“When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.” – Revelation 8:1

The Bible paints a picture of constant worship in heaven. Angels and other heavenly creatures surround the throne of God continually singing his praises day and night. In Revelation chapter 7 we see the climax of this jubilant worship as an unmeasurable multitude from every tribe, tongue, and nation sing praises to God. But suddenly, at the beginning of chapter 8, for the first time in Scripture, all heaven is silent. The seventh seal has been opened and the fullness of God’s judgement is now on display. At this solemn moment in heaven, every warning has been sounded and every opportunity has been given to mankind. It is now time for judgement to be carried out; evil destroyed once and for all. And this event is not taken lightly.

Scripture makes it clear that God does not desire for anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9). However, God’s very nature, his perfect righteousness, requires that evil cannot be allowed to continue forever. This includes the evil that is inherent in every man and woman. There are two ways to dispose of our unrighteousness: We can come to Christ and be made righteous through the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus, or we can be destroyed in the final judgement. So, my question to you today is this; do you see this moment as seriously as it is seen in heaven, or do you go about your day in ignorance and denial of the judgement to come? Because, if you share the heart of God, and you are certain there will be a complete and final destruction of all unrighteousness, then you will make it your highest priority to plead for people to come to Jesus.

Mighty God and loving Father, open our eyes to the severity of final judgement, and fill us with your heart of compassion and desire for all to come to Jesus before that day is upon us.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Shane Cannon