothed in linen is commanded to go between the wheels under the cherub, and fill his hands with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and to scatter them over the city as a symbol of its destruction. Here the coals are taken, evidently, from the altar of sacrifice. Compare the notes on Isa 6:1. On these coals no incense was placed, but they were thrown at once to the earth. The new emblem, therefore, is the taking of coals, and scattering them abroad as a symbol of the destruction that was about to ensue.
And cast it into the earth – Margin, upon. The margin expresses undoubtedly the meaning. The symbol, therefore, properly denoted that fearful calamities were about to come upon the earth. Even the prayers of saints did not prevail to turn them away, and now the symbol of the scattered coals indicated that terrible judgments were about to come upon the world.
And there were voices – Sounds, noises. See the notes on Rev 4:5. The order is not the same here as there, but lightnings, thunderings, and voices are mentioned in both.
And an earthquake – Rev 6:12. This is a symbol of commotion. It is not necessary to look for a literal fulfillment of it, anymore than it is for literal voices, lightnings, or thunderings.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 5. Cast it into the earth] That is, upon the land of Judea; intimating the judgments and desolations which were now coming upon it, and which appear to be farther opened in the sounding of the seven trumpets.
There were voices] All these seem to point out the confusion, commotions, distresses, and miseries, which were coming upon these people in the wars which were at hand.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I doubt not but by fire here, is to be understood the wrath of God, often in holy writ compared to fire, poured out upon the Roman empire, or the visible church. Upon which followed great judgments, and confusions, and tumults, expressed here, or ushered in, as before, Rev 6:1, with
thunderings; which being here more generally mentioned, are by and by more particularly expressed.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. cast it into the earththatis, unto the earth: the hot coals off the altar cast on theearth, symbolize God’s fiery judgments about to descend on theChurch’s foes in answer to the saints’ incense-perfumed prayers whichhave just ascended before God, and those of the martyrs. Howmarvellous the power of the saints’ prayers!
there were“theretook place,” or “ensued.”
voices, and thunderings, andlightningsB places the “voices” after “thunderings.”A places it after “lightnings.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the angel took the censer,…. The golden one before mentioned, the use of which was to take and carry in it burning coals of fire:
and filled it with fire of the altar; of burnt offering, for upon that, and not upon the altar of incense, fire was; the allusion is to the priest
“that was worthy to use a censer e; who took a silver censer, and went to the top of the altar (of burnt offering), and having removed the coals there, and there took them in his censer, and went down and emptied them into a golden one, and there was scattered from it about a kab of coals;”
for the golden one held a kab less than the silver one f;
and cast [it] into the earth: the Roman empire: by “fire” some understand the Spirit of God, and his gifts and graces, which sat upon the apostles as cloven tongues of fire on the day of Pentecost; and which they suppose were now plentifully bestowed on the ministers of the word, to enlighten them, inspire them with zeal, and abundantly fit them for the work of the ministry, in consequence of Christ’s mediation and intercession: and others think the Gospel is intended, which is sometimes compared to fire, Jer 20:9, or else those contentions and quarrels which, through the corruptions of men, arise on account of the Gospel, Lu 12:49; though rather by fire here are meant the judgments of God, and his wrath and fury poured forth like fire upon the Roman empire, now become Christian; and so was an emblem of those calamities coming upon it at the sounding of the trumpets; and shows that as Christ prays and intercedes for his, own people, for their comfort and safety, so he will bring down, his judgments upon his and their enemies; see Eze 10:2; and the Targum on it:
and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake; which may be understood either of the nature, use, and effects of the Gospel, speaking to the hearts of men by the sons of thunder, enlightening their minds, and shaking their consciences; the like were at the giving of the law, Ex 19:16; or rather of those terrors, distresses, and commotions in the world, because of God’s righteous judgments, and which particularly will be at the sound of the seventh trumpet, and the pouring out of the seventh vial, Re 11:15; the allusion is to the sounds that were heard at the time of the daily sacrifice; for besides the blowing of the trumpets by the priests, and the singing of the Levites, of which [See comments on Re 8:2]; there was a musical instrument called
, “magrephah” g, which being sounded, a man could not hear another speak in Jerusalem: yea, they say it was heard as far as Jericho.
e Misn. Tamid. c. 5. sect. 5. f Vid. Misn. Yoma, c. 4. sect. 4. g Misn. Tamid. c. 5. sect. 6. & 3. 8.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Taketh (). Vivid dramatic perfect active indicative of as in 5:7, “has taken.” The angel had apparently ]aid aside the censer. Hardly merely the pleonastic use of (Joh 19:23). John pictures the scene for us.
