|
|
REV 8
I) [(Rev 7:13-17) Biblestudymanuals.net Commentary On Rev 7:13-17]:
(Rev 7:13 NASB) "Then one of the elders responded, saying to me, “These
who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come
from?”
(Rev 7:14 NASB) I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are
the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their
robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
(Rev 7:15 NASB) For this reason they are before the throne of God, and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them.
(Rev 7:16 NASB) They
will no longer hunger nor thirst, nor will the sun beat down on them, nor
any scorching heat;
(Rev 7:17 NASB) for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”
1) [Rev 17:13-17) Expositor's Bible Commentary On Rev 17:13-17]:
(Rev 7:13 NASB) "Then one of the elders responded, saying to me, “These
who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come
from?”
(Rev 7:14 NASB) I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are
the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their
robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
(Rev 7:15 NASB) For this reason they are before the throne of God, and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them.
(Rev 7:16 NASB) They
will no longer hunger nor thirst, nor will the sun [c]beat down on them, nor
any scorching heat;
(Rev 7:17 NASB) for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the [d]water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”
(Rev 7:13) "Then one of the elders responded, saying to me, “These
who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come
from?”
"13-14 After the manner of the OT apocalyptic passages, the interpreting angel asks concerning the white-robed throng, "Who are they, and where did they come from?" (cf. Dan 7:15-16; Zech 1:9, 19; 4:1-6). Here and in 5:5 are the only references in Revelation to an elder speaking individually, a fact that supports the view that the elders in Revelation are angels and not a symbolic group representing the church.
The reference to the washed robes should be viewed in relation to 3:4, where soiled clothes represent defection from Christ through unbelief and worship of false gods (cf. 21:8). On the "great tribulation," see the introduction to this section.
(Rev 7:15 NASB) "For this reason they are
before the throne of God, and they serve Him day and night in His temple;
and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them."
"15 This and the following verses describe the activity and condition of the true servants of God in their future and eternal relation to the Lamb. The scene is one of the most beautiful in the Bible. In it those who have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb are described as being before the throne of God without fear or tremor, fully accepted by the divine Majesty. What are they doing? Theirs is no state of passivity but of continual service of God in praise and worship.
The reference to the "temple" of God raises the question whether the scene describes the final state of the saints or an intermediate state, as 21:22 tells us that the New Jerusalem has no temple. However, the language used in vv. 15-17 (esp. v. 17) seems to depict the same condition as that of the saints in chapters 21 and 22 (cf. 21:3-4, 6; 22:1). Since 7:15 relates to worship, it would be appropriate to refer to the presence of God and the Lamb as "in" the temple. In 21:22, however, the future existence of the people of God is described as a city; and in that glorious city, unlike the pagan cities of the present world, there will be no special temple in which to worship God because God himself and the Lamb will be present everywhere.
To "spread his tent [skenoo] over them," or to "reside permanently" (TDNT, 7:385), calls to mind the shekinah presence in the OT tabernacle or temple (Exod 40:34-38; 1 Kings 8:10-11; cf. Ezek 10:4, 18-19) and later in Jesus (John 1:14) and also the idea of a permanent residence (Rev 21:3). Never again will these people endure torment. They have the supreme protection of the living God himself.
(Rev 7:16 NASB) "They will no longer hunger nor thirst, nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any scorching heat;"
"16 The condition described here contrasts to the earthly experience of those who suffered much for their faith (cf. Heb 11:37-38). For them, starvation, thirst, and the burning desert are forever past. There may be allusion here to Isaiah 49:10, which places the time of relief from such distresses in the days of Messiah's kingdom. There may also be an allusion to what the four horsemen bring (6:1-8; cf. Matt 24:7).
