Revelation of John 8:13
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And as I observed, I heard an eagle flying overhead, calling in a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the remaining three angels!”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
an angel--A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic read for "angel," which is supported by none of the oldest manuscripts, "an eagle": the symbol of judgment descending fatally from on high; the king of birds pouncing on the prey. Compare this fourth trumpet and the flying eagle with the fourth seal introduced by the fourth living creature, "like a flying eagle," Rev 4:7; Rev 6:7-8 : the aspect of Jesus as presented by the fourth Evangelist. John is compared in the cherubim (according to the primitive interpretation) to a flying eagle: Christ's divine majesty in this similitude is set forth in the Gospel according to John, His judicial visitations in the Revelation of John. Contrast "another angel," or messenger, with "the everlasting Gospel," Rev 14:6. through the midst of heaven--Greek, "in the mid-heaven," that is, in the part of the sky where the sun reaches the meridian: in such a position as that the eagle is an object conspicuous to all. the inhabiters of the earth--the ungodly, the "men of the world," whose "portion is in this life," upon whom the martyrs had prayed that their blood might be avenged (Rev 6:10). Not that they sought personal revenge, but their zeal was for the honor of God against the foes of God and His Church. the other--Greek, "the remaining voices." Next: Revelation Chapter 9
Open source ↗We have already seen what occurred upon opening six of the seals; we now come to the opening of the seventh, which introduced the sounding of the seven trumpets; and a direful scene now opens. Most expositors agree that the seven seals represent the interval between the apostle's time and the reign of Constantine, but that the seven trumpets are designed to represent the rise of antichrist, some time after the empire became Christian. In this chapter we have, I. The preface, or prelude, to the sounding of the trumpets (Rev 8:1-6). II. The sounding of four of the trumpets (Rev 8:7, etc.).
Open source ↗8:13 The ancients regarded the eagle as a symbolic messenger of God (see 4 Ezra 11:7-8; 2 Baruch 77:19-26). • Terror, terror, terror: A threefold announcement would be recognized as a message from God (see Acts 10:16). • The terror (Greek ouai) that sounded like an eagle’s screech was directed against humans of this world who were not among God’s faithful people (Rev 6:10; 9:4, 20).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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The second woe has passed. Behold, the third woe is coming shortly.
The first woe has passed. Behold, two woes are still to follow.
which He unrolled before me. And written on the front and back of it were words of lamentation, mourning, and woe.
Then I saw another angel flying overhead, with the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation and tribe and tongue and people.
Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying overhead, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God,
Then the fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to earth, and it was given the key to the pit of the Abyss.
Bless the LORD, all His angels mighty in strength who carry out His word, who hearken to the voice of His command.
And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. And no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.