Filled (). He drops back to the narrative use of the first aorist active indicative of .
With the fire ( ), live coals from the altar (cf. Isa 6:6).
Cast (). Second aorist active indicative of . See Ge 19:24 (Sodom); Eze 10:2 and Christ’s bold metaphor in Lu 12:49. See this use of also in Rev 8:7; Rev 12:4; Rev 12:9; Rev 12:13; Rev 14:19.
Followed (). Came to pass naturally after the casting of fire on the earth. Same three elements in 4:5, but in different order (lightnings, voices, thunders), lightning naturally preceding thunder as some MSS. have it here. Perhaps , the voices of the storm (wind, etc.).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Took [] . Lit., hath taken. So Rev., in margin.
With the fire [ ] . Lit., “from or out off the fire,” i e., the coals or hot ashes. For ejk out off see on chapter Rev 2:7.
Cast it into the earth. See Eze 10:2; Luk 12:49.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And the angel took the censer,” (kai eilephen ho angelos libanoton) “And the angel has taken (took) the censer,” the golden censer which had been given to him with much incense, to offer with prayers of the saints to those crying, “how long, 0, Lord?” 6:9-11.
2) “And filled it with fire of the altar,” (kai egemisen auton ek tou puros tou thusiasteriou) “And filled it out of (from) the fire of the altar; Where the perpetual fire was kept burning as a symbol of cleansing or purification from sin, impurity, and putrefaction, Exo 30:8-9.
3) “And cast it into the earth,” (kai ebalen eis ten gen) “And cast, threw, or tossed it into the earth; – the purging altar fire, the sweet, fragrant incense enflaming fire from the prayers of saints was answered by an outpouring of long waiting judgment upon rebellious men, Rom 2:4-9.
4) “And there were:– (kai egenonto) “And there occurred,” came to be, appeared to my sight and sound, as heaven was moved by prayers of the saints, Act 4:31.
a) “voices,” (phonai) voices, perhaps those formerly heard crying “let the rocks and mountains fall on us,” Rev 6:14-17.
b) “and thunderings,” (kai brontai) “and thunders,” indicating divine anger against a Christ rejecting world as calamity falls, Pro 1:22-30.
c) “And lightnings,” (kai astrapai) “And lightnings;” as surely as sinners reject God until it is too late, judgment thunders shall roll, lightning shall flash, and judgment verdicts shall be rendered for every man Heb 9:27; Act 17:31.
d) “And an earthquake,” (kai seismos) “And an earthquake,” an earthly upheaval; Rev 11:13-19; Rev 16:18.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(5) And the angel . . .Translate, And the angel has taken (or, took) the censer, and he filled it from the fire of the altar, and cast it (i.e., the fire or hot ashes which filled the censer) upon the earth. The prayers have gone up, and the sprinkling of the ashes earthward is the symbol of the answer descending from heaven. We may recall the similar action of Moses before Pharaoh, when he took ashes of the furnace and sprinkled it towards heaven, but it descended towards earth, as a symbol of the plague about to fall upon the land (Exo. 9:8-10). The hot ashes are the tokens of the coming judgments. As in the parallel vision in Ezekiel (Eze. 10:2), when the man clothed with linen is bidden to go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill his hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the doomed city; so here the ashes fallthe judgments are at hand
And there were voices . . .Or, And there took place thunders, and voices, and lightnings, and an earthquake. There is some variety among the MSS. in the order of the words here used. Some place lightnings before voices. These signs and sounds herald the approach of judgments. God has arisen in answer to the cry of His people. The earth shook and trembled. There went up a smoke and a fire: coals were kindled at it. At the brightness that was before Him His thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire. The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave His voice, hailstones and coals of fire. Yea, He sent out His arrows, and scattered them: He shot out lightnings and discomfited them . . . He delivered me from my strong enemy (Psa. 18:4-19). It is a solemn thought that we may send up prayers, and the answer may come down a judgment; for often it is only through judgment that true loving-kindness can make her way.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. The censer has now been emptied of its incense. The angel then fills it with altar-fire, and flings the fire upon the earth, and terrible detonations arise. A most striking symbol. But we do not agree with Hengstenberg and Alford, that these vengeful voices and the judgments that follow are consequences of the prayers of all the saints. No. Save the martyrs’ cry for justice, the ascending prayer of the universal Church is for the world’s conversion, reformation, salvation. But on the contrary there is the terrible fire the reverse of the incense the ordinary Scripture symbol of divine wrath. And this emblem of wrath, fire, will, as will soon appear, be found in three if not in all four of the judgments of the four creational trumpets. In each appears, as it were, a coal from the angel’s censer. Yet this fire is more deeply the symbol of divine purity, indicating on the one side its purifying power in the believer, and on the other side its condemnatory and consuming power upon the profane. The earth, in its now fallen state, is, as it were, impregnated with sin, and when the fire of divine purity is cast upon it, then, as when two opposite chemical elements come together, a terrible explosion results. The incense of saintly prayer goes up to heaven; the fire of divine wrath is cast down upon the earth.