(Rev 7:17 NASB) for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”
"17 We now have a beautiful pastoral figure—that of the Lamb shepherding his people (cf. John 10:1-8; Heb 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25). It is not through some perfect environment but through the presence and continual ministry of the Lamb that their sufferings are forever assuaged. Whereas on earth their enemies may have tormented them, now the Lamb guides them: "He will lead [hodegesei, the same verb is used of the Holy Spirit in John 16:13] them to springs of living water." In contrast to the burning thirst experienced in their tribulation, now they will enjoy the refreshing waters of life. Thus in the future life the saints will not know stagnation, boredom, or satiation (Ps 23:1f.; Jer 2:13; Ezek 47:1-12, Zech 14:8).
Finally, even the sorrowful memory of the pain and suffering of the
former days will be mercifully removed by the Father: "God will wipe
awav every tear from their eyes" (cf. 21:4). Tribulation produces
tears. Like a tenderhearted, devoted mother, God will wipe each tear
from their eyes with the eternal consolations of glory itself. Never
again will they cry out because of pain or suffering. Only through the
Resurrection can all this become real (Isa 25:8; 1Cor 15:54).
Notes
________________________________________
14 The correct translation of the nominative participle οἱ ἐρχόμενοι
(hoi erchomenoi, "they who have come out of") is a problem.
Grammatically, present participles depend on the main verb for their
time of action and are generally coincident in time with it. But is the
time of action here the time of John's writing or, for John, some
future time? If it is present time for John, the translation would be
"they who are coming out of the great tribulation." If future, two
possibilities arise: (1) The time is in the future when the vision is
to be fulfilled. In this case, the description looks back to the
earthly scene that preceded the heavenly bliss: "They who have come [or
`were coming'] out of the great tribulation" (NIV). (2) The time is in
the present of John's writing. In this case, the words predict what
will happen: "They who will come out of the great tribulation" (cf 1
Thess 1:10). Charles understands the construction as a Semitism and
favors the idea of an imperfect participle—"were coming" (Commentary on
Revelation 1:213). One's theology and general exegesis of Rev will
determine which rendering is preferred."
2) [Rev 17:13-17) Bible Knowledge Commentary On Rev 17:13-17]:
(Rev 7:13 NASB) "Then one of the elders responded, saying to me, “These
who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come
from?”
(Rev 7:14 NASB) I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are
the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their
robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
(Rev 7:15 NASB) For this reason they are before the throne of God, and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them.
(Rev 7:16 NASB) They
will no longer hunger nor thirst, nor will the sun beat down on them, nor
any scorching heat;
"2. THE MULTITUDE OF MARTYRS (7:9-17)
7:9-12. Then John saw a multitude of people from every nation, tribe,
people, and language, who were standing before the throne (i.e., before
God the Father) and in front of the Lamb (i.e., God the Son). This is
the same group mentioned in 6:9, but here they were wearing white robes
and holding palm branches, apparently signifying righteous triumph. As
this multitude ascribed salvation to God and to the Lamb, all the
angels, the 24 elders, and the 4 living creatures joined them in
worship as they did in 5:9-10.
7:13-17. One of the 24 elders asked about the origin of those who stood in white robes. Is it not significant that if the 24 elders represent the church these described here are a different group of the saved? When John indicated that he did not know the answer (v. 14a) the elder himself answered the question as to who this multitude was and where they came from: These are they who have come out of the Great Tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
It seems evident that these "who have come out of the Great Tribulation" have been martyred and were then safe in heaven. They were given the special privilege of being before God's throne and serving Him day and night in His temple. They were protected by God Himself and never again would they experience hunger... thirst, or scorching heat, with the implication that this was their experience of suffering on earth. They were under the special shepherd-care of the Lamb and were drinking from springs of living water. The narration concludes with the comforting truth that all their tears would be wiped away.
The two groups seen by John were the 144,000 Israelites and a great
multitude from every nation, including some Israelites who were not
thus protected and who were martyred in the Great Tribulation. A
natural explanation of these two groups is that neither represents the
church, the body of Christ in the present Age, because both groups are
distinguished from the 24 elders and neither group is clearly
identified with the church in this present dispensation.
