Revelation 8-9 - In Depth Bible Commentaries

909(...continued)and national rulers (compare Isaiah 13:9-11, 19; 24:19-23; 34:4-5; Ezekiel 32:7-8, 11-12;Joel 2:10, 28-32; Acts 2:16-21).” (Gregg, p. 166) We note that Isaiah 13 and Joel 2 arespecifically passages about the coming “day of YHWH.”The futurist interpreter Ironside interprets the diminishing of the heavenly lights as “areduction of the light of spiritual perception in the Tribulation. Gaebelein states that “The symbolicalmeaning of this trumpet judgment is that all authority within the revived Roman empire[where in Revelation is there any real indication of a ‘revived Roman empire?] will be smittenby the hand from above and as a result there will be the most awful moral darkness.” Walvoordholds out for a more literal application, stating that it is “an eclipse that extends to a thirdpart of the day and a third part of the night,” while Ryrie says “apparently the twenty-four hourcycle will be shortened to a sixteen-hour cycle.” (Gregg, pp. 167, 169)Spiritual interpretation of John’s picturesque language leads to the understanding thatthe rule of our God includes even the heavenly bodies--sun, moon, and stars. The pictureJohn draws is “not the natural result of man-made pollution (which might conceivably diminishthe light reaching the earth by one-third), for it is a darkening that only affects a portion of eachday and night...Wilson writes that ‘It should be obvious that John is painting a picture and notwriting a treatise on astronomy! The darkness prefigures he doom of the ungodly (Isaiah13:10)’...Wilcock observes: ‘But, the damage is partial (one third), not total; which seems toshow that the Trumpets are sounding not doom, but warning. The majority of mankind isallowed to survive, being shown God’s wrath against sin, and given the chance to repent.’”(Gregg, pp. 167, 169, 171)Beasley-Murray also interprets spiritually, stating that “Admittedly an unusual twist isgiven to the astronomical data...for one would imagine that the striking of a third of the sun,moon, and stars would result in their light being reduced in intensity by that amount, ratherthan a reduction of the length of their shining...John wishes to affirm that [human beings]experience darkness in the day and intensified darkness in the night by reason of their sins.But the Lord is merciful in sparing them light both by day and by night--that they may forsaketheir moral darkness for life in the unending light of His presence.” (P. 158)Hough similarly comments, “The writer rushes on without any regard for what we wouldcall the realm of scientific fact...The sun and the moon and the stars are used for the purposeof meting out justice to [humanity]...The whole vast universe is one under the government ofGod. [Human beings] and stars are both a part of the divine rule.” (P. 430)He adds, “The very stars in their courses fight against bad [people]...If the force ofRome is used against good [people] and for evil [people], the process is reversed when theheavenly forces come into action...The contract between earth and heaven is breaking up.[Human beings] felt as if they could depend upon the sun and the moon and the shining starswith complete and constant assurance. But the God who gave [humanity] light by means ofthe sun, and made the night bright with the moon and the stars, is on the throne. He hasmade no contract to give light to bad people. [But is this true? What about Matthew 6:45 andthe promises to Noah in Genesis 8:22?](continued...)425