A Moment of Silence
Read This Week: Revelation 8
When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 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 before the throne. The smoke of the incense and the prayers of God’s people went up before God from the angel’s hand. – Revelation 8:1-4 NIV
A moment of silence is something we observe in our society for various reasons. We frequently see it suggested and done at ball games, award shows, or concerts to honor someone who has passed away. It is also to pay respects to fallen soldiers and memorialize tragic events that affect communities and even countries. In Christianity, a moment of silence is often a way to connect with God and become more in tune with His heart and desire for our lives through prayer, meditation, and worship. A moment of quiet with Jesus can be a beautiful and peaceful communion and a great time to be grateful, reflect on His attributes, gain wisdom, lament, cry out, and endure hardship.
There was a moment of silence in heaven in Revelation 8. It came on the heels of all the loud, celebratory worship and praise of Christ in the last chapter. But when the Lamb cracked the seventh seal, heaven was silent for 30 minutes. Imagine that. Just moments before, the heavenly realm was deafening with the unison praise of God, but it is now eerily soundless for half an hour.
They had entered a time of preparation for what was to come. The plan was developing in front of them, and they were both amazed by what they saw and quieted by what would follow. Then they prayed and petitioned God, as verse 4 splendidly illustrates: The smoke of the incense and the prayers of God’s people went up before God from the angel’s hand. Their preparation for the trumpet judgments involved silence and prayer.
We should take note of this progression in our lives in the present. No matter what season we go through, our spiritual approach to God should include the following:
- Praise and thanksgiving.
- Being still.
- Quieting our hearts and minds.
- Seeking the Lord through prayer.
A moment of silence is necessary and vital to an intimate and God-glorifying walk with Christ. It brings us closer to our Savior while giving us an eternal perspective as we live daily. It can move us into a greater understanding of truth and give the spiritual clarity to navigate anything life brings. A regular moment of silence can empower us to be grateful in seasons of plenty and secure in seasons of challenge. It can reorientate us to our mission and God’s kingdom purposes that He passionately calls us to.
We might not be preparing for the trumpet judgments like the heavenly community in chapter 8, or enduring and witnessing the end times desolation of the earth, seas, freshwater, and sources of light (v. 6-13). We might not be on the precipice of the destruction of Babylon and viewing eschatological events of a savage and turbulent nature. However, we live in a chaotic age and world broken by sin where the people and family of God must be ready to shine His light in the darkness. We need a consistent moment of silence; to be in the presence of God, read His word, pray, and allow Him to equip us for the journey.
Revelation Chapter 8 Verse 7
The first angel blew [his] trumpet, and there was a storm of hail and fire mingled with blood cast upon the earth. And a third part of the earth was burned up and a third of the trees was burned up and all the green grass was burned up.
Revelation Chapter 8 Verse 8
The second angel blew [his] Trump, and something resembling a great mountain, blazing with fire, was hurled into the sea.
Revelation Chapter 8 Verse 9
And a third of the sea was turned to blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea perished, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
Revelation Chapter 8 Verse 10
The third angel blew [his] trumpet, and a huge star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it dropped on the third of the rivers and on the springs of water—
Revelation Chapter 8 Verse 11
And the name of the star is Wormwood. A third part of the waters was changed into wormwood, and many people died from using the water, because it had become bitter.
Revelation Chapter 8 Verse 12
Then the fourth angel blew [his] trumpet, and a third of the sun was smitten, and the third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that [the light of] a third of them was darkened, and a third of the daylight [itself] was withdrawn, and likewise a third [of the light] of the night was kept from shining.
Grace And Mercy
God Is Saying To Me:
My grace and mercy will never leave you because you are my chosen daughter. Even in the midst of the most turbulent times, I still seek those that do not know me. My love for my children is greater than any hopelessness, despair and circumstantial events. I will never stop desiring for you to acknowledge me in all things that you say and do.
