Observation: As we are told of the 'end times' playing out in heaven, we see the opening of the seventh seal creating a short respite, followed by an angel who presents incense before the Lord, then hurls the fire of the alter and the incense censer down upon the earth. There is first a connection made between the censer of incense and the alter. Both are now together, creating smoke and a pleasing aroma that is rising before the Lord, and we know that the smoke that rises from the alter in this way is actually created by prayers. It is our prayers that rise before the Lord, and they are now intermixed with this censer of incense and together create a great natural attack upon the earth.
Application: Without getting into side issues like the timing of events, there is something about this assault on the earth that "feels" important. Several of the seven seals/trumpets/bowls produce natural disaster on the earth, but only this action described during an intermission involves explicitly intermixing the source of the heavenly action with ... prayers of the faithful believers.
That is what happens here (I think). The angel presents the censer of incense, and intermixes it with the prayers, then together launches that upon the earth. There is an implication here that the introduction of these disasters is, in some way, an answer to prayer.
If so, I totally get that. How often have a looked at our society today with diminished hope, and prayed that the Lord would just show up not with tenderness and love, but with wrath and fury and judgment? How often have I prayed that the Lord would appear with so much power and authority that his existence was no longer up for debate, and instead all non-believers would cower in fear? How often have I prayed that it would be great if the Lord just 'ended it'?
I think there are a LOT of prayers that we believers say that actually wish the Lord would hurl an attack on the earth with great thunder and lightening from heaven. We may vary in our idea of what that would produce - fear, belief, or even merciful death - but we do pray for it. It is interesting to think that there is an angel prepared with exactly the right combination of tools and materials to actually answer those prayers someday ... maybe soon.
Prayer: Lord, as our prayers rise to you today and every day, they will include prayers seeking your wrath upon the evil and unbelievers of earth. We see so much of this every day, along with so much pain, that we would rather just have it end and be called home, and having that happen through an undeniable expression of your ultimate power and authority feels right. May thy will be done in heaven and on earth. Amen.
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