Teks -- Revelation 8:1 (NET)

The Seventh Seal

8:1 Now when the Lamb opened the seventh seal there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: Rev 8:1 - And when he opened

And when he opened ( kai hotan ēnoixen ).

Here modal an is used with hote (used about the opening of the preceding six seals), but hotan is not here rendered more indefinite, as is sometimes true (Mar 3:11; Rev 4:9), but here and possibly (can be repetition) in Mar 11:19 it is a particular instance, not a general rule (Robertson, Grammar , p. 973).

Robertson: Rev 8:1 - There followed a silence

There followed a silence ( egeneto sigē ).

Second aorist middle of ginomai . "There came silence."Dramatic effect by this profound stillness with no elder or angel speaking, no chorus of praise nor cry of adoration, no thunder from the throne (Swete), but a temporary cessation in the revelations. See Rev 10:4.

Robertson: Rev 8:1 - About the space of half an hour

About the space of half an hour ( hōs hēmiōron ).

Late and rare word (hēmi , half, hōra , hour), here only in N.T. Accusative of extent of time.

Vincent: Rev 8:1 - When

When ( ὅτε )

Read ὅταν , the indefinite particle with the indicative mood. For a similar construction, see Mar 11:19 (correct reading). Alford observes that it occurs in the opening of this seal only, giving it an indefiniteness which does not belong to any of the rest.

Vincent: Rev 8:1 - There was

There was ( ἐγένετο )

More literally, come to pass . Rev., there followed .

Vincent: Rev 8:1 - About

About ( ὡς )

A usual form of expression with John. See Joh 1:39; Joh 6:19; Joh 11:18.

Wesley: Rev 8:1 - And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven

Such a silence is mentioned but in this one place. It was uncommon, and highly observable: for praise is sounding in heaven day and night. In particular, immediately before this silence, all the angels, and before them the innumerable multitude, had been crying with a loud voice; and now all is still at once: there is an universal pause. Hereby the seventh seal is very remarkably distinguished from the six preceding. This silence before God shows that those who were round about him were expecting, with the deepest reverence, the great things which the Divine Majesty would farther open and order. Immediately after, the seven trumpets are heard, and a sound more august than ever. Silence is only a preparation: the grand point is, the sounding the trumpets to the praise of God.

Wesley: Rev 8:1 - About half an hour

To St. John, in the vision, it might seem a common half hour.

JFB: Rev 8:1 - was

Greek, "came to pass"; "began to be."

JFB: Rev 8:1 - silence in heaven about . . . half an hour

The last seal having been broken open, the book of God's eternal plan of redemption is opened for the Lamb to read to the blessed ones in heaven. The half hour's silence contrasts with the previous jubilant songs of the great multitude, taken up by the angels (Rev 7:9-11). It is the solemn introduction to the employments and enjoyments of the eternal Sabbath-rest of the people of God, commencing with the Lamb's reading the book heretofore sealed up, and which we cannot know till then. In Rev 10:4, similarly at the eve of the sounding of the seventh trumpet, when the seven thunders uttered their voices, John is forbidden to write them. The seventh trumpet (Rev 11:15-19) winds up God's vast plan of providence and grace in redemption, just as the seventh seal brings it to the same consummation. So also the seventh vial, Rev 16:17. Not that the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven vials, though parallel, are repetitions. They each trace the course of divine action up to the grand consummation in which they all meet, under a different aspect. Thunders, lightnings, an earthquake, and voices close the seven thunders and the seven seals alike (compare Rev 8:5, with Rev 11:19). Compare at the seventh vial, the voices, thunders, lightnings, and earthquake, Rev 16:18. The half-hour silence is the brief pause GIVEN TO JOHN between the preceding vision and the following one, implying, on the one hand, the solemn introduction to the eternal sabbatism which is to follow the seventh seal; and, on the other, the silence which continued during the incense-accompanied prayers which usher in the first of the seven trumpets (Rev 8:3-5). In the Jewish temple, musical instruments and singing resounded during the whole time of the offering of the sacrifices, which formed the first part of the service. But at the offering of incense, solemn silence was kept ("My soul waiteth upon God," Psa 62:1; "is silent," Margin; Psa 65:1, Margin), the people praying secretly all the time. The half-hour stillness implies, too, the earnest adoring expectation with which the blessed spirits and the angels await the succeeding unfolding of God's judgments. A short space is implied; for even an hour is so used (Rev 17:12; Rev 18:10, Rev 18:19).

Clarke: Rev 8:1 - The seventh seal

The seventh seal - This is ushered in and opened only by the Lamb

Clarke: Rev 8:1 - Silence in heaven

Silence in heaven - This must be a mere metaphor, silence being put here for the deep and solemn expectation of the stupendous things about to take place, which the opening of this seal had produced. When any thing prodigious or surprising is expected, all is silence, and even the breath is scarcely heard to be drawn

Clarke: Rev 8:1 - Half an hour

Half an hour - As heaven may signify the place in which all these representations were made to St. John, the half hour may be considered as the time during which no representation was made to him, the time in which God was preparing the august exhibition which follows

There is here, and in the following verses, a strong allusion to different parts of the temple worship; a presumption that the temple was still standing, and the regular service of God carried on. The silence here refers to this fact - while the priest went in to burn incense in the holy place, all the people continued in silent mental prayer without till the priest returned. See Luk 1:10. The angel mentioned here appears to execute the office of priest, as we shall by and by see.

