“Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”
Revelation 5:8 NKJV
Jesus was encouraging the people to continue in prayer, and not to give up, thinking that God would not answer. He illustrates His point by telling a parable about a widow and a judge who was not a godly man, nor was he one who really cared about the distress of others.
Now, this widow was seeking justice from the unjust judge. And although this unrighteous judge did nothing for her at first, when she kept insisting he help her, he finally changed his mind.
“And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ” Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?””
Luke 18:4-8 NKJV
This judge, although unjust and uncaring, avenged the woman because of her unwillingness to relent.
Now, as Jesus pointed out, if an unjust and uncaring judge will give justice because someone doesn’t give up on asking, how much more will our just and caring God avenge His children who continually cry out to Him for help?
Not surprisingly, we see the cry for justice appearing as a theme throughout the word of God.
Indeed, the psalms are full of the desperate pouring out of the soul before the Lord by those seeking vindication.
“Hear a just cause, O Lord, Attend to my cry; Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips. Let my vindication come from Your presence; Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright.”
Psalms 17:1-2 NKJV
David knew that his source of vindication was the Lord. He also knew that the Lord, knowing all hearts, knew that he was telling the truth about the situation for which he was seeking justice.
David also likened his request for justice to the incense that was offered on the altar of the Lord.
“Lord, I cry out to You; Make haste to me! Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You. Let my prayer be set before You as incense, The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”
Psalms 141:1-2 NKJV
In one of Ezekiel‘s prophetic visions, he sees the Lord ordering a judgment on the people doing abominable acts. But before the judgment is sent out, the Lord instructs that a certain mark be put on the forehead of the people who were constantly praying for the restoration of justice.
“Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side; and the Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.” To the others He said in my hearing, “Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity.”
Ezekiel 9:3-5 NKJV
Indeed, those who were not taking part in the abominations, and were crying out to God for vindication, were spared from destruction.
In our opening scripture, we see that as the worthy Lamb takes the scroll, the elders fall down, holding incense in golden bowls. John informs us that this incense is the prayers of the saints!
We see later in the Revelation of Jesus Christ, that it would be those same prayers the elders held before the throne of God, that would actually set in motion the final judgments.
“When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. 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.”
Revelation 8:1-5 NKJV
Child of God, we are living in a world full of injustice, but make no mistake, the Lord hears our prayers for vindication, and He will soon act.
We’ll talk more about this tomorrow.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
Comments