Thunder roared, lightning flashed, and the earth shook!

After this, the angel filled the incense container with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth. Thunder roared, lightning flashed, and the earth shook. (Revelation 8:5 CEV)

This chapter in the Book of Revelations is about an angel (possibly Jesus) that is giving the prayers of the believers on earth to God the father! In verse 4 we read that the incense represents the prayers of the believers and that God accepted the prayers of the believers. (This was broadly discussed in the last post). The incense container was now empty because the incense was burned and the smoke went upward and thus accepted by God the father!

In verse 5 we read that the empty incense container was filled with fire from the altar. The incense represents the prayers of the believers. The empty container represents that the prayers of the believers have now reached God the father. Now that the righteous is saved the angel proceeds with the next step!

The next step is to throw the fire on the earth. This is the same fire that was used to burn the incense. In other words, that which was used to take the prayers of believers to God the father was now being used in the judgment of the non-believers.

In other words, Christians are saved because we believe that Christ died for our sins so that we can receive the eternal life. Those that don’t believe that Christ died for their sins cannot receive the eternal life.

The main purpose of the core text of this post in the Book of Revelations is that it prepares the reader for the aftermath that now follows. The aftermath now is the first four trumpets that follow in this chapter!

Next time we will discuss the first trumpet!

Till next time!

Jesus prays for us! (Another angel, who had a gold container for incense...)

In the next few posts we are going to continue to discuss Revelation 8 and 9. Most scholars know this text as: “the cycle of the seven trumpets”. We know this text is about the final judgment of God. Does it tell us something about the end of time? Is it about the apocalypse? If so, how much time?

Core verse

Another angel, who had a gold container for incense, came and stood at the altar. This one was given a lot of incense to offer with the prayers of God's people on the gold altar in front of the throne. Then the smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God's people, went up to God from the hand of the angel. (Revelation 8:3-4 CEV)

The first part of our core verse reminds me of the following text:

The gold altar that was used for burning incense was in this holy place. (Hebrews 9:4 CEV)

The Hebrews text refers to a temple of the Lord in the Old Testament. Usually incense wasn’t burned in a golden altar but in a copper altar.  The gold in our core text and the Hebrews text tell us something about the importance of the rituals that are now going to be performed.

Who was the other angel? There are two options:

·         It was Jesus.

·         It was another messenger from God.

I think the text refers to Jesus because it refers to gold and incense. Incense was burned to get a good smell. When Jesus was born, he received gold, perfume, and spices from the wise men. (Matthew 2:11 BBE). The Perfume and spices were about a good smell and we also see gold, which is also featuring in our core verse as the incense burner!

In our core verse the gold and incense refers to Jesus! I think the “other angel” is thus referring to Jesus. We can now see Jesus (the other angel) praying the prayers of God’s people as per our core verse.

What can we learn from Revelation 8:3-4?

·         If we pray, our prayers are going to God, but Jesus prays them to God for us. This can be so, because Jesus paid the ultimate price- the crucifixion.

·         Thanks to Jesus our prayers is acceptable for God. Through Jesus God is listening!

Till next time!