Helping You Understand the Book of Revelation Part 12 The facts known so far, let’s see what John was shown next: “When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake. So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.” (Revelation 8:1-6) What we have here is the culmination of the Seal Judgments of God, as well as the introduction of the overlaying Trumpet Judgments. The scene depicts a short silence in heaven, which indicates that at this point the Tribulation should be as good as over, and probably what caused the silence just could be the departure of the saints from heaven with the King as He returns to claim the reins of the government of the earth. The marriage supper of the Lamb at this point is over. The judgments of God have been fully meted out upon the earth’s populace. Now John saw seven angels who were given the Trumpet Judgments, which is another facet of God’s judgment upon earth. Notice that although the scenes here were assumed to be interwoven, they’re actually two relatively different scenes, separated by a good span of time. After there was silence in heaven, which should have taken place after the last Seal Judgment was completed, that’s when another set of angels of judgment were seen standing before God. Now also consider the proceeding scene. Before the angels of the Trumpet Judgments were to carry out their mission, another angel stands at the altar to finish up what the Seal Judgments had revealed. And what was he doing? He was bearing a golden censer, which was the ancient priests’ tool for prayers and worship. The incense he was given (another tool for offering and oblations) was to be offered with the prayers of the saints before God. And what on earth could the Tribulation saints be praying at such time? My guess? “Let Your Kingdom come…Let Your will be done.” And it appears their prayers were answered immediately, for after he was done, he took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. Now notice there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake, all these I expect to take place immediately the Messiah (who is God’s Kingdom coming down to settle on earth) sets His feet on Jerusalem’s Mount, starting with the earthquake His feet will erupt. Next? The “noises” could be the mourning of all the tribes of the earth as they catch a first visual of the King of kings returning on the clouds, or they could just as easily be associated with the sign of His coming. The thunders and lightnings will take place as He returns, for with these powerful things He will engage in a deadly war with all those forces who have mustered from all nations of the world to wipe Israel off. The pictures were fully painted in the Psalms and the prophets. I once painted and posted such a picture on facebook in an article titled “The world have no idea what’s coming—Scenario of the Return of Jesus and the Armageddon War.” It’s worth gleaning. Now to understand fully that the Revelation scene often overlap themselves, notice that it was after these things had happened that it appears the scene was rewind, taking it back several years to shortly after the beginning of the Tribulation, when the Trumpet Judgments will be in full play. We’re going to consider the judgments to be meted out by these series of judgments next. Stay tuned…
Posted on: Wed, 26 Nov 2014 06:17:12 +0000