The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 209

worth, think one altar only is intended, and Ver. 6.-And the seven angels which had. that it" is the altar of incense. Bengel, the seven trumpets prepared themselve11 te E.bre.rd, Vitringa, support the view given sound: This verse takes up and continues above. Bossuet says the altar is Christ, to the narrative of ver. 2 ; the intervening whom the angel brings incense, that is, the passage serves to indicate the immediate prayers of the se.i!)ts. Having e. golden cause of . the ju<lgments now about to d& censer, The word J\.1/3u.1100Tds is found only scend, viz. the "prayers of the saints" (ver. here and in 1 Cbron. ix. 29 (LXX.). In 4). (On the number aet'en, as signifying • the latter place it is rightly rendered" frank- complete number, see eh. i. 4; v. 1, etc.) inceTllle;" but the meaning here evidently Cf. the sounding of the trumpets at Jericho, requires "censer." It is described as of and the other passages quoted in the com- gold, in the same way that all the forniture ment on ver. 2. of the heavenly realms is described in the Ver. 7.-The first angel sounded; and Apooalypse. And there was given unto llie fird sounded (Revised Version). The him muoh incense. Appare,ntly following word ••angel" should be omitted here, the analogy of the temple service, the first though found in the other trumpets. The 11.ngel brings in liis golden censer fire from first four are marked off from the last three the brazen altar of sacrifice, and now there (as in the oase of the seals) by distinctive is "given unto him," by another angel, in- features. The first four refer to the natural oeI186 to burn at the golden altar of incense. life, while the last three are connected more (For imense,seeonoh. v. 8.) That he should closely with the spiritual life of man. The offer H with the prayers of all saints; add first four are connected l\nd in1:erdependent; it unto the prayers of all the saint8 (Revised the fast three are distinct and more de- Version). The prayers are to be incensed, tached. The last three are specially marked 80 as to (typically) render them pure and off by the announeement of the angel in acceptable to God. Upon the golden altar ver. 13. And there followed hail and :lire which was before the throne. That is, mingled with blood; mingled in blood. The ptobably, the altar of incense, distinct fl'OIIl English Version is ambiguous, but the Greek tpe altar mentioned earlier in thie verse makes it clear that it is the hail and the (see above). fire that are mingled, and that both together Ver, 4.-And the smoke of the incense, are seat in bl()()(L There is an eTident like- which came with the prayers of the saints, neBII between the judgments of the trumpets e.soo.ded up bsfore God out of the angel's and the plagues of Egypt. The resemblance hand; and the 8'm0ke of the inc.hu witk the is only general, but it serves to corroborate prayllf'8 of the saint, teent up, etc. (Revised the belief that the trumpets declare God's Version). The prayers, accompanied by the judgments on the wm·ld, not the trials of incense, and typically purified by it, e.re the Church. The Church is ·the true Israel received by God. He hears the prayers; whioh exists uninjured by these manifesta- .and the judgments aga.inst the wicked, which tions of God's wrath in the midi;t of the 'fol.low in th1, trumpet-visions, constitute the world of Egyptian wickedness. The ques- ~wer to them. This makes more probable tion next nah1rally arises-What are the the view that the following visions are judgments referred to, which are th\18 to judgrnents against the world, and not (like afflict the ungodlywbile leavingthe righ1:eoua lhe aeals) trials to the Church. unhurt; and when and how they are to take Ver. 5.-And the angel tool[ the censer, place? The answer evidently is - All and filled it with fu'e of the altar, and cast troubles of the wicked, which are the con- it into the earth; taketh the censer, and he sequence of misdoing, whether these troubles ft1led it with the fire of the altar, and oa8t overtake them in this life or in the life to it llpOl'I the earth (Revised Version). The come. In the words of Alford, "These angel now returns to the altar of burnt punishments are not merely direct infli11- ollming, whence he takes fire, which he tions of plagues, but consist in great part of cast.a upon the earth. This action denote.s that judicial retribution on them that know that God's judgments are about to descend not (:lod, which arises from their own de- "1 .the earth, and it therefore forms the pravity, and in which their own sins are •risible token of God's acceptance of the made to punish themselves.'' This seems prayers of the eaints, and his answer to ·to follow from the view which. we have ·them. And there were voices, and thunder- taken of Che trumpet-visions. They depict inga, and lightnings, and an earthquake; God's judgmenta on the wicked in all ages. and tkere folluwed thunders, a11d voice,, etc. Just as the seal-visions were found to relate (Revised 'Version). The manifestation of to the trials of God's people in all time, and Q-od's presence or, of his judgments is con- the fulfilment is not completed ·by any one tinually aceompanicd by awe-striking pheno- event or series of events, so now the seer is mena, such 11,1 are here described (see on eh. called upon to return, as it were, to his ti. 12). former starting-point, and follow out a new  au. vm.1-13.J THE REVELATION -OF ST. JOHN TSE DIVINE. 233