Revelation 8

3rd Fruit. The purification of our holy things. It is Christ's work in heaven, not only to present his own prayers to his Father, but he prays over our prayers again (Revelation 8:3): Another angel came, having a golden censer, and there was given to him much incense, that he sh…

Murderers shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: this is the second death. We read of fire mingled with blood (Revelation 8:7). Such as have their hands full of blood, must undergo the wrath of God.

(3) Acts 2:42; 1 Timothy 4:5. (4) Revelation 8:3, 4; Hebrews 4:14, 15, 16; Chap. 6:20; Chap. 10:20, 21, 22. (5) John 14:13; Chap. 15:16, 22, 26; Ephesians 3:14, 15.

In this general sense even the prayers of the saints might be typified and represented in that daily burning of incense which was used in the sanctuary. But it must be granted that this incense is distinguished from the prayers of the saints, as that which is in the hand of Chri…

It is his intercession that is the cloud of incense which covers the Ark and mercy-seat. This gives a continual sweet savor to God from his oblation, and renders acceptable all the worship of the Church in their approaches to him (Revelation 8:3). These things did God instruct t…

This represented prayer (Psalm 141:2), and was always accompanied with it (Luke 1:9, 10). This also was a type of the continual efficacy of the intercession of Christ (Revelation 8:4). But this was the most solemn representation of it.

He bore it in the expiation he made of all sin; and takes it away in the sight of God. And (3) he adds of the incense of his own mediation to them, that they may have a sweet savour in their offering to God (Revelation 8:3). On this foundation it is that God has graciously desig…

Now by Christ's intercession his satisfaction is applied to our persons, and by consequent the defect of our works is covered and removed, and they are approved of God the Father. In a vision Saint John saw an angel, standing before the altar with a golden censer full of sweet o…

You may see throughout the whole Scripture, and especially in the Book of the Revelation, what a powerful influence they have into all the revolutions of providence: before the opening of the seven seals, we read of golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the saint…

Hence darkness and a sad eclipse, and decay of light and knowledge in the church, was the immediate forerunner of Anti-Christ, with all his idolatries and superstitions. For the third part of the sun, moon, and stars were smitten and darkened under the fourth trumpet, and then A…

The being of the world is maintained by them from sinking, according to the Jews' saying, sine stationibus non subsisteret mundus; (standing in prayer was their usual prayer-gesture.) And that they have actually such a force is evident (Revelation 8:3-4): An Angel has a golden c…

It was a speech of a learned man, If there be but one sigh come from a gracious heart, it fills the ears of God so that God hears nothing else. Yes, that's observable in Revelation 8:3, about this altar of incense, And another Angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden c…

It is spoken of as a sign and evidence, that the time to favor Zion is come, when God's servants are brought by their prayerfulness for her restoration, in an eminent manner, to shew that they favor her stones and dust; in the 13th and 14th verses of this Psalm, You shall arise,…

When God is reckoning up his own people, he leaves out those that have been noted for idolatry. As among the tribes that were sealed (Revelation 8) those idolatrous tribes of Ephraim and Dan are left out, and in the genealogy of Christ (Matthew 1) those princes that were chiefly…

5. It flows from this, that our prayers are heard, though there be much infirmity in them; and that they are not cast back in our faces as dung, but are made savory to God — it is through the efficacy of his intercession. We have a type of this (Revelation 8:4-5), where John see…

He procures nothing by his intercession, but through the virtue of that blood which he offered in a sacrifice to satisfy justice, and therefore in improving of his intercession, this method must be followed; there must first be a betaking of ourselves to his satisfaction, as the…

1. That his Intercession be acknowledged as the fountain, and procuring cause of that liberty and liveliness, and so we are to carry a stopped mouth before God, and not to boast of it; for (as we showed) the pouring out of the Spirit is a special fruit of Christ's Intercession;…

Hebrews 13:15. Let us by him (as our High Priest) offer the sacrifice of praise (then of prayers also) to God continually. The offering is the Priest's, as well as the people's (Revelation 8:3), and far more here, because Christ by his office, is the only immediate person who ma…

