Revelation 16:8
And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
Original Language Analysis
καὶ
And
G2532
καὶ
And
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
1 of 19
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
ὁ
G3588
ὁ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
2 of 19
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ἄγγελος
angel
G32
ἄγγελος
angel
Strong's:
G32
Word #:
4 of 19
compare g0034) (to bring tidings); a messenger; especially an "angel"; by implication, a pastor
τὴν
G3588
τὴν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
6 of 19
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
αὐτῷ
unto him
G846
αὐτῷ
unto him
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
8 of 19
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
ἐπὶ
upon
G1909
ἐπὶ
upon
Strong's:
G1909
Word #:
9 of 19
properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e., over, upon, etc.; of re
τὸν
G3588
τὸν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
10 of 19
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
καὶ
And
G2532
καὶ
And
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
12 of 19
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
ἐδόθη
power was given
G1325
ἐδόθη
power was given
Strong's:
G1325
Word #:
13 of 19
to give (used in a very wide application, properly, or by implication, literally or figuratively; greatly modified by the connection)
αὐτῷ
unto him
G846
αὐτῷ
unto him
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
14 of 19
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
Cross References
Revelation 14:18And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.Acts 2:20The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:Matthew 13:6And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.Jonah 4:8And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.Revelation 6:12And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;Revelation 7:16They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.Revelation 9:2And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.Revelation 8:12And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.Isaiah 24:23Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.Luke 21:25And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Historical Context
Mediterranean climate made intense sun dangerous, causing heatstroke and death. Ancient peoples understood the sun's dual nature—life-giving yet potentially deadly. This judgment reversed normal expectations, transforming blessing into curse. The imagery warned that rejecting God meant losing even creation's common grace benefits.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's ability to turn blessings (like the sun) into judgments demonstrate His sovereignty over creation?
- What does the intensification of affliction reveal about God's progressive judgments for the persistently impenitent?
Analysis & Commentary
The fourth angel's vial poured on the sun causing scorching heat represents intensified affliction. Unlike the fourth trumpet darkening the sun (8:12), this magnifies its heat. The sun, typically beneficial, becomes an instrument of torment—God can turn any blessing into curse for the impenitent. The scorching recalls the withering sun in Jesus' parable of the sower (Matthew 13:6), representing tribulation exposing false profession. Reformed theology affirms that creation itself, cursed by sin (Romans 8:20-22), participates in executing judgment. The intensity demonstrates escalating wrath, yet men still refuse repentance (v. 9).