Revelation 8:1 Commentary - Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary
The Seven Trumpets. | A. D. 95. |
1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half a hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. 3 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. 4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. 5 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. 6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
In these verses we have the prelude to the sounding of the trumpets in several parts.
I. The opening of the last seal. This was to introduce a new set of prophetical iconisms and events; there is a continued chain of providence, one part linked to another (where one ends another begins), and, though they may differ in nature and in time, they all make up one wise, well-connected, uniform design in the hand of God.
II. A profound silence in heaven for the space of half an hour, which may be understood either, 1. Of the silence of peace, that for this time no complaints were sent up to the ear of the Lord God of sabaoth; all was quiet and well in the church, and therefore all silent in heaven, for whenever the church on earth cries, through oppression, that cry comes up to heaven and resounds there; or, 2. A silence of expectation; great things were upon the wheel of providence, and the church of God, both in heaven and earth, stood silent, as became them, to see what God was doing, according to that of Zech. ii. 13, Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord, for he has risen up out of his holy habitation. And elsewhere, Be still, and know that I am God.
III. The trumpets were delivered to the angels who were to sound them. Still the angels are employed as the wise and willing instruments of divine Providence, and they are furnished with all their materials and instructions from God our Saviour. As the angels of the churches are to sound the trumpet of the gospel, the angels of heaven are to sound the trumpet of Providence, and every one has his part given him.
IV. To prepare for this, another angel must first offer incense, v. 3. It is very probable that this other angel is the Lord Jesus, the high priest of the church, who is here described in his sacerdotal office, having a golden censer and much incense, a fulness of merit in his own glorious person, and this incense he was to offer up, with the prayers of all the saints, upon the golden altar of his divine nature. Observe, 1. All the saints are a praying people; none of the children of God are born dumb, a Spirit of grace is always a Spirit of adoption and supplication, teaching us to cry, Abba, Father. Ps. xxxii. 6, For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee. 2. Times of danger should be praying times, and so should times of great expectation; both our fears and our hopes should put us upon prayer, and, where the interest of the church of God is deeply concerned, the hearts of the people of God in prayer should be greatly enlarged. 3. The prayers of the saints themselves stand in need of the incense and intercession of Christ to make them acceptable and effectual, and there is provision made by Christ for that purpose; he has his incense, his censer, and his altar; he is all himself to his people. 4. The prayers of the saints come up before God in a cloud of incense; no prayer, thus recommended, was ever denied audience or acceptance. 5. These prayers that were thus accepted in heaven produced great changes upon earth in return to them; the same angel that in his censer offered up the prayers of the saints in the same censer took of the fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth, and this presently caused strange commotions, voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake; these were the answers God gave to the prayers of the saints, and tokens of his anger against the world and that he would do great things to avenge himself and his people of their enemies; and now, all things being thus prepared, the angels discharge their duty.
Consult other comments:
Revelation 8:1 - Abbott's Illustrated New Testament
Revelation 8:1 - The Greek Testament
Revelation 8:1 - Barclay Daily Study Bible
Revelation 8:1 - Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Revelation 8:1 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Revelation 8:1 - Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Revelation 8:1 - The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Revelation 8:1 - B.H. Carroll's An Interpretation of the English Bible
Revelation 8:1 - Through the Bible Commentary
Revelation 8:1 - Adam Clarke's Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Revelation 8:1 - Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Revelation 8:1 - College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Revelation 8:1 - Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Revelation 8:1 - Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Revelation 8:1 - John Darby's Synopsis of the New Testament
Revelation 8:1 - Expositors Bible Commentary
Revelation 8:1 - Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Revelation 8:1 - Everett's Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Revelation 8:1 - The Expositor’s Greek Testament by Robertson
Revelation 8:1 - Expositor's Dictionary of Text by Robertson
Revelation 8:1 - F. B. Hole's Old and New Testaments Commentary
Revelation 8:1 - F.B. Meyer's Through the Bible Commentary
Revelation 8:1 - Discovering Christ In Selected Books of the Bible
Revelation 8:1 - Gaebelein's Annotated Bible (Commentary)
Revelation 8:1 - Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Revelation 8:1 - Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
Revelation 8:1 - Geneva Bible Notes
Revelation 8:1 - John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
Revelation 8:1 - Gnomon of the New Testament
Revelation 8:1 - William Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament
Revelation 8:1 - Grant's Commentary on the Bible
Revelation 8:1 - Henry Alford's Greek Testament
Revelation 8:1 - Smith's Writings on 24 Books of the Bible
Revelation 8:1 - Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Revelation 8:1 - Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary
Revelation 8:1 - Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Revelation 8:1 - Commentaries on the New Testament and Prophets
Revelation 8:1 - William Kelly Major Works (New Testament)
Revelation 8:1 - The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Revelation 8:1 - A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
Revelation 8:1 - Neighbour's Wells of Living Water
Revelation 8:1 - Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer's New Testament Commentary
Revelation 8:1 - An Exposition on the Whole Bible
Revelation 8:1 - Peake's Commentary on the Bible
Revelation 8:1 - Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Revelation 8:1 - English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Revelation 8:1 - The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Revelation 8:1 - The Complete Pulpit Commentary
Revelation 8:1 - Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Revelation 8:1 - The Bible of the Expositor and the Evangelist by Riley
Revelation 8:1 - Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament
Revelation 8:1 - A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Revelation 8:1 - Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Revelation 8:1 - The Sermon Bible
Revelation 8:1 - Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Revelation 8:1 - John Trapp's Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Revelation 8:1 - The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Revelation 8:1 - You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Revelation 8:1 - Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament
Revelation 8:1 - Whedon's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary

Matthew Henry (1662 - 1714) was a Presbyterian minister in England who began his commentary on the Bible in 1704. He completed his work up to the end of Acts before his death. Afterwards, his ministerial friends completed the work from Henry’s notes and writings.