Study of Revelation

The 7th Seal: Silence in Heaven

Once Jesus opens the 7th seal there's a half hour of silence and 7 angels each with a trumpet prepare to sound their trumpets. The 7th seal is a prelude to the 7 trumpet judgments that come next. What we also see happening is temple imagery or a type of "service" occurring that would be done in a temple.

There is one angel who is performing this "service". He has a golden censer and is given incense that will be offered with the prayer of the saints on an altar. "Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake" (Revelation 8:5). Thus begins the next set of judgments – the 7 trumpets.

When I read this passage, I'm reminded of the services done by God's people in various parts of the bible at an alter or temple. We can see a great example of this in Exodus 30:1-10  when Moses was commanded by God to build an altar for burning incense. This altar is overlaid with gold just like the golden altar in heaven (Exodus 30:3-5, Revelation 8:3). God also commands Moses to put this altar in front of the mercy seat where God will meet him (Exodus 30:6). We see the same thing in Revelation 8:3 as the golden altar is before God's throne.

We should be reminded that what the angel is doing here doesn't resemble what has been done on earth by God's people but rather what God has commanded his people to do through temple services is a resemblance to what's done in heaven. It's a minor detail but changes one's perspective. The altar of incense built by Moses as well as the system of burning the incense as an aroma to God is a type or shadow of what we see done in heaven, not the other way around. A great example being the law and the sacrificial system, "For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect" (Hebrews 10:1).

Something worth looking into here also is the prayer of the saints. The prayer of the saints is first mentioned in Revelation 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". But what are the prayers of the saints?

The "saints" these prayers originate from aren't special individuals with some higher status, but rather prayers originating from all of God's people throughout history. Several examples of this can be seen in passages such as Proverbs 2:8, Daniel 7:18, Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:2, Ephesians 1:1, and Philippians 1:1. A common idea with this passage is that these are prayers from saints in heaven interceding for us. I do not see the bible alluding to this as Christ is our only intercessor (1 Timothy 2:5). We also shouldn't be praying to dead believers or dead family members as that won't aid them or us in any way and may even be considered necromancy to some degree which God deems as an abomination (Deuteronomy 18:9-11).

The image of these prayers shows that each one is special to God as they are depicted as golden bowls of incense. Incense is important to God – a "sweet aroma". We can see this imagery in Psalm 141:2  as well, "Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice". The 7th seal not only shows us the worth of each of our prayers to God, but also the role the culmination of prayers may have at this point in time. Why is it that these prayers are included with the silence in heaven and the eventual earthquake, noises, lightnings and thunderings? Many believe the silence is caused by the heavenly host witnessing the severity of what is to come on the earth, but do our prayers play a role in this somehow in bringing this about? I believe so.

There is a prayer Jesus gave us a model that many Christians throughout history have prayed, "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen" (Matthew 6:9-13).

This is one of the many prayers prayed to the Lord for almost 2,000 years now and it seems that it will now be answered. Our prayers are important to God and the bible makes this message clear, "...The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:16). We ourselves may be underestimating the true worth and power of not just our individual prayers but the prayers of the collect body of Christ. Revelation 11:15 may just be the answer to this prayer of "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."; "Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!'"