CORNERSTONE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
  • HOME
  • 'LIVELY STONES' MEDITATIONS
  • 'WRITE THE VISION' MEDITATIONS
  • A-Z ARCHIVE
  • BIBLE VERSE ARCHIVE
  • LINKS
    • AUDIO
    • VIDEO
  • ABOUT CORNERSTONE
Picture

LIVELY STONES MEDITATIONS

Silence In Heaven

11/4/2020

 
And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. [Revelation 8:1 AV]
Picture
Paps of Jura from Knapdale
Today is often referred to as Silent Saturday, because The Bible tells us so little of what happened on the day after the day of preparation, as Good Friday is described.
I have read several attempts to come to grips with this notion of a day where God seemingly did nothing in the middle of this crucial event. God was silent.

There is the suggestion that God was testing the patience of His church, or that - as it was the Hebrew Sabbath - that it was a day of rest and prayer. For myself, I have often felt that the third day was of significance - that the Easter story was revealed over three days - and thus the second day must have it's own importance in the unfolding truth; and when I asked The Lord what the answer might be, He showed me the Scripture verse above - Revelation 8, verse 1.

When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. [NKJV]

The seventh seal was the final seal to be opened, and John then saw the seven angels who stand before God being given seven trumpets. Seven in The Bible represents the completion of something, as we know, and the word used here is sphragis, a signet, or 'that by which anything is confirmed, proved or authenticated'. So the silence was the result of God's confirmed work. When God speaks, the rest is silence, to quote Shakespeare's Hamlet.
I have often found that The Lord is silent after I have prayed, and I believe that the silence is itself an answer, as if the Lord is saying "Now wait and watch."

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: ...
A time to tear, and a time to sew, a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
[Ecclesiastes 3:1+7 NKJV]


I also heard some years ago that when the egg is fertilised in the womb, there is a pause of 'about half an hour' before anything happens. I have been unable to find confirmation of this, but the idea of life being renewed  and restored - resurrection - is the Easter story ...

... and God's silence is always a sign of His love.

O The Love of My Lord (Gentle As Silence)

O the love of my Lord is the essence
Of all that I have here on earth
All the beauty I see He has given to me
And His giving is gentle as silence
 
Every day, every hour, every moment,
Has been blesses by the strength of His love
At the turn of each tide He is here at my side
And his touch is as gentle as silence
 
There have been times when I’ve turned from his presence
And I have walked other paths, other ways
But I’ve called on His name in the dark of my shame
And His mercy was gentle as silence

 Estelle White

"Gentle As Silence" as sung on BBC TV's Songs of Praise programme some years ago.

    RSS Feed


    MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS…

    Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
    PHILIPPIANS 4:8-9

    Archives

    September 2025
    July 2025
    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    July 2019
    April 2019
    November 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018


    Archive by Title

    A-Z List of Meditation posts

    Archive by Bible Verse

    Meditation posts in book and verse order

    Authors

    GEORGE and GILL STEWART
    for Cornerstone Christian Fellowship, Kilmartin
    (unless post shows otherwise)

Home

About

Picture
Logo copyright © 2019

Weblog

Contact

  • HOME
  • 'LIVELY STONES' MEDITATIONS
  • 'WRITE THE VISION' MEDITATIONS
  • A-Z ARCHIVE
  • BIBLE VERSE ARCHIVE
  • LINKS
    • AUDIO
    • VIDEO
  • ABOUT CORNERSTONE