Voices earthquake The creational four in something of climax. These are but monitions of judgments soon to be realized.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
Ver. 5. And filled it with the fire of the altar ] Fire, in token of fierce indignation, and from the altar; for Christ came to send fire on the earth, Luk 12:49 ; fire and sword, Mat 12:34 ; through men’s singular corruption and obstinace in not stooping to the sceptre of this kingdom. Hence fire and brimstone, storm and tempest, a fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries, Heb 10:27 . From the same altar, Christ, prayers go up, vengeance comes down.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
5 .] And the angel took (it is quite impossible to maintain a perfect sense: an aorist ( ) is indeed coupled to ) the censer (after having used it as above, i. e. shaken from it the incense on the altar) and filled it (while the smoke was ascending) from the fire of the altar (i. e. from the ashes which were on the altar), and cast it (i. e. the fire with which the censer was filled: the hot ashes) towards the earth (to signify that the answer to the prayers was about to descend in the fire of God’s vengeance: see below, and compare Ezekiel in ref.): and there took place thunders and voices and lightnings and an earthquake (“per orationes sanctorum,” says Corn.-a-lap., “ precantium vindictam de impiis suisque persecutoribus, ignis vindict, i. e. tonitrua, fulgura et plag sequentes vii. angelorum et tubarum in impios sunt demissa.” All these immediate consequences of the casting down of the hot ashes on the earth are the symbolic precursors of the divine judgments about to be inflicted).
One point must here be noticed: the intimate connexion between the act of this incense-offering angel and the seven trumpets which follow. It belongs to them all: it takes place when now the seven angels have had their trumpets given them, and this series of visions is introduced. So that every interpretation must take this into account: remembering that the judgments which follow are answers to the prayers of the saints, and are inflicted on the enemies of the church.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Rev 8:5 . The censer, having offered incense to heaven, is now used to hurl fire upon the earth (adopted from Eze 10:2-7 ; cf. Lev 16:12 ). As at the close of the trumpets (Rev 11:19 ) and the bowls (Rev 16:18 ), physical disturbances here accompany the manifestation of God’s wrath and judgment. In answer to the prayers and longings of the saints (Renan, 393), God at last visits the impenitent pagan world with a series of catastrophes (Rev 8:8-9 ., cf. Rev 9:4 ), which herald the end and also give (though in vain, Rev 9:20-21 ) an opportunity for repentance.
