And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
The seven angels. Compare the apocryphal Tobit 12: 15 , 'I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels which present the prayers of the saints, and go in and out before the glory of the Holy One.' Compare Luke 1:19.
Stood - `stand.'
Seven trumpets. These come in while the martyrs rest until their fellow-servants also, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled: for it is the inhabiters of the earth on whom the judgments fall, as the martyrs prayed that they should (Revelation 6:10). All the ungodly, not merely one portion, are meant; all opponents to the kingdom of Christ and His saints, as is proved by Revelation 11:15; Revelation 11:18, at the close of the seven trumpets. Revelation becomes more special only as it advances, (Revelation 13:1-18; Revelation 16:10; Revelation 17:1-18; Revelation 18:1-24.) By the seven trumpets the world-kingdoms are overturned to make way for Christ's universal kingdom. A martial instrument. War is the general feature of this group of judgments. The first four are connected; and the last three, which alone have Woe, woe, woe (Revelation 8:7-13).