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Rev_8:10-11. The third trumpet brings a poisoning of a third part of the rivers and fountains of waters (upon the land), and thereby the death of many men.
If, therefore, a certain connection with the second trumpet-vision be found in the fact that damage to the other waters follows that done to the sea, yet the two visions need in no way be drawn together, not even in reference to the so-called fulfilment.[2484] The nature of the damage of Rev_8:10 is entirely different from that of Rev_8:8; it is also, in Rev_8:11, intended for men. In general, however, the preparatory visitations represented by the trumpet—just as by the seal-visions—are so directed that one blow follows another until finally the Lord comes.
ἜΠΕΣΕΝ ἘΚ Τ . ΟὐΡ . ἈΣΤΉΡ , Κ . Τ . Λ . That the star “itself is abandoned to ruin, and, hence, has been torn from its place,”[2485] is a statement entirely out of place. The text marks only the ruinous effect which the star is to have; but in connection therewith lies the idea, that, just to produce the effect intended by God, the falling of the star has been caused by the determinate Divine will.
The words ΚΑΙΌΜΕΝΟς Ὡς ΛΑΜΠΆς make it manifest, that the great star which John saw fall from heaven had a luminous flame, but in no way show that “the great star” was any meteor, comet, or falling star.[2486]
ΚΑῚ ἜΠΕΣΕΝ ἘΠῚ ΤῸ ΤΡΊΤΟΝ ΤῶΝ ΠΟΤΑΜῶΝ , Κ . Τ . Λ . If any one should ask how this is to happen, the answer may be given with Ebrard, that the star in its fall is to be scattered so that its “sparks and fragments may fly into the water;” but the question and answer come from a consideration not belonging to the text.
Ὁ ἌΨΙΝΘΟς [2487]. The masc. form, instead of the usual ΤῸ ἈΨΊΝΘΙΟΝ or Ἡ ἌΨΙΝΘΟς , is chosen because of its congruence with Ὁ ἈΣΤΉΡ .[2488] The name designating[2489] the nature of the star declares its effect ( ἘΠΙΚΡΆΝΘΗΣΑΝ ).
ΤῸ ΤΡΊΤΟΝ ΤῶΝ ὙΔΆΤΩΝ . From this combination of the previously mentioned ΠΟΤΑΜΟΊ and ΠΗΓΑῚ ὙΔΆΤΩΝ , the result is expressly, that already in Rev_8:10 the third of the ΠΗΓ . ὙΔ . is to be thought of, which is clear also from the connection with ΤῸ ΤΡΊΤΟΝ Τ . ΠΟΤ .
ἘΓΈΝΕΤΟ
ἘΙς ἌΨΙΝΘΟΝ . The same thing is indicated by ἘΠΙΚΡΆΝΘΗΣΑΝ . By the falling star “Wormwood,” the waters are made wormwood-water whose poisonous bitterness brings death to many men. The consideration that wormwood[2490] is no deadly poison, is not at all pertinent, because it is not natural wormwood that is here treated of.
ἐκ τ . ὑδ . Cf. Rev_9:8; Winer, p. 344. The cause appears as the source from which the effect comes.
[2484] Against Ebrard. Cf. on Rev_8:8-9.
[2485] Ebrard.
[2486] Ebrard.
[2487] Against C. a Lap., Wetst., Züll., etc.
[2488] Ew.
[2489] Cf. Rev_6:8.
[2490] Cf. Winer, Rwb., in loc.
The star falling from heaven (the Church), which makes the waters bitter and poisonous, is readily interpreted by allegorical expositors as heresy. So Beda: “Heretics falling from the summit of the Church attempt, with the flame of their wickedness, to taint the fountains of divine Scriptures.” More definitely still, N. de Lyra, who had referred the two preceding trumpets to Arius and Macedonius: “Pelagius, who preached contrary to the sweetness of the Holy Spirit.” Luther: “Origen, who by philosophy and reason imbittered and corrupted the Scriptures, as the high schools with us have done until the present.” Vitr, Beng., etc., refer it to Arius. Mede understands Romulus Augustulus; Laun., Gregory the Great. But to the expositors who find everywhere in the Apoc. the particular facts of the history of the Church and the world represented, such matters are not subject to the option of an allegorizing interpretation, as they refer all to events contemporaneous with John. Thus in the star, Grot. finds the Egyptian mentioned in Act_21:38; while Herder, whose opinion Böhmer has reproduced, finds Eleazar,[2491] “a fiery, audacious young man, the prime originator of the spirit of the zealots,” through whom the “animosity” was first aggravated. Hengstenb. also here traces again the war. Stars he regards as signifying, in general, sovereigns; “the fire with which the great star burns is the fire of wrath, war, and conquest;” the water of the streams is “a symbol of prosperity:” the whole designates, therefore, the calamity of war.
[2491] Jos., B. Jud., ii. 17.