The Seventh Seal

 The Silence in Heaven

What is the silence?  Entire absence of sound; having no sound; (obscurity); without light or distinctness; dark; not easily understood; to darken or dim; (oblivion); the act of forgetting; forgetfulness;  State of being forgotten; make silent; cause to cease firing.  The restrain from the exercise of any function, especially preaching.

Truly this is what really happen, many in the evening light stop preaching, the full Gospel message.  This is the negative aspect of the silent.  When the ministry goes silent it produces apostasy.  When the seventh seal was open in A. D. 1930 we see according to bible prophecy

Joshua 4-6 chapters The Sounding of the seven trumpets

 

Before we tackle the sounding of these trumpets, we must back up to the opening of the seals,  for when he had opened the seventh seal there was a silence in Heaven, then these trumpets prepared themselves to sound.  We will deal with the opening of the seventh seals first, to get a better understanding of the preparation of these trumpets sounding.

In Revelation the 5th chapter, we see the Book that was sealed with seven seals was in God’s Hand, not man’s hand.

And we see an Angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “who is worthy to open the book, and loose the seals”.

No man in heaven, or in the earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

John said he wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

One the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals.

Thank God, Jesus took the book and opened the seals.  He opened that portion of truth that was to be revealed to us through his word.

Christ is the only one that can break the seals, there is none other.  It takes Christ to open up truth to us through the Holy Spirit.  You can read the word until you are blue in the face, and still not understand what you are reading.  For Peter lets us know,  in 2 Peter 1:19-21,  knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. NKJVT

This prophecy that we are studying can’t be privately interpreted either, that is your thoughts will not work, when it comes to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Ghost is the only legal interpreter of God’s Word.  Your opinion and your ideals have no place in the matter.  First of all to get the right interpretation you must be a holy man of God.  You must speak by the Holy Ghost, for it must be his will and not yours.  The prophets of old only spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Revelation 8:1 says that there was silence in Heaven, What does silence mean?  Silence means the absence of noise or sound.  The word silence is used in the bible to symbolize fear and reverence. Hab 2:20 But the LORD is in His holy temple.  Let all the earth keep silence before Him."  NKJV

Silence also meant the act of consecration and preparation. Ps 141:1-3 LORD, I cry out to you; Make haste to me! Give ear to my voice when I cry out to you.  2 Let my prayer be set before you as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips. NKJV

Revelation 8:1 has reference to the seven angels consecrating themselves i.e. “standing before God” preparing themselves before God, to sound, they were not ready to sound without the proper preparation. This is why they were standing before God. God must prepare us for his ministry and work of the church.  You can’t prepare yourself.  Schools make doctors, lawyers, and teachers, but it take God to make a preacher.  For a preacher will live like God, walk with God and talk with God.

Let’s look at the scenery here;

The Place was inside the Tabernacle (The House of God)

There was a silence (the world must be completely shut out, there must be a complete  absence of sound, devotion without distractions) Matt. 6:5-15.

 Seven Angels standing before God

 

 Note: the work and consecration of the  Priests

This altar of incense was before the throne (the altar was just before entering the second room, where the throne or mercy seat was). This is where God’s presence and Shekanah Glory was.  The Altar of Incense was also made of acacia wood covered with beaten gold. (Fine gold leaf built up in layers) Upon it burned a mixture of precisely measured ingredients, specified by the Lord. These ingredients were to be used only in the Tabernacle and later the temple, but never in anything else, in that precise measure. It also has horns, as did the Altar of Sacrifice, these represent power and authority. This is a sacrificial altar as well, but not one of the flesh, but one totally of the Spirit.

This is the place of intercession. The Torah speaks of prayers as sweet incense. The incense burned continually, night and day upon it. This is the last stop before entering into the presence of the Lord. We are to pray without ceasing, to pray on all occasions, to offer the sacrifice of praise, the fruit of our lips that confess his name. The Altar is in the center of the room because prayer is access to God. Yeshua (Jesus) is forever standing at the right hand of God himself, interceding for us. We gain access to God first through his prayers for us, and then our own.
 

An altar only exist for one thing, just ask the little lamb that was brought to the altar this is not a place of blessing; it is a place of death.  But if we can embrace that death, then perhaps we can see God’s face.

