Extracts and comments from Revelation Chps. 4:5 & 8:5
4.5 And out of the throne proceed lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were (a)seven lamps of (b)fire burning before the throne, which are the (c)seven Spirits of (d)God.
(a) The number 7 occurs 54 times in Revelation. There are 21 (7 x 3) different numbers in the book (Comp. App. 197). “Seven lamps”, see Zech. 4:2.
(b) Clearly "Divine Fire"; denoting Divine preparation and enabling for service, action, absolute effect, awaiting the direction from the Almighty to proceed. (See Zech 4:3-14).
(c) "Seven Spirits", = Angels or Spirit beings (Comp. App. 101 II 11). These are called "The", i.e. with the definite article, which gives special status to these seven angels. (7 denotes "Spiritual perfection," App. 10).
(d) "God"; = The Almighty.
8.5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with (c)fire of the (d)alter, and cast it into the Earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an (e)earthquake.
(c) The "Fire"; which was added to the incense from the Alter, never came from any other source, as this was "Holy Fire". Jehovah sent this fire (Lev. 9:24) down to the Tabernacle that He had instructed Moses to build, and it was never allowed to extinguish until Nebuchadnezzar raided the Temple. The later Temple after the Babylonian exile did not have "Divine Fire", or the "presence of Jehovah". This "Fire of the Alter", is the same fire that Jehovah sent to the Tabernacle, (Lev. 9:24) is the same fire that consumed all the Old Testament sin offerings, which killed the sons of Aaron, (Lev. 10:2), and which Elijah called down to combat the priests of Baal, (1Kings 18:38), and in many other instances. It is probable that this same Holy Fire is that of the "Lake of Fire", in Rev. 20:10.
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