“When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.” Revelation 8:1.

Let us do a brief recap to see how we have arrived at this point. In Revelation Chapter one the Apostle John is in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day when he beholds a vision of the risen, glorified Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord at this time tells the apostle to:

“Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.” Revelation 1:19.

This is the book’s outline, if you wish to avoid a lot of confusion, stick to it carefully. The first part of the outline, “the things which you have seen”, is covered within chapter one.

The second part of the outline, “the things which are”, meaning the things which are happening now during the church age, is covered in chapters two and three.

There are seven letters within these two chapters each addressed to a specific church. There are four ways these letters may be interpreted.

They are letters addressed to a historical church which really existed. They cover problems which can occur in any church at any time.
They address problems that any person may have at any time. Finally, and there is controversy, these letters cover seven specific periods into which church history may be divided up.

These church periods are divided up as follows:

The church at Ephesus, from 33 to 100 A.D. (dates may vary slightly between commentaries); this was the beginning of the church which was set up by the apostles, so the doctrine was right. However in time they left their first love. Unfortunately this was never corrected and soon the church ceased to exist.

The church in Smyrna, 100 to 312 A.D, suffered through the Roman persecution of Christians when many thousands were thrown to wild animals, tortured, imprisoned or suffered the loss of everything.

This dismal period was ended when the Roman Emperor Constantine declared Christianity a state religion.

The church in Pergamos, 312 to 590 A.D, when the church became the state religion it became popular to be a Christian and many pagans and unbelievers joined the church.

Because of this Satan was given a real foothold in the church. Soon ungodly men wormed their way into positions of power within the church. With that they were able to bring in pagan practices, a process called syncretism, mixing the Scriptural with paganism (doctrines of demons I Timothy 4:1-3).

The church in Thyatira, 590 to 1517 A.D., with the fall of the Roman Empire about 590 A.D. people had nowhere else to turn to in this power vacuum other than the church.

This corrupted version of Christ’s church was now saturated with ungodly men and because the light of the gospel was so covered by the doctrines of demons the period known as the dark ages was brought in and lasted for about one thousand years.

During the Inquisition millions of Christians and Jews were persecuted or tortured and murdered within this period, even until the early 1800’s.

The church in Sardis, 1517 to 1750 A.D, this period is known as the Reformation. It is notable that the Reformation began with Martin Luther, but the seeds were planted by godly men years before this and many were put to death for their beliefs.

While many men laud the Reformation as something wonderful, and it did cast off the suffocating hand of a predominantly godless church, still, Jesus said this:

“You have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” Revelation 3:1b.

The Reformation started off well enough; however in time things were changed from one huge state church to many state churches in places like Switzerland, Germany and England.

Once again godless men began to work their way up within the hierarchy of the churches and bring in their vile doctrines; once again Christians were persecuted if they disagreed with the state church.

The church in Philadelphia, 1750 to 1925 A.D, this period appropriately named brotherly love was a time of intense Bible study, missionary work and evangelism; countries like Great Britain and America were completely turned around morally.

The church in Laodicea, 1900 to the tribulation, this period is spoken of by the Lord in this way:

“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew [vomit] you out of My mouth.” Revelation 3:15-16.

This describes the present church age very well, though there are probably more professing Christians today than ever before, we are still reviled by the entire world that would have Islam or atheism rather than Jesus.

Persecution will grow worse and it will be because of Christian apathy and the abandonment of the gospel. This is the last church addressed by the Lord, an indication that at the end of this time period the church will be taken out of the world, the majority of them having become useless.

Chapter four begins, quite fittingly, with the words, “After these things”, which means that this chapter comes immediately after the mention of the last of the seven churches.

This coincides with the last part of our outline, “the things which will take place after this”; from four on we are thrust into the future. “After these things”, John is called up to heaven and finds himself before the throne of God the Father.

The throne is surrounded by four living creatures, the first resembling a lion, the second a calf, the third a man and the fourth an eagle and with them are twenty-four elders, these all worship and praise God continually.

Chapter five is a continuation of the scene in heaven from chapter four.

“And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals.” Revelation 5:1.

This scroll with seven seals, for lack of a better word is the deed to the earth. There is only one person in all of creation who is found worthy to open the seals, God the Son, Christ Jesus.

Having taken the scroll, the Lord opens six of the seals in Chapter six and releases the four horsemen of the apocalypse and two visions of future events within the tribulation period.

The four horsemen who immediately set to work are as follows.

The beast (Antichrist), this very real person begins setting up his power base as soon as he is released (II Thessalonians 2:6-9).

The second horseman is a brute with a great sword that goes forth and takes peace from the earth and causes men to kill one another.

