ACC ~ Revelation 8 v1 - 6

OVERVIEW:

Just as Christ was crucified on the sixth day and rested on the seventh, the church will enjoy a rest after a period of great affliction (BEDE). The time before the appearance of the kingdom of Christ will be short, for the opening of the seventh seal indicates the dissolution of the earthly city (ANDREW OF CAESAREA) and the beginning of the eternal rest (TYCONIUS). Even though the second coming of Christ is unknown even to the angels (ANDREW OF CAESAREA), when he comes every supernatural power will be silent out of awe over the exceeding greatness of the glory of the king of creation (OECUMENIUS).

At his coming the purpose and intention of his incarnation will be accomplished, when the faithful become co-heirs with Christ and the possessors of perfect glory. The same trumpets that will raise the dead will also announce the coming of the heavenly king, for trumpets are used to signal great occasions (OECUMENIUS). This is the king about whom the church preached as though by a powerful trumpet (TYCONIUS). For made zealous by the Spirit, the church preached the word of power and cast down the pomp of the world and the kingdom of the antichrist as if they were the walls of Jericho (VICTORINUS, BEDE).

This glorious coming of the Lord was prepared by his first coming, when he offered his immaculate and sinless body upon the altar of the cross (TYCONIUS, BEDE). Just as the humanity of Christ was filled with the Holy Spirit like a censer filled with fire (BEDE), so also Christ filled the church, which is his body, with the Spirit so that she might fulfill the will of the Father (TYCONIUS, CAESARIUS OF ARLES). For this reason the church participates in Christ’s royal priesthood, for even as Christ takes the tearful prayers of the saints and brings them to God as an acceptable sacrifice, the saints make perfect the sacrifice of God by presenting their own bodies as a living sacrifice (TYCONIUS, BEDE). The prayers of the saints are rendered even more fragrant by the cooperation of the administering angels (OECUMENIUS). Every high priest is like such angels, for he carries the petitions of the people to God and brings down the blessings of God. The priestly character of the church is also revealed in the sacrifice of the martyrs, which they make upon the altar of Christ (ANDREW OF CAESAREA).

8:1 | Silence in Heaven

THE CHURCH IS CALLED “HEAVEN.” TYCONIUS: “In heaven” means in the church. The silence for half an hour shows the beginning of the eternal rest. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.1.

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST BRINGS UNSPEAKABLE BLESSINGS. OECUMENIUS: The loosing of the seventh seal effects the most perfect and complete glory for us. No longer is there as before the loosing of sin and our turning to God or God’s turning to us. Rather there is now the most unspeakable blessings: to be called “sons of God,” to be inheritors of God, to be co-heirs with Christ, to be brothers and friends and children of Christ, also to rule with him and to be glorified with him, and those blessings that “eye has not seen nor has ear heard nor has come into the heart of man.” And what is the loosing of the seventh seal? It is the second coming of Christ and the giving of blessings as rewards. For although some are handed over to the punishment of sinners, nonetheless it is the aim of Christ and the intention of the incarnation that everyone become an heir of his kingdom. Therefore, when the seventh seal was loosed, “there was,” it says, “silence for about half an hour,” since the king of creation was coming and every angelic and supernatural power, astounded at the exceeding greatness of the glory of him who was coming, for that reason became silent. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.1-2.

THE SECOND COMING UNKNOWN EVEN TO THE ANGELS. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: Often the number of seven is taken by this saint to correspond to this age and the sabbath rest of the saints. Therefore, also here at the loosing of the seventh seal, the dissolution of the earthly city is signified, the seven angels administering the torments against those people who are deserving of chastisement or punishment. The “silence” reveals the good order of the piety of the angels as well as the fact that the second coming of Christ is unknown even to angels. The “half hour” shows the shortness of time, for when the plagues come and the events of the consummation upon the earth are occurring, the kingdom of Christ will appear. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.1-2.

THE CHURCH WILL HAVE A BRIEF REST AFTER ANTICHRIST. BEDE: It is believed that after the destruction of the antichrist, there will be a short rest in the church. Daniel prophesied of this, “Blessed is he who waits and comes to the thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.” The blessed Jerome commented upon this passage [of Daniel]. “Blessed, he says, is he who when the antichrist is killed waits for the forty-five days beyond the thousand two hundred and ninety days, that is, three and a half years. For during them our Lord and Savior will come in his majesty. It is a matter of divine knowledge why there is silence for forty-five days after the death of the antichrist, unless we make the conjecture that the delay of the kingdom of the saints is a test of patience.” We should note that the greatest afflictions of the church are envisaged in the sixth period, while a rest is seen in the seventh. For the Lord was crucified on the sixth day, and he rested on the seventh, awaiting the time of the resurrection. EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 8.1.

