Why We Pray | Revelation 8
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Why We Pray | Revelation 8
Series: Revelation: The Best is Yet to Come
Title: “Why We Pray” (The 7th seal = 7 trumpets)
Scripture: Revelation 8
Main commentary help:
Exalting Jesus in Revelation by Daniel Akin
Revelation by Jim Hamilton
Breaking the Code by Bruce Metzger
Seven Seals by Matt Chandler, 2021 sermon
ESV Global Study Bible
Bible in One Year by Nicky Gumbel
Bible Knowledge Commentary
Last week: “Why God Seals His People”
This week: “Why We Pray”
Bottom line: We pray because our prayers change things—sometimes mercifully; sometimes justly.
Intro
Young people, can I give you a little advice? Resist the temptation to compartmentalize your life. What I mean is don’t treat the different areas of your life as if they don’t affect other areas of your life.
It’s like spokes on a wheel. If you treat each spoke (representing a different area of your life) as if they don’t connect, then the wheel of your life falls apart (eventually). But if you remember that they are all connected at the center at the hub, and that what you put at that center hub matters, you will find a life that is whole and full of peace (no matter what the world throws at you).
Avoid the titanic mistake of compartmentalizing your life. Here’s a story to drive this point home.
How to Avoid the Titanic Mistake
James Cameron, director of the movie Titanic, describes the Titanic as a ‘metaphor’ of life: ‘We are all living on… [the] Titanic.’
When the Titanic set sail in 1912, it was declared to be ‘unsinkable’ because it was constructed using a new technology. The ship’s hull was divided into sixteen watertight compartments. Up to four of these compartments could be damaged or even flooded, and still the ship would float.
Tragically, the Titanic sank on 15 April 1912 at 2.20 am. 1,513 people lost their lives. At the time, it was thought that five of its watertight compartments had been ruptured in a collision with an iceberg.
However, on 1 September 1985, when the wreck of the Titanic was found lying upright on the ocean floor, there was no sign of the long gash previously thought to have been ripped in the ship’s hull. What they discovered was that damage to one compartment affected all the rest.
Many people make the Titanic mistake. They think they can divide their lives into different ‘compartments’ and that what they do in one will not affect the rest. However, as Rick Warren (from whom I have taken this illustration) says, ‘A life of integrity is one that is not divided into compartments.’
David prayed for ‘an undivided heart’ (Psalm 86:11). He led the people with ‘integrity of heart’ (78:72). Supremely, Jesus was a ‘man of integrity’ (Matthew 22:16; Mark 12:14). How can you and I avoid the Titanic mistake and live lives of integrity?
The point isn’t just that David prayed for an undivided heart. That’s huge. But the bigger point is that David prayed believing that God could and would give him an undivided heart if he just asked.
Last week we learned that we sing because we’re sealed.
This week we learn that we pray because our prayers change things.
Bottom line: We pray because God changes things in our world as a result.
This week’s message is pretty simple, though devastatingly sobering.
Our prayers ascent to heaven where almighty, all-loving God hears and responds to them in accordance with his will to devastating effect. Even if those prayers are imprecatory prayers that devastate others in our world.
No, we’re not taking revenge. That’s God’s job (Romans 12). But we can ask God to do that.
To act justly.
To avenge his people.
To vindicate his people.
“How long...” is a refrain in so many prayers. (Cf. Rev 6:9-10) Not a bad prayer. Just as long as we’re not having a pity party but instead praying faith-filled prayers to the One who can and will answer in accordance with his perfect, holy, loving will.
And isn’t that what we’ve been asking for all these years?
“(Let) your kingdom come, and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-13)
How long...
Will we continue to let politics divide us instead of our faith unite us?
Will we care more about what’s for dinner than what happens to lonely, unmarried pregnant teen girls?
Will we participate in the sin of silence in sharing the gospel?
Will we see sleeping together as a way to try out a marriage partner instead of sleeping with someone’s future spouse?
Will we see porn as a cancer for our soul?
Will we scorn spiritual disciplines and habits that are means of grace?
Will we settle for a self-absorbed mission in life?
Will we take for granted our intergenerational community of faith?
Will we value time playing games alone over time conversing with others?
Will we spend more time watching videos than reading the word?
Will we get more agitated over how political actions affect our income than how they affect the next generation’s soul?
Will God continue to wait to pour out his holy justice on us like a raging river?
Will we continue to believe that as long as I‘m a “good person” in the eyes of “normal” people, I’ll be ok in God’s eyes?
I could go on and on. No doubt you have some “How longs” you want to pray to God as well.
Well, I can tell you this—it won’t be forever.
Our prayers released to heaven eventually return answered to earth. Sometimes exactly the way we prayed them. Oftentimes even better.
How long will we continue in our prayerless-ness?
