SILENCE IN HEAVEN – Revelation 8:1-6

Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on April 6, 2016 under AM Bible Study |

AM Bible Study Group; April 6, 2016 from Revelation 8:1-6

Theme: This passage describes the sober scene in heaven just before the final outpouring of God’s wrath on earth begins

(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).

This morning’s passage presents a remarkable contrast to the joyous celebration in the heavenlies that we read about in chapter 7. There, all of heaven shouted the praises of God for the greatness of His salvation as a great multitude stood redeemed before Him. But now—as those events in Chapter 7 come to an end, and as the seventh seal is about to be opened—all heaven is found to wait in sober silence.

This passage shows us something of God’s profound holiness. He is a holy and just God who must judge sin—and whose just judgment abides upon those who persist in rejecting His offer of grace and pardon (see John 3:36). But He is also a compassionate God who is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (see 2 Peter 3:9). Here, then, we see that the outpouring of His wrath is regretfully begun with great soberness, poured out in an orderly way, and brought to completion with great deliberation.

I. A SOBER SILENCE (v. 1).

A. The passage begins with the words, “When He opened the seventh seal . . .” The “He” being spoken of is none other than Jesus—the Lamb before the throne. He alone has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals (see 5:5). But what a grievous task it will be for Him—who shed His blood to redeem the lost—to now have to open this seventh seal and to release the final judgment upon those who rejected that act of love!

B. The opening of this final seal is met with “silence in heaven for about a half an hour”. Often, here on earth—in some of our most solemn occasions—a moment of silence is observed. And that mere ‘moment’ of silence can feel impressively long. Imagine, though, a full half-hour! Even a moment of silence in heaven would be remarkable; but here is about a half an hour of somber silence! All heaven, it seems, will then reflect in quiet solemnity on the dreadful events that are about to be released. This is the kind of silence that we read of in Zechariah 2:13—one in which God calls for silence in anticipation of His taking action, “for He is aroused from His holy habitation” for the sake of His people. As Zephaniah 1:7 says;

Be silent in the presence of the Lord God;

For the day of the Lord is at hand . . . (Zephaniah 1:7).

II. SEVEN ANGELS WITH SEVEN TRUMPETS (v. 2).

A. Then, John saw that seven angels came forward. These are specifically identified as “the” seven angels who stand before God. Seven is often presented in Scripture as a symbolic number of completion; and so, these seven angels illustrate a completion of God’s judgment on sin. They do so with great authority as those who stand before God.

B. To them were given seven trumpets. Trumpets in Scripture are used for such things as the call to war (Numbers 10:9; Jeremiah 4:19), the gathering-together and sending-forth of the people (Numbers 10:1-8); the issuance of a danger-signal (Amos 3:6); the annunciation of festival (Numbers 10:10; Leviticus 23:23-35; 25:9; 2 Chronicles 29:27-28); the anointing of royalty (1 Kings 1:34, 39; 2 Kings 9:13); the giving of the law (Exodus 19:16); the laying of the foundations of the temple (Ezra 3:10); and perhaps most relevant this portion of Revelation, the judgment of the ungodly (Joshua 6:13-16).

C. Note that, in Joshua 6:1-21, seven trumpet blasts are used to announce the destruction of the city of Jericho. Jericho’s destruction—brought about through the blowing of seven trumpet blasts—is an Old Testament picture of this future completion of judgment upon the unbelieving world.

III. AN ANGEL WITH A GOLDEN CENSER (vv. 3-5).

A. “Another angel” comes forward. This second angel has identified by some as the Lord Himself because of the handling of the prayers of the saints; but since the identity of the Lord is usually clearly made as the Lamb in the midst of the throne—and since the Lord is the one opening the seal—it seems best to see this simply as what it says: another of the angelic beings. He is given a golden censer; and with it, he is given much incense to offer “with the prayers of the saints”. Note that the prayers of the saints are being presented as heard and remembered before the throne of God (see 6:9-11). They may have had to wait until the right time for a response; but their prayers were nevertheless always held precious to God. They are, in the end, mixed with sacred incense and held in a golden bowl of worship. Knowing how precious our prayers are to God should motivate us to more prayer—especially in a time of trial!

B. This angel stands in a very sacred place—that is, before the altar of God. He then offers the prayers of the saints with the incense before the throne of God; indicating that what is about to happen comes in response to the remembrance of their prayers. The smoke is said to arise from his hand; indicating that the prayers of the saints are most sacred.

C. Then, the angel takes the same censer in which the prayers were offered, fills it with fire from the altar (the place at which the sacrifice for atonement was made), and casts it to the earth. Imagine! The fire from that which symbolizes the redeeming grace of God is used to bring judgment upon those who persist in rejecting it.

D. Noises (or “voices” in some translations), thunderings, lightning and an earthquake follow. These same things are described at the completion of the seven-trumpet judgment (see 11:19).

IV. A PREPARATION (v. 6).

A. This section closes with the seven angels preparing themselves to blow the trumpets. There is an orderliness to their doing so; because each one blows in succession. God is a God of order—even in His grievous work of judgment.

B. Note that, though the opening of the seventh seal is followed by a solemn silence; the silence doesn’t last long. It is broken by the awful blasts of the seven trumpets (see 8:7-11:19).

* * * * * * * * * *

These things symbolize for us events that are yet to happen. They show us the beginning of the outpouring of God’s just wrath. But they also show us how solemnly He enters into the administration of that wrath. It reminds those of us who read these words that today is the day of grace. Let’s labor faithfully, then, to call people to enter into that grace while we have the opportunity . . . so that they may be delivered from the promised wrath to come!