Defender: Rev 8:1 - seventh seal

The seventh seal judgment comprises all the judgments of the seven trumpets. Similarly, the seventh trumpet comprises all the seven vial (or bowl) judgments (Rev 15:7). Thus, except for parenthetical sections (Revelation 7, 10-15), the events described in the book of Revelation should be understood as sequential."

TSK: Rev 8:1 - And // silence

And : Rev 5:1, Rev 5:9, Rev 6:1, Rev 6:3, Rev 6:5, Rev 6:7, Rev 6:9, Rev 6:12

silence : Job 4:16; Psa 37:7, Psa 62:1 *marg. Hab 2:20; Zec 2:13

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Rev 8:1 - And when he // Had opened the seventh seal // There was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour

Rev 8:1 The seventh seal opened.

Rev 8:2 Seven angels receive seven trumpets.

Rev 8:3-5 An angel presenteth the prayers of the saints with incense

on the golden altar before the throne.

Rev 8:6-13 Four of the angels sound their trumpets, and great

plagues severally follow.

And when he that is, the Lamb, mentioned Rev 5:7 , who took the book out of the hand of him that sat upon the throne, the book of God’ s counsels, and had now revealed mysteriously to John what should come to pass (under all the pagan emperors) to the church of Christ, until the time of Constantine the Great, who, (as was said), about the year 325, had settled the Christian religion, and shut up all the idols’ temples, having conquered the apostate Licinius.

Had opened the seventh seal he cometh now to open the seventh seal, that is, to reveal to John what should be in the succeeding time of the church to the end of the world.

There was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour: but before the great evils should break out, which were to come to pass in this time, there was in the church a rest for a small time; for from the year 317, when Constantine bare the greatest sway in the empire, or 325, when he had got a full victory over Licinius, the church had a great peace for a little time, till 339, when the empire being divided, and Constantius having the eastern part, and Constans the western, (both sons of Constantine), Constanius, being an Arian, (who denied the Godhead of Christ), began again to persecute the Christians; and after him Julian, who apostatized to paganism. But after him they had a little further respite to the year 395, when Theodosius died, and the Christians’ quiet died with him. I rather choose to interpret this thus, than with those who understand the

silence in heaven of a silence in the third heavens, in allusion to the Jewish order; who, though they sung during the time of the sacrifice, and played upon instruments of music all that time, yet kept silence while the incense was offering. For (as divers have noted) it seemeth hard to judge, that in this Revelation there should be no mention of that short truce which the church had during the reign of Constantine, and for a small time after.

PBC: Rev 8:1

Re 8:1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

When this seal was opened, a space of time was given to take in the awesome events which were about to occur. Seven angels are about to sound the seven trumpets. They were about to pour out the wrath of God upon the people of Jerusalem and their beloved temple. This would be so terrible that there was complete silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. This time limit is figurative giving time to take in the supremacy of God.— Eld. Charles Taylor

Haydock: Rev 8:1 - There was silence in heaven

There was silence in heaven: which is to represent as it were a general consternation, and an expectation of dreadful events at the opening of the seventh seal, and when seven Angels stood prepared to sound seven trumpets. (Witham)

Gill: Rev 8:1 - And when he had opened the seventh seal // there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour

And when he had opened the seventh seal,.... That is, when the Lamb had opened the seventh and last seal of the scaled book:

there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour; not in the third heaven, the seat of the divine Being, of angels and glorified saints, where are hallelujahs without intermission; but in the church, which is oftentimes signified by heaven in this book, and where now the throne of God was placed, in that form as described in Rev 4:4, or rather in the Roman empire: nor is this silence the sum of this seal, or the only thing in it; for it includes the preparation of the seven angels to take their trumpets, though none of them were sounded during this period. This space of time some think refers to the time which elapsed, while the angel, who had incense given him to offer it with the prayers of saints, did so, and took fire off the altar with his censer, and cast it on the earth: and while the seven angels had their trumpets given them, and they were preparing to sound. Others are of opinion that this was only a pause, a breathing time for John between the former visions and seals, and the following; nothing being said or done, or anything exhibited to him during this interval; but he was at leisure to reflect on what he had seen, and to prepare for what was to come. Others understand it of the amazement of the saints at the judgments of God, which were coming upon the Christian empire, and of their quiet and silent preparations for these troubles and combats, both within and without, they were to be exercised with; see Zec 2:13. Others have thought that this refers to the state of the saints after the day of judgment, when there will be an entire cessation from persecution and trouble, and when the souls under the altar will have done crying for vengeance; but this will be not for half an hour only, but to all eternity; nor will angels and saints be then silent. Rather this is to be understood of that peace and rest which the church enjoyed upon Constantine's having defeated all his enemies, when he brought the church into a state of profound tranquillity and ease; and this lasted but for a little while, which is here expressed by about, or almost half an hour, as the Syriac version renders it; for in a short time the Arian heresy broke out, which introduced great troubles in the church, and at last violent persecutions. The allusion is, as in the whole of the following vision of the angel at the altar, to the offering of incense; at which time the people were removed from the temple, from between the porch and altar ^l, to some more distant place; and the priest was alone while he offered incense, and then prayed a short prayer, that the people might not be affrighted lest he should be dead ^m: and who in the mean while were praying in a silent, manner without; see Luk 1:9; hence the Jews say ⁿ, that the offering of incense atones for an ill tongue, for it is a thing that is introduced בחשאי, "silently", and it atones for what is done silently, such as whisperings, backbitings, &c. and they call ^o silence the best of spices, even of those of which the sweet incense was made.