John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 5. And the angel took the censer , etc.] The golden one before mentioned, the use of which was to take and carry in it burning coals of fire: and filled it with fire of the altar ; of burnt offering, for upon that, and not upon the altar of incense, fire was; the allusion is to the priest that was worthy to use a censer f245 ; who took a silver censer, and went to the top of the altar (of burnt offering), and having removed the coals there, and there took them in his censer, and went down and emptied them into a golden one, and there was scattered from it about a kab of coals; for the golden one held a kab less than the silver one f246 ; and cast [it] into the earth : the Roman empire: by fire some understand the Spirit of God, and his gifts and graces, which sat upon the apostles as cloven tongues of fire on the day of Pentecost; and which they suppose were now plentifully bestowed on the ministers of the word, to enlighten them, inspire them with zeal, and abundantly fit them for the work of the ministry, in consequence of Christ's mediation and intercession: and others think the Gospel is intended, which is sometimes compared to fire, ( Jeremiah 20:9 23:29), or else those contentions and quarrels which, through the corruptions of men, arise on account of the Gospel, ( Luke 12:49); though rather by fire here are meant the judgments of God, and his wrath and fury poured forth like fire upon the Roman empire, now become Christian; and so was an emblem of those calamities coming upon it at the sounding of the trumpets; and shows that as Christ prays and intercedes for his, own people, for their comfort and safety, so he will bring down, his judgments upon his and their enemies; (see Ezekiel 10:2); and the Targum on it: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake ; which may be understood either of the nature, use, and effects of the Gospel, speaking to the hearts of men by the sons of thunder, enlightening their minds, and shaking their consciences; the like were at the giving of the law, ( Exodus 19:16); or rather of those terrors, distresses, and commotions in the world, because of God's righteous judgments, and which particularly will be at the sound of the seventh trumpet, and the pouring out of the seventh vial, ( Revelation 11:15 16:17,18); the allusion is to the sounds that were heard at the time of the daily sacrifice; for besides the blowing of the trumpets by the priests, and the singing of the Levites, of which (see Gill on Revelation 8:2); there was a musical instrument called hprgm , magrephah f247 , which being sounded, a man could not hear another speak in Jerusalem: yea, they say it was heard as far as Jericho.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-6 - The seventh seal is opened. There was profound silence in heaven for space; all was quiet in the church, for whenever the church on eart cries through oppression, that cry reaches up to heaven; or it is silence of expectation. Trumpets were given to the angels, who were to sound them. The Lord Jesus is the High Priest of the church, having golden censer, and much incense, fulness of merit in his own glorious person. Would that men studied to know the fulness that is in Christ and endeavoured to be acquainted with his excellency. Would that the were truly persuaded that Christ has such an office as that of Intercessor, which he now performs with deep sympathy. No prayers, thu recommended, was ever denied hearing and acceptance. These prayers thus accepted in heaven, produced great changes upon earth. The Christian worship and religion, pure and heavenly in its origin an nature, when sent down to earth and conflicting with the passions an worldly projects of sinful men, produced remarkable tumults, here se forth in prophetical language, as our Lord himself declared, Lu 12:49.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ ειληφεν 2983 5758 V-RAI-3S ο 3588 T-NSM αγγελος 32 N-NSM το 3588 T-ASN λιβανωτον 3031 A-ASM και 2532 CONJ εγεμισεν 1072 5656 V-AAI-3S αυτο 846 P-ASN εκ 1537 PREP του 3588 T-GSN πυρος 4442 N-GSN του 3588 T-GSN θυσιαστηριου 2379 N-GSN και 2532 CONJ εβαλεν 906 5627 V-2AAI-3S εις 1519 PREP την 3588 T-ASF γην 1093 N-ASF και 2532 CONJ εγενοντο 1096 5633 V-2ADI-3P φωναι 5456 N-NPF και 2532 CONJ βρονται 1027 N-NPF και 2532 CONJ αστραπαι 796 N-NPF και 2532 CONJ σεισμος 4578 N-NSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
5. Took (eilhfen). Lit., hath taken. So Rev., in margin.With the fire (ek tou purov). Lit., "from or out off the fire," i.e., the coals or hot ashes. For ejk out off see on chapter ii. 7.
Cast it into the earth. See Ezek. x. 2; Luke xii. 49.
