Empty Throne Room in Heaven Facing the Earthby KandD
8:1Revelation 8:1
And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
The verse belongs to the account of the book in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne, written within and on the backside and sealed with seven seals, which is the roll of God's providences and the prophetic history of nations and the church, containing His utterances, His authority, His commandments, His laws, the whole symbolic counsel of the Eternal, and the history of all ruling powers with the influence of every nation, tongue, and people from the beginning of earth's history to its close. No one in heaven nor in earth neither under the earth was able to open that book until the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, the Lamb as it had been slain in the midst of the throne, prevailed and took it. The opening of the seventh seal is part of the unrolling of the book in Christ's open hand, which leaves no blanks and space for no more writing and fills all who look upon it with awe.
When the seventh seal was opened there was a brief silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. The silence is followed by seven angels given seven trumpets and another angel with a golden censer offering much incense with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar before the throne, with the smoke of the incense with the prayers ascending before God. The verse means that no humble, sincere prayer of faith is overlooked and every prayer is heard. The silence occurs as Jesus' return draws near, while the people watch the approaching cloud in solemn expectation.
The silence is a solemn pause when the angels stop singing while Jesus approaches in glory, lasting until He assures those with clean hands and a pure heart that they can stand and that His grace is sufficient, after which the angels sing again. In that account of Jesus approaching, the length of the silence is not specified. The silence in heaven is also pictured as heaven falling silent while Christ suffers alone in Gethsemane, marking the grief of the angels and the heavenly host as the Father withdraws and separates from His beloved Son the beams of light, love, and glory. Through that suffering Christ gains victory over Satan that will make millions victors in His kingdom, bearing the sufferings of death for every person. That silent grief shows the depth of heaven's sorrow and helps reveal how offensive sin is in God's sight.
The verse belongs to the account of the book in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne, written within and on the backside and sealed with seven seals, which is the roll of God's providences and the prophetic history of nations and the church, containing His utterances, His authority, His commandments, His laws, the whole symbolic counsel of the Eternal, and the history of all ruling powers with the influence of every nation, tongue, and people from the beginning of earth's history to its close. No one in heaven nor in earth neither under the earth was able to open that book until the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, the Lamb as it had been slain in the midst of the throne, prevailed and took it. The opening of the seventh seal is part of the unrolling of the book in Christ's open hand, which leaves no blanks and space for no more writing and fills all who look upon it with awe.
When the seventh seal was opened there was a brief silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. The silence is followed by seven angels given seven trumpets and another angel with a golden censer offering much incense with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar before the throne, with the smoke of the incense with the prayers ascending before God. The verse means that no humble, sincere prayer of faith is overlooked and every prayer is heard. The silence occurs as Jesus' return draws near, while the people watch the approaching cloud in solemn expectation.
The silence is a solemn pause when the angels stop singing while Jesus approaches in glory, lasting until He assures those with clean hands and a pure heart that they can stand and that His grace is sufficient, after which the angels sing again. In that account of Jesus approaching, the length of the silence is not specified. The silence in heaven is also pictured as heaven falling silent while Christ suffers alone in Gethsemane, marking the grief of the angels and the heavenly host as the Father withdraws and separates from His beloved Son the beams of light, love, and glory. Through that suffering Christ gains victory over Satan that will make millions victors in His kingdom, bearing the sufferings of death for every person. That silent grief shows the depth of heaven's sorrow and helps reveal how offensive sin is in God's sight.