Revelation 8:6 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And the seven angels—prepared themselves to sound.— As the seals foretold the state and condition of the Roman empire before, and till it became Christian, so the trumpets foreshow the state and condition of it afterward. The sound of the trumpet, as Jeremiah observes, ch. Jeremiah 4:19 and as every one understands it, is the alarm of war; and the sounding of these trumpets is designed to rouse and excite the nations against the Roman empire; called the third part of the world, as perhaps including the third part of the world, and being seated principally in Europe, the third part of the world as believed at that time. We may just observe, that the censers here mentioned, were the same with the vials full of odours mentioned ch. Revelation 5:8. The offeringof incense on the golden altar, seems to determine this allusion to the constant offering of incense in the temples and not to the service peculiar to the high-priest on the day of expiation; and fully shews the propriety of this vision in not expressly representing the high-priest. Indeed many interpreters, and that with good reason, understand the angel, Revelation 8:3 as an emblem of Christ, the great High-Priest of his church. As the golden altar made a part of the scene, there was a propriety in its appearing to be used; and the time of praying was the hour of incense. This vision may probably be designed to intimate, that, considering the scenes of confusion represented by the trumpets, the saints should be exceedingly earnest with God to pour out a spirit of wisdom, piety, and zeal upon the church, and preserve it safe amid these confusions.