The Opening Of The 7th Seal: “Silence In Heaven” – How Ezekiel 9 Paves The Way For “Judgment To ‘First’ Begin At The House Of God”

Submitted by Terence Blackett

 

“If the righteous scarcely be saved, where will the ungodly appear” – 1 Peter 4:18

“And when He opened the “Seventh Seal”, there was “Silence in Heaven” for about half an hour…Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake…” (Rev. 8: 1 – 5).

The 2^nd verse was omitted as it pertains to the 7 Trumpets (which time and space does not allow for a clear exegesis). The “Silence in Heaven” for about half an hour cannot be the 2^nd coming of Christ as some have thought, for afterward the angel with the golden censer and incense offered the prayers for the saints from the golden altar. As the entire judicial tribunal (JUDGE, ADVOCATE, ELDERS, ETC.) were in the Temple after the opening of the 7^th Seal, it is evident that the judgment was in progress and probation had not closed at the time of the silence. For after the judgment has ceased and probation closed, no man can enter the Temple. (See Rev. 15:8).

Had the “half an hour” silence pointed to the “Coming of Christ”, at which time He takes His saints with Him, there would be no necessity for the angel to offer their prayers. Furthermore, it would be unnecessary to “cast” fire, which is the Spirit of God from the golden altar to the earth. Again, if the opening of the 7^th Seal means the “Coming of Christ”, then only those under the [6] “other” Seals would have been considered in the judgment, and there could no 7^th Seal, which would show lack of perfection and completeness of the judgment, and of the Gospel. It would also be contrary to the number of Seals on the Book.

So what caused the “SILENCE”?

As the judgment scene opens, John states: “And out of the Throne proceeded lightings, and thunderings and voices;” and the four Beasts “rest not day or night, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty” (Rev. 4:5,8). But sometime after the opening of the 7^th Seal these voices are silenced for about half an hour. After the angel offered the prayers of the saints, and cast the fire to the earth, the voices resumed. Evidently the judgment for some reason had stopped, and half an hour later resumed.

So what caused the interruption and brought about such a sudden change?

Let us first determine the prophetic half an hour’s time. A day in prophetic time stands for a year. (Ezek. 4:6). One hour is a 24^th part of prophetic year, and figuring [30] days to a month, it would be about [2] weeks. Half an hour would be half of [2] weeks: therefore [7] literal days. [7] days were used for purification. (See Ex.29:35, 37; Lev.12:2; 13:4, 5: 1, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 21, etc.). From these references we can conclude that the half an hour or [7] literal days stand for the “Purification of the Church”, pointing forward to the fulfilment of Malachi 3:1-6. But there is a more definite proof which will clear all doubts.

In observance of the PASSOVER, the Lord commanded Israel to celebrate that occasion for [7] days. (See Lev. 23:5-8). Surely no one would say that God commanded His people to commemorate that event [7] days with no object in view. Israel after the flesh going into Egypt, then out of Egypt to Mount Sinai, the Passover in Egypt on the night when the death angel smote the 1^st born of man and beast at the departure of Israel, are TYPES* of the church at the present time – the church going out of Egypt – i.e. worldliness; the purification of the church and the separation of the tares from the wheat – is the fulfilment of Ezekiel chapter 9. “The Passover was to be both commemorative and typical, not only pointing back to the deliverance from Egypt, but forward to the greater deliverance which Christ was to accomplish in freeing His people from the bondage of sin.”

Thus the silence of half an hour points forward to this great event for the church of God – its fulfilment would bring us to the time of the harvest and to the time where the angel of Rev.18:1 orchestrates the “LAST” message for the world. Thus, while the [5] men with the slaughter weapons (Ezek.9) are taking away those represented by the “tares” within the church, there will be silence in Heaven for about half an hour ([7] literal days), after which the judgment will commence again for those who shall be “sealed” in the time of the great harvest, which is the end of the world. Said Jesus, “Let them both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘Gather ye together “FIRST” the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barns” – (the church – Matt.13:30).

Those who are to be sealed at that time were seen by John as a great multitude with palms in their hands. (See Rev.7:9) Hence, the scroll has made a turn and the sealing for those who shall be judged while living, has begun. As was stated before, the Passover night in Egypt is a type of the purification of the church, separating the tares from the wheat. The crossing of the Red Sea by the Israelites pointed forward to the fulfilment of Isaiah 63.

