Rev. David Holwick
Study Notes
October 4, 1991
Revelation 8
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Commentators: x Beasely-Murray (BM) Lindsey (Lind)
x Johnson (Jo)
I. After a long interlude, the opening of the last seal is resumed.
A. Silence in heaven. 8:1
1) Awesome silence before the storm of God's wrath.
2) A return to the stillness which existed just before creation. [Rissi)
a) But would be more appropriate at end of chapter 20. [BM]
3) Silence in order to hear prayers. [BM,Charles,Jo]
a) Jewish rabbis said the praising angels were silent by day
so God could hear Israel's praises. [Jo]
b) John has silence so God can hear cries for vengeance. 6:10
c) "Although individuals are limited in what they can do to change the course of
history, we can pray to him who has almighty power, and it would seem God
has willed that the prayers of his people should be part of the process by
which the Kingdom comes." (BM)
B. Angels prepare to sound the trumpets.
1) Only seals are said to be opened by the Lamb.
2) 1 Enoch gives the names of seven angels. [Jo]
a) Jewish thought connected prayers of saints with archangels. [Jo]
C. Golden censor.
1) Symbolically represents the answer to the prayers of the saints through the
visitation of judgment.
2) God then appears on earth in a theophany.
a) Language is reminiscent of Sinai. Exod 19:16-19; Rev 4:5; 11:19; 16:18
II. First six trumpets.
A. Main questions:
1) What is the relationship of the trumpets to the preceding seals and following
bowls? [Jo]
a) They are sequential or successive.
1> The first five seals seem to precede the events of the trumpets and bowls.
[Jo]
2> Sequential factors: [Jo]
A> There is a rise in the intensity of the judgments.
B> There is a difference in sequence and content of the events in each series.
C> The reference to those not sealed in 9:4 (fifth trumpet) presupposes the
sealing of 7:1-8.
D> The statement in 8:1-2 implies a sequence between seals and trumpets.
E> The bowl judments are directly called the "last plagues" because with them
God's wrath is "completed" (15:1), indicating the prior trumpet judgments.
b) They are parallel and simultaneous.
1> Parallel factors: [Jo]
A> The sixth-seventh seal, the seventh trumpet and the seventh bowl all seem to
describe events associated with the second coming of Christ.
1: This may imply each event in each series is parallel.
a: The text seems to demand some type of sequential understanding so a complete
parallelism is unlikely.
2: Another possibility is partial recapitulation or overlap in the three series.
B> Main question: Are the events under the sixth-seventh seal, seventh trumpet,
and seventh bowl identical or merely similar and thus not parallel?
1: Relevant points:
a: The sixth seal brings us into the period of God's wrath on the beast
worshippers, but does not go beyond that event to the second coming.
b: The seventh seal introduces the trumpets, and the seventh trumpet seems to
bring us into the kingdom of Christ (11:15-18).
c: The seventh bowl also brings us to the consummation and return of Christ.
2: Are the three series parallel in their last events, or are only the last
trumpet and last bowl parallel?
a: Parallel in last events. [Davis(Jo)]
b: Parallel only in last trumpet and bowl. [Ladd,Mounce]
I. The third woe (9:12; 11:14) is never fulfilled by the seventh trumpet, unless
the content of the seventh trumpet is the seven bowls.
II. This would imply limited recapitulation or overlap, what can be called the
"telescopic" view. [Jo]
A. Note that interludes come between the 6th and seventh seal and the sixth and
seventh trumpet, but not between the sixth and seventh bowls. This would be
expected if they were strictly parallel. [Jo]
2) Are the events described symbolic or more literal?
a) The critical question is not symbolic vs. literal, but what did John intend?
[Jo]
b) Some points are certainly symbolic. [Jo]
1> 200,000,000 horsemen in 9:16-19.
2> Speaking eagle in 8:13.
B. Literary pattern of trumpets.
1) First four are separated from last three (just as in seals).
2) Last three are called "woes" and recall the plagues in Egypt.
a) John even quotes in 15:3 from the Song of Moses (Exod 15:1-18).
b) However, the parallelism is not carried out exactly.
III. Details of passage.
A. Trumpets.
1) Jews used "shofars" for signaling: war, danger, peace, seasons, worship.
a) At Mount Sinai, the trumpet blast signaled the majestic presence of God before
the people. Exod 19:11 ff [BM]
2) They are commonly used as a prophetic symbol.
a) Old Testament: Isa 27:13; Joel 2:1,15; Zeph 1:16
b) New Testament: Matt 24:3; 1 Cor 15:52; 1 Thess 4:16
B. First trumpet. 8:7
1) Hail and fire recall fourth Egyptian plague. Exod 9:23-26
a) "Mixed with blood" suggests added intensity. cf Ezek 38:22; Joel 2:30
2) All grass burned up.
a) Yet in 9:4 the locusts are told not to harm the grass.
b) Shows fluid nature of his imagery. [BM]
1> In chapter 8, nature's judgment is in view.
