ACC ~ Revelation 8 v7

OVERVIEW:

At the blowing of the first trumpet, the proclamation of the church concerning the universal judgment of the impious is heard (BEDE). As though it were a trumpet initiating a battle, this preaching tells of the wrath of God, which will devour the impious in Gehenna (TYCONIUS, BEDE). This judgment even happens before the consummation and now is occurring by means of the slaughter inflicted by barbarian invaders (ANDREW OF CAESAREA). At the coming of the judgment the impious shall experience distress and a profound grief when they see the saints meeting Christ in the air, while they remain in torment upon the earth (OECUMENIUS). The torments of divine judgment strike not only human beings but also creatures of every kind (ANDREW OF CAESAREA). Yet through this judgment God separates false brothers, heretics and schismatics from the genuinely pious and in this way reveals those who belong to him and those who belong to the devil (TYCONIUS).

8:7 | Hail and Fire Mixed with Blood

THE WRATH OF GOD DEVOURS THE IMPIOUS. TYCONIUS: By the fire and blood he signifies the wrath of God, which devours the multitude of the impious. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.7.

SINNERS WILL BE GRIEF-STRICKEN. OECUMENIUS: Since the righteous have been accounted worthy of the blessed portion … and so are to be caught up “in the clouds of the air” prior to the coming of the Lord, that they might greet the coming Lord, … the vision now finally discusses the fate of the rest of humankind and the punishment of sinners. When the coming destruction occurs, there will necessarily be various kinds of death and various rewards for the wicked. The greater part of these will be consumed by fire, for in his first letter to the Corinthians the holy apostle wrote that that day will be revealed in fire. For if there are “many rooms” for rest, as the Lord says, there are also different places for torment. And these trumpets that bring death to those upon earth are the same that also raise the dead afterwards. Why does it say that when the first angel blew his trumpet, hail and fire consumed a third of those upon the earth? Were someone to think that this will happen literally, he would not be interpreting this passage incorrectly. But if we understand the passage figuratively, we will also not be wrong, for the passage speaks of “fire” when it refers to the distress and profound grief of the sinners who see the saints “caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord,” while they themselves remain dishonorable upon the earth and are not regarded as worthy of any greeting. The passage refers figuratively to sinners as “trees” and “grass” that are on fire because of their folly and the insensitivity of their souls, which are hard as dry wood and so are suitable for burning. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.7.

DIVINE JUDGMENT OCCURS DAILY. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: Some have interpreted these things to depict the punishment of sinners in Gehenna, which is symbolically described as various kinds of physical torment. However, we think it more likely that the third portion is not of those from the totality of people who will be punished in the coming age, but rather—“for the way which leads to destruction is broad”—this passage shows the plagues that will occur before the consummation. The hail indicates the scourgings that will come from heaven for righteous judgment, and the fire mixed with blood indicates the destruction by fire and slaughter at the hands of the barbarians that will occur daily. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.7.

8:7 | A Third of the Earth and the Trees, All the Grass Was Burned

THE CHURCH PREACHES THE UNIVERSAL JUDGMENT OF THE IMPIOUS. BEDE: The first trumpet of [the church’s] preaching reveals the universal destruction of the impious by fire and hail. … The foretelling of these plagues is rightly compared with a trumpet, which is the signal for battle. For, the Scripture says, “Lift up your voice as a trumpet; declare to my people their transgressions,” and elsewhere, “Set the trumpet to your lips, as an eagle over the house of the Lord.” That the punishment of Gehenna is the reward for works that spill blood is indicated by the voice of the preachers who say, “He will pass from the waters of the snow to very great heat.” It is possible that by the word blood the spiritual death of the soul is intended. EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 8.7.

THE CHURCH IS OPPOSED BY HERESY AND SCHISM. TYCONIUS: A third of the earth and the trees and all the grass is said to be burned up. The “earth” represents everything terrestrial, while persons who wave about through unfaithfulness are depicted as “trees.” For those blown about by “every wind of doctrine” are mentioned by the apostle Jude, “fruitless trees in late autumn, uprooted, twice dead.” The green grass represents flesh fattened with luxury, for “all flesh is grass.” Although in an earlier passage three fourths were set against one, that is, the church, this passage confines those opposed to the church to two thirds. One third consists of the false brothers who are mixed in among the good within the church, and another third that is separated by the error of the Gentiles or by heretical depravity or by open schism. And so the church (namely, the one third) must struggle against a double evil, as though it were simplicity resisting duplicity. It is as we read in the Gospel that a king with ten thousand went out to war against twenty thousand. And God did make a promise concerning this through Zechariah, saying, “In the whole land, says the Lord, two thirds shall be dispersed and perish, and one third shall remain in it; and I shall lead the third part through fire, and I shall refine them as one refines silver, and I shall test them as gold is tested. It shall call my name, and I will answer them and say, ‘You are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.7.

GOD WILL REVEAL THE TRUE CHURCH. TYCONIUS: The “trees” and the “earth” represent people who are the internal enemies of the church and whom [God] shall punish by a future judgment to everlasting punishment. The “grass” represents the flesh, which is fattened through the vices of sins and whose strength and beauty have dried through the heat of the sun. To be sure, the third part which it said was destroyed by being burned up refers to the heretics. For anyone who is found outside of the true church shall be condemned to perpetual torments, along with the devil, who is the author of such division. And so through Zechariah the Lord promised to strike the false shepherds and to free his sheep from their difficulties and to separate the third part, which he says is like the nations and “Sodom,” from the midst of his sheep, that is, from the midst of the pious. “Awake, O sword,” it says, “against the shepherds and those who are next to me, says the Lord Almighty. Strike the shepherds and scatter the sheep,” that is, my people. “And I shall test it as gold is tested. It will call me and I will answer it and say, ‘You are my people,’ and it will say ‘You are my God.’” Before this separation occurs, all are regarded as the people of God. However, after the separation has happened, then it will become apparent who are the people of God and who are of the devil. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.7.

CREATURES OF ALL KINDS SUFFER THE TORMENTS OF DIVINE JUDGMENT. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: By these torments not less than one third of all the creatures on the earth will be physically killed, for wars destroy not only human beings but also everything that is produced upon the earth. And the blessed Joel confirms our understanding of what will come when he says, “Blood and fire and vapor of smoke will come before the great day.” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.7.