Stunned Silence: Daily Thoughts from Revelation (Revelation 8:1-5)

I remember watching in horror in 2001 as video captured two airliners crashing into the twin towers in New York and as they burned and ultimately crashed down upon themselves. To this day I don’t want to watch again. As it was unfolding then I remember that what mostly accompanied the shock and tears was silence. We were stunned, inwardly devastated.

Something akin to that is going on as the Lamb who was slain opens the seventh seal.

When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. (Revelation 8:1-5 ESV)

The scene continues in heaven for the opening of the seventh seal on the scroll of judgment.  The awesomeness and solemnity of this moment, when the judgments are about to be poured out in force, causes silence in heaven.

Seven angels are given seven trumpets to announce judgment.  In heaven before the throne stands an altar of burning incense, much as in the tabernacle and temple Israel used to worship God, there was an altar of burning incense just in front of the curtain leading into the most holy place.  The angel first offers a large amount of incense on the altar and as the fragrant smoke rises before God it represents the prayers of the saints, many of them, no doubt, for God’s kingdom to come and bring an end to sin and suffering.

Then the angel takes a censer (a small metal box used to hold some of the burning incense and wave its smoke around) and he smashes it to earth announcing the coming judgment with a thunderstorm and an earthquake.  There is a dreadful day coming.  If people will repent there is mercy.  If not, only wrath.

Why does God use such things as thunderstorms and earthquakes to portend His judgment? They get people’s attention. We have seen the damage and devastation such “acts of nature” can cause. And invariably people think of God when they experience the power of the earth to cause such damage. They feel their helplessness before such intense power. And if they are wise, they take stock of their lives, waking up from the dull sleep they’ve put themselves in to avoid facing their hopelessness and sin.

God always gives a warning. Have you been paying attention?