The events of this chapter, like those in other chapters to follow, do
not advance the narrative but are a pause in the description of the
events to spotlight a concentrated revelation on a special feature, in
this case the answer to the question of 6:17, "Who can stand?"
Though the chapters of Revelation are not all in chronological sequence, chapter 7 depicts a scene in heaven which precedes the second coming of Christ to the earth. Those seen in heaven were said to "come out of the Great Tribulation" (v. 14). The chapter accordingly indicates how they will be marvelously blessed in heaven after their trials on earth. The 144,000 will appear again (14:1-5), and the multitude of martyrs who were killed for refusing to worship the beast appear again at the time of the resurrection in 20:4. That they are not millennial saints should be evident from the fact that they will be in heaven before God's throne, and will have been resurrected.
II) [Biblestudymanuals Commentary On Rev 8]:
A) (Rev 8:1)
(Rev 8:1 NASB) "When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour."
1) [Expositor's Bible Commentary]:
"1. Preparatory: the angel and the golden censer (8:2-5)
1 After the long interlude of chapter 7, the sequence of the opening of the seals is resumed by the opening of the final or seventh seal. This action provides both a conclusion to the seals and a preparation for the seven trumpets. The praises ordinarily heard uninterruptedly in heaven (4:8) now cease in order to allow the prayers of the suffering saints on earth to be heard: "There was silence in heaven for about half an hour." Even heaven's choirs are subdued to show God's concern for His persecuted people in the Great Tribulation (8:4; cf. Luke 18:2-8). A Jewish teacher states, "In the fifth heaven are companies of angels of service who sing praises by night, but are silent by day because of the glory of Israel," i.e., that the praises of Israel may be heard in heaven (Charles, Commentary on Revelation, 1:223). But in John's view heaven is quieted, not to hear praises, but to hear the cries for deliverance and justice of God's persecuted servants (6:10). Most interpreters, however, understand the silence to refer to the awesome silence before the great storm of God's wrath on the earth. A kind of Sabbath pause might be thought of here. (The relation between the seals, trumpets, and bowls is discussed at the comments on 8:6.)"
2) [Bible Knowledge Commentary]:
"E. The opening of the seventh seal and the introduction of
the seven trumpets (chaps. 8-9)
1. THE OPENING OF THE SEVENTH SEAL (8:1)
8:1. The opening of the seventh seal is a most important
event, confirmed by the fact that there was silence in heaven for about half an
hour after it was opened. The contents of the seven trumpets indicate that they
differ from the seven seals. W. Graham Scroggie states, "The trumpets,
therefore, do not double back over all or some of the seals, but lie under the
sixth seal, and proceed from it" (The Great Unveiling, p. 111). He also
holds that the bowls of the wrath of God (chap. 16) "do not double back over
the seal and trumpet judgments" (p. 112).
C.A. Blanchard holds the same position: "The series of
three sevens are really included in one series of seven, that is, the seven
trumpets are included under the seventh seal and the seven bowls are included
under the seventh trumpet, so that we have in fact a single series in three
movements" (Light on the Last Days, p. 58). The seventh seal accordingly
is important because it actually includes all the events from 8:1 through
19:10.
B) (Rev 8:2)
(Rev 8:2 NASB) "And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them"
1) [Expositor's Bible Commentary]:
(Rev 8:2 NASB) "And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them
"2 While the seven seals are opened by the Lamb himself, the
judgments of the seven trumpets and the seven bowls (15:1) are executed by
seven angels. In 1 Enoch 20:2-8, reference is made to seven angels who stand
before God and are named Uriel, Raphael, Raguel, Michael, Saraqael, Gabriel
(cf. Luke 1:19), and Remiel. John may not have these in mind the offering
up of the prayers of the saints was in Jewish thought connected with archangels
(Tobit 12:15; Levi 3:7)."
