THUNDEROUS SILENCE
Rev. 8:1-6
Sermon Objective: To inspire the congregation as they discover God’s response to their prayers.
Supporting Scripture: Psalm 55; Psalm 141:1-2;
INTRO
The temple priest’s day began at dusk. That is the start of the new day for him and his people and it began with the liturgy of evening prayer known as “Arvith.” The priest would make his way inside the temple, just outside the veil of the Holy of Holies, and he would take the coals from the Brazen Altar (where the daily burnt offerings were sacrificed) and place them on the Altar of Incense (a.k.a. the Golden Altar) and then take a liquid incense and pour it over the coals. The ritual took about 30 minutes from beginning to end. The incense burned continually throughout the day and night as a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
The saturated coals would be placed in the priest’s censer and he would move throughout the temple behind filling the temple with the sweet smelling smoke and aroma. The incense represented the prayers of the saints (that were purified by a lamb’s sacrifice) making its way to God’s presence. It was a ritual of faith, believing God could and would accept the prayers and respond to them because of the sacrifice.
This event would be the scene behind the words of David’s prayer in Psalm 141:1-2, “O LORD, I call to you; come quickly to me. Hear my voice when I call to you. May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.”
It was an imagery that most of John’s parishioners in Asia-Minor would recognize immediately. It was designed to offer them hope … to maybe even provoke a euphoric gasp from them as they listened to the reader share the vision and, in their mind’s eye, they saw God’s response.
REV. 8:1-6
Rev 8:1 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
Rev 8:2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.
Rev 8:3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne.
Rev 8:4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand.
Rev 8:5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.
Rev 8:6 Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.
SERMON
There were massive engines of persecution raging against the Christians of the latter first century. One has to wonder, Why didn’t they cut and run? Why didn’t they cave in? I suggested two reasons last week from chapter seven (the support of fellow believers and transcendent worship). Now I would like to offer one more simple answer … THEY PRAYED.
And their prayers did not fall on deaf ears.
In John’s vision we see a sequence of events connected to the prayers of the Saints.
FIRST, THERE IS SILENCE (VV.1-2)
John begins this scene by telling us there is silence in heaven. Prior to this chapter there has been anything but silence. But now there is a hush. THIS SILENCE IS DEAFENING … IT IS THUNDEROUS! The silence suggests that everything in heaven halts so that the prayers of the saints may be heard.
The sheer stillness is even more effective than the thunder and lightning. Even the music of heaven stops so that God’s ear may catch the whispered prayer of the humblest of his trusting people. The needs of the saints mean more to God than all the psalmody of heaven.
For me, His listening to us is a greater marvel than Him speaking to us.
Rest assured, God gives the prayers of His saint His undivided attention.
SECOND, THERE IS SUPPLICATION (VV.3-4)
John has been setting the stage for this scene for a while now. In Rev. 5:8 we are told that “the golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints” are brought before God. In 6:10 we are allowed to eaves drop on the prayers “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” And God’s response, 11… and they were told to wait a little longer…
I discover something about prayer as I re-read 6:10 and as I read this book, especially the seven trumpets that follow this scene. THE PURPOSE OF PRAYER IS NOT TO GET MAN’S WILL DONE IN HEAVEN BUT TO GET GOD’S WILL DONE ON EARTH.
John Piper speaks about this passage in one of his sermons on prayer. May I read a few of his comments?
In other words, what we have in this text is an explanation of what has happened to the millions upon millions of prayers over the last 2000 years as the saints have cried out again and again, "Thy kingdom come . . . Thy kingdom come." Not one of these prayers, prayed in faith, has been ignored. Not one is lost or forgotten. Not one has been ineffectual or pointless. They have all been gathering on the altar before the throne of God.
And the flame has been growing brighter and brighter and more and more pleasing in the presence of God. And the time will come when God will command his holy angel to take his mighty censer and fill it with fire from the altar where the prayers burn before the Lord, and pour it out on the world to bring all God's great and holy purposes to completion. Which means that the consummation of history will be owing to the supplication of the saints who cry to God day and night. Not one God-exalting prayer has ever been in vain.
Just at this point God wants to show something to John about the role of Christians in all this tremendous upheaval in history. Up till now the breaking of the seals has simply shown the utter, awesome sovereignty of God controlling history and all its cataclysmic disasters and the fate of believers secure in heaven (7:15-17) and unbelievers crying out for the mountains and the rocks to fall on them (6:16).
