Transition, The Golden Censer

² Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. ³ And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, ⁴ and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. ⁵ Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. (Revelation 8:2-5, ESV)

We are in the second of four visions John records in Revelation. The first vision started in chapter 1, followed by the letters to the seven churches. The second vision is recorded in chapters 4 and 5, followed by Christ being given the scroll with the seven seals. In Revelation 8:1 the seventh seal was broken and now we move on to the seven trumpets. The seven trumpets, along with the seven seals, are part of the "aftermath" of the vision in chapters 4 and 5. After the seven trumpets will come seven histories, followed by the seven bowls, which will conclude this vision sequence.

Verse 1 of chapter 8 is the formal conclusion of the seals. Verse 2 starts the trumpets, however, there is an interesting interruption of the trumpets. G.K. Beale in The Book of Revelation notes this as a structural interlocking of the last seal with the trumpets. In a way, verses 3-5 are an interlocking bridge from the seals to the trumpets.

Who the seven angels are we don’t know. There are seven well-known archangels of Jewish apocalyptic literature. The definite article translated as “the” in the ESV would seem to indicate that. Trivia question, who are they? Enoch 20:1-7 and 40:9 says: Uriel (presides over clamor and terror), Raphael (presides over the spirits of men), Raguel (who inflicts punishments), Michael (presides over human virtual and commands nations), Sarakiel (presides over naughty children), Gabriel (presides over all that is powerful), Phenuel (presides over repentance and those who inherit eternal life). Whether John actually sees these angels as stated in the Jewish apocalypses, or this is even an allusion to them, I can’t say. Another interesting possibility for the angels is that these are associated with the seven churches. However, there is probably more affinity of angels being used by God for judgment and that seems to be the use here (see Exodus 12:23; Psalm 78:47-48).

The interruption of the trumpets in Revelation 8:3-5 is to pick up and conclude the description of the final judgment in Revelation 6:12-17 and 8:1. The reason this fits with the final judgment are the close parallels it has with Revelation 6:12 (earthquakes), 11:19; 16:18; and the context of Revelation 8:2-5 and 15:2-4, all of which are final judgments.

Another angel came to the alter. This alter is the same alter where the souls of the slain saints are under. We can infer this with the prayers added to the incense in the censer and the prayers of the slain souls under the alter in Revelation 5:8 and 6:9. Here we can see the prayers of all the saints means that the slain souls stands for more than just the saints that were literally murdered. The angel is unspecified. It could be “The Angel of the Presence” in Isaiah 63:9. It could also be Christ as in Revelation 10:1 and 14:14. This angel carried carries a golden censer (like one pictured on the upper left).

The smoke of the incense rises before God indicates that the prayers of Revelation 6:10 is now being formally presented to God. The angel is representing the saints as he presents the prayers. The angels were also representatives to the churches in Revelation 1:20 and following. The angels are acting according to God’s will and desires. Thus the angels are carrying out God’s prior decision, which is consistent with the saints make their appeal directly to God in Revelation 6:10. The “much incense” rose before God is a metaphor that God accepted the prayers.

Incense in both the Old Testament and New Testament is always associated with sacrifices. Incense was added to the offering to make it pleasing to God. Thus associated with the saints’ prayer is the idea that the saints sacrificially gave their lives in remaining faithful to Christ. Revelation 7 tells us how the saints were able to remain faithful; God sealed them, so they were under God’s sovereign protection and had their robes washed in the blood of the Lamb.

Verse 5 indicates, by God’s judgment, the acknowledgment and acceptance of the prayers. The angel throws the censer to the earth, which is followed by, “peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.” As mentioned, this fits with other end time judgments, indicating this is the last judgment.