Sweeter Than Honey: Silence in Heaven

From the Old Testament to the New, the eternality of God's Word is clearly proclaimed: 

Job tells us, “I have treasured the Words of His mouth more than my portion of food” (Job 23:12). 

Isaiah reminds us that, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God endures forever” (Isaiah 40:8). 

And Matthew records Jesus saying, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35).

God's Word is like an eternal Love Letter to us!

​Have you ever received a love letter, friend? Did you read it? Did you read it just once, or did you read it over and over again? A Love Letter is a treasure when you love the One who sent it!

How would you like to read through God's Love Letter—His Word, the Bible, with a group of like-minded, Christian girlfriends? We're doing that over in the private, Sweeter Than Honey, Facebook group. Did you know you don't have to start a Bible reading plan on January 1? You can begin today! This simple plan, and an accountability partner, will help you succeed. Who will be your accountability partner? Share this post with them and invite them to the private Facebook group.

JOIN THE PRIVATE SWEETER THAN HONEY FACEBOOK GROUP

Sweeter Than Honey is patterned after this Bible Reading Itinerary. On Tuesdays, here at the blog, I would love it if you and I could take a trip through God's Word and Sweeter Than Honey, together! I would also encourage you to Join us over in the private, Sweeter Than Honey, Facebook group, introduce yourself, meet new friends, and share your thoughts there as well. We're waiting for you!

Revelation 8-10: Silence in Heaven

Chapter 6 of Revelation, which we read yesterday, is dedicated to the first six of the Seven Seals. Then John writes of the 144,000 of Israel and a great multitude from every nation before writing about the final Seventh Seal here in chapters 8-10. The Seven Seals are terrifying to read. The seventh is accompanied by seven trumpets. The opening of this seal is the most terrifying. Much of this is difficult for us to understand, and we are not meant to understand it all, just as the prophets of the Old Testament had difficulty understanding some of the prophecies that were fulfilled in the New Testament. What caught my attention about the opening of this Seventh Seal was the “silence in Heaven for about half an hour” afterward. ​

“When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in Heaven for about half an hour. Then I [John] saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.” (Revelation 8:1-5)

Often times, when I do not understand a part of the Bible, I’ll read that part again and pray that God will help me understand it. If I still do not understand, I’ll read a good commentary on it. Today, I read Matthew Henry’s commentary on Revelation 8 to gain some insight on this half-hour of silence in Heaven.

“A silence of expectation; great things were upon the wheel of providence, and the church of God, both in Heaven and earth, stood silent, as became them, to see what God was doing, according to that of Zechariah 2:13, Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord, for He has risen up out of His holy habitation. And elsewhere, Be still, and know that I am God.” —Matthew Henry, Commentary on Revelation 8

“A silence of expectation,” Henry calls it. “…the church of God, both in Heaven and earth, stood silent…to see what God was doing,” Henry writes. Then, he quotes in his commentary from Zechariah 2:13 and Psalm 46:10—which is one of my favorite verses.

“Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for He has roused Himself from His holy dwelling.” (Zechariah 2:13) 

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10)

We may not completely understand this passage in Revelation, but one thing we know for sure—one day, all will be still before the Lord, all will know that He is God, and He will be exalted among the nations!

This “silence of expectation,” as Matthew Henry calls it, gives me great hope—hope of things to come when we all will be still before the Lord, everyone knowing that He is the One, ture God, and He being exalted in every nation! What does this “silence of expectation” mean to you?

About Sweeter Than Honey

When I read God’s Word each morning, I find inspiration and insight that keeps my day on track. Join me on this journey. Let’s settle in with His Word—it’s His Love Letter to us. Did you know that? Let’s read it like a love letter, expecting to glean something for our walk with Him every day. Let’s look for peace in the chaos and strength for our weaknesses. Even on our busiest days we can carve out a few minutes to refocus on the important—the eternal. Can’t we? We may have to get up a little earlier, when the house is still and quiet, or stay up a few minutes after the others are all tucked in for the night, but we can do this! I know we can.

Let's be intentional about focusing on God’s Word and the truths found there. Let's let it inspire us to live out our faith each day in a way that causes those we come in contact with to want what we have found. God sees you. He knows you by name, He knows the number of hairs on your head, and He cares about every detail of your daily existence. He wrote you a Love Letter. Let’s dive in!

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