King James Version
Revelation 8
13 verses with commentary
The Seventh Seal and Golden Censer
And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seventh seal and first four trumpets - escalating judgments, angelic ministry employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. The Greek text uses vivid apocalyptic language characteristic of Jewish proph...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
**VIII.**
(1) **And when he had opened the seventh seal . .** .**—**Translate, *And when he opened the seventh seal there took place a silence in heaven as it were for half an hour.* It is greatly to be regretted that this verse should have been prefixed to this chapter. The section of the book with which it is connected is that which goes before, not that which follows. The second verse of this e...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**21. but because ye know it, and that, &c.--**Ye not only know what is the truth (concerning the Son and the Father, 1Jo 2:13), but also are able to detect a lie as a thing opposed to the truth. For right (a straight line) is the index of itself and of what is crooked [Estius]. The Greek is susceptible of Alford's translation, "Because ye know it, and because no lie is of the truth" (literall...
Read full commentary →And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
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<strong>And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seventh seal and first four trumpets - escalating judgments, angelic ministry employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. The Greek text uses vivid apocalyptic language characteristic of Jewish prophetic literat...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(2) THE VISIONS INTRODUCED BY THE SOUNDING OF SEVEN TRUMPETS.—The series of visions which is now introduced extend to the close of the eleventh chapter. There are some features which may be noticed here. There is a marked correspondence of arrangement between these and the visions of the seals. As there, so here, there are introduced two subordinate visions towards the end of the series. The sixth...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**22. a liar--**Greek, "Who is the liar?" namely, guilty of the lie just mentioned (1Jo 2:21).
**that Jesus is the Christ--**the grand central truth.
**He is Antichrist--**Greek, "the Antichrist"; not however here personal, but in the abstract; the ideal of Antichrist is "he that denieth the Father and the Son." To deny the latter is virtually to deny the former. Again, the truth as to the Son...
Read full commentary →And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. offer: or, add it to the prayers
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was...</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seventh seal and first four trumpets - escalating judgments, angelic ministry employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(3) **And another angel came and stood at **(or, *over*) **the altar, having a golden censer. **—The appearance of this other angel has given rise to some questioning, and some strained explanations. Some have thought that by this other angel we are to understand Christ Himself. This is very doubtful: the designation “another angel” (see Revelation 7:2) is against this view. There is really no nee...
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23. Greek, "Every one who denieth the Son, hath not the Father either" (1Jo 4:2, 3): "inasmuch as God hath given Himself to us wholly to be enjoyed in Christ" [Calvin].
**he--**that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. These words ought not to be in italics, as though they were not in the original: for the oldest Greek manuscripts have them.
**hath--**namely, in his abiding possession a...
Read full commentary →And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seventh seal and first four trumpets - escalating judgments, angelic ministry employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. The Greek text uses vivid apocalyptic language characteris...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(4) **And the smoke of . . .**—*Better, And there went up the smoke of the incense for (or to, i.e., designed for, and to give fragrance to) the prayers of the saints, out of the hand of the angel, before God.* The emblem of the rising column of smoke, in which incense and prayer now mingled, is the token that the prayers of the saints, now rendered acceptable, and no longer premature, are about t...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**24. Let that--**truth respecting the Father and the Son, regarded as a seed not merely dropped in, but having taken root (1Jo 3:9).
**ye--**in the Greek standing emphatically at the beginning of the sentence. YE, therefore, acknowledge the Son, and so shall ye have the Father also (1Jo 2:23).
**from the beginning--**from the time of your first hearing the Gospel.
**remain--**Translate as b...
Read full commentary →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. into: or, upon
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>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....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seventh seal and first four trumpets - escalating judgments, angelic ministry employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. The Gre...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(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, whe...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**25. this is the promise--**Eternal life shall be the permanent consummation of thus abiding in the Son and in the Father (1Jo 2:24).
**he--**Greek, "Himself," Christ, "the Son" (compare 1Jo 1:1).
**promised--**(Joh 3:15, 36; 6:40, 47, 57; 17:2, 3).
The First Four Trumpets
And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seventh seal and first four trumpets - escalating judgments, angelic ministry employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. The Greek text uses vivid apocalyptic language characteristic of Jewish prophetic literature, drawi...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(6) **And the seven angels . **. .—Translate, *And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves that they might sound.* The angels raised their trumpets to their mouths, ready to blow. The sounding of the trumpets introduced the series of startling events (or providences, as we sometimes call them) which serve to arrest men’s attention, and remind them that there is a kingdom wh...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**26. These things--**(1Jo 2:18-25).
