Hello, siblings. I apologize if this has been discussed previously. I was listening to the BOR on a Youtube video and when it came to Revelation 8, I stopped it. 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 in front of the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake. Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them. I opened my Bible and really sat in this thought for a second. I have never heard it mentioned that God's most aggressive and destructive judgments occur immediately after He receives the prayers of His people. I visualize the incense lifting to God, carrying our prayers from the beginning of Creation. Then an angel, magnificent and powerful, waits for the instruction, then takes fire FROM HEAVEN'S ALTAR and casts it to Earth where the land and skies quake in response. Then the trumpet judgments. All I could think of was how we are told to love our enemies and to pray for them. We're told to cast our cares on Him. Prayer is a mandate for all seasons. Our prayers are saved in Heaven, just as every word that we say and thought that we bear. Otherwise, how could we be accountable for them? I imagine our testimonies are books in Heaven's libraries testifying to the intervention and devotion of our Father. Anywho, I thought to myself that THIS is the vengeance He promised us. Our prayers, our pain and suffering, our fears, are the last thing mentioned before the earth is taken to the woodshed. And I cried. God doesn't lie. Vengeance is His. Indeed! I shared a small piece entitled "The testimony of our tears" years ago. The idea being that the Lord saves our tears showing he is mindful of them and our trials! As well as saving them as an indictment against those who caused those tears! Adding to each the horrors of Hell as recompense against each year shed! TR hello Lew, thank you for this post. it is great encouragement to remember that our prayers are not lost. God does not lose track of them and He knows how to answer in a way that is keeping in His character. That certainly should cause us all to pray much more fervently!
He is amazing wonderful God who is alive, who sees, who hears, who saves!
and vengeance belongs to Him. It's His creation.