I’m talking about the New Testament equivalent of death, which is repentance, brokenness, and humility before the Lord. The complete dying of one’s fleshly desire.  Too many times we only give lip service to God Word, we say the word is true, but we act like it isn’t.  What if God meant what He said?  What if it’s true that only dead men see His face?  We are too easily satisfied with things that are not quite what they ought to be.

Like Moses, we need to cry out, I beseech thee, show me thy glory. God’s response was; Thou canst not see My face: for there shall no man see Me and live

(Ex 33:7-23; 34:1-10) Responsive Reading

When Moses asked God to show him His glory, the Lord warned him that no man could see Him and live.  Even in the new covenant, this statement is true.  Only dead men can see God.

There is a connection between His glory and our death.

Moses began to press his case before God, I want to, I’ve got to”, Moses already had received the architectural details of the pre-Calvary model of salvation and man’s restoration to His presence. So, just having the model (shadow) and the law was not enough. I believed he knew the tabernacle, and its furnishings and utensils all had symbolic meaning. But it was not enough; he wanted to see the finished product.

Note: the work and consecration of the High Priest

In another example of death, consider the High Priest.

It is said that the High Priest of old knew that he was a dead man walking, the term “dead man walking applies to someone who is on death roll, When a condemned man begins his final walk to the the death chamber, just before they close the door of the corridor, the warden or one of the chief guards will often shout through the hall, “ Dead man Walking”.  This is to let every one know that a man is spending his last few moments of life on the earth, and that they are to be still (silence) and honor death with respect.  A real Christian is like a dead man walking. Rom 12:1.

The High Priest in this respect knew that he was like a dead man walking.  When the other priest tied a rope around his ankle while he looked at the heavy veil separating him from the Holy of Holies.  The only way he would ever walk out of that room alive was solely by the mercy and grace of God. 

This is a very delicate matter when approaching Glory of God.  We all talk about the glory, some say its gone and some say it’s here, but it really isn’t here, believe me when I say this.  For if the glory of God ever showed up in full measure, we’d all be dead.  Mountains melt at His presence, how much more man’s flesh!

Paul said, “that no flesh should glory in His presence. 1 Cor. 1:29.  If there is flesh on the scene when Glory of God comes, then it will have to dead flesh on the scene also, because nothing can live in that presence.  The only mortal thing that can remain in His manifest presence and stand is dead flesh. 

These angels were standing before God, in silence (like dead men, or accounted as dead to every worldly thing). Because only dead men can see his face.

This silence is a time or period of consecration, preparation, death to self, and life in Christ.  Gal. 2:20.

In order for the priest to enter into the temple they had to cover themselves with blood. When they entered that veil, there had to be enough smoke in that room to hide everything from view, even though they had followed every requirement.  The way they knew the covering cloud was thick enough was if they couldn’t see anything either.  The priest had to fulfill all his duties, including the sprinkling of blood, by feel instead of by sight.  The covering cloud was a reassuring sign to the man that he had a good chance of seeing the light of day again. 

So here we see seven messengers of God, standing before his presence, waiting for something to happen. This silence for the space of about an half a hour (50 years),  Is a period of time, where the men of  God and women of God, would consecration themselves in preparation for the sounding of the seven  trumpets.

They were given seven trumpets (The Message for the Gospel Age)

There was another Angel (this is Christ)

This Angel (Christ) stood at the altar of incense (just like the high priest)

 

Matt 27:50-54

50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

KJV

 

Heb 10:14-18

14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,

16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

KJV

 

Heb 10:19-22

19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

21 And having an high priest over the house of God;

22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

KJV

 

There was given to him much incense (symbolizing the prayers of the saints)

This incense was to be offered upon the golden altar or (altar of incense)

The smoke of the incense ascended up before God out of the Angel’s (High Priest) hand.

The Angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar of incense, and cast it into the earth: The Day of Pentecost, The infilling of the power of the Holy Ghost.

There were voices, (Praise, shouts of victory)

Thundering, (The Confirmation of God’s voice and approval)

Lightning, (The going forth of God’s word)

Earthquake. (Great Spiritual awakening)

Here we see the results of the preparation.  And you cannot prove to me that you can take the censer and golden altar, make this a symbol of a college.