The golden censer was the instrument in which incense was burned in the Jewish worship. Incense symbolizes prayers (5:8). The offering of much incense with the prayers of all saints and the smoke of the incense ascending up before God, indicates the acceptance of their offerings in heaven—the act being before the throne, and not on the earth. [pg 076] The acceptance of their prayers, also implies their own acceptance, when presented “faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,” Jude 24.
The fire from the altar, symbolizes the instruments of divine justice; and the filling the censer with coals after the acceptance of the saints, and the casting of both the censer and fire to the earth, indicate that thenceforth there would be no more acceptance of prayer from those left on the earth, but the speedy infliction of impending judgments.
The “voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake,” which followed, evidently synchronize with the same events which follow the seventh trumpet: when the “wrath of God” has come, with “the time of the dead that they should be judged;” and when those are to be destroyed who have destroyed the earth, 11:19. They are the same, also, as those under the seventh vial, (16:18); and symbolize the final overturn and commotion, previous to the cleansing of the earth and the ushering in of a better day: Then will the
“fire purge all things new,
Both Heaven and Earth, wherein the just shall dwell.”—Milton, Book xi.
The Seven Trumpets.
“And the seven angels having seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.”—Rev. 8:6.
The sounding of each successive trumpet marks the commencement of an era, of a longer or shorter duration, as the striking of a clock does the succession of hours. During each era, were to be fulfilled the events symbolized in connection with its respective trumpet. Those under the trumpets are more of a political character than those presented in connection with the seals.
The First Trumpet.
“And the first angel sounded, and there was hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast into the earth; and the third part of the earth was burnt up, and the third part of the trees was burnt up, and every green herb was burnt up.”—Rev. 8:7.