1But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that anything be written to you. 2For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night. 3For when they are saying, “Peace and safety,” then sudden destruction will come on them, like birth pains on a pregnant woman. Then they will in no way escape. 4But you, brothers, aren’t in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief. 5You are all children of light and children of the day. We don’t belong to the night, nor to darkness, 6so then let’s not sleep, as the rest do, but let’s watch and be sober. 7For those who sleep, sleep in the night; and those who are drunk are drunk in the night. 8But since we belong to the day, let’s be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. 9For God didn’t appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 11Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do.
12But we beg you, brothers, to know those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13and to respect and honor them in love for their work’s sake.
Be at peace among yourselves. 14We exhort you, brothers: Admonish the disorderly; encourage the faint-hearted; support the weak; be patient toward all. 15See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but always follow after that which is good for one another and for all.
16Always rejoice. 17Pray without ceasing. 18In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you. 19Don’t quench the Spirit. 20Don’t despise prophecies. 21Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good. 22Abstain from every form of evil.
23May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it.
25Brothers, pray for us.
26Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 27I solemnly command you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the holy brothers.
28The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
Your Prayers will rise Like Incense Up to the Throne Room of God
Blowing the Trumpet at the Altar
Time references are so that we, as humans, can have some understanding of what we’re reading. What we find here is a pregnant pause. This is the calm before the storm. And then the blowing of the trumpets begins.
The trumpets referred to here may be the Shofarot used for various purposes in Israel. They were used to call Israel to war (Numbers 10:1-10) and to proclaim freedom (Leviticus 25:9). Likewise, the trumpets could be like the brass Roman trumpets with which John and the readers are familiar. There were 7 angels before the throne, and an 8th angel took a censer and threw it on the earth. During this entire time of judgment, the first thing that happens is that the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints is brought before God, and all of these prayers mingled with fire are cast upon the earth. These prayers for justice are now being answered. Think of all of the prayers of the faithful as they have undergone persecution, and God is going to answer each and every one of those prayers. These are prayers for justice, and justice is coming. They will bring wrath upon the earth.
As I was preaching this in our study of Revelation, I wanted to impress on the congregation how pervasive our prayers are and how God truly hears them. I called a deacon at a local Catholic church, and he gave me some incense. On Sunday morning, I put it down in front of the pulpit and lit it in a censer. It was a tiny bit of incense. Within 3 minutes, the molecules of that smoke had permeated every part of our sanctuary. Even the people working in the sound booth could smell the incense. Those in the front several rows began fanning the smoke away from their nostrils. It was a tiny bit of incense. I used this illustration that our prayers do not go unnoticed by God. They do not go into a great abyss where they are unseen and unheard by God. He hears every prayer that we pray. I don’t know how He hears the prayers of billions of people at once, but He does.
Many books have been written about prayer. They purport to discuss why and how we should pray. They wrestle with the thought that God has His purposes and designs for everything in the universe. Can our prayers really change God’s mind? Does He really hear every prayer that is prayed? At the bottom of it all, I believe we should pray because God tells us to pray. And, He listens. I have heard all of the Sunday School discussions about prayer. It is often said that we should just pray long enough until our prayers line up with God’s will. As stated, I really don’t know how all this works, but I do know these truths. “16 Always rejoice. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 WEB) This is a mandate in the Old and the New Testament. 3 ‘Call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great and difficult things, which you don’t know.’(Jeremiah 33:3 WEB) Prayer is God’s mandate to help us to deal with things that are beyond our control. It is our means to inform Him of what He already knows, but what is important to us. It is just a glorious gift He has given to us with the assurance that He hears us, no matter when we pray, how we pray, or in what language we pray. 6 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7 WEB). Reader, just pray. It will rise like incense into the throne room of heaven, and God will know exactly the condition of your heart.