seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Revelation 8:1 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.
Well let's take a look at the commentary.I didn't notice it as much out in Maryland, but in Arizona, most storms come in after a "calm". The winds come up.... and then right before the storm, everything gets quiet. It's quite predictable. I've noticed, during this "calm", that a lot of birds use the lack of wind to hurry and find shelter. Then they get really quiet... just like the wind... "calm".
From the commentary....
The seven angels who stand before God: According to Jewish tradition, there are seven angels who stand in God’s presence. Apparently, based on this verse, that traditional idea was accurate.
And to them were given seven trumpets: In the Old Testament, trumpets sounded the alarm for war and threw the enemy into a panic, or they called an assembly of God’s people. These seven trumpets will sound as God’s battle-alarm during the great tribulation.
Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth: As God’s people pray for the resolution of all things, their prayers were touched by the fire from the altar in heaven, and then “thrown” back down to earth. All things will not be resolved on this earth until judgment comes, and when the prayers of God’s people “come back” to earth, they bring the groundswell of judgment (noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake).
Building up to these verses, the innocent martyrs are already taken to heaven. We also saw those who Believed after all this started were taken up and given white robes. Anyone who will Believe is already gone from earth. The only ones left are those who have decided NOT to follow Jesus.
For "half an hour" there was calm.... I wonder... do the ones who are left get that "Oh poop!" moment? Is that what it means when it says the incense was thrown back at them? Did they say "Oh poop, they were right.... what have I done.... take me too"? Is the incense the prayers of those who would not Believe?
And then out of nowhere.... out of the calm.... there will be the sound of "Earthquake!!!!". Will the non-believers say "But there is no global warming... it's all fake news" or "there is no god... it's all fake news".
When Jesus pops the Seventh Seal... it's between Jesus and the non-believers.
When Jesus pops the Seventh Seal... it's personal.
