REV.8:1 "WHEN HEAVEN BECAME SILENT"
* Heaven is a place of rejoicing! * There are angels that are praising God.
* All the saints of old are there marching around the throne saying, "Glory to God and honor to
the Lamb that was slain, Hallelujah, Amen!" * Heaven is not a quiet place!
* But our text says "there was silence in heaven." * Tell why the silence.
* Note three things on this subject, "When heaven became silent."
(1) WHEN SIN INVADED THE EARTH! * Gen.1-3 The creation & what happened!
* God had created everything in this world and it was good.
A) Light - first day. * God divided the waters under the firmament from the waters above the
firmament - He called it heaven - second day.
B) Dry land - Earth; grass, herb, fruit trees - third day.
* Divided the day and night - fourth day. * Living creatures - fifth day.
* God created His master piece on the sixth day - man. * Then He made woman.
C) He gave them a beautiful garden to live in! * God walked with them daily!
* But something terrible happened! * Everything was fine until Satan appeared!
* Sweet fellowship was broken! * All heaven stood still while the devil stood back laughing,
* as Adam & Eve had to live in the guilt of their sin!
* God’s heart was broken! * Angels hushed their singing, Heaven became silent!
(2) WHEN OUR SUBSTITUTE DIED IN OUR PLACE! * Jesus was innocent!
* He did nothing worthy of death! * Gethsemane ....... * Stands before Pilate ...
* The mob says, "Crucify Him, Crucify Him!"
A) They strip the garments from His back, bound His hands and pulled them into the air.
* A soldier got a scourge, cat of nine tails, interwoven with pieces of metal and tipped with
ivory hooks on the end of each lash.
B) When that screaming scourge would wrap around the bare back of a condemned criminal,
* The hooks would catch into the flesh. * Then it was pulled across the bones, ripping the flesh!
* Jesus’ face twisted as the weight of that scourge plowed into His back!
* The whistling whip crashed into the flesh, splattered the blood, & cut the meat off the ribs!
C) 39 strokes cut His back into a lacerated mass of twitching nerves. * With every crushing blow,
* hot flashes of pain flooded His body! * The white naked ribs were showing through the torn flesh!
* The blood ran freely down His scourged back and puddled on the ground!
* He was giving it back to God for your sins and mine!
D) The soldiers took Jesus into the common hall, scarlet robe of mockery; crown of thorns.
* From the common hall they began their rugged journey to the hill of death.
* A heavy cross was placed on His back. * The howling mob follows; laughing, mocking, and
crying for His blood! * They spit in His face, hit Him with their fists.
* Isa.50:6 says that they pulled His beard from His face.
E) Isa.52:14 "... His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the ..."
* The murderous procession making slow progress when they reach the gates,
* A soldier curses, kicks Christ in the side and says, "On thou blaspheming Jew, onto the place
of death!" * Jesus falls to the ground ... * Simon of Cyrene was compelled to carry - cross!
F) The group continues. * Jesus wearily stumbles up the rocky slope of the hill called Golgotha.
* They reach the spot, Simon drops the cross, Jesus steps forth & lays His body on the cross!
* Jesus said, "I lay my life down, no man takes it from me."
G) He opens His hands and drops them on the splintered wood. * He feels the spikes touch His
palms * The glimpse of a soldier lifting the mallet warns of the coming pain.
* The hammers fall with a dull thump! * The flesh tears, the bones part to let the spikes through
His hand. * He closes His fingers around the painful spikes, clenches His fists & sighs in agony!
H) The muscles jerk as the nerves respond to the spikes driven through His hands.
* His hands are nailed solidly to the tree, & with another spike, they fasten His feet.
* It scrapes the bones as it goes through the ankles. * Jesus’ lips quiver uncontrollably from pain!
I) The body, firmly attached to the cross is now lifted into the air.
* The cross drops with a thud into a socket in the earth.
* There He hangs between heaven & earth, dying on a cross!
J) The stream of blood trickled down the rugged crevices of that cruel cross & puddled on the
ground! * That blood was being given back to God for your sins and mine!
* That fountain drawn from His veins is sufficient for the whole world!
K) Jesus says, "Father, forgive them ......." * Thief - "This day shalt thou be with me ......."
* "Woman, behold thy son ......." * "My God, My God, Why ......." * "I thirst."
* "It is finished" * "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit."
L) The angels quit praising God! * God had tears in His eyes!
* The whole world felt something that day! * All of heaven became silent when our substitute
died in our place! * It must have rained in heaven on crucifixion day!
(3) WHEN SINNERS STAND BEFORE GOD IN JUDGMENT! * Rev.20:11-15
* It will be like a courtroom drama. * The judge will be there. * Recording angels will be there.
* They’ll read the case before God. * Witnesses will be there. * The Judge will look at you & say,
* "How do you plead?" * You’ll begin to make excuses, "Too many hypocrites."
* Or, "I didn’t know" or "It was too hard for me."
* Jesus will look at you and say, "Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire ......."
A) The imps from hell will get you and pull you into the lake of fire.
* While you’re being condemned to the lake of fire, the angels hush their singing & praising God!
* All the splendor of heaven at this time can’t even make the angels sing and smile!
* Heaven will become silent!
CLOSE
A) When the judgment is over, heaven will be one noisy place! * This is the quietest world .......
* All tears will be gone! * Nothing will ever hurt us again!
B) Story of judge who saved a man from drowning.
