Revelation Chapter 8
(Revelation 8:1 )And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
- This certainly IS the calm before the storm
- This shows the grave nature of what is about to transpire
And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
- It is obvious who the Maestro is here, and this indicates the amount of judgments about to come
- Everything is in order, according to God's Divine Will and Plan.
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.
- Incense, sometimes called sweet incense, represents prayers in Scripture
- Incense was perpetually burned on the altar of incense
- Israel offered it to God........or to idols
- This is simply praying to other false gods
- This is an angel, another angel, not THE Angel of the LORD, as the Church is in Heaven with His Church, therefore He does not have to intercede for the Church or mediate for her
- Jesus is on His Throne organizing, overseeing the acts on earth
- The prayers are about to be answered
- It was specially prepared, for God, by priests, not for home use
(Exodus 30:33 )
Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people.
(Exodus 30:38 )
Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people.
THE PURPOSE: TO GOD
(Exodus 25:6 )
Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,
(Exodus 30:8 )
And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.
(2 Kings 18:4 )
He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.
NO STRANGE INCENSE
(Exodus 30:9 )Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.
THE VIOLATION: TO OTHER GODS
(2 Kings 22:17 )Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.
(2 Kings 23:5 )
And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.
(2 Kings 23:8 )
And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba, and brake down the high places of the gates that were in the entering in of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man's left hand at the gate of the city.
SOLOMON
(1 Kings 11:8 )And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.
(1 Kings 12:33 )
So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.
(1 Kings 13:1 )
And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.
(1 Kings 13:2 )
And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee.
(1 Kings 22:43 )
And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.
IN THE HIGH PLACES
(2 Kings 12:3 )But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.
(2 Kings 14:4 )
Howbeit the high places were not taken away: as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places.
(2 Kings 15:4 )
Save that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places.
(2 Kings 15:35 )
Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burned incense still in the high places. He built the higher gate of the house of the LORD.
(2 Kings 16:4 )
And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
(2 Kings 17:11 )
And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger:
(2 Chronicles 2:4 )
Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.
(2 Chronicles 13:11 )
And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but ye have forsaken him.
(2 Chronicles 25:14 )
Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them.
(2 Chronicles 26:16 )
But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.
(2 Chronicles 26:18 )
And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God.
(2 Chronicles 26:19 )
Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar.
(2 Chronicles 28:3 )
Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
(2 Chronicles 28:4 )
He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
(2 Chronicles 28:25 )
And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers.
(2 Chronicles 29:7 )
Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel.
(2 Chronicles 29:11 )
My sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense.
(2 Chronicles 30:14 )
And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.
(2 Chronicles 32:12 )
Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it?
(2 Chronicles 34:25 )
Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched.
(Nehemiah 13:5 )
And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.
(Nehemiah 13:9 )
Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense.
(Psalms 66:15 )
I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.
(Psalms 141:2 )
Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
(Song of Solomon 3:6 )
Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?
(Song of Solomon 4:6 )
Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.
(Song of Solomon 4:14 )
Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices:
(Isaiah 1:13 )
Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
(Isaiah 41:11 )
Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.
(Isaiah 43:23 )
Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt offerings; neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense.
(Isaiah 45:24 )
Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.
(Isaiah 60:6 )
The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD.
(Isaiah 65:3 )
A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick;
(Isaiah 65:7 )
Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the LORD, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom.
(Isaiah 66:3 )
He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
(Jeremiah 1:16 )
And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.
(Jeremiah 6:20 )
To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.
(Jeremiah 7:9 )
Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;
(Jeremiah 11:12 )
Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble.
(Jeremiah 11:13 )
For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.
(Jeremiah 11:17 )
For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.
(Jeremiah 17:26 )
And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and meat offerings, and incense, and bringing sacrifices of praise, unto the house of the LORD.
(Jeremiah 18:15 )
Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;
(Jeremiah 19:4 )
Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it unto other gods, whom neither they nor their fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have filled this place with the blood of innocents;
(Jeremiah 19:13 )
And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods.
(Jeremiah 32:29 )
And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.
(Jeremiah 41:5 )
That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the LORD.
(Jeremiah 44:3 )
Because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to burn incense, and to serve other gods, whom they knew not, neither they, ye, nor your fathers.
(Jeremiah 44:5 )
But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods.
(Jeremiah 44:8 )
In that ye provoke me unto wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense unto other gods in the land of Egypt, whither ye be gone to dwell, that ye might cut yourselves off, and that ye might be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth?