The third horseman is famine and inflation.

And the fourth horseman is the result of the works of the first three, he is death. Death and misery seem to be the only thing that man does well.

Chapter seven begins with the words “After these things”, indicating that this event follows immediately after the release of the four horsemen.

Revelation 7:1-8 concern the calling of 144 thousand evangelists, all children of Israel, 12,000 from each tribe.

Revelation 7:9-17 speak of a great multitude which can not be numbered and begins with the phrase, “After these things”, showing us that the vision followed directly after the calling of the 144 thousand and would indicate that this multitude is the result of the preaching of the evangelists.

This brings us to our current study in Revelation chapter 8.

“When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.” Revelation 8:1.

If we can agree that the preceding outline is basically correct, then it can be understood that the reason for the silence in heaven is that though life on earth has become a horrific nightmare, it is all man-made.

The real nightmare will begin with the blowing of the trumpets and the beginning of the descent of God’s wrath. The severity of this is attested by the silence of the billions of residents in heaven.

If you are disenchanted with the way world governments are taking over the rights of the individual now, how will you feel when all of your rights are revoked, inflation goes through the roof, and you are taxed out of house and home to sustain the evil empire.

God in His mercy has given the citizens of all free countries a small taste of hopelessness; we would do well to heed the warning and accept Christ as Savior while there is still time.

“And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.” Revelation 8:2.

So with the opening of the seventh seal begins the sounding of the seven trumpets and with the seventh trumpet will come the seven bowls of the wrath of God (the bowls are the worst of it, and the end).

Four of these trumpets will affect the environment and three will affect man directly.

“Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. And 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.” Revelation 8:3-5.

This censer is undoubtedly similar to the one used in the tabernacle which was carried by the priest into the Holy of Holies behind the veil.

“Then he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from the altar before the Lord, with his hands full of sweet incense beaten fine, and bring it inside the veil. And he shall put the incense on the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the Testimony, lest he die.” Leviticus 16:12-13.

The mental picture we get from this description gives us a good indication of the chasm between God and man before Jesus gave Himself as a sacrifice to put away sin.

“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16.

The altar here is the golden altar or Altar of Incense which was before the curtain and in front of the Ark of the Covenant which is behind the curtain.

The altar is made of Shittim Wood (pronounced, I believe, Shitteem), which is very hard, very heavy, highly resistant to insect damage, and has a beautiful grain. This wood was then overlaid with pure gold; it was 18 inches square and 36 inches high.

The Altar of Incense is a type (i.e. a picture) of Christ as our intercessor.

“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus…” I Timothy 2:5.

Returning to our passage in Revelation, the angel with the golden censer is then given much incense. Now this incense is the sweet savor of Christ’s life and work.

To this is added the prayers of all the saints that he might offer them, “upon the golden altar which was before the throne”; by this you can see what Jesus meant when He said the following.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.” John 16:23b.

Put simply, the prayers of the saints mingle with the incense of the finished work of Christ on the cross as they ascend up from the lips of the believer to God. This is why we pray everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

An interesting difference between the wording in these passages and the one in Revelation 5:8 will illustrate just how important it is to pay attention to every word in Scripture.

“Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” Revelation 5:8.

As you can see here there is a difference made between the incense rising up before God the Father and that rising before God the Son.

In Jesus’ case it is the saint’s prayers that are the incense; this is because Christ is glorified by these prayers.

In the Father’s case He is glorified by Christ’s sacrifice and those who pray in Jesus’ name.

The golden altar is shown here before God’s throne, the same as it was in the tabernacle; the golden altar being before the Ark of the Covenant (over which God’s Shechinah glory presided) with the curtain between them, this curtain between God and man has now been removed by the sacrifice of Christ.

“And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.” Revelation 8:4.

In this context it is possible that the prayers of the saints are prayers to end the reign of the devil and to eradicate the evil and misery that is ever-present in the world today.

“For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:29.

And He will consume and burn away with a fervent heat everything that is of sin and evil and those who rebel against Him, none will escape.

“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.” Revelation 8:5.

Having lifted the incense with the prayers of the saints up to God the angel now fills the censer with fire from the altar, so we have the contrast, from His saints a sweet aroma to the Lord and to the rebellious unsaved on earth the fire of judgment.

But not without warning, the thunderings, lightnings and earthquake take place on earth, not in heaven.

Those who dwell on the earth have a warning, but it will be ignored, taken as one of Mother Nature’s upheavals, and explained away by our many pseudo-scientists. This will only fly so far.

“So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.” Revelation 8:6.

Revelation 8:1-6 taken from godisrevealed.com updated on 11-18-16, reposted on 7-7-22.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version, copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission, all rights reserved.