Answered Prayers

When Jesus the Lamb opens the seventh seal, John sees an angel with a golden censer standing in front of a golden altar. The Old Testament altar of prayer had four horns on it. Horns represent power. The high priest would put blood on the horns of the altar to atone for the sins of the people. Now, it is by the shed blood of Christ that we have forgiveness, and that our prayers are received and answered.

Sometimes we might wonder if God’s hearing our prayers. The Lord told Moses, “I have indeed seen the misery of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.” [1]

The angel told Daniel, “Do not be afraid Daniel, since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.” [2]

The prayers of the saints are set before God like incense. The angel takes fire from the altar and places it in a censer. He throws the censer to earth. The result is thunder, lightning, and an earthquake. [3] God’s brings the thunder. He shakes things up.

The opening of the seventh seal opens the way for seven angels to receive seven trumpets. In the days of Joshua, seven priests blew seven trumpets for seven days. On the seventh day, the walls of Jericho fell down and God’s people inherited the city. God led Joshua to cleanse the land of idolatry. In the last days, Jesus will cleanse the earth of idolatry.

Trumpets sound when God is ready to move. God led Gideon and his 300 to blow trumpets before a battle. [4] The blowing of trumpets by priests preceded a war victory for King Abijah of Judah. His army of 400,000 defeated an army of 800,000. His army slew a half million enemy soldiers in one day. “The children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the Lord God of their fathers.” [5] Like Gideon, they trusted the Lord despite overwhelming odds.

The same God who did miracles in the past, can do them here and now.

[1] Exodus 3:7
[2] Daniel 10:12
[3] Revelation 8:1-5
[4] Judges 7:19-22
[5] 2 Chronicles 13:18