The Power of Prayer - Revelation 8

Today I want to talk about prayer

A theme throughout the Bible – most books of the Bible reference prayer

We are commanded to pray – pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIV) — 17 pray continually.)

Jesus expects that we will pray – when you pray (Matthew 6:5 (NIV) — 5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.)

Given a model to pray – Matthew 6, The Lord’s Prayer

Jesus prayed

The early church prayed

No doubt we should be people of prayer – adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication

In spite of that prayer is a mysterious act

We pray to a God we cannot see and most often we see no immediate results and often times it seems our supplications are not granted.

Prayer can be a frustrating experience and it is easy to give up or doubt that prayers have any effect at all.

I have felt that and I wonder if all of you have had those same feelings.

In view of that this week’s parishioner’s pick is so important and maybe this person has wrestled with some of these same questions and frustrations. This is a passage we need to hear.

Revelation 8:1–5 (NIV) — 1 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

Submitter’s Comments:

I see this as validation that all prayers are heard and acted upon. We speak of waiting upon the Lord and not taking matters into our own hands. This scripture reassures me that He hears! All my prayers are acted upon in some way. Not set aside as not important but considered and acted on in powerful ways.

Background

This is the book of Revelation, so first we must acknowledge the extreme use of symbolism

Revelation looks at two worlds – the world we live in and the spiritual world where God is and where the forces of good and evil are. The book alternates between these two worlds. But one thing is certain – there is a connection between the two worlds.

There is a battle between the forces of evil in both worlds – in the spiritual world and in the world we live in.

At the writing of Revelation, the evil forces seem to be winning – at least in the world we live in. Most people think that the evil forces are embodied in the Roman Empire which is persecuting believers. Believers seem to have no chance against this beast of Rome.

So, believers on earth are confused. Why is this happening and when is God going to do anything. It’s like watching a game and your team is getting slaughtered and the best players are benched and you’re wondering when the first string will be put in. The coach doesn’t seem to be concerned.

There is this image of believers praying to God in Chapter 5.

Revelation 5:1–8 (NIV) — 1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” 6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.

I wonder what these prayers are? Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, or Supplication? Maybe a little of all of these, but I bet supplication represents the majority of the prayers.

We see later in Revelation a cry that is coming from the believers who have been killed and seeking justice on the earth:

Revelation 6:9–10 (NIV) — 9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”

Incense is an interesting image for prayers. It has a background in the Old Testament tabernacle image. The priests would bring incense into the holy place and that smoke would go up representing the prayers of the people. David uses the same imagery in Psalm 141.

Psalm 141:2 (NIV) — 2 May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.

Prayers are like the smoke of incense wafting up into the air. They go up but we never see their destination, do we? I think of helium balloons that are released and we watch them drift away not knowing where their destination is. There is a certain uncertainty about prayer. We know they go up but we never see them received.

Do you sometimes feel like that about your prayers? They go up but are they ever heard? Are they ever acted upon? Do they ever make it to God or do they just float around endlessly in the clouds?

Remember that verse in Revelation 5:8

And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.

They have made it, but do they ever get heard by God and does God ever do anything?

Back to our scripture of the day:

Revelation 8:1–5 (NIV) — 1 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

When you read the rest of chapter 5 it is a record of judgement that God sends out to judge the earth. People read this differently. Some see this as a still future event. Some see this as already fulfilled in the fall of Rome. Although these are worthy discussions, for today’s message this is what seems to be clear: God has heard the prayers of his people and God has acted on those prayers.

Here's something we can learn about prayer from this episode.

Prayer Fact #1

As mysterious as prayer is, God’s people continue to pray even in the most discouraging circumstances.

And so must we. We cannot give up praying especially in times of doubt and confusion. I think of Daniel.

Daniel 6:6–13 (NIV) — 6 So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever! 7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. 8 Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” 9 So King Darius put the decree in writing. 10Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. 12 So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?” The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” 13 Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.”

Prayer Fact #2

Prayers do reach the throne room of God

What peace to the persecuted church to know that their prayers have been heard. When Jesus teaches on prayer hear what he says:

Matthew 6:5–8 (NIV) — 5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

The sincere prayer of the believer is always heard. In fact, God already know what you need.

Psalm 18:6 (NIV) — 6 In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.

Psalm 116:1–2 (NIV) — 1 I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. 2Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.

We don’t always know what the answer will be. We don’t always agree with the answer. Sometimes we have to wait a long time for an answer. But never doubt that God hears.

Prayer Fact #3

Prayers somehow mysteriously prompt God to action.

It may often seem that our prayers are not being answered—that they are offered in vain. But Revelation assures us that God hears the prayers of the saints. All through history, God’s people have prayed for his kingdom to come and his will to be done. Every prayer for the coming kingdom will certainly be answered. The prayers for justice voiced by martyrs are not ignored (cf. 6:9–11). Justice will be realized, the new creation will arrive, and the wicked will be judged. Our prayers make a difference; they are one of the means God has ordained to accomplish his purposes. We must not lose heart or ever think our prayers for goodness to prevail are ignored. Instead, we must continue to pray to our wise and sovereign God. Our prayers will be answered—at just the right time.

Thomas R. Schreiner, ESV Expository Commentary on Revelation.

Let me close with this parable of Jesus:

Luke 18:1–8 (NIV) — 1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ 4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’ ” 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Part of being faithful is praying to God and trusting him to bring justice. And one day he will.