I. Our prayers WILL be answered. (8:1-5)
A. Genuine prayer is sacrificial prayer. This is suggested by the altar where the martyrs are (under), where the prayers are offered up (censer), and where we were redeemed to be able to pray (cross).
The martyrs lived sacrificially by faith.
Jesus lived sacrificially by faith.
“The scene in heaven suggests that there is something sacrificial about genuine prayer. Both the believer and his prayer enter the presence of God by way of the altar.” (Mounce)
Believers under the altar (+ all prayers offered by all saints in all of history)
Prayers in the censer rise up as divine acceptance (cf Eph 5:2)
“...and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Calm before the storm? Pause to hear their prayers? Dramatic pause? God’s timing is perfect—don’t delay in responding to his merciful pause. (8:1)
Angels directly from God’s throne. To stand in God’s presence is to stand ready to serve at the pleasure of the king of kings. (Mounce)
He’s sovereign and holy and will (must) judge sin. (8:2-3)
More judgment is on the way—but still, God gives chance for humanity repent and believe. Still they do not. More and more die.
Seals - 1/4 die
Trumpets - 1/3 die
Incense symbolizes sacrificial prayer. As the prayers rise up, God returns his answers back down in his perfect timing. Sometimes mercy—sometimes judgment.
B. Genuine prayer can be for mercy or for justice.
Prayers are lifted up by faith.
Prayers are answered by God.
II. Proof that prayers are answered: 4 Trumpets of Wrath. (8:6-12)
Hail and fire mixed with blood. 1/3 of earth, 1/3 of trees, all great grass.
Like a huge mountain all ablaze thrown into sea. 1/3 sea to blood, 1/3 living sea creatures die, 1/3 ships die.
A great star, blazing like a torch, fell on 1/3 rivers and springs poisoning drinking water and killing 1/3 of people.
Sun is struck dark (1/3), 1/3 of moon too, and 1/3 of stars too. Light is leaving.
III. Woe to the earthdwellers. (8:13) - Woe, woe, woe signals 3 more to come to those on earth. Goal: repentance and faith in their creator.
Unlike first four trumpets which fall on the source of people’s life,
The last three fall upon people themselves.
Q: Are you ready for his holy judgment? Are you ready to face your holy creator?
May you think you’re good. You’re a “good” person, after all.
You haven’t murdered anyone.
Yet Jesus said, if you’ve even hated or gotten angry with your brother or sister, you’re as guilty of murder as if you pulled the trigger. (Matt 5:22)
You haven’t been unfaithful to your current spouse.
Yet Jesus said, if you’ve lusted after another person sexually, it’s as if you have slept together. (Matt 5:28)
This is true of your future spouse as well.
And I still have 8 of the 10 commandments to go.
Do you really believe that you are morally pure before your perfectly, holy creator? Because he knows better.
He knows what you’ve done.
He knows what you’ve said.
He knows what you’ve thought (every thought)
The Lord is sending his holy wrath against all of humanity except for those who’ve humbled themselves and repented of their sin believing that their only hope is that Jesus took on God’s holy wrath on our behalf—in our place.
Conclusion:
Let me address our younger generations for a minute. Here’s a question:
How do you know a debt has been paid? A financial or legal debt?
Q: When you have been arrested, convicted, and imprisoned, how do you know when your debt has been paid?
A: You know it when the door opens and you can walk through them into freedom.
Q: How do you know when your moral debt to God has been paid.
“The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 6:23)
A: How do you know when the wage has been paid and the death of been paid? You know because of when Jesus walked through the door of death through the resurrection. Yes, the door opened and Jesus walked through it proving that our debt had been paid. (Tim Keller, Hope)
Other notes:
Fact: the altar of incense
In OT times, the altar of incense (8:3–4) stood in the Holy Place of the tabernacle and the temple next to the veil concealing the Most Holy Place. Each morning and evening, the high priest burned incense on the altar (Ex. 30:1–10).
Incense represented the prayers of the saints in the earthly sanctuary (see 5:8; also Ps. 141:2; Luke 1:9–11). Fire from the altar will be flung to earth in judgment in answer to the saints’ prayers.
Global Study Bible
Altar of Incense is symbolic of prayers. -BKC
“Prayers of all God’s people” result in God’s judgment and glory.
On the golden altar (8:3)
Martyrs underneath golden altar. (6:7-10)
“How long, sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” (6:10)
Their faith is in God’s character and competency to be sovereign, holy and true and act justly:
Sovereign - authority and power
Holy - morally, perfectly pure
True - revealing what is true
Angel 5 holds golden censer over golden altar holding incense (smoke) and prayers all in front of the throne.
These prayers mix and rise up from angel’s hand.
Angel filled censer with fire from the altar and hurls it onto the earth resulting in thunder, lightning, and an earthquake. This launches/initiates the 7th seal = 7 trumpets of judgment.