Revelation: Prayers of the Saints

Revelation 8:1-5

When we read Revelation 8, we know that a great tribulation has already begun. The first three and a half years are a time of peace, during which the Antichrist, portrayed as a rider on a white horse, will seem to bring heaven to earth. There will be treaties and peace agreements, fostering a period of cooperation and goodwill. But then... the Antichrist will reveal his true nature. War, famine, and unprecedented destruction will engulf the earth. 

Make no mistake: God sits on his throne in heaven, completely in control. There will be destruction and chaos on earth, but not in heaven. All these events will happen according to God’s plan and timing. 

The end-time events were recorded on both sides of a scroll sealed with seven seals. The only one worthy to open the scroll and bring the end to pass is Jesus. One of the twenty-four elders seated around God's throne called him the Lion of Judah, the Root of David, and the Conqueror (Rev. 5:5). 

Up to this point, Jesus has opened six seals. In today’s passage, the seventh seal is opened. The final seal contains the trumpet and bowl judgments. We will discuss the trumpets and bowls in the upcoming chapters. However, let’s first look at the big picture. The final seal reveals the remaining events of the tribulation, which ultimately lead to Revelation 19. 

John writes that when Jesus, whom he describes as the Lamb, opened the seventh seal, “there was silence in heaven for about half an hour” (Rev. 8:1). Some interpret this silence as a sign of God's holy presence. 

In Scripture, experiencing God's presence is always a profound and powerful moment. The Old Testament prophet Habakkuk wrote, “the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him” (Hab. 2:20). The prophet Zephaniah said, “Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is near…” (Zeph. 1:7). Remember what John did when he saw the vision of Jesus? He “fell at his feet as though dead” (Rev. 1:17).

Others suggest that the silence signifies the intense judgment about to be announced through the trumpets and bowls. One commentator writes that it is “the silence of dreadful anticipation of the events that are about to ensue, now that the time of the end had come.”[1] While thirty minutes might not seem like a long time, this pause feels very tense. 

Following the silence, John “saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them” (Rev. 8:2). The seven angels who stand in God’s presence are not described further. Clearly, they are mighty angels chosen for this special purpose. They receive seven trumpets of judgment, which will continue to be poured out during the remaining tribulation period. We will discuss the seven trumpets next time. But for now, there is another angel we need to consider. 

Revelation 8:3-4
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. 

In the Old Testament, Moses was instructed to build an altar of incense (Ex. 30:1-10). The daily burning of incense on this special altar represented the prayers of God’s people rising up to him. David referenced this when he prayed, “May my prayer be counted as incense before you” (Ps. 141:2). 

There is a fascinating story in the New Testament involving the altar of incense, which is part of the account surrounding the birth of John the Baptist. The gospel writer Luke tells us that a priest named Zechariah was chosen to enter the temple and burn incense. While he was inside, “the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense” (Luke 1:11). As Zechariah carried out his priestly duties, the angel Gabriel appeared and stood on the right side of the altar of incense. This altar, a symbol of the prayers of God’s people (and God’s people are faithfully praying outside), is where Gabriel revealed to Zechariah that he and his wife, Elizabeth, would have a son, even though they were well past childbearing age! The angel also said that this son will prepare the way for the coming Messiah. 

In Revelation, it is Jesus who opens the seal, allowing the prayers of all the saints to rise before God from “the hand of the angel.” The angel presents the prayers of all the saints to God. Exactly which group of saints is involved is uncertain. Are they the saints of all time? Are they the believers who have trusted in Jesus and are living through the terrible reality of the tribulation? 

One point to note in this end-times scene is that God knows and responds to his people’s needs. When we pray, our praise, requests, and confessions are like a sweet aroma to God.[2]

A final event occurs in this passage. The angel took fire from the altar “and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake” (Rev. 8:5). These phenomena are often associated with God’s presence.[3] The tribulation now moves into another phase on the earth.

Let’s conclude by again reflecting on the powerful symbolism of all the saints’ prayers directed toward God, as shown in today’s passage. Prayer is simply talking to our heavenly Father, and he loves hearing and responding to his children’s prayers. Francois Fenelon (1651-1715) was a French priest. Here’s how he describes the simplicity and power of communicating with God. 

Tell God all that is in your heart, as one unloads one’s heart, its pleasures and its pains, to a dear friend. Tell Him your troubles, that He may comfort you; tell Him your joys, that He may sober them; tell Him your longings, that He may purify them; tell Him your dislikes, that He may help you conquer them, talk to Him of your temptations, that He may shield you from them; lay bare your indifference to good, your depraved tastes for evil, your instability. Tell Him how self-love makes you unjust to others, how vanity tempts you to be insincere, how pride disguises you to yourself and others.

If you pour out all your weaknesses, needs, and troubles, there will be no lack of what to say. You will never exhaust the subject. It is continually being renewed. People who have no secrets from each other never want for subjects of conversation. They do not weigh their words, for there is nothing to be held back; neither do they seek for something to say. They talk out of the abundance of the heart, without consideration, they say what they think. Blessed are they who attain to such familiar, unreserved conversation with God.

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Time in the Word: Read and reflect on Revelation 8:1-5. Reread Fenelon’s prayer.

Talking to God: Ask God to help you speak with him like you would with your closest friend.  

Have questions? Please send your questions to our team. We're happy to assist you as we explore God's Word together. Submit your question below, and we'll reply soon. Let us know if you want to learn more about a relationship with Jesus or if you're seeking spiritual guidance.

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