THE SEVENTH SEAL:
And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. (Rev 8:1)
To understand what this “silence” refers to, we must first consider what the “sound” of heaven was previous to this. Keep in mind that throughout the book of Revelation “heaven” speaks of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, not the Heavenly realm of the Spirit, nor the earth-bound church, but the Kingdom hidden within the church.
In the opening of the sixth seal we saw an angel sent by God to “seal” His servants “in their foreheads”. This speaks of a last days movement to spread the good news of the Kingdom throughout the nations, culminating in the salvation of “a great multitude” that no one could number. This multitude represents the final fullness of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Therefore, the “sound” of the Kingdom of Heaven during the sixth age of the church was and is the sound of the gospel of the Kingdom being preached in all the world.
But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. (Rom 10:18)
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Mat 24:14)
The “end” of the age will follow immediately after this Kingdom gospel has been preached, and all the servants of God have been “sealed” with His Holy Spirit. After this, the gospel will be silenced, and a new sound will be coming from the Kingdom of Heaven -- a warning of the coming “Day of the Lord”.
Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; (Joe 2:1)
To be continued…
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