Continuing our study of Revelation in the next few chapters, the events may seem hard to understand.  I want to encourage you once again that our study of this must be done in a spirit of devotion — loving Jesus and seeking to know Him more. It is the Revelation OF Jesus Christ, after all.  As you read ask the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom and revelation about Jesus.  “What does this event tell me about Him?”  “Why is He doing this?” “How will I remain faithful and love Him in this midst of this?”  Also it’s strategic that we are doing this during a season of fasting.  Incorporate some fasting in your study, because fasting opens your spirit to receive more from God, it sensitizes you to Him.  The Holy Spirit will give you more insight. 

 

Chapter 8 is intensely cinematic and action-packed.  I always let it play like a movie in my mind, but Hollywood does not have the special effects to pull of the grandeur of these events — it’s breathtaking!  It opens with the breaking of the 7th seal, and there is silence for half an hour in Heaven.  Can you imagine?!  After chorus after chorus of praise, and the thunderings proceeding from the Throne, suddenly every thing is silent, and the Scroll is finally unsealed. 

 

The breaking of the 7th seal begins the release of the “trumpet judgments”.  These are judgments against the Anti-Christ’s empire, by depleting his resources.  From Mike Bickle’s notes:

The trumpet judgments are supernatural acts of God through nature (first four trumpets) and through the release of demons (fifth and sixth trumpet) to destroy the Antichrist’s resources.
First trumpet (Food Supply): burning 1/3 of the earth’s vegetation (Rev. 8:7)
Second trumpet (Food Supply): destroying 1/3 of the sea (Rev. 8:8-9)
Third trumpet (Water Supply): poisoning 1/3 of the earth’s fresh water (Rev. 8:10-11)
Fourth trumpet (Light, Energy): darkening 1/3 of the earth’s light (Rev. 8:12)

(we’ll look at the others tomorrow in chapter 9).

 

But an important question should be asked: HOW do these get released??

 

(verses 3-5).  An angels takes incense and the prayers of the saints and throws it on the fire on the altar before God.  The fragrance comes before the Lord, and THEN the angel dips his censer in the fire again and throws it to earth, where suddenly thunderings, lightnings, and earthquakes break out. Let’s take a look at these things:

 

–Incense was described in Revelation 5:8 as “the prayers of the saints”.  So we have here the prayers of the saints mixed with the prayers of the saints.  Perhaps this means the stored up prayers of the saints of all the ages COMBINED with the saints present on the earth during these events, partnering with God’s heart in intercession. 

–Fire on the Altar (that never goes out) is seen in Leviticus 6:12-13 and represents the unceasing worshipofferings before the Lord.  Even more interesting is that in Numbers 16:46, we see that incense combined with the fire on the altar provides atonement and mercy for God’s people when the plague of His wrath comes!!  How cool is that!

–Thunder, Lightning and Rumblings hearken us back to chapter 4 verse 5, where these things are a part of the glory of the Throne!!  We see the glory of God and His rulership being sent to earth!  Is this not what have all prayed for??  “Let Your Kingdom come… on earth as it is in Heaven”!! 

 

So the message of chapter 8 and the beginning of the Trumpets:  The Kingdom of God is beginning to come to earth, and it comes as the people of God PRAY and WORSHIP as a continual fragrance before God!  This releases mercy and protection on those who will serve Him as His wrath falls upon the Anti-Christ and those have chosen to serve Satan (and there doesn’t seem to be any middle ground — you choose Christ or Satan in that day).