What This Means To Me:
God could have wiped out everything in these events taking place in Revelation Chapter 8. He didn’t! He left 2/3 of the universe intact because He still desired for his children to seek Hm, serve Him, to acknowledge Hm and confess that He is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings and that through grace and mercy, his son Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price so that the unsaved could have salvation. He wants all of his children saved and to spend eternal life with Him. My job is to serve Him, praise Him, worship Him, pray to Him and tell others about His mercy and grace. If it weren’t for His mercy and grace for me, I wouldn’t have this opportunity to write these words on the blog, study. the Bible, belong to a church family or to be able to have eternal life with Him. All things that I have and am able to do come from His mercy and grace for me.
Thank you God for your mercy and grace and my salvation! I love you, Father, God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit! ❤️❤️❤️
Trina this was so awesome!! God is speaking through you, and this blesses everyone who reads it. Reading this made me excited!
Thank you!
Thank you, Kathy! God is good and I am glad you felt excited. Every day with Jesus is exciting for sure.
In this chapter, the blowing of the trumpet warns of coming danger that is about to take place. The silence in heaven demonstrates an awestruck silence at the judgments to come. The seven trumpets will sound as My battle alarm, during the Great Tribulation. Your prayers drift up to Me. Before anything happens, the prayers of My people come before Me. If the trumpets follow after the seals, this is a display of My mercy in stretching out the end and allowing repentance. I will use whatever method that I desire to bring judgement, but you will know these events are from Me. There will be great ecological upheaval and disaster. There will also be a plague on the waters, which make them bitter. The first 4 trumpets reveal the mercy of My judgement. They are meant to warn and lead a rebellious world to repentance before the end.
What this said to me is this chapter shows how much God wants everyone to come to repentance before the final curtain closes. No one is left behind. This is why it is so important for me to continue bringing others to Him while we are here, before it’s too late.
This Week in the Life: Revelation 8
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This week I got a song in revelation chapter 8
Seasons
We have seasons of life seasons of life we have seasons of life for us to grow every day is a new day Every day is a new day with you lord knowing the truth will set us free set us free from the sins of the world your love gives us hope encouragement helping us through the day we are servants of the Lord servants of the Lord, shining, bright, helping others to see his light we have seasons of life, seasons of life, growing helping others shine bright. We are children of the Lord, children of the Lord, shining bright, bright, bright, Amen
I know the Lord loves us so much. He only wants us to be happy. He only wants the best for me and you. He’s happy as we desire to become closer and closer to him.we want to have joy in our hearts sharing his news with everyone. .
Revelation 8:3 Another angel came and stood at the altar. He had a golden [b]censer, and much [c]incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints (God’s people) on the golden altar in front of the throne. 4 And the smoke and fragrant aroma of the incense, with the prayers of the saints (God’s people), ascended before God from the angel’s hand.
God was showing me How much He loves us and He is always working He will always be working until the very end, He is always trying to get our attention, do you ever notice that?
He is always giving us opportunities to reach out and help someone pray for them with Him too because He knows who will give their life to Him and He knows who won’t.
There is always something happening in this world so it’s important that we’re praying, talking to Father God and listening to Him all through out our day so we can be apart of helping others to join the family while we’re here!
Father God is saying in this world there is always going to be tribulations!
You can trust in Me through everything that goes on because I’m with you! As you know I’m always working on your behalf and those who love Me and I’m always going to have you working along with Me it’s actually exciting to do work with you because you can see My heart for everyone ❤️
Love you
Live you Father and I feel so blessed knowing that Your always working till the end especially for our loved ones I love you Gather Jesus and Your Holy Spirt
God had me focus on verses 10-11 in Revelation 8 (AMPC). This chapter can be read in many different ways but what’s important is how God gives us context to it.
10 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water— 11 the name of the star is Wormwood.[a] A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.
What He said to me about this is:
“Foretelling in metaphor is sometimes the easiest way for Me to communicate with you. It is why Jesus spoke in parables. The bitter taste of the earth without Me is deadly. It is nothing unless I make it something. I want your thirst quenched with the righteous waters of heaven. There are those who do not want such things and it saddens me, as it should you. Use this as passion to help others taste the peaceful waters I provide.”
What this means to me is that God gives us endless chances to connect with Him and truly see that everything around us is surrounded by Him. Without His presence here it would be barren, inhospitable, and non-existent. It’s up to use to connect with Him. We are given tastes of what its like without Him and its not pretty. We can use these instances to help others and bring His love forth.