8:2 | Seven Angels and Seven Trumpets

THE PREACHING OF THE CHURCH BRINGS EVERY AGE TO FAITH. TYCONIUS: In the seven angels we shall recognize again the church according to that rule that indicates that universality is often to be acknowledged in the number seven. [The church] is said to have received a most powerful trumpet of proclamation by which she is strong and by which, we believe, every age comes to faith. For we read, “Life up your voice like a trumpet.” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.2.

THE TRUMPETS RAISE THE DEAD AND SIGNAL THE COMING OF CHRIST. OECUMENIUS: And seven trumpets were given to the seven angels, so that they might sound the signal that the king was arriving. But the sound of these very trumpets will also awaken those who are dead. For, the apostle, who is wise in divine things, wrote in his first letter to the Thessalonians that “the Lord himself will descend at a command, at the call of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.” And again, “The trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible.” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.1-2.

8:3-4 | Incense Mingles with the Prayers of the Saints

CHRIST OFFERED HIS IMMACULATE BODY AS A SACRIFICE TO GOD. TYCONIUS: The seven angels received trumpets, and another [angel], it says, came. One might think that this one came after the seven angels, although he saw all of this at one time. As the angel was coming, those seven received their trumpets, that is, when Christ the Lord was coming, his church received the power to preach. And we understand that he himself came over the altar, that is, over the church, which is wholly assumed as the body of the same priesthood and to whom Peter said, “[You are] a holy nation, a chosen race, a royal priesthood.” He had a golden censer, which is his immaculate body that was conceived by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit and that he offered as an oblation and sweet-smelling sacrifice to God for the redemption of the world and through which he cleansed the conscience of all from dead works. He is also said to have received the prayers of the saints and to have offered them, for through him the prayers of all are able to come to God in an agreeable manner. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.3.

THE ANGELS MAKE OUR PRAYERS MORE FRAGRANT. OECUMENIUS: He calls the altar a “censer,” because it receives incense. When Christ appears, the prayers of the saints, which are by nature fragrant but made even more fragrant by the cooperation of the holy angels, are brought to him by those angels that govern us as though they were his spoils and the first offerings of homage given to him. And for this reason it is said that “much incense was given to him.” It is clear that the governance of people was given to the angels from God that they might make our prayers acceptable to him. “And the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel.” You see that the prayers of the saints are made more fragrant by the angel and rendered worthy to be offered before God. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.3-6.

THE SACRIFICE OF THE MARTYRS. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: Although what is revealed to the saints is depicted in material form and with colors, whether it be the altar or the censer or something else, in reality these things are invisible and intellectual. And it is at such an altar that the angel stands and swings the censer (that is, that bowl that receives incense) bearing to God the prayers of the saints as though they were incense. … The “altar” is Christ upon which every ministering and holy power is established and upon which the sacrifices of the martyrs are offered. This altar was prefigured in the altar that was shown to Moses on Mount Sinai together with the tabernacle. The “incense” is the prayers of the saints. … He says that the altar, namely, Christ, is “before the throne,” that is, before the most eminent and holy of powers who are there because of the abundance of the divine love and of the pure wisdom and knowledge in them. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.3.

CHRIST MAKES THE SORROW OF OUR HEARTS ACCEPTABLE. BEDE: He “stood before the altar,” that is, he appeared in the sight of the church. He was himself made the censer, from which God received the smell of sweet savor and became more favorable toward the world. Another version reads “upon the altar,” because for us he offered to the Father upon the altar of the cross his own golden censer, namely, his own sinless body conceived by the Holy Spirit. … When Christ offered himself to the Lord as an agreeable and acceptable sacrifice, he made the sorrow of the hearts of the saints acceptable, which arising from the fire within elicits tears, as is usual with smoke. EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 8.3-4.

8:5 | Thunder, Lightning and an Earthquake

THE SACRIFICE OF GOD IS PERFECTED. TYCONIUS: The Lord received his body, that is, the church, and filled her with fire from the altar to accomplish the Father’s will. This is to say that he filled [the church] with the power of loosing and of binding, which consists in sacrifices and the propitiation of God. Therefore, it is also said, “Who makes the winds his messengers and burning fire his ministers.” For in them the church received all power in heaven and on earth, while she perfected the sacrifice of God, first of all the Lord offering up himself and the saints presenting their own bodies as a living and holy sacrifice. And he cast it upon the earth, for through the preaching of the church knowledge of the future judgment comes to the world, as Zechariah says, “I will place the officers of Judah as a flaming fire.” … “And there were thunders and voices and lightning and earthquakes.” All of these things are spiritual and have to do with the church. The voices are of those who reproach and who threaten, the “broods of vipers” and following. Or, [the voices say], “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The thunder is the proclamation of the Christian faith; the lightning represents the virtues of those have have been made whole; the earthquakes are persecutions that are foretold to come and that are suffered at various times. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.5.