2) [Bible Knowledge Commentary]:
(Rev 8:2 NASB) "And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them"
"2. THE SEVEN ANGELS AND THE SEVEN TRUMPETS (8:2)
"3. THE GOLDEN CENSER (8:3-5)
8:3-5. Before the trumpets sounded, however, a dramatic
introduction was given them by another angel, one in addition to the seven, who
stood before the golden altar with a golden censer. In the Old Testament
tabernacle a censer made of copper, probably heavy to handle, was used to carry
coals from the brazen altar outside the tabernacle to the altar of incense
inside. Later, in the temple, Solomon used censers made of gold (1 Kings 7:50;
2 Chron. 4:22).
This is the only reference to censers in the Book of
Revelation, though golden bowls full of incense, which probably were not
censers, are mentioned in Revelation 5:8. Like the golden bowls of 5:8,
however, the golden censer offering incense here is symbolic of the prayers of
all the saints.
This offering in heaven corresponds to the custom of
offering incense on the altar of incense in both the tabernacle and the temple.
The censer would hold the coals, and a separate vessel would carry the incense
which was to be poured on the coals once the altar was reached. The resulting
smoke was typical of prayer ascending before God.
In verse 5 the angel offered the incense on the coals before God, and then, taking the censer with the fire still in it, he threw it on the earth. As a result there were thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. The picture is one of ominous anticipation."
D) [(Rev 8:6-7]:
(Rev 8:6 NASB) "And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them.
(Rev 8:7 NASB) The first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up."
1) [Expositor's Bible Commentary On Rev 8:6-7]:
(Rev 8:6 NASB) "And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them.
(Rev 8:7 NASB) The first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up."
"2. Sounding of the first six trumpets (8:6-9:21)
"6 Two questions confront the interpreter at this point: What
is the relationship of the trumpets to the preceding seals and the following
bowls? Are the events described symbolic or more literal? In answer to the
first question, there are two basic options: either the series are parallel and
simultaneous or they are sequential or successive. It is not possible to decide
with certainty for either of these views. Each contains elements of truth. Both
sequential factors and parallel ingredients are evident. This commentary has
already argued for the chronological priority of the first five seals to the
events of the trumpets and bowls (see comments at 6:1). But the sixth seal
seems to take us into the period of the outpouring of God's wrath that is
enacted in the trumpet and bowl judgments (6:12-17).
The sequential factors are as follows: (1) There is a rise
in the intensity of the judgments (only a part of earth and men are affected in
the trumpets, but all are affected under the bowls). (2) There is a difference
in sequence and content of the events described in each series. (3) The
reference to those not sealed in 9:4 (fifth trumpet) presupposes the sealing of
7:1-8. (4) The explicit statement in 8:1-2 implies a sequence between seals and
trumpets—"When he opened the seventh seal,... And I saw the seven
angels... to them were given seven trumpets"-on which Tenney remarks,
"The vision of the angels with the trumpets follows the seals directly,
and conveys the impression that the seals and the trumpets are successive"
(Merrill C. Tenney, Interpreting Revelation [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1957], p.
71). (5) The bowl judgments are directly called the "last plagues"
because with them God's wrath is "completed" (15:1), indicating the
prior trumpet judgments. When the seventh bowl is poured out, the words
"It is done" are spoken (16:17).
On the other hand, there are parallelisms. The sixth-seventh seal, the seventh trumpet (11:15ff.), and the seventh bowl (16:17ff.) all seem to depict events associated with the second coming of Christ. This last event parallelism may indicate that all these series (seals, trumpets, bowls) are parallel in their entirety or that there is a partial recapitulation or overlap in the three series. This is especially evident in connection with the sixth-seventh seal (6:12ff.), the seventh trumpet (11:15ff.), and the seventh bowl (16:17ff.). The text seems to demand some type of sequential understanding and hence rules out a complete parallelism.
The main question is whether the parallelism indicates that
the events described under the sixth-seventh seal, seventh trumpet, and seventh
bowl are identical or merely similar and hence really sequential and not
exactly parallel. Here the following points are relevant: (1) The sixth seal
brings us into the period of God's wrath on the beast worshipers but does not
actually advance beyond that event to refer to the coming of Christ (6:12-17).