Second, he carried this his blood into the holy of holies — namely the heavens (Hebrews 9:12) — where he appears (verse 24) and there also prays in the force of that blood. The type of those prayers was the cloud of incense made by the high priest, as it is expressly interpreted…

And the Apostle sweetly expresses how the Lord Jesus prays for us (Romans 8:34): "Who is he that condemned? it is Christ that died, yes rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us," so that the Lord Jesus Christ takes up o…

1. In our best desires, endeavors, actions, we must labor to feel our own defects: that we do not the good we should, nor in that manner we ought. 2. We must labor to have even our best works, (our alms, prayers, etc.) covered with the righteousness of Christ: for it is the swee…

The returns and answers of all your prayers and cryes to Heaven for the removing of your afflictions, or supply of your wants, are all procured and obtained for you by Jesus Christ. He is the Master of your requests; and were it not that God had respect to him, he would never re…

What is my voice and countenance, might she say (for proud unbelief is exceedingly humble, and subtle, when it's opposing, and thwarting with Christ's call) indeed (says he) your voice is sweet; there is no music in the world so pleasant to me, as the prayer of a poor believer.…

5. All the promises are yea and amen in Christ (2 Corinthians 1), and so must the promise of perseverance be (Jeremiah 31:39, 40; Isaiah 54:10; Isaiah 59:21), and so the promise of influences of grace to persevere. 6. Christ's undertaking as High Priest, Advocate, and Intercesso…

Such as these, (Isaiah 33:10) Your eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that cannot be taken down, the stakes thereof shall not be removed, nor the cords broken. It is spoken of the Church in the times of the Gospel, whose state hitherto has been most distur…

These were the sufferings of those times; we shrink at every thing, at every scorn and frown. As for after times, it pleased God to stir Constantine a Christian Emperor, and then the Church had some rest; to which some apply that place, Rev. 20:2 Satan was bound a thousand years…

Incense is prayer (Psalm 141:2): Let my prayer come before you as incense. Jesus Christ is the Golden Altar, whereon that incense is offered (Revelation 8:3, 4), even that Altar which is always before God (Revelation 9:13). As by being the former, he makes our persons accepted;…

As the moon when it shines brightest has a dark spot in it: how many grains should we want, if Christ did not put his merits into the scales? Our duties, like good wine, do relish of a bad cask: the angels pouring sweet odors into the prayers of the saints (Revelation 8:3) shows…

Alas, that we are no oftener in such a solemn manner, as at this day before the Lord! We may here allude to that which is spoken (Revelation 8): we there read that there was silence in heaven half an hour, and then follows an earthquake. It's sad to consider, that there has been…

Intimating that all had defilement cleaving to them, by reason of imperfections in those who were concerned in them. And for this reason we are to seek acceptance through Christ for our best duties; and the very prayers of the saints, must come through his hands, and be offered…

In the old [reconstructed: Testament] men might bring their sacrifices, but still the priest must offer them; so must we here. And the reason is given in Revelation 8, because the prayers that come from us savor of the flesh from which they come, and the Angel of the Covenant mi…

2. Paul knew it, by receiving new supply to bear the want of that he sought in prayer; he is answered that is more heavenly after prayer. 3. Liberty and boldness of Faith, is a sign of an answered prayer: The intercessor at the right hand of God, cannot lose his own work; his sp…

Grace is not only singly in the saints, but grace and peace must be multiplied on them. 4. The standing and prorogated intercession and advocation of Jesus Christ, every day, upon occasion of new committed sins (1 John 2:1-2), and the golden altar that has been hot these 1600 ye…

Christ has not fair weather when he goes to sea (Matthew 8:23-24). Yet his journey is lawful: when Christ is upon acts of his priesthood, and stands at the great high altar with his censer of gold, to offer up the prayers of the saints to God, he casts fire with the same censer…

Isaiah says of his own and the people's righteousness, that it is but as a menstruous cloth (Isaiah 64:6). The prayers of the saints must be performed with sweet odors, before they can ascend up sweet and savory into the nostrils of God (Revelation 8:3-4). And Paul said of himse…