An Angel Flying in Heaven Revelation 8:13

As John the apostle continued to share about the “tribulation” that was to come upon the earth, he shared concerning the first six seals Jesus removed from the “scroll” in God's right hand. He then wrote about what happened when Jesus, “had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets … And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed. And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; the name of the start is called Wormwood, and the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.” In chapter eight and verse thirteen John “beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven” where we read:

And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabitants of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

The verse reads, “And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabitants of the earth ...” John began with the words, “and I beheld” which means “and John saw, perceived, discerned and discovered”, “and heard” or “was endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf and able to attend to, consider, understand and perceive” “an angel flying” which refers to “a messenger, envoy or one sent who was flying” “through the midst of heaven” or “within the highest point in which the sun occupies at noon and where what is done can be seen and heard by all”, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring and proclaiming” “with a loud voice” which refers to “with a great, large and abundant sound of uttered words, language and tongue”, “Woe, woe, woe” or “alas, alas, alas” “to the inhabitants” which refers to “to the people whether male or female” “of the earth” which means “the arable land, territory, country or region”. John saw this “flying angel” making a “loud” declaration in the “sky” concerning the “woe” that was to come upon people who “dwelt” on the “earth”.

The verse goes on to say, “...by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!” John continued with the words, “by reason of” which means “through the rest, remaining and certain number” “the other voices” or “pertaining to the tones, sound of uttered words and language” “of the trumpet” which means “of the reverberating and quivering instruments” “of the three angels” or “which were held by the remaining three messengers, envoys or ones sent”, “which are yet to sound” which means “these three angels were yet to blast their trumpets of judgment upon the earth”. John .

When we consider John's words in this verse, we see a distinct warning and prophetic word by this “flying angel” who proclaimed “woe, woe, woe” to people who live upon the earth. The fact that he mentions “woe” three times should make any reader of these things pay particular attention to these next three “trumpet blasts”. God will bring His judgment upon the earth, and people who have rejected His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” shall experience these things if they are alive at the time. Because this warning is so specific and contains three “woes”, let all who read these words understand, humble themselves and accept Jesus today.

Next time we begin an new chapter and John shares how he “beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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