(2) The seventh seal introduces the trumpet judgments, which run their course,
and the seventh trumpet seems to bring us into the kingdom of Christ
(11:15-18). (3) The seventh bowl likewise brings us to the consummation and
return of Christ, that is, if we keep in mind that the incident of Babylon's
destruction is an elaboration of events under the seventh bowl (16:17ff.;
19:11ff.).
But are all three series parallel in their last events (for
the affirmative, see Dale Ralph Davis, "The Relationship Between the
Seals, Trumpets, and Bowls in the Book of Revelation," JETS, 16 [Summer
1973], 149-58) or only parallel in the last trumpet and last bowl (so Ladd and
Mounce)? Ladd and Mounce, following Beckwith, have correctly noted that the
"third woe" (9:12, 11:14) is never fulfilled by the seventh trumpet,
unless, that is, the content of the seventh trumpet is the seven bowls, which
is also the "third woe." This is another way of saying that there is
some limited recapitulation or overlap with the seventh seal and the first
trumpets and in the seventh trumpet with the first bowls. This might be called
a telescopic view of the seals, bowls, and trumpets. Further support for this
view is also found in observing that interludes come between the sixth and
seventh seals and between the sixth and seventh trumpets but not between the
sixth and seventh bowls, which would be expected if the trumpets were strictly
parallel to the bowls.
The second problem concerns the literalness of the events
described under each trumpet. The important but hard question is not literal
versus nonliteral but what did John intend? Some things may need to be
understood more literally and others quite symbolically. For example, the
reference to the army of 200 million (9:16-19) can hardly be literal (cf.
comments on 9:16). Either the number is figurative or the army refers to
demonic powers rather than human soldiers. It is also difficult to handle
literally the reference to the eagle that speaks human words (8:13). While
there is no way to settle this problem finally, the exposition will attempt to
steer between a literal approach and a totally symbolic one.
As in the seals, there is a discernible literary pattern in
the unfolding of the trumpets. The first four trumpets are separated from the
last three, which are called "woes" (8:13; 9:12; 11:14), and are
generally reminiscent of the plagues in Exodus. While John refers in 15:3 to
the Song of Moses (Exod 15:1-18), he does not follow out the plague parallelism
precisely, and the connections should not always be pressed.
Shofar trumpets (usually made of a ram's horn) were used in Jewish life as signaling instruments. They sounded alarms for war or danger as well as for peace and announced the new moon, the beginning of the Sabbath, or the death of a notable. Trumpets were also used to throw enemies into panic (Judg 7:19-20). Their use as eschatological signals of the day of the Lord or the return of Christ is well established in the OT and NT (Isa 27:13; Joel 2:1; Zeph 1:16; Matt 24:31; 1Cor 15:52; 1 Thess 4:1
6). The Dead Sea community had an elaborate trumpet signal system patterned after Joshua 6 (cf. 1QM)."
2) [Bible Knowledge Commentary On Rev 8:6-7]:
(Rev 8:6 NASB) "And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them.
(Rev 8:7 NASB) The first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up."
"4. THE FIRST TRUMPET (8:6-7)
"8:6-7. As the first angel sounded his trumpet... hail and
fire mixed with blood... was hurled down upon the earth, resulting in a third
of the earth being burned up, including the trees and all the green grass. This
devastating judgment, like that announced by most of the trumpets, primarily
affected a third of the earth."
E) [(Rev 8:8-9]:
(Rev 8:8 NASB) "The second angel
sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into
the sea; and a third of the sea became blood,
(Rev 8:8 NASB) "The second angel
sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into
the sea; and a third of the sea became blood,
(Rev 8:8 NASB) "The second angel
sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into
the sea; and a third of the sea became blood,
"5. THE SECOND TRUMPET (8:8-9)
8:8-9. As the second... trumpet sounded, something like a
huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. The result was that a third
of the sea turned into blood, and this caused a third of the living creatures
in the sea to die, and also a third of the ships were destroyed. It is best to
interpret these events literally though the description of the sea being turned
into blood may be the language of appearance as in the mention of blood after
the first trumpet blast. Reference to blood as a divine judgment is found in
the plagues of Egypt (cf. Ex. 7:14-22).
