In the stillness
When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Revelation 8:1
When I was ten years old, my family took a trip to Washington D.C. It was the perfect time for me to go. Even though I didn’t understand the significance of many sights, I was old enough to remember them for the day when I learned more about these places. One particular ceremony we witnessed was the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier. At the time, I had no idea what was going on, but the memory of the display by “The Old Guard” a special Army unit of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, is still with me today. Everyday, at the top of each hour, a relief commander shows up at the tomb and announces the Changing of the Guard. Then the ceremony begins. The soldiers go through a series of steps and pauses facing East and turns to face north for 21 seconds each. Every motion is done 21 times to represent the highest military honor (the 21-gun salute) that a soldier can receive for giving their life in service to their country. When the commander appears to execute the shift change, the crowds that are watching become completely silent. As a ten year old child, that is what I noticed the most. Complete stillness is hard when you are that age, at least it was for me. Even though I didn’t understand what was going on, in the silence, there was a reason for the ceremonial procedure and a significance for every step they took. Something was happening much deeper than just some guards taking 21 steps and looking in certain directions. They were guarding a place of honor and continually reminding the onlookers that this was a place to be given the highest respect because of the lives it represented.
As we read today at the beginning of Revelations eight, the seventh seal is opened from the scroll that only the Lamb of God can open. Immediately after the seal is broken, there is silence in heaven for a half hour. Even though it is quiet, things are happening that everyone there is watching. Seven angels appear and they are given seven trumpets. Another angel stood at the altar and offered up incense along with the prayers of the saints on the earth. The scent of the incense along with to the prayers are lifted up to God and then the angel throws the golden censer full of fire to the earth. That sets off a series of thundering, lightnings and another great earthquake. This ceremony is made in preparation for the seven angels to sound their trumpets. While there is complete silence in this scene, there is still something going on of great significance. This final seal of the scroll is about to set in motion another series of seven in the sounding of the trumpet by the angels who hold them.
As I consider this scene and the prayers of the saint’s involvement in it, it occurs to me that many times this happens when we pray for something here in the world, yet we do not see any results right away. Even though the circumstances we are praying about do not seem to change immediately, there is something much deeper happening. Heaven is positioning and preparing the answer and beginning to put pressure on the situation to change. We can remember this time of stillness as we wait and watch for the answer to arrive in our trouble and be assured that even though it doesn’t look like much is happening, heaven is on the move.
Today I want to encourage you to rejoice as you lift up your requests and petitions to your Father in heaven. Get excited and know that as soon as you make your need known to God, heaven is put into action. Things are beginning to shift at the command to the angelic forces and your answer will soon be on its way. Keep in mind that just as this scene in today’s reading or even the changing of the guard, something much deeper is happening in the silence. Oh, you may not see any thunder and lightning, but you will have that peace and confidence that in the stillness, things are about to change.
Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 8:1-6
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 to them were given seven trumpets.
3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.
5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.
6 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
The Daily Dose 