Free Bible Commentary
“Revelation 8:1-6”
Categories: Revelation“When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake. And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them.”
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When the Lamb broke open the seventh seal of the sacred scroll, there was a period of “silence” for a short period of time—figuratively “about half an hour” (verse 1). This was the dramatic “quiet before the storm” designed to build great anticipation and wonder for the spectacle that was about to unfold. With the closing of the first series of sevens (seals) a new series of sevens was initiated. During this silent interlude, the seven angels who stood before God were given “seven trumpets” (verse 2).
It is important to understand that the seven trumpets did not follow the seven seals on a strictly chronological basis, but ran parallel with them to a great degree. The breaking of the seals revealed the persecution of God’s people on earth, and the pleas of the saints that had already lost their lives because of it; and the trumpets represent God’s judgment against the persecutors as a (trumpet) call to repentance before He unleashes His full wrath upon them. “Trumpets are a symbol of warning and instruction (Num. 10:1-10; Ezek. 33:3), serving as a way God calls men to repent (Joel 2:1). God always warns first, for He is ‘longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance’ (2 Pet 3:9).” (Harkrider)
This time of silence also represented a glimpse of heaven’s perspective of “the prayers of all the saints” (verse 3). “Another angel” was standing at “the golden altar which was before the throne” with “a golden censer” in his hand. When he added “much incense” to the censer, he added to the prayers, pleas and petitions of God’s people. We can take tremendous comfort in knowing that the Lord always hears our prayers, and that He always responds in the best possible ways.
If you’ve ever wondered if God is there and whether He is listening and if He really cares, the answer is a resounding “YES”! If you’ve ever questioned whether God is really present when the hurt is really hard, please know for certain that He is on His throne in heaven, watching and listening and preparing the very best plan of action for your life! And Jesus, our great Savior and Mediator is there as well, interceding for us (“adding to” and intensifying our prayers) and sending them “up before God” (verse 4). “But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him” (Habakkuk 2:20)!
When “the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar” and “threw it to the earth” (verse 5), this indicated that God had indeed heard the petitions of His beleaguered saints and answered in an assertive and vigorous way. “This is the apocalyptic counterpart to Jesus’ parable of the importune widow, spoken ‘to the end that they ought always to pray, and not to faint.’ Jesus told of a judge who granted a widow’s request that he avenge her of her adversaries, not because he cared, but because he wanted her to stop bothering him. Jesus explained that the Father also grants requests, although He does not share the judge’s attitude: ‘And shall not God avenge His elect, that cry to Him day and night, and yet He is longsuffering over them? I say unto you, that He will avenge them speedily’ (Luke 18:1-8).”
And now God replies to the cry of His righteous elect by casting down the fire of His righteous indignation upon the world of wicked men. He responds in “thunder” and “lightning” which causes the earth to shudder and “quake” before Him! The effective, fervent prayer of righteous men and women accomplishes much (James 5:16)!
Please read Revelation 8:7-13 for tomorrow.
Have a blessed day!
-Louie Taylor