Obviously the results of these judgments are literal. The
sea turned to blood results in the death of a third of the sea creatures, and
the blazing mountain cast into the sea results in destruction of a third of the
ships. The mountain is probably best understood as being a literal large body
that fell from heaven. Since the results are literal, it is reasonable to take
the judgments as literal also."
F) [(Rev 8:10-11]:
(Rev 8:10 NASB ) "The third angel
sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell
on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters.
1) [Expositor's Bible Commentary On Rev 8:10-11]:
(Rev 8:10 NASB ) "The third angel
sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell
on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters.
(Rev 8:11 NASB) The name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters b.ame wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter."
"10-11 The third trumpet. John next sees a huge fiery star fall On the rivers and springs of water and turn a part of these fresh-water supplies into very bitter water. The star's name is "Wormwood," which refers to the quite bitter herb Artemesia absinthium found in the Near East and mentioned elsewhere in the Bible (Jer 9:15; 23:15; Lam 3:15, 19; Amos 5:7). It is not clear whether John intended the star to be understood as an angel as in 9:1 and in 1:20. Here is the first reference in the plagues to the loss of human life (cf. 9:15, 20). This plague, aimed at the fresh water, is a counterpart of the preceding one, which was aimed at the sea."
2) [Bible Knowledge Commentary On Rev 8:10-11]:
(Rev 8:10 NASB ) "The third angel
sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell
on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters.
(Rev 8:11 NASB) The name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter."
"6. THE THIRD TRUMPET (8:10-11)
8:10-11. The judgment following the third... trumpet was
similar to that of the second. But here the mass falling from heaven to earth
was a great star, blazing like a torch. This fell on a third of the rivers and
on the springs of water; in other words, waters other than the oceans.
The star was named Wormwood. Wormwood is a bitter desert
plant mentioned only here in the New Testament. It is mentioned seven times in
the Old Testament where it represents sorrow and bitter judgment (Deut. 29:18;
Prov. 5:4; Jer. 9:15; 23:15; Lam. 3:15, 19; Amos 5:7)."
G) [(Rev 8:12-13]:
(Rev 8:12 NASB) "The fourth angel
sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the
stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would
not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.
1) [Expositor's Bible Commentary On Rev 8:12-13]:
(Rev 8:12 NASB) "The fourth angel
sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the
stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would
not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.
"12 The fourth trumpet. The heavens are struck with partial
darkness, reminiscent of the ninth plague (Exod 10:21-23). The references to
"a third of..." refer to a partial impairment of the ordinary light
from these bodies. In the OT the darkening of the heavens appears in connection
with the theophany of God in judgment (cf: Isa 13:10; Ezek 32:7-8; Joel 2:10;
3:15; cf. Matt 24:29). An unusual darkness also attended the crucifixion of
Christ (Matt 27:45).
2) [Bible Knowledge Commentary On Rev 8:12-13]:
(Rev 8:12 NASB) "The fourth angel
sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the
stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would
not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.
"7. THE FOURTH TRUMPET (8:12-13)
8:12 At the sound of the fourth... light of the sky was reduced by one third. Without a third of the sun a third of the day was lacking normal light, and a third of the night was without light from the moon and the stars. Again the best interpretation is literal. Just as the first three trumpets dealt with a third of the earth, so the fourth trumpet dealt with a third of the heaven.
8. Announcement Of The Final Three Trumpets (8:13)
8:13. Warning was given that the next three trumpets would be more severe and devastating than those which preceded them. The triple woe announced by an eagle warned of coming judgment. Eagles are also mentioned in 4:7 and 12:14."