November 4, 2020
God, Are You There?
Revelation 8
Erica LaVarnway
Central Truth
Prayer is powerful because God is all-powerful. God preserves our prayers and will answer them in His perfect timing.
Key Verse | Revelation 8:3-5
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. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
Revelation 8
The Seventh Seal and the Golden Censer
1 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 3 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, 4 and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. 5 Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, 1 8:5 Or voices, or sounds flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
The Seven Trumpets
6 Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them.
7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
8 The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9 A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
10 The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. 2 8:11 Wormwood is the name of a plant and of the bitter-tasting extract derived from it A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the water, because it had been made bitter.
12 The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night.
13 Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!”
Dive Deeper | Revelation 8
Have you ever wondered if God hears your prayers? And if your prayers are just one of billions offered to Him, do your prayers really matter? Based on this passage, the answer to both questions is overwhelmingly "yes."
In Revelation 8:3-5, John observes an angel mixing incense with the prayers of the God's people and offering both on the altar before the throne of God. The angel takes this offering of prayers and incense, lights it on fire, and hurls it at the earth causing lightning, thunder, and an earthquake. Beginning in Revelation 8:6 is a series of seven judgments announced by seven trumpets, all of which follow the prayers of the saints (could it be in response?).
As believers, our prayers to God are preserved on the altar before His throne. God responds to the prayers. In this case, it may be by unleashing judgment on the earth. The prayers of God's people are associated with His kingdom coming to earth.
First, prayer matters. Specifically, each of our prayers matters a great deal to our Heavenly Father. God receives and preserves our prayers with care and compassion. The prayers of God's people are not taken lightly.
Second, our prayers have supernatural power. "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." (James 5:16b, NIV) When we pray, enemies are overcome (Psalm 6:9-10), storms are calmed (Psalm 107:28-30), and demons are defeated (Mark 9:29). Our prayers are powerful because we have an all-powerful God, and there is nothing impossible for Him (Luke 1:37)!
Finally, when we pray and don't see an immediate response, we can have faith that God is working. In Revelation 8:1, John observes a half hour of silence in heaven. Many times when we pray, all we hear is silence. But God is not ignoring our prayers. At the appointed time (which may not be in our lifetime), the silence will end, and God will respond to all of our prayers. In the meantime, we can trust that God is actively working on our behalf and bringing about His good purposes.
Discussion Questions
1. What are the areas of "silence" in your life where you don't see an answer to prayer and how God might be actively working in the silence?
2. Is there anything on your heart that you are not taking to God in prayer? Why?
3. Does your life demonstrate that you believe God is all-powerful and nothing is impossible for Him? Why or why not?