Therefore the prophet declares the words of the Lord: “For the day of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of my Redeemed is come” (Isa.63:4) The prophet in verses 1-3 & 17, 18 ask: “Who is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah, this One who is glorious in His apparel, travelling in the greatness of His strength? “ I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Why is Your apparel red, and Your garments like one who treads in the winepress? I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in My anger, and trampled them in My fury; their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all My robes. O LORD, why have You made us stray from Your ways, and hardened our heart from Your fear? Return for Your servants’ sake, the tribes of Your inheritance. Your holy people have possessed it but a little while; our adversaries have trodden down Your sanctuary.”

The prophet saw Christ Himself returning from the slaughter of the Edomites – (the class who were deceiving God’s people in the church), the tares, or adversaries who had trodden down His sanctuary. “Bozrah“ means “SHEEPFOLD” – the church. As he saw His garments stained with the blood of the tares, in delivering His people from their hands – the prophet ask: “Why is Your apparel red, and Your garments like one who treads in the winepress?” the purification of the church makes it necessary for Christ to leave the place of judgment and descend to deliver His redeemed, and this is what causes the judgment to cease, and the voices to be silenced for about half an hour – [7] days. Peter, looking forward to the purification of God’s church, and the commencement of the judgment for the living, says: “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17).

In the earthly sanctuary, the high priest entered the most holy apartment once a year, and on that particular day every Israelite was to confess his sin. He who neglected to comply with the divine requirements was cut off from the people. (See Lev.28:29-30) Thus the day of anti-typical atonement, judgment, or cleansing of the sanctuary, as set forth in Daniel 8:14 is a day of purification for the camp of Israel, the church – putting away sin and sinners. The earthly sanctuary was a figure of the heavenly (See Heb.9:23-24) It was instituted with its ceremonial system to point forward to the work of Christ, our GREAT HIGH PRIEST in the heavenly sanctuary during the anti-typical period – New Testament time. As the sanctuary with all its services was a figure or type of the true, heavenly, under the administration of Christ, so the typical Day of Atonement must point out the truth in the anti-typical period – OUR TIME!

So while the judgment for the living is in progress, every sin must be confessed and put away. He, who would neglect this great privilege, will find himself involved in everlasting ruin – cut off from amongst God’s people.

Ignoring this most vital subject would not profit us in the least!!!

So let’s hear the conclusion of the whole matter: if God will not spare man, woman, maiden or child – will He spare the ungodly, the heathen, the vile, the wretched, and especially those who have committed every heinous and abominable evil against both His Son and His servants?

The time of God wrath is about to be poured out against those who have been given great opportunities but have squandered every chance to repent and to lead godly lives. He (The Sovereign Lord) will not be trifled with any longer. For as the opening of the 7^th Seal portend to judgment (first at the house of God) – there is also a greater “WOE” coming to this age (The Matthew 24 Generation) those who like in the days of Noah and in the days of Lot were steeped in the stench of malignant iniquity (sealed their fate with the outpouring of the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience).

The opening of the 7^th Seal consummates with the [7] Last Plagues (as was seen in the days of Moses against a vile and corrupt Egyptian system who had filled its cup to the brim) came to a clanging crescendo resulting in terminal apocalyptic destruction and annihilation for all those who had cursed God, broke His Statutes, Laws, Commandments and Decrees. This is the approaching fate for those who wilfully chose to simply turn their backs on a “dreadful” God who through mercy gave us His Son (Yeshua Hamashiach) and by so doing, sealed their eternal fate.

Beware of those who will bring “glad tidings” from the north and the south – who recite soliloquies of “PEACE & SAFETY” when in actuality – sudden destruction is afoot and will take the gross majority of humanity away in a single mind-bending swoop. Do not put your trust in your own intellectual ability, (in horses or carriages) in science or any man-made entity as a precursor for your salvation. For in the days just up ahead, no man-made “ARK” will be able to save son or daughter… For we are warned in the Blessed Scriptures – “If NOAH, JOB OR DANIEL WERE IN THE LAND THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SAVE NEITHER SON OR DAUGHTER BECAUSE OF THEIR RIGHTEOUSNESS – for everyone would have to deliver themselves by their own right living”

The challenge is before us and the warning given… What will be your answer?