Smoke

Comparisons in the Book of Revelation:

Another internal comparison (like the whore and the bride discussed in an earlier post) we could easily make that serves to build a more interpretive framework can be found in John's use of smoke. Simply put; fire burns something and the smoke rises up into the heavens. In the Old Testament smoke from a burnt offering was described as a pleasant fragrance to the Lord. John uses this image to illustrate the self-sacrifice of the righteous who are being purified by fire. The prayers of the saints rise up like smoke, a sweet savor to the Lord

 Rev 5:8: Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.  Rev 8:3-4: Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. (4) And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand.

Compare this to the use of "smoke" when used to describe the suffering of the wicked.

Rev 14:11: And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name."

In comparing the "smoke" which rises because of the burning (the righteous getting purified, the unrighteous getting punished) I think it is important to look at and compare the meaning of "smoke". For the righteous it is stated in the text. The smoke is the prayers of the saints caused by thier suffering and repentance. The smoke for the unrighteous then must be its polar opposite. The unrighteous, beacause of thier suffering, blaspheme God and continue all the more in thier wickedness.

Rev. 16:8-9: Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. (9) And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.

The symbol of the smoke of suffering by the unrighteous is depicted as a big part of the events that take place during the progression of the book. It is interesting that out of this smoke (the suffering of the unrighteous) comes the an army of locust-like creatures that descend upon the earth and "torment" men. Apocalyptic books of both Jewish (2 Baruch) and Christian (Hermas) origin display similar scenes (swarming insects), identifying them as a plague of demonic spirits.

One of the great questions apocalyptic books try to answer for thier readers, is "why do we suffer?" The book of Revelation is no different and the comparison of smoke only confirms the answer John is trying to get across. It is not all for nothing. God is pleased with suffering because it brings change in us (purification). While it does not make us happy, it CAN make us better people, if we let it. There is always something we can learn about ourselves in suffering. Otherwise it just produces a thick cloud of choking smoke, which apparently opens the door to demonic torment.