READING: Nehemiah 10-13, Revelation 8
Revelation 8 begins with “silence in heaven for about half an hour” (Rev 8:1). Scholars differ about the meaning of this silence, but clearly it’s important enough that God inspired the inclusion in the biblical text. Perhaps it was an awesome silence indicating that great judgment was about to come. As one writer describes it, “This is the eerie calm before the storms of judgment blow.”* Even the praises that have resounded in previous chapters have temporarily halted. Or, it might have signified God’s attention to the prayers of His persecuted saints; that is, He showed His concern for their plight by His silencing all of creation. Whatever it was, something dramatic was happening.
Likewise, commentators question whether we should understand “about half an hour” as literal in terms of our understanding of time. Regardless of whether we take the phrase literally, it’s obvious that this time period was only short. It was an interlude in the plan of God.
What’s most amazing to me, though, is this simple truth: God is in control of every minute of history. Even moment of time, in fact. That’s good to remember.
PRAYER: “Almighty God, I’m grateful that history moves according to Your timing.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Malachi, Psalm 2, Revelation 9
* Easley, K. H. (1998). Revelation (Vol. 12, p. 142). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.