Revelation 8:3-5 “What’s the Purpose of the Golden Censer?

What’s the Purpose of the Golden Censer in Revelation?

Bible Study Guide (End Times Prophecy)

(Verses 3-4) The purpose of the golden censer and the burning of incense hearkens back to ancient times. Often the burning of incense in the golden censer was associated with prayer.

It’s written in the book of Exodus that the Israelites were instructed to build an altar of acacia wood and overlay it with gold. The altar was to be placed before the veil that separated the Holy of Holies where the Ark of the Covenant was kept.

Specific instructions were given to the priest in the burning of the incense. Which included the recipe for the incense to be burned.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha and galbanum—and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts, 35 and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer. It is to be salted and pure and sacred. 36 Grind some of it to powder and place it in front of the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you. 37 Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy to the Lord. 38 Whoever makes incense like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off from their people.” (Exodus 30:34-38)

The wood from the altar would be used to burn the incense. This incense would be a symbol of the prayers of God’s people.

Who Gave the Angel the Incense to Offer?

After John sees the angel with the golden censer, he notices that the angel is given much incense to burn in the censer. Who’s giving the angel this incense to burn?

To answer that question we need to go back to Revelation 5. Remember the scene where Jesus takes the scroll from God’s hand. John witnesses at that point who’s holding all the incense.

“And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.” (Revelation 5:8)

From this passage we not only know who gave the incense to the angel, but it also reveals that it’s symbolizes the prayers of God’s people.

Prayers and the Golden Censer

While it may be silent in heaven for 30 minutes, there is plenty of priestly activity by the angel. The angel is ministering the incense coming from the golden censer.

As the smoke of the incense rises up from the censer, so do the prayers of all the saints rise with it. Together they rise up to God who receives them. What a beautiful example of the power and importance of prayer. If this scene is not enough to convince you of how God looks upon our prayers, nothing will.

There is no shortage of encouragement from the Bible to pray. These are a few of my personal favorites from the apostle Paul.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

“Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-20)

In other words, Paul is saying we ought to pray always and not just when life’s troubles bring us to our knees. Prayer should be an open line of communication with Christ. It should be a constant flow of words of praise, thankfulness, worship and petition. The Holy Spirit prompts you to do so throughout our daily lives.

The Final Purpose of the Golden Censer

(Verse 5) As John sees the smoke of the incense and prayers rise to the throne of God for God to hear, the 30 minute clock comes to a close. The time has come for God to answer the prayers of the Saints (church believers in Christ).

The golden censer was first used to deliver the prayers of the church to God. Now it’s final purpose will be to deliver God’s answer to those prayers upon the earth and it’s inhabitants.

The angel grabs the same fire from the altar that was used to burn the incense. This time the fire is going to be used to bring another round of ecological devastation to the planet.

We’ve seen incredibly devastating wildfires, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, epic hailstorms raining baseball size hail. But none of this will compare to what is about to hit planet earth in this next round of catastrophe.

The Seal Judgment and Trumpet Judgment Connection

Notice that the last of the seven seal judgments ushers in the beginning of the trumpet judgments. This indicates a connection between the two sets of judgments.

What’s the connection?

In order to fully grasp this connection and the meaning of the trumpet judgments, we need go back to what Christ taught His disciples in His Olivet Discourse in Matthew’s gospel.

Days before His crucifixion while standing on the Mt. Of Olives, Jesus gave His last sermon. It’s focus would be on the things that would come to pass during the last days of this age (Tribulation).

He could’ve begun with several topics but he begins with one poignant issue – deception. He warns His disciples and those listening to watch not to be deceived. While we see deception rise to a level never seen in this world, Christ was more focused on spiritual deception. Deception that would lead people away from Him.

The very next point He brings up is war. Again, He could’ve stressed many other relevant topics, but He chose war. Why? Because war is going to be a part of life in the Tribulation.

Remember chapter six and the four horsemen. First, we saw the man called the antichrist come on the scene at the beginning of the Tribulation. He will first be the man to solve all the world’s problems. Then he’ll focus on building his political alliances and kingdom.

Then the remaining horsemen bring upon the earth war and those things that will cause war. Recall, it’s not only going to be a war among nations. But it will be families divided amongst each other.

“Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 24:12)

Will the Tribulation Go Nuclear?

The seal judgments will be about a level of conventional warfare unlike any other time in the history of mankind. Dr. David Reagan explains in his book “The 9 Wars of the End Times” that the trumpet judgments will raise the level of conventional warfare to become nuclear warfare.

It’s a startling reminder for us that while there will certainly be supernatural forces that come into play upon mankind as catastrophic devastation hits the planet. Mankind has done a pretty good job on its own to destroy itself.

In order to better understand the coming judgments, it’s important to remind ourselves as to what’s already taken place on earth so far. Also, referring back to the Olivet Discourse helps us see the outline of what’s happening and what’s to come.

The terrible devastation about to happen next is almost beyond the imagination.

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