(Jeremiah 44:15 )
Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,
(Jeremiah 44:17 )
But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.
(Jeremiah 44:18 )
But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.
(Jeremiah 44:19 )
And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?
(Jeremiah 44:21 )
The incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them, and came it not into his mind?
(Jeremiah 44:23 )
Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore this evil is happened unto you, as at this day.
(Jeremiah 44:25 )
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying, We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her: ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows.
(Jeremiah 48:35 )
Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab, saith the LORD, him that offereth in the high places, and him that burneth incense to his gods.
(Ezekiel 8:11 )
And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up.
(Ezekiel 16:18 )
And tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst them: and thou hast set mine oil and mine incense before them.
(Ezekiel 23:41 )
And satest upon a stately bed, and a table prepared before it, whereupon thou hast set mine incense and mine oil.
(Hosea 2:13 )
And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the LORD.
(Hosea 4:13 )
They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.
(Hosea 11:2 )
As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.
(Habakkuk 1:16 )
Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.
(Malachi 1:11 )
For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.
(Matthew 2:11 )
And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
(Luke 1:9 )
According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
(Luke 1:10 )
And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
(Luke 1:11 )
And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
(Revelation 8:4 )
And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
- When we pray it is like a sweet incense burning to God
- Conversely, when there is incense in Heaven, it is like us praying (a sweet odor)
Pray without ceasing. (Revelation 18:13 )
And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
(Revelation 5:8 )
And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
(Revelation 8:4 )
And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
- The representation of the prayers meets the actual prayers and reaches the LORD'S nostrils
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.
- Fiery judgment is common in the Bible and this is the time where there will be a lot of final judgment on the earth
- God is a consuming fire
- In 1 Samuel 22 and Psalm 18, David's prayer talks about God kindling fire in His nostrils
And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
(Genesis 19:24 )
Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
(2 Kings 1:10 )
And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
(2 Kings 1:12 )
And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
(2 Chronicles 7:1 )
Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house.
(Revelation 20:9 )
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
(Revelation 8:6 )
And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
- After the silence, the prayers, comes judgment in rapid fire, successively, consecutively
The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
- Egypt in Exodus 9 was hit with a lot of hail, and it was very deadly
And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt. So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field.
(Revelation 8:8 )
And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
- This is a volcano larger than any on earth outside of the Flood
And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
- This is fish and invertebrates, and food
- This third part of ships would not necessarily be all in one place at the same time, so this is a widespread destruction, worldwide
And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
- Perhaps a meteor, but supernatural nonetheless
- Add this to a third of the oceans and this is going to make the earth uninhabitable
And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
- Wormwood is probably the most bitter herb in existence on earth
Wormwood oil properties
Wormwood oil is a toxic and neurotoxic substance which can also be an abortifacient (causes abortions).Origin of wormwood oil
Wormwood is a perennial herb which grows to about five feet tall. As a medicinal herb, it was used for anorexia, used as a digestive tonic, to promote menstruation, to reduce fever and expel parasitic worms, hence the name. Wormwood was used in the liqueur absinthe. Prolonged consumption of this drink became known as 'absinthism'. Drinking absinthe for extended periods causes auditory and visual hallucinations, hyperexcitability, addiction, hyperexcitability, epileptic fits and would affect the intellect, cause addiction and in extreme cases perhaps brain damage. Large amounts of the active ingredient thujone a-thujone and b-thujone) can cause convulsions and is neurotoxicBoth Edgar Allen Poe and Vincent Van Gogh are widely believed to have been somehow driven to death or adversely affected healthwise by consumption of absinthe. France banned the production of absinthe in 1915 because of it being both narcotic and addictive.
(Revelation 8:12 )
And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
- This has been waiting in the wings for thousands of years now
- There is no daylight at all, just heavy darkness
- Jesus had three hours of utter darkness on the earth
Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
(Mark 15:33 )
And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
(Luke 23:44 )
And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
Old Testament Fulfillment
(Isaiah 13:10-11 )For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
(Ezekiel 32:7 )
And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.
(Joel 2:31 )
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
New Testament Fulfuillment
(Matthew 24:29 )Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
(Mark 13:24 )
But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
(Luke 21:25 )
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
(Revelation 8:13 )
And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!
- This is just beginning, and look at how much destruction there is.
- All of God's wrath toward arrogant mankind is poured out onto mankind
- There will be no escape
Revelation Chapter 9
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