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Revelation 8
5 The angel took the censer, and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it on the earth. There followed thunders, sounds, lightnings, and an earthquake.
6 The seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
7 The first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. One third of the earth was burnt up, and one third of the trees were burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
For context we refer to a previous verse for identity of this angel and what is going on here.
Another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer. Much incense was given to him, that he should add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. (Revelation 8:3)
One of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power. No one was able to enter into the temple, until the seven plagues of the seven angels would be finished. (Revelation 15:7-8)
After these things, I saw another angel coming down out of the sky, having great authority. The earth was illuminated with his glory. (Revelation 18:1)
Throughout these passages we will see recurring themes such as a cloud or smoke along with plagues. All these are related to incense in one way or another. What might we learn from these connections? Keep in mind the symbolic nature of all these things.
Moses said to Aaron, Take your censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and lay incense thereon, and carry it quickly to the congregation, and make atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from Yahweh; the plague is begun. Aaron took as Moses spoke, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on the incense, and made atonement for the people. He stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.
(Numbers 16:46-48)
Now thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and reveals through us the sweet aroma of his knowledge in every place. For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God, in those who are saved, and in those who perish; to the one a stench from death to death; to the other a sweet aroma from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? (2 Corinthians 2:14-16)
He shall take a censer full of coals of fire from off the altar before Yahweh, and two handfuls of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil: and he shall put the incense on the fire before Yahweh, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the testimony, so that he will not die. (Leviticus 16:12-13)
In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each one had six wings. With two he covered his face. With two he covered his feet. With two he flew. One called to another, and said, "Holy, holy, holy, is Yahweh of Armies! The whole earth is full of his glory!" The foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.
Then I said, "Woe is me! For I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, Yahweh of Armies!"
Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar. He touched my mouth with it, and said, "Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin forgiven."
I heard the Lord's voice, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here I am. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:1-8)
He spoke to the man clothed in linen, and said, Go in between the whirling wheels, even under the cherub, and fill both your hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city. He went in as I watched. Now the cherubim stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court. The glory of Yahweh mounted up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of Yahweh's glory. The sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of God Almighty when he speaks.
It came to pass, when he commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim, that he went in, and stood beside a wheel. The cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubim to the fire that was between the cherubim, and took of it, and put it into the hands of him who was clothed in linen, who took it and went out.
(Ezekiel 10:2-7)
"An appointed priest took the golden censer inside the temple and offered incense on the golden altar in the Holy Place. When the priest came out, he threw the censer down on the pavement, producing a loud noise. At that point, seven priests blew their trumpets, marking the end of the temple services for that day." - SDA Quarterly 1st quarter 2019 p. 86
he filled it with the fire of the altar
This fire is the fire of God, the intense passion of love that newly empowers the people of God and energizes their prayers through the infusion of large doses of praise. This catapults them into practicing the new song much more faithfully than ever before, preparing them for the increasing intensity of the darkness of evil that is attempting to suffocate the emerging light pouring into the world.
This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn't come to the light, lest his works would be exposed. (John 3:19-20)
threw it on the earth
Take a look at other instances where things are either thrown to the earth or fall to the earth.
The first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. One third of the earth was burnt up, and one third of the trees were burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. The second angel sounded, and something like a great burning mountain was thrown into the sea. One third of the sea became blood, (Revelation 8:7-8)
The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from the sky, burning like a torch, and it fell on one third of the rivers, and on the springs of the waters. (Revelation 8:10)
The stars of the sky fell to the earth, like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when it is shaken by a great wind. (Revelation 6:13)
The fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from the sky which had fallen to the earth. The key to the pit of the abyss was given to him. (Revelation 9:1)
His tail drew one third of the stars of the sky, and threw them to the earth. The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child. (Revelation 12:4)
The great dragon was thrown down, the old serpent, he who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now is come the salvation, the power, and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ; for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night. (Revelation 12:9-10)
I heard a loud voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God on the earth!" (Revelation 16:1)
After these things, I saw another angel coming down out of the sky, having great authority. The earth was illuminated with his glory. (Revelation 18:1)
This burst of glorious truth about the attractiveness of God is released from heaven onto the whole world through its reception and transmission facilitated by the praises and prayers of the saints reflecting the disposition of the Lamb.
There followed thunders, sounds, lightnings, and an earthquake
Note these are in reverse order from the previous listing.
Out of the throne proceed lightnings, sounds, and thunders. There were seven lamps of fire burning before his throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. (Revelation 4:5)
This word translated sounds literally means disclosures, to articulate with voice, bestial and artificial.
Fire or glory of God becomes evident to all on the earth as Satan's lies increasingly are more exposed. These manifestations might be related to activities connected with an outpouring of the Spirit of God.
From Rev. 4:5 and Isa. 29:5-6 it appears these signals emanate from the throne. In this context they appear to be elicited by the prayers of the saints combined with much incense connecting with the fire of God. Like lava pouring into the ocean (Rev. 8:8), the reaction of fire encountering waters can often be quite violent.
But the multitude of your foes will be like fine dust, and the multitude of the ruthless ones like chaff that blows away. Yes, it will be in an instant, suddenly. She will be visited by Yahweh of Armies with thunder, with earthquake, with great noise, with whirlwind and storm, and with the flame of a devouring fire. (Isaiah 29:5-6)