Note on Rev 8:3-5 . This episode (in dumb show) of angel and incense, though apparently isolated, is an overture for the series of judgments, of which the successive trumpet-blasts are precursors. The prayers of all the saints, which, like those of the martyrs in Rev 6:10 , crave punishment upon God’s enemies throughout the earth, are supported and reinforced by the ministry of this angel, and answered at once by the succession of incidents beginning with Rev 8:5 . This object of Christian prayers, i.e. , the final crisis, when Christ returns to crush his enemies and inaugurate his reign, pervaded early Christianity as a whole. At special periods of intolerable persecution, it assumed under the stress of antagonism as here a more sensuous and plastic form than the ordinary consciousness of the church would have been usually disposed to cherish; yet the common prayer of the church in any case was for the speedy end of the world ( Did. x.). In Apoc. Mos. (tr. Conybeare, Jewish Quart. Rev. , 1895, 216 235) 33, when the angels intercede for Adam at his ascension to heaven, they take golden censers and offer incense; whereupon smoke overshadows the very firmament. The intercession of angels on behalf of the saints, a result of their function as guardians, goes back to post-exilic Judaism with its inarticulated conception of the angels as helpful to mankind (Job 5:1 ; Job 33:23 ; Zec 1:12 ); subsequently the idea developed into a belief that the prayers of the pious won special efficacy as they were presented to God by angels such as Gabriel, Raphael, Michael, or the seven archangels ( cf. Tobit, loc. cit. ; Slav. En. vii. 5; En. ix. 2 11, xv. 2, xl. 6, xlvii. 2, xcix. 3, 16, civ. 1). In Christianity this rle was naturally absorbed by Christ, who alone ratified and inspired his people’s supplications. But the old belief evidently lingered in pious circles of Jewish Christianity ( cf. Test. Lev 3:5 ), side by side with a complete acceptance of Christ’s heavenly function. The latter did not immediately or universally wither up such survivals of the older faith; popular religion tended then as now to be wider at several points than its theoretical principles (as in Origen, Cels. Rev 8:4 ; and Tertull. de Orat. xii.). Plato, in Sympos. 202 E., makes the present men’s prayers and offerings to the gods, and mediate the latter’s commands and recompence to men ( cf. Philo, de Somniis , i. 22, and on i. 1). See further Rev 17:1 , Rev 21:9 , for a similar state of matters in primitive Christianity with regard to the corresponding function of Jewish angels as intermediaries of revelation.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
And. The seven “ands” give an instance of Figure of speech Polysyndeton. App-6.
filled. Greek. gemizo. Here and Rev 15:8.
into. App-104.
earth. App-129.
earthquake. See Rev 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 (Rev 8:7, Rev 8:11, Rev 8:14) and the seven vials (Rev 16:1, Rev 16:18, Rev 16:21). The seventh seal thus embraces the period of both trumpets and vials (Rev 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 (Rev 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; Exo 34:10. Deu 28:10. Isa 11:15, Isa 11:16. Mic 7:13-15.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
5.] And the angel took (it is quite impossible to maintain a perfect sense: an aorist () is indeed coupled to ) the censer (after having used it as above, i. e. shaken from it the incense on the altar) and filled it (while the smoke was ascending) from the fire of the altar (i. e. from the ashes which were on the altar), and cast it (i. e. the fire with which the censer was filled: the hot ashes) towards the earth (to signify that the answer to the prayers was about to descend in the fire of Gods vengeance: see below, and compare Ezekiel in ref.): and there took place thunders and voices and lightnings and an earthquake (per orationes sanctorum, says Corn.-a-lap., precantium vindictam de impiis suisque persecutoribus, ignis vindict, i. e. tonitrua, fulgura et plag sequentes vii. angelorum et tubarum in impios sunt demissa. All these immediate consequences of the casting down of the hot ashes on the earth are the symbolic precursors of the divine judgments about to be inflicted).
One point must here be noticed: the intimate connexion between the act of this incense-offering angel and the seven trumpets which follow. It belongs to them all: it takes place when now the seven angels have had their trumpets given them, and this series of visions is introduced. So that every interpretation must take this into account: remembering that the judgments which follow are answers to the prayers of the saints, and are inflicted on the enemies of the church.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
angel
(See Scofield “Heb 1:4”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
and filled: Rev 16:1-21, Isa 66:6, Isa 66:14-16, Jer 51:11, Eze 10:2-7, Luk 12:49
into: or, upon
and there: Rev 4:5, Rev 11:19, Rev 16:18, 2Sa 22:7-9, Psa 18:13, Isa 30:30, Heb 12:18, Heb 12:19
an: Rev 11:13, Rev 11:19, 1Ki 19:11, Isa 29:6, Zec 14:5, Mat 24:7, Mat 27:52-54, Act 4:31, Act 16:26
Reciprocal: Exo 19:16 – thunders Psa 29:3 – thundereth Hag 2:6 – and I Joh 12:29 – thundered Rev 6:12 – there Rev 10:3 – seven Rev 19:6 – and as the voice of mighty
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Rev 8:5. Filled it with fire off the altar. In the Mosaic system the priest obtained the fire from the brazen altar with which to burn the incense. The angel followed the same pattern in the symbolical performance, except that after having used some fire for the burning of incense before the golden altar, he got some more fire which he put in the censer (a portable fumigator) and cast it into the earth. This aroused voices like the sound of thun-derings which were the complaints of the foes of truth at the prospect of God’s judgment about to come upon them. So mighty and widespread were these murmurings that John likened them to an earthquake.
