Thoughts on the Revelation.
THE first verse of the eighth chapter of the Revelation mentions the opening of the seventh seal. With this verse the prophetic chain under the symbols of the seven seals closes, and with the second verse another series of events is introduced. We suggest that a more proper division of the book, would put chapters vi and vii, and the first verse of chapter viii, in one chapter. Verse 1. And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. In prophetic time, a day for a year, about half an hour would be a week's duration. This probably applies to the second advent of Christ, and marks the period from the time that Christ leaves heaven with all the angels, till he returns with all the saints resurrected and changed, to the "Father's house." All the heavenly harpers being absent, there is said to be silence in heaven. The sixth seal does not reach to the second advent. It brings us to the voice of God, the results of which convince the wicked that the great day of the wrath of God and of the Lamb has come. The seventh seal brings us to the coming of Christ accompanied by all the holy angels. Thus the seven seals reach from the preaching of the gospel in its purity, by Christ's first ministers, represented by the armed warrior on the white horse, down through the sad history of the church to the coming of Christ with all the holy angels to raise the righteous dead and change the righteous living. Verse 2. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. This verse introduces a new and distinct series of events. The seals open the history of the church during the Christian age. The trumpets, covering about the same period of time, relate to the wars of certain nations. Thus God has definitely pointed out in these series of prophetic events way-marks from the first advent down to the second, to show pilgrim travelers where they are upon the great high-way of time, and when the journey of human probation will end. This is the grand object of the book, hence it is called "The Revelation of Jesus Christ." Verses 3–5. 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. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. 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. These verses do not relate to the trumpets, but to the ministration of Christ in the heavenly Sanctuary during the Christian age in which the seven dreadful trumpets are to sound. The trumpet angels are introduced in verse 2, then the scene is changed for a moment, and there is introduced the ministration of Christ, the hope of the church during the dreadful scenes of the sounding trumpets. The entire ministry of Christ in the heavenly Sanctuary is probably here illustrated. There may be proof of this in the statements that to the angel was given much incense, to offer with the prayers of all saints. The angel's filling the censer with fire and casting it into the earth, may illustrate the close of Christ's ministration. There followed voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake, the same as under the sounding of the seventh trumpet, chap. xi, 19, and in connection with the seven last plagues of chap. xvi, 18. These all refer to the same event, which will transpire at the voice of God. Verse 6 resumes the subject of the trumpets, which occupies the remainder of chapter viii, and the whole of chapter ix. As we have not time at present to prepare to give anything like an exposition of the trumpets, the readers of the Review must excuse us in passing over them, and recommending as the best light at present, the work in the list of publications entitled, The Sounding of the Seven Trumpets.