Revelation 8:3-13

3 and another messenger did come, and he stood at the altar, having a golden censer, and there was given to him much perfume, that he may give [it] to the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar that [is] before the throne,

4 and go up did the smoke of the perfumes to the prayers of the saints out of the hand of the messenger, before God;

5 and the messenger took the censer, and did fill it out of the fire of the altar, and did cast [it] to the earth, and there came voices, and thunders, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

6 And the seven messengers who are having the seven trumpets did prepare themselves that they may sound;

7 and the first messenger did sound, and there came hail and fire, mingled with blood, and it was cast to the land, and the third of the trees was burnt up, and all the green grass was burnt up.

8 And the second messenger did sound, and as it were a great mountain with fire burning was cast into the sea, and the third of the sea became blood,

9 and die did the third of the creatures that [are] in the sea, those having life, and the third of the ships were destroyed.

10 And the third messenger did sound, and there fell out of the heaven a great star, burning as a lamp, and it did fall upon the third of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters,

11 and the name of the star is called Wormwood, and the third of the waters doth become wormwood, and many of the men did die of the waters, because they were made bitter.

12 And the fourth messenger did sound, and smitten was the third of the sun, and the third of the moon, and the third of the stars, that darkened may be the third of them, and that the day may not shine -- the third of it, and the night in like manner.

13 And I saw, and I heard one messenger, flying in the mid-heaven, saying with a great voice, `Wo, wo, wo, to those dwelling upon the land from the rest of the voices of the trumpet of the three messengers who are about to sound.'

Revelation 8:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 8

This chapter contains the opening of the seventh seal, and the things that followed on it, and particularly the sounding of the first four trumpets. Upon the opening of the seventh seal there was silence in heaven for half an hour, Re 8:1; then follows a vision of seven angels, who stood before God, and had seven trumpets given to them, Re 8:2; then of another angel, described by his position, standing at the altar; by his having a golden censer, and by much incense being given him, the end of which was to offer up the prayers of all saints, which with it went up to God, and were acceptable to him; and by filling his censer with the fire of the altar, and casting it to the earth; the effects of which were voices, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake, Re 8:3-5, after which the seven angels prepare to sound their trumpets, Re 8:6; the first blows his, which brings hail and fire, mingled with blood, upon the earth, which burns up the third part of trees and all green grass, Re 8:7; the second blows, upon which a burning mountain is cast into the sea, and a third part of it becomes blood, a third part of the creatures in it die, and a third part of the ships upon it are destroyed, Re 8:8,9; the third angel blows; upon which a star, like a burning lamp, falls upon the third part of rivers and fountains, whose name is Wormwood, and embitters them, so that many men die of them, Re 8:10,11; the fourth angel blows, and the third part of the sun, moon, and stars, is smitten, and becomes dark, so that there is no light for a third part of the day and night, Re 8:12; and the chapter is concluded with the vision of another angel flying through the midst of heaven, proclaiming three times woe to the inhabitants of the earth, on account of what would be uttered by the three following angels, who were yet to blow their trumpets, Re 8:13.