Rev 8:6. The half hour silence is about to end and the four winds are about to be released; the first four angels with trumpets are about to sound.
Comments by Foy E. Wallace
Verses 5-6.
“The angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, thunderings, lightnings and an earthquake”–Rev 8:5.
The same fire that consumed the incense would speedily destroy the enemies of the saints, and the apostate city of Jerusalem, and the temple of Judaism. The fire-filled censer was cast into the earth.
As previously shown “the earth” signified the place of the persecuting powers. The censer filled with the fire of the altar was “cast into the earth” as an act to cause explosion –and the result was symbolized by voices, thunderings, lightning and an earthquake. This was the fourfold sign of the judgments ready to come, gathering as a storm approaches with thunderings, and the earthquake signified the shaking of persecuting powers. The four angels and four trumpets were four signs that these events were about to break in fury.
“And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound”–Rev 8:6.
The procession of events was ready to begin.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Rev 8:5. The angel filled the censer with the fire of the altar, and cast it upon the earth. For the thought of filling comp. Joh 2:7; Joh 19:29; Joh 21:11. For the Nemesis so characteristic of St. John, observe that the sufferings which had been spoken of, endured at the hands of the earth, return in judgment upon the earth (comp. chap. Rev 6:4-8). The peculiar tense of the verb hath taken is in all probability employed in order to bring out the fact that the censer had never been laid aside by the angel from the moment when he first took it into his hand (comp. on chap. Rev 7:14). The thunders and voices and lightnings and earthquake which are next spoken of are the appropriate accompaniments of judgment.
Before passing from these verses, one important question connected with them ought to be noticed, from its bearing on the general character of the Apocalypse. Of what nature are the prayers referred to? They have been sometimes described as prayers for the salvation of the world, at other times as prayers for mercy to such as will receive mercy, for judgment on the impenitent and hardened. Both views are out of keeping with the context. Let us compare the fact, noticed in Rev 8:5, that the angel took the golden censer and filled it with fire of the altar and cast it into the earth, with the two facts mentioned in Rev 8:3, that the golden censer there spoken of is the one out of which the angel had just caused the smoke to go up with the prayers of all the saints before God, and that the fire is taken from the golden altar upon which these prayers had just been offered, and we shall feel that it is impossible to accept either interpretation. There is no thought of mercy for the world. The prayers are for judgment only. They are prayers that God will vindicate His own cause, and they are answered by Him who, when His people cry to Him, will arise to judgment. To a similar effect is the cry of the souls under the altar in chap. Rev 6:10; and, when judgments are poured out, all the hosts of heaven behold in them the brightest manifestation of Gods glory (chap. Rev 19:1-2; comp. chap. Rev 11:17-18). Yet it would be a grievous mistake to see in passages such as these any desire for personal vengeance on the part of the righteous, any want of that compassion which longs for the salvation of the whole world. They express only that longing for the reign of perfect truth and holiness which is one of the most essential constituents of love, whether in God or man.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
The angel now takes coals from the altar where he had just offered the prayers and incense and pours them upon the earth. God has heard the prayers of his saints and has the angel pour out this fiery, judgment on the earth, here evidently wicked mankind. We have seen thunderings and lightnings before, to which is now added an earthquake. ( Rev 4:5 ; Isa 29:6 ; Joe 3:16 ) Trumpets were used in battle to sound commands or to give warnings, which would seem to be the sense here. ( Amo 3:6 ; Hos 5:8 ; Joe 2:1 ; Eze 33:3-4 )
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
5. Thunders, voices, and earthquakes all vividly symbolize the mighty agencies employed by Omnipotent Jehovah in the execution of these terrible castigatory judgments.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Then the angel took coals from the altar, placed them in his censer, and threw them out onto the earth. These coals of fire, symbolic of judgment, produced symbols of catastrophe: thunder, lightning, and earthquake (cf. Eze 10:2-7). The censer thus became a symbolic instrument of judgment in response to prayer.