Some “through the bible” thoughts from Revelation 8.
“When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour” (Revelation 8:1).
That silence stands in contrast with the unending praises of the six-winged creatures in Revelation 4:8. They are joined by the twenty-four elders, myriads of myriads of angels, and every creature in heaven and earth and under the earth and in the sea (Rev. 5:9-10, 12,13. People from every nation, tribe, people, and language who have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb praise him with loud voices as well (Rev. 7:9-10).
Heaven is a noisy place until the Lamb opens the seventh seal and “there was silence in heaven for about half an hour” (Rev. 8:1).
One of the hardest things to do when teaching a class or facilitating a discussion is to ask a question and then be quiet. If no one says anything for fifteen seconds, it’s tempting to speak. A full minute of quiet seems like an hour.
Quiet is important. People are thinking. Pondering the question. Forming their thoughts.
Quiet is important when the baby is sleeping. I disconnected the doorbell so that a well-meaning delivery person didn’t push the button, ring the bell, make the dog bark, and wake the child.
Quiet is important in music. A rest means don’t play. Don’t sing a note.
Quiet is important when you’re playing hide-and-seek. Don’t giggle. Don’t breathe heavy. Don’t give away your hiding place.
Quiet is important in golf. Spectators are warned not to make a sound when a player is lining up a perfectly still ball for a drive or putt. Same for a tennis serve.
On the other hand, when a batter is trying to hit a 90 mile-per-hour fast ball, fifty-thousand people are yelling at the top of their lungs. When a basketball player lines up for a free throw, fans of the opposing team will be anything but silent.
How entertaining is it when an adult’s whispered, “Shut up!” is louder than the noise a wriggling child makes in church?
Or when a moment of silence is interrupted by the ring tone of a cell phone in someone’s purse or pocket?
In that half-hour of silence, the prayers of the saints reach the ears of God. The cacophony of heaven’s praises cannot drown out the asking, seeking, and knocking of believers.
More importantly, the roar of heaven’s worship will never drown out your prayers. They rise up to God like the smoke of incense (8:3-4). Your whispered prayers for his help, mercy, and presence sweetly disrupt heaven’s silence, moving God to respond with the thunder, rumblings, lightning, and earthquakes of his presence (8:5).
Let’s make some noise. Let’s pray!
Waite for it... 