The seventh seal is now opened. And then nothing. No praises. No pageantry. The twenty-four elders are motionless on their thrones. The wings of the living creatures are folded. The multitude that no one can count stands frozen. Absolute silence.
John waits in breathless anticipation. It’s obvious to him that the play is changing. A new act is about to come on stage. Finally, after a very long suspense-filled respite, a new sequence begins to unfold.
Seven angels are given seven trumpets. The story of the seven seals is finished and the saga of the seven trumpets is about to begin. But first we have another angel with a golden censer who offers up incense and the prayers of the saints. And this smoke goes up before God from the altar in front of the throne. The import of this is to assure John’s readers that their prayers are indeed a sweet-smelling aroma to God. They are a precious bouquet to him. And they move him to respond.
Do you know that God feels that way about your prayers. It may feel at times as if heaven is silent. You may sense that God is making you wait an inordinate amount of time. But what you may perceive as lead skies and dead silence is really the breathless anticipation of all those around the throne as they watch God savor the perfume of your prayers.
But the waiting is soon over. The angel takes the censer, fills it with fire and hurls it onto the earth. And the earth responds with foreboding thunder and rumblings, lightning, and an earthquake. Another round of judgment is about to unfold with the sound of the seven trumpets.
John waits in breathless anticipation. It’s obvious to him that the play is changing. A new act is about to come on stage. Finally, after a very long suspense-filled respite, a new sequence begins to unfold.
Seven angels are given seven trumpets. The story of the seven seals is finished and the saga of the seven trumpets is about to begin. But first we have another angel with a golden censer who offers up incense and the prayers of the saints. And this smoke goes up before God from the altar in front of the throne. The import of this is to assure John’s readers that their prayers are indeed a sweet-smelling aroma to God. They are a precious bouquet to him. And they move him to respond.
Do you know that God feels that way about your prayers. It may feel at times as if heaven is silent. You may sense that God is making you wait an inordinate amount of time. But what you may perceive as lead skies and dead silence is really the breathless anticipation of all those around the throne as they watch God savor the perfume of your prayers.
But the waiting is soon over. The angel takes the censer, fills it with fire and hurls it onto the earth. And the earth responds with foreboding thunder and rumblings, lightning, and an earthquake. Another round of judgment is about to unfold with the sound of the seven trumpets.
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