Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
In today’s meditation I wish to again demonstrate the far-reaching effects of prayer by citing the following passage from the book of Revelation.
Revelation 8:2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
In reading this passage there is an obvious connection between the offering up of “the prayers of all saints” with the casting into the earth of fire of the altar and with the voices, thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. Also connected with the offering up of these prayers is the preparing to sound of the seven angels with the seven trumpets.
The angel that offers the incense with the prayers of all saints is the Lord Jesus Christ. The primary meaning of the word angel in Hebrew, Greek, and English is a messenger. The Lord Jesus Christ is called the messenger (angel) of the covenant in Malachi 3:1. It is Christ Who is the one mediator between God and men by Whom the prayers of the saints are accepted with God (1 Timothy 2:5)
After this angel offers the prayers of the saints with the incense, the censor is filled with fire and is cast into the earth and in connection with this there are voices, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake. These phenomena all suggest the terror of God. These things were manifested on
Exodus 19:16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
Observe on
Our Lord taught His saints to pray continually to be avenged of their adversaries.
Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
The Psalms contain many petitions to God for the saints to be avenged of their enemies. Think of how many times you have prayed to be delivered out of the hand of the wicked. Do you not pray for their wickedness to end? And do not God’s judgments put a stop to their enterprises? Yea, His judgments are the answer to your prayer.
Only God knows how many prayers have been prayed by His saints from the beginning of earth’s history that God might maintain their cause and avenge them of their adversaries. It seems sometimes that God is slow to respond, but whenever He does arise to execute His vengeance, the work will be speedy. And then shall all those prayers of all those saints be fully and finally answered. Think about it, believer, when time is winding down and this earth’s history is drawing to a close, a series of devastating judgments will be unleashed on this earth. The wicked will be made to suffer for their blasphemies against God, His word, and His church; for their persecutions of the righteous; for all their filthy sins that have defiled this earth. And all this will come to pass in answer to your prayers. Next time you pray to God the words “thy kingdom come….deliver us from evil,” think about the fact that the effect of what you are asking will be keenly felt in the last hours of this earth’s history. In the face of such a stupendous fact, it seems almost an understatement to say, “Prayer helps.” I close with this following beautiful poem:
There is an eye that never sleeps
Beneath the wing of night;
There is an ear that never shuts
When sink the beams of light.
There is an arm that never tires
When human strength gives way;
There is a love that never fails
When earthly loves decay.
That eye is fixed on seraph throngs;
That arm upholds the sky;
That ear is filled with angel songs;
That love is throned on high.
But there’s a power which man can wield,
When mortal aid is vain,
That eye, that arm, that love to reach,
That listening ear to gain.
That power is PRAYER, which soars on high,
Through Jesus, to the throne;
And moves the hand which moves the world,
To bring salvation down!
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