“When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.”
Silence.
“The Lord is in his holy temple;” says the prophet Habakkuk, “let all the earth keep silence before him.”
This last seal is opened, and what is experienced is the End. The bliss of being in the Jesus’ presence is revealed, and everything responds by watching in silent awe. We often think of worship as us singing, or us praying, or us doing . . . something. Here in Revelation 8:1, as in Habakkuk 2:20, we worship through silence. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.” That is what we will do; totally secure in our loving Father’s presence, rejoicing in the Son’s radiance. And being with God will be enough. We will be silent because the experience will be so sublime that to speak would be to ruin it.
The censer filled with incense is thrown to the earth, and End comes. The earth is destroyed. This censer is filled with all the prayers of the saints that have ever prayed for God to make things right, “Come, Lord Jesus!” or “Thy kingdom come.” It is for our sake that God acts and brings the End, and brings us home to be with him forever.
Interestingly, the Revelation does not end there, but Seven Trumpet angels come forward, and the vision begins again. It’s a different angle, but it’s the same vision; from the time of Jesus’ ascension to the End these are the things that will happen.
The first trumpet is blown and there is hail and fire and blood. A third of the earth is burned. This makes me think of the destruction of the rain forests, famines and droughts that take place.
The second trumpet is blown and a great mountain (an asteroid?) falls into the sea. A third of the sea becomes blood, a third of the sea creatures die, and a third of the ships on the sea are destroyed. This reminds us of the pollution that destroys the seas and rivers of the world.
The third trumpet is blown and a star, named Wormwood, fell from heaven. A third of the water becomes bitter wormwood, undrinkable and many people die. One of the leading causes of death around the world is a lack of drinkable water.
The fourth trumpet is blown and the sun, moon and stars are struck and a third are taken away, removing light from the world. This makes me think of the various forms of pollution that keep us from enjoying God’s celestial beauty. Light pollution around us keeps us from seeing the stars. When we lived in St. Louis, the smog would sometimes block the sun from view.
Sadly, the earth groans awaiting the day God will set all things right. In the mean time mankind heedlessly destroys creation through misuse, lack of care, or even willful actions.
Some of these trumpets remind us of the plagues God brought upon the Egyptians. They should! God is acting on behalf of his people in judgment against those who would persecute and destroy his children. Just as he rescued the Israelites through mighty acts and through destruction, he will rescue us. The sad thing in this is that, just as Pharaoh did not repent, the people of the world do not repent and turn to God who would relent and rescue them, too.
Lord God, help me to be still, be silent, and know that You are my Savior. Amen
Silence.
“The Lord is in his holy temple;” says the prophet Habakkuk, “let all the earth keep silence before him.”
This last seal is opened, and what is experienced is the End. The bliss of being in the Jesus’ presence is revealed, and everything responds by watching in silent awe. We often think of worship as us singing, or us praying, or us doing . . . something. Here in Revelation 8:1, as in Habakkuk 2:20, we worship through silence. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.” That is what we will do; totally secure in our loving Father’s presence, rejoicing in the Son’s radiance. And being with God will be enough. We will be silent because the experience will be so sublime that to speak would be to ruin it.
The censer filled with incense is thrown to the earth, and End comes. The earth is destroyed. This censer is filled with all the prayers of the saints that have ever prayed for God to make things right, “Come, Lord Jesus!” or “Thy kingdom come.” It is for our sake that God acts and brings the End, and brings us home to be with him forever.
Interestingly, the Revelation does not end there, but Seven Trumpet angels come forward, and the vision begins again. It’s a different angle, but it’s the same vision; from the time of Jesus’ ascension to the End these are the things that will happen.
The first trumpet is blown and there is hail and fire and blood. A third of the earth is burned. This makes me think of the destruction of the rain forests, famines and droughts that take place.
The second trumpet is blown and a great mountain (an asteroid?) falls into the sea. A third of the sea becomes blood, a third of the sea creatures die, and a third of the ships on the sea are destroyed. This reminds us of the pollution that destroys the seas and rivers of the world.
The third trumpet is blown and a star, named Wormwood, fell from heaven. A third of the water becomes bitter wormwood, undrinkable and many people die. One of the leading causes of death around the world is a lack of drinkable water.
The fourth trumpet is blown and the sun, moon and stars are struck and a third are taken away, removing light from the world. This makes me think of the various forms of pollution that keep us from enjoying God’s celestial beauty. Light pollution around us keeps us from seeing the stars. When we lived in St. Louis, the smog would sometimes block the sun from view.
Sadly, the earth groans awaiting the day God will set all things right. In the mean time mankind heedlessly destroys creation through misuse, lack of care, or even willful actions.
Some of these trumpets remind us of the plagues God brought upon the Egyptians. They should! God is acting on behalf of his people in judgment against those who would persecute and destroy his children. Just as he rescued the Israelites through mighty acts and through destruction, he will rescue us. The sad thing in this is that, just as Pharaoh did not repent, the people of the world do not repent and turn to God who would relent and rescue them, too.
Lord God, help me to be still, be silent, and know that You are my Savior. Amen
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