But now God has something else to show us. What is our place in all this? Do we have any role to play? Do we make anything happen? Are we only feathers in the wind of providence, and leaves floating on the sea of divine sovereignty?
What God wants us to believe about our God-exalting prayers is that none of them is lost. None is wasted or pointless. They are stored up on the altar of God until the proper time when God pours them out on the earth to accomplish his great purposes of judgment and redemption.
(Source: John Piper, “THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS AND THE END OF THE WORLD” January 9, 1994)
When we pray we participate in God’s will being done on earth as it is in heaven. And this is seen most clearly in the final movement …
FIRST, THERE IS SILENCE (VV.1-2)
SECOND, THERE IS SUPPLICATION (VV.3-4)
WRAP-UP
FINALLY, THERE IS ACTION! (VV. 5-6)
Out of the silence in heaven action develops .
Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake. Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.
The prayers that ascended – which could not be stopped by the antagonists – returned with immense force. The angel’s censer being hurled back to the earth is symbolic language for God answering their prayers!
Next week we will look at the action / answer in a bit more detail. But suffice it to say that the seven trumpets are the response of God to the prayers of His people in 6:10. They are the answer that erupts on the earth.
Just like the prayers of the martyrs, your prayers return to the earth too. YOUR PRAYERS RE-ENTER HISTORY WITH INCALCULABLE EFFECTS … EARTH IS SHAKEN BY THEM EVERY DAY.
For me, the most recent “real-time” exhibition of God’s censer being flung back to earth was about 2 weeks ago. Andy and Emily * called. They are taking baby Claire back to Burlington. She hasn’t been passing fluids and the situation is dangerous.
I can only imagine the “what-ifs” that plagued them as they made that long road trip. “Another surgery? Permanent, lifelong damage?” You can put yourself in their shoes with a 12 week old child just as I can. Well they called when they left and I emailed you. THEY DROVE … WE PRAYED.
Andy and Emily get to the ferry in Plattsburgh and while traversing Lake Champlain … baby Claire begins to pass fluids. A Lot of fluids!
Since they are already near Burlington they keep their appointment with the doctor. Yes, baby Claire did have some sort of bladder blockage. But “whatever it was it is gone now.” According to the doctor it was unexplainable but there is no bladder damage or blockage. Claire is fine.
God’s people prayed and “the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth”
Never let the enemy convince you otherwise … God takes you and your prayers seriously. They are not merely heard and then stored away … they are mixed with the fire of God’s Spirit and returned to the earth!!!!
• That need you and your family have? It is not set aside in heaven … God has angels on standby and even now they are moving at the behest of your loving father.
• That prodigal family member of yours whose name you keep whispering to God? He flings his censer back to earth filled with passion, response, and call. God is stirring in that heart; there is a burning conviction of the Holy Spirit.
• That health concern?
• That prayer for the nation?
• That prayer for the lost?
• That prayer for justice?
• That prayer for peace?
They rise before a living and loving God and they all receive his undivided attention. He shuts down all the activity in the throne room to listen to you pray – and respond.
One of my favorite authors on prayer, Leonard Ravenhill, asks: “Have we Holy Spirit power - power that restricts the devil's power, pulls down strongholds and obtains promises? What has hell to fear other than a God-anointed, prayer-powered church?”
Let me ask you a question: IN WHAT WAY DO YOU NEED GOD’S WILL DONE ON EARTH TODAY?
A few verses earlier (7:11-12) we read what appears to be a simple formulaic expression of praise in John’s apocalypse. We read: 11All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12saying: "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!"
But that moment of praise is powerful and helpful. IN THAT DECLARATION OF GOD’S CHARACTER WE DISCOVER THAT WHATEVER WE NEED … GOD!
• Do you need wisdom?
• Do you need strength?
• Do you need moral character?
• Do you need joy?
• Do you need resources?
God IS (not has) all those things and more! So let me ask you again …
• WHAT DO YOU NEED GOD’S ANGEL TO THROW THE GOLDEN CENSER FILLED WITH FIRE BACK TO EARTH AND PROVIDE FOR YOU?
• HOW CAN GOD’S WILL IN HEAVEN BE DONE ON EARTH ON YOUR BEHALF?
Let’s close by praying “The Lord’s Prayer” together.
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The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory forever.
Amen
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This sermon is provided by Dr. Kenneth Pell
Potsdam Church of the Nazarene
Potsdam, New York
www.potsdam-naz.org
