God's attributes operate in perfect harmony. He never exercises one attribute at the expense of the other. But in our limited mind, we often fail to comprehend the intrinsic unity of God's attributes. We tend to separate elements of God' character in our thinking. We sometimes even see conflict or confusion among various attributes or actions of God. How do we reconcile God's violent wrath against sin with His tender love for sinners? How do we see His mercy even in His judgment? Most important, how do we response to the devastating judgment awaiting mankind, described in Revelation.
After the progressive opening of the first six seals in chapter six and the interlude about God's people in chapter seven. John sees the worthy Lamb opens the seventh seal, the final one at the beginning of chapter 8. Very unusual, there is "silence in heaven for about half an hour." Keeping in mind that the praise in heaven is unceasing, what is the significance of this surprising silence? The songs of praise offered by heaven's choirs silenced by God Himself in deference to the prayers of the suffering saints on earth. This is how God showing His concern for His persecuted people and their prayers for His justice. God even paused the worship service to Himself to take care His precious people and their prayers. He definitely does not have to do so. He is the God Almighty and He knows the prayers. But He choose to be this way. How great is our God's love to His beloved ones. How much does He care about the prayers offered by His saints?
As the fifth seal was opened in chapter 6, the souls of the martyrs cried out from under the altar, " How long, Sovereign Lord, until you...avenge our blood?" God told them to "wait a little longer" at that time. Now we see "Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand." After the prayers rising before God, "the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurld it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumbings, flashes of lighting and an earthquake." The prayers of God's people contribute to the judgment God initiates in this chapter. The connection between the saints prayers and God's judgment is clearly seen. God's sovereign plan mysteriously incorporates the rightful prayers of His people. Our prayers for justice do not reflect a morbid desire for God to strike people down, but for the justice and mercy perfectly united within God's character to prevail. We trust God's perfect balance of compassion to await repentance and wisdom to exact judgment at His time.
If we trust God's character, we should pray for the triumph of God's justice. To do so is neither vengeful or hateful. In Psalm, David prayed for God's justice many times. Sometimes we feel so uncomfortable to pray for God's justice, we told ourselves that we do not want to be judgmental, but the fact is that we do not trust He is the Judge, His own justice is the driving force behind His judgment. And we do not want to offense people to make us look bad. But God desires His people to pray for His holy justice and He will act in response to those prayers, not because He is controlled by our prayers, but because He choose to do it this way.
Here, as prayers go up to God, the silence in heaven shattered by thunder, rumbings, flashes of lighting and an earthquake which lead to the trumpet judgments.
Seven angels, each with a trumpet, prepare to sound the warning of imminent judgment. I can not help to think about the seven priests in Joshua's time who carried trumpets before the conquest of Jericho. And just as God strategically released 10 separate plagues in Egypt to move Egyptians' hearts, here He sets limits to each trumpet judgment, provides time after each judgment for anyone willing to come to repentance.
The force of the first four trumpet judgments is deadly. However, those judgments were directed on nature. The impact on people was secondary. First "a third of earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up." Then a great fiery mass "like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was throw into sea, a third of the sea turned into blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed." The destruction continues to escalate. "A great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water". The name of the star was "Wormwood" known for its bitterness. Many people died because they drank the toxic bitter water. The following disaster strokes "a third of " sun, moon and stars. "A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night." God restraints His judgment, an act of kindness and mercy designed to call people to repentance. Now He pauses His judgment while He throws an eagle in midair. This eagle has keen sight, it sees death. It calls out in loud voice: "Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!"
God graciously sent a warning to us. Scripture is full of warnings, a loving provision of a loving God to direct us and protect us. God uses crisis or disaster to get our attention, calls us to repentance and spare us futher suffering.
God sent judgment to get our attention. Does He get it? Does He get it from you?
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