“ The angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, thunderings, lightnings and an earthquake” --8:5. The same fire that consumed the incense would speedily destroy the enemies of the saints, and the apostate city of Jerusalem, and the temple of Judaism. The fire-filled censer was cast into the earth. As previously shown “ the earth” signified the place of the persecuting powers. The censer filled with the fire of the altar was “ cast into the earth” as an act to cause explosion --and the result was symbolized by voices, thunderings, lightning and an earthquake. This was the fourfold sign of the judgments ready to come, gathering as a storm approaches with thunderings, and the earthquake signified the shaking of persecuting powers. The four angels and four trumpets were four signs that these events were about to break in fury. “ And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound” --8:6. The procession of events was ready to begin.