WONDERS AND MARVELS. OECUMENIUS: Then, it says, the holy angel took and filled the altar with divine fire and “threw it on the earth, and there were voices and peals of thunder and flashes of lightning and an earthquake.” Similarly, an angel threw this heavenly fire upon Mount Sinai and there was thunder and voices and trumpets and lightning, and the mountain was covered in smoke, since God had come and was present. Therefore, just as at that time thunder and fearsome wonders preceded him, so also now such wonders occur before the glorious advent of the Lord. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.3-6.

JESUS FILLED THE CHURCH WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. CAESARIUS OF ARLES: Jesus received his body, that is, the church, and he filled her with the fire of the Holy Spirit in order that the will of the Father might be fulfilled. “And there were voices and thunder and lightning and earthquakes.” All of these things are the spiritual proclamations and virtues of the church. EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.5, HOMILY 6.

PRIESTS ARE MEDIATORS BETWEEN GOD AND MAN. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: The prayers of the saints offered through an administering angel cause the censer filled with the avenging fire to be poured out upon the earth. This is just as it was revealed long ago to Ezekiel by one of the cherubim, that he should receive from such a fire and give it to the angels that they might send the fire for the punishment of the wicked inhabitants of Jerusalem. And every high priest is representative of such an angel, for as a mediator between God and people, he carries up their petitions and brings down God’s redemption, and he turns some sinners to repentance either by word or by harsher chastisements. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.4-5.

THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST WAS FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. BEDE: Rightly does he mention the censer as filled with fire. “For God does not give the Spirit in measure,” and we know that this was most especially fulfilled concerning the humanity of Christ, in whom “all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily.” EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 8.5.

8:6 | The Seven Angels Prepare to Sound the Trumpets

SEVEN ARCHANGELS WILL ACCOMPLISH GOD’S WILL DURING THE TIME OF ANTICHRIST. VICTORINUS OF PETOVIUM: He sends these seven great archangels to strike against the kingdom of the antichrist. For the Lord himself said in the Gospel: “Then the Son of man will send his angels and will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” And before that he said, “Then there will peace in our land, when in it seven shepherds will arise and eight attacks of men and they will encircle Asshur, that is, the antichrist, in the trench of Nimrod,” that is, at the damnation of the devil. And similarly Ecclesiastes says, “When the keepers of the house tremble.” And the Lord himself spoke as follows: “When the servants came to him and asked him, ‘Lord, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it weeds?’ He answered them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ They said, ‘Do you want us to go and pluck them out?’ He said to them, ‘No, let both grow together until the harvest, and at that time I will tell the reapers to gather the weeds and throw them into the fire, but to gather the wheat into the barn.’” Here the Revelation reveals that these reapers and laborers are the archangels. The “trumpet” is the word of power. And although there is a repetition of scenes by means of the bowls, this is not as though the events occurred twice. Rather, since those events that are future to them have been decreed [by God] to happen, these things are spoken twice. And therefore, whatever he said rather briefly by way of the trumpets he said more completely by way of the bowls. Nor ought we pay too much attention to the order of what is said. For the sevenfold Holy Spirit, when he has passed in revue [the events] to the last time, to the very end, returns again to the same times and supplements what he had said incompletely. Nor ought we inquire too much into the order of the Revelation. Rather, we ought inquire after the meaning, for there is also the possibility of a false understanding. And there-fore, those things written concerning the trumpets and the bowls are either the devastation of the plagues sent to the world, or the madness of the antichrist himself, or the blasphemies of the peoples, or the variety of the plagues, or the hope for the kingdom of saints, or the ruin of cities or the ruin of Babylon, that is, of the city of Rome. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.1-2.

MADE READY TO PREACH. TYCONIUS: The church, often indicated by the number seven, prepared herself for faithful preaching. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.6.

TRUMPETS ANNOUNCE THE COMING OF GOD. OECUMENIUS: Then angels blew their trumpets to announce the coming of God, for indeed also at that time trumpets were used to announce great occasions. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.3-6.

THE PREACHING OF THE CHURCH. BEDE: Made zealous by the sevenfold Spirit, the church prepared herself to preach with faithfulness and to cast down the pomp of the world by the heavenly trumpets, even as happened to the walls of Jericho. For even that walking around them for seven days is indicative of the entire time of the church. EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 8.6.