Rev.8:1 – When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
This chapter in Revelation displays the power of the prayers of God’s people. As you read through the chapter you see the gathered prayers of the church hurled to the earth. These prayers are the tools the Lord uses to perform His kingdom plans. After all, we have been praying “let your kingdom come and let your will be done on earth” for two thousand years. The culmination of all these prayers will be released for the great and day of the Lord. This is why everything suddenly stops, God is listening specifically and intentionally to the prayers of His people. He hears and answers our prayers. Here is how Barclay describes this special moment in heaven.
“There may be something much more beautiful in this passage. The prayers of the saints are about to go up to God; and it may be that the idea is that everything in heaven halts so that the prayers of the saints may be heard. As R. H. Charles puts it in his commentary: ‘The needs of the saints are more to God than all the psalmody of heaven.’ Even the music of heaven and even the thunder of revelation are stilled so that God’s ear may catch the whispered prayer of the humblest of his trusting people….Here we have the idea that prayer is a sacrifice to God; the prayers of the saints are offered on the altar, and, like all other sacrifices, they are surrounded with the perfume of the incense as they rise to God. We may have no other sacrifice to offer to God; but at all times we can offer our prayers, and there are always angelic hands waiting to bring them to God.”
Our prayers are precious to the Lord and they have great effect in the world that we live in. It is easy when living in a world where everything appears to be going wrong to think that the world is literally out of control. Impossible!!! The apparent chaos all around us should deepen our passion for prayer knowing that the Lord is listening and these prayers are the material He uses to accomplish His kingdom plans. First He moves on our hearts to pray. As we pray in and by the Spirit he inspires and directs our prayers. He then takes these prayers to bring mercy and justice to our world. Wow !!! Everything is from Him and through Him and for Him. Let the silence settle in.