Silence? In Heaven?!

“There was silence in heaven for about the space of half an hour.” (Revelation 8:1) Silence in heaven?! What a unique thought. I imagine Heaven brimming with melodious, none intrusive sounds. What would cause all those millions of joyful angels to fold their wings and wait? What were they waiting for? It seems like even the flowers, rippling like multicolored seas of beauty, were still. And what about the people; those that had been redeemed and milling around on those golden streets, normally so happy to share, to fellowship with each other, why were they mute?            `

I think they knew, and they were holding their collective breath.

I wish we could grasp, let it sink deep into our hearts why there was silence in Heaven. I believe God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost were wondering what more they could do.

They felt they had done what they could to draw straying humanity back to themselves.  First they started off by creating the most exquisitely beautiful Garden of Eden for humanity. Imagine the anticipation, the joy of making everything just right. It wasn’t long before Man began to take his own way, but God called, and kept calling them back.

Prophet after prophet was sent throughout the years to help God’s children understand and accept the way of salvation. I imagine the Heavenly Father holding out His hands, pleading, beckoning “Come, come unto me and I will give you rest.”  He nurtured and cared for those that did respond but constantly yearned to rescue more.

You know what happened next. God sent His only begotten, His Beloved Son, the ultimate sacrifice. That was part of the answer to the question ‘what more can we do’ that they must have asked themselves. Did it help? Yes and no. Many received Jesus, but still many rejected Him. Even after all the miracles, all the clear teaching, even after His agonizing death on the cross.

And yet His hands still reach out to the straying human race, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. How it grieves God’s tender heart that people still proudly claim ‘there is no God’ and in more subtle ways disobey Him.

There was silence in Heaven, and I believe the Trinity was asking ‘What more can we do?’ There is a little more that can be done, and it is urgent.  The commission has been put into our hands, tell, and draw as many people as possible before it is too late.