**have I written--**resumed from 1Jo 2:21 and 1Jo 2:14.
**seduce you--**that is, are trying to seduce or lead you into error.
The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seventh seal and first four trumpets - escalating judgments, angelic ministry employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(7) **The first angel . . .**—Better, *And the first sounded, and there took place hail, and fire mingled in blood, and it was cast upon the earth; and the third part of the earth was burnt up, and the third part of the trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.* The reference to the Egyptian plagues is obvious: “There was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous . . . and th...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**27. But--**Greek, "And you (contrasting the believing readers with the seducers; the words 'and you' stand prominent, the construction of the sentence following being altered, and no verb agreeing with 'and you' until 'need not') ... the anointing," &c. (resumed from 1Jo 2:20).
**received of him--**(Joh 1:16). So we "are unto God a sweet savor of Christ."
**abideth in you--**He tacitly t...
Read full commentary →And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
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<strong>And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;...</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seventh seal and first four trumpets - escalating judgments, angelic ministry employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. The Greek text uses vivid apocal...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(8, 9) **And the second angel **. . .—Translate, *And the second angel sounded*, *and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea; and the third part of the sea became blood; and the third part of the creatures that were in the sea died, those which have lives; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.* The sea becoming blood reminds us again of the plagues in Egypt (...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**28. little children--**Greek, "little sons," as in 1Jo 2:12; believers of every stage and age.
**abide in him--**Christ. John repeats his monition with a loving appellation, as a father addressing dear children.
**when--**literally, "if"; the uncertainty is not as to the fact, but the time.
**appear--**Greek, "be manifested."
**we--**both writer and readers.
**ashamed before him--**lit...
Read full commentary →And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
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<strong>And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seventh seal and first four trumpets - escalating judgments, angelic ministry employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. The Greek text uses vivid apocalyptic language chara...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
29. The heading of the second division of the Epistle: "God is righteous; therefore, every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him." Love is the grand feature and principle of "righteousness" selected for discussion, 1Jo 2:29-3:3.
**If ye know ... ye know--**distinct Greek verbs: "if ye are aware (are in possession of the knowledge) ... ye discern or apprehend also that," &c. Ye are alre...
Read full commentary →And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;...</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seventh seal and first four trumpets - escalating judgments, angelic ministry employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. T...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(10) **And the third angel **. . .—Translate, *And the third angel sounded*, *and there fell out of the heaven a great star burning* (or, *kindled*—the light is not inherent, but borrowed) *as a torch* (or, *lamp*—same word as in Revelation 4:5), *and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the springs of the waters. *The flaming star seems to symbolise the fall of a potentate; the tru...
Read full commentary →And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
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<strong>And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seventh seal and first four trumpets - escalating judgments, angelic ministry employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. The Greek text uses ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(11) **And the name of the star **. . .—Translate, *And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many of mankind died from the waters, because they were embittered*. The bitter, nauseous plant known as wormwood (apsinthos) is used to represent troubles and calamities. In Jeremiah 9:15 we have an example of this: “Behold, I will feed them, even ...
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CHAPTER 3
1Jo 3:1-24. Distinguishing Marks of the Children of God and the Children of the Devil. Brotherly Love the Essence of True Righteousness.
**1. Behold--**calling attention, as to some wonderful exhibition, little as the world sees to admire. This verse is connected with the previous 1Jo 2:29, thus: All our doing of righteousness is a mere sign that God, of His matchless love, has adopt...
Read full commentary →And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
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<strong>And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone n...</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seventh seal and first four trumpets - escalating judgments, angelic ministry employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(12) **And the fourth angel . . .**—Translate, *And the fourth angel sounded, and there was smitten the third part of the sun*, *and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; that the third part of them might be darkened, and the day might not appear as to its third part, and the night in like manner.* The dimness which thus falls on the lights of heaven carries us back to the p...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**2. Beloved--**by the Father, and therefore by me.
**now--**in contrast to "not yet." We now already are really sons, though not recognized as such by the world, and (as the consequence) we look for the visible manifestation of our sonship, which not yet has taken place.
**doth not yet appear--**Greek, "it hath not yet ('at any time,' Greek aorist) been visibly manifested what we shall be"--w...
Read full commentary →And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!
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<strong>And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three a...</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seventh seal and first four trumpets - escalating judgments, angelic ministry employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
**INTRODUCTION TO THE LAST THREE, OR WOE, TRUMPETS. AN EAGLE UTTERS THE THREEFOLD WOE.**
(13) **And I beheld . . .**—Better, *And I saw, and I heard a single eagle* (not “angel,” as in English version) *flying in mid-heaven, saying with a mighty voice, Woe*, *woe, woe, to those that dwell upon the earth by reason of the remaining voices of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!* T...
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**3. this hope--**of being hereafter "like Him." Faith and love, as well as hope, occur in 1Jo 3:11, 23.
**in--**rather, "(resting) upon Him"; grounded on His promises.
**purifieth himself--**by Christ's Spirit in him (Joh 15:5, end). "Thou purifiest thyself, not of thyself, but of Him who comes that He may dwell in thee" [Augustine]. One's justification through faith is presupposed.
**as he...
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