2> In chapter 9, humanity's judgment is in view.
C. Second trumpet. 8:8-9
1) Blazing mass like a mountain thrown in sea.
2) Sea turns to blood, recalls first plague. Exod 7:20-21; cf Zeph 1:3
D. Third trumpet. 8:10-11
1) Also alludes to first Egyptian plague.
2) Fiery star falls on streams. "Wormwood"
3) Is star an angel as in 9:1 and 1:20?
4) First reference in plagues to loss of human life.
E. Fourth trumpet. 8:12
1) Partial darkness, recalls ninth plague. Exod 10:21-23
2) Unusual twist - one third of night and day is dark, instead of one third less
brilliance throughout. [BM]
F. Three "woes". Chapter 9
1) Two of woes are identified with the fifth and sixth trumpets. 9:12; 11:14
2) The seventh trumpet is probably the third woe. [Jo]
3) Flying eagle is probably symbolic. [Jo]
a) Same as living creatures? cf. 4:7
b) Some believe it should be translated "vulture" as in Luke 17:37. [Caird]
4) "Inhabitants of the earth" are beast worshippers.
G. Fifth trumpet, first woe. 9:1-12
1) Fifth and sixth get twice the space as the previous four.
2) Locusts from the Abyss.
a) Star with key.
1> Probably symbolic for an angelic being. [Jo]
2> Probably an evil being, since "was given" is the standard way to say an evil
power is allowed to do something with God's permission. [BM]
3> 8:11 reinforces this and names the angel "Abaddon". cf. also 20:1
b) Abyss.
1> Place where beast arises. 11:7; 17:8
2> A prison in the underworld for certain demons. Luke 8:31; cf 2 Pet 2:4;
Jude 6
3> The realm of the dead. Rom 10:7
c) Locusts. Joel 1:6; 2:4-10
1> Vision of modern military weapons? [Lindsey]
2> Not ordinary insects:
A> They sting like scorpions. 8:3,5,10
B> They do not eat grass. 8:4
C> They resemble humans.
3> Since they harm only beast worshipers, they seem to be demonic forces. [Jo]
A> Five months of agony.
1: Actual lifespan of locusts. [Charles]
2: May just mean a long period of time. Compare Gen 7:24 [BM]
B> So severe, victims will seek death.
d) Abaddon.
1> Giving name in Greek and Hebrew is peculiar to the gospel of John and
Revelation. [Jo]
H. Sixth trumpet, second woe. 8:13-19
1) River Euphrates.
a) Israel's enemies traditionally came from here. Jer 2:18; 51:63
1> It was Israel's eastern extremity. Gen 15:18
b) God's timing is not accidental but deliberate.
2) 200,000,000 horsemen.
a) Literal. [Lind,Walv]
1> China claimed a 200,000,000 man militia in the 1960's.
b) Symbolic. [(most),Jo]
1> The horses are the instrument of death and are more important than the riders.
2> The horses' tails are able to kill (unlike the locusts).
3> Such a large army would seem impossible to supply and move. [Gen. Harrison]
4> They are most likely demonic forces. [Jo]
A> Angelic forces are sometimes described with such large numbers. Ps 68:17;
Rev 5:11; cf 2 Kings 2:11-12; 6:17
B> Human armies and natural "plagues" could also be involved. Rev 8:18,20
3) God's twofold purpose in the judgments. [Jo]
a) Judgment for willful idolatry. 8:20-21
1> These verses show the end result of refusing to turn to God.
cf. Rev 2:5,16,21-22; 3:19
2> Twofold evil of idol worship: [Jo]
A> God is robbed of his true glory. Rom 1:23
B> It leads to consorting with evil spirits.
3> Demonic corruption leads to sin.
A> In general, violations of the 10 Commandments are listed.
b) To bring society to repentance. Rev 8 & 9; cf 16:9,11
1> God is not willing that any should perish. Luke 13:3,5; 2 Pet 3:9
2> But when God is persistently rejected, only judgment remains. Eph 5:6; Heb
10:26-21
I. (Seventh trumpet, coming of Kingdom.) Rev 10:7; 11:15
1) The final trumpet leads to a scene similar to that of chapter 5 and which
virtually signifies the coronation of God and the Lamb.
2) The trumpets, therefore, end in joy.
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