Revelation 8:1-2
In verse 1 Jesus opens the Seventh Seal and there was “silence” in Heaven for about one half hour. If we read this like a newspaper or a reference book, we could simply pass over this scene. Okay, there was silence in Heaven, so what’s the big deal?
One very important attribute that Believers have hardened to is, the “AWE” of God. When reading the Bible, it can be read as just another book, however it would be good if we will take the time to open up to the magnitude of what is going to happen here during the Tribulation Period.
During the time of Israel’s wandering through the wilderness and their worship at the Tabernacle of God, they would follow the Cloud by day and the Pillar of Fire by night. These were representations of God and His great love and protection for them.
The Cloud was protection from the hot sun during the day and the Pillar of Fire warmed them by night, additionally it caused fear to their enemies. When the Cloud and the Pillar of Fire would start to move in a direction that God wanted Israel to go, the people would break camp, take down the Tabernacle and move wherever they were led.
When the Cloud or Pillar of Fire stopped, they stopped and set up camp. It could be days, weeks or years, but they were not to move without the Cloud or the Pillar of Fire. They had a devout reverence for these and for the Tabernacle.
One thing that would happen when God would call Moses into the door of the Tabernacle or when the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies to offer the blood of an animal sacrifice for the atonement of the peoples sin’s, there was a great silence throughout the camp.
The people knew that their preservation rested on the atonement being accomplished and the High Priest not failing in his duties in sprinkling the blood on the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant. There was a holy hush in the midst of the people.
When we are there in Heaven witnessing these things taking place, is it possible that the awesomeness of the last Seal being opened which is setting up for the next chain of events may cause us to almost gasp with reverence and the awe would return to us that we may have lost while we have been here in the earth? I think so!
Most commentators agree this word “silence” in the original Greek render it as the calm before the storm. This is true; however in the book of Psalms, at the end of a thought, there could be a word, “Selah”, which means, pause to reflect on what is being said. So this silence could be a “Selah” to reflect on the magnitude of what has happened and what is to come.
Habakkuk 2:20 in the Amplified Bible is interesting in light of our study – “But the Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth hush and keep silence before Him.”
In verse 2 there are seven angels with trumpets; we know these as the Seven Trumpet Judgments. This is where I will move away from tradition and examine who these angels could be. Notice I said, “Could be.”
Let’s recall the significance of the number seven and its relation to the Seven Churches. As we move through the Book of Revelation I see the Church involved in all that is going on, and not just as spectators.
Why is that? Let’s start with chapter 19:9-10. John falls down to worship what many translations of the Bible have added in; that is the word, “angel.” Someone has been John’s escort throughout this adventure and it has always been understood to be an angel.
In verse 10 this escort says to John ‘do not worship me.’ He calls himself John’s “fellow servant” and of John’s brethren that have the testimony of Jesus.’
He did not say that he was a fellow servant of all God’s creation. He pinpointed a specific group; John’s brethren would be Christians. By this statement, this escort put himself on the same level as the Christians.
What is wrong with that? We would need to get into a study of angels to fully answer this; however we need to understand that angels are in a different class of God’s creation than that of a Born Again man or woman.
First, God created man in His own image and likeness giving him dominion over all the works of His hands; reference Psalm 8. Angels have always been created beings for service but not for dominion.
Second, Angels are ministering servants unto the heirs of salvation; that is us; Hebrews 1:14 will clarify this for us. If John’s escort were an angel, he would have said ‘do not bow to me because I am your servant.’ Many Believers do not understand this and exalt angels to a higher level than themselves, they sometimes worship them. The word for angel in the New Testament is defined as; “messenger” or “sent one” much like an Apostle. So the word angel is interchangeable according to context. Throughout the book of Revelation we will see actual angels and what I believe are Christians using the same Greek word.
This escort of John’s by saying he is a ‘fellow servant’ is saying, ‘John, I’m just like you, so don’t even think about worshiping me, only God deserves all the worship we can give Him.’
So let’s proceed with this statement; these angels could actually be Christians performing their duties as judges of the earth and of the angels.
1Corinthians 6:2-3 lends to this understanding. As we proceed forward there will be other interesting points to possibly substantiate this speculation.
I have always said that we are not going to Heaven to lie around on a puffy white cloud with a harp in our hands and an angel dropping grapes into our mouths. We have much work to do, so get ready!