God Speaks
Revelation 8:1,2,3,4 God can speak to any kind of people, anywhere. He spoke to the man in the tombs.
Before Revelation 8, God opens the first six seals. With each one, the prophet hears something.
Why did God break the silence? Is there something that prolongs the silence from heaven? When God speaks, what happens?
Exodus 30 describes the pieces of furniture in and outside of the tabernacle. The altar of burnt sacrifice (for sin) was outside the tent. Inside the tabernacle was the table of shewbread, candlestick, and altar of incense. This is similar to the golder censer in Revelation. The smoke off this altar symbolizes the prayer of the saints. Prayer is more than a ritual.
God chooses the place and moment He will speak, when He will speak, and why.
Certain things prolong silence from God: disobedience, apathy, and noise.
The main role of prophets was to point out when there was disobedience and the Isrealites couldn't hear the voice of God. Am I obedient to all the word of God I know? Am I aware of something that is sin to me? When a person doesn’t hear from God, they get discouraged, bitter, and unforgiving. This leads to losing faith in the existence of God.
When it is too much work to pray, faith and hope become weak. I may think I’m not good at it or can’t focus. God will help me learn how to pray. Apathy prolongs the silence.
Noise from popular culture and things around me distracts me from prayer.
Revelation 11:15,16,17,18,19 The way it is in heaven is how it should be here. Two things happen: worship or anger, praise or conviction. When God's voice sounds, worship happens. Is worship going on in my life daily? What does that look like? Am I reigning over the things that would separate me from God?
Acts 2:4 All were sitting in a room, praying. After this they all began to speak with boldness. It was no longer silent.
If I am a shy person, God can give me an opportunity to be used through my shyness.
