“And the angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there were given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came up with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand” (Rev. 8:3-4).

            The seven trumpet angels are about to sound to bring the wrath of God upon the earth during the seven-year tribulation period. Before the judgment upon the earth another angel appears. This angel has to do with the prayers of the saints. This judgment is in answer to the prayers of the saints. This is why before the awful judgments on the earth-dwellers Christ intercedes for His people and presents their prayers to the Father.

THE IDENTITY OF THE ANGEL PRIEST

            Many modern-day scholars take the words “another angel” to mean no more than another angel of the same class distinguished from the seven trumpet angels already mentioned. Because this angel has an intercessory office, some say it is an angel who represents the intercessory office as discharged by our Lord Jesus Christ. Nearly all the old commentators, as well as many in more modern times (J. A. Seiss, Walter Scott, Henry Morris, Ford Ottman, etc.), believe this Angel is Christ.

            I believe this Angel is Christ, the Angel of the covenant (Mal. 3:1), the Angel of His presence (Isa. 63:9), the Angel of the LORD (Ex. 3:2; Isa. 37:36). Christ may possibly be seen as an angel in other places in Revelation (10:1; 18:1; 20:1). Christ is appearing in Revelation 8 in Old Testament relation to the people of Israel as the Angel of the covenant. I give the following reasons for my position.

            First, the high priest on the day of atonement was called an angel or messenger (See Gill’s Com. on this verse).

            Second, the Angel does the work of a priest, and a priest was a messenger: “For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts” (Mal. 2:7).

            Third, the Bible does not speak of angel priests or angel intercessors. This Angel offers the prayers of the saints, and He renders them acceptable to God. Such an office is nowhere in Scripture assigned to mere angels. This is the work of Jesus Christ. “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Eph. 2:18). “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him” (Eph. 3:12). “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. . .” (Heb. 13:15). “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (I Pet. 2:5).

            Fourth, this Angel stood “at the altar” (some translated “over the altar” or “upon the altar”). This is the brazen altar of sacrifice. The earthly tabernacle and temple were copies of the realities of Heaven, “figures of the true,” “the pattern of things in the heavens” (Heb. 9:23-24). This must be Christ our great High Priest presenting His sacrifice which He had offered up for the sins of His people. Christ is both altar, sacrifice, and Priest.

            Fifth, in Revelation 8:5 the Angel cast fire into the earth. This is what Christ does: “I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?” (Luke 12:49).

            The Angel has a golden censer (a fire pan). This was the vessel in which the priest put burning coals of fire, taken from the brazen altar (Lev. 6:12). This denotes the sufferings of Christ when He endured the wrath of God, which was poured out like fire upon Him. The golden censer points to the excellency and perpetuity of  Christ’s sacrifice and intercession.

THE DESCRIPTION OF GOD’S PEOPLE

            God’s people are here called “saints” a common title in both the Old and New Testaments. Modern Christianity has corrupted the simplicity of the primitive meaning of the word “saints.” Some make them a different order from ordinary believers, raised above the level of human infirmity. From this mistaken notion has come saint worship. This wrong estimation of saintliness discourages many from seeking to attain sainthood, believing it is something entirely out of reach. This is not good.

            The word “saint” (Greek hagioi) expresses not so much character as relation to God, one set apart from the secular and sinful to the sacred and spiritual. God chose us in Christ “before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy” or saints (Eph. 1:4). Saints are God’s consecrated ones. Holy character is the immediate result of God’s consecrating one to His service. “That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints. . .” (Rom. 16:2). “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints” (Eph. 5:3).

            In Christian experience every believer in Jesus Christ is a saint the moment he believes. Christ spoke to Paul of “them which are sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts 26:18; cf. 3:16; 15:9; 20:32). On the human side, faith is the instrument by which we are sanctified. It is the hand which appropriates the holiness of Christ (I Cor. 1:30; Heb. 10:10, 14). Hence in the New Testament the term “saints” is applied to all the believing and baptized members of a church. “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints. . .” (I Cor. 1:2). “Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi. . .” (Phil. 1:1).  “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints” (I Cor. 14:33).

            We are not saints by nature, but we are made so by grace, being in Christ Jesus, the Holy One. God sets us apart for holy purposes: “But know that the LORD has set apart him that is godly for himself. . .” (Ps. 4:3). I Peter 2:9 declares: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” They are not only an elect and holy race made so by God the Father, but they also have their sins expiated by the blood of God the Son: “. . .the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (I John 1:7). We are made saints by the Holy Spirit, for the Bible speaks of “the sanctification of the Spirit” (II Thess. 2:13; I Pet. 1:2).

SAINTS ARE A PRAYING PEOPLE

            Where there is no prayer, there is no piety. God’s elect “cry day and night unto him” (Luke 18:7). The Bible teaches that men “ought always to pray” (Luke 18:1) and to “Pray without ceasing” (I Thess. 5:17). It also says “continuing instant in prayer” (Rom. 12:12) and “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” (Eph. 6:18).

            Revelation 8:3 does not speak of “some prayers” of the saints, but of “the prayers of all saints.” This must be understood in a limited sense, for Christ has already presented many of our prayers to the Father, and they have been answered.

            What kind of prayers from the saints have gone unanswered for centuries? First, there is the prayer for the kingdom to come. Christ taught in the example prayer for His disciples: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). The saints are to pray for the coming of the kingdom of Heaven, the Messianic kingdom, which will result in the will of God being done on earth as it is in Heaven. The kingdom of Heaven has not yet come, for God’s will is not yet being “done on earth, as it is in heaven.” Christ will set up the kingdom of Heaven at His second coming (Matt. 25:31-46) when the seventh angel sounds (Rev. 11:15). Then the saints who have prayed for the kingdom of Heaven to come will reign with Christ “on the earth” (Rev. 5:10; 20:4-6).

            Second, there is the prayers of the saints for judgment on a wicked world who has persecuted God’s people: “O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself. Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud. LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage. They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it” (Ps. 94:1-7; cf. Micah 7:2, 7). The tribulation martyrs under the altar in Heaven in a disembodied state say: “How long, O Lord, holy and true, doest thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” (Rev. 6:10; 11:15). There is a day coming when the principles of God’s righteous judgment shall be enforced and evil shall be overthrown. When Christ comes with the armies of Heaven “in righteousness he doth judge and make war” (Rev. 19:11).

            These two kinds of prayers are not lost. The prayers of the righteous avail with God (Jas. 5:16). These prayers have been regarded by Christ, and He will present them to the Father. These prayers are carefully treasured up in the golden bowls in Heaven (Rev. 5:8). Let us continue to pray for the kingdom of Heaven to be set up on earth. He who does not pray for the kingdom of Heaven to come on the earth is not a saint!

            Our prayers at present are imperfect. They need “much incense” mixed with them to be acceptable to God. The word “much” is an allusion to the many spices used in the composition of the incense (Ex. 30:34). The Jews say from 11 to 14 spices were used. These were brought by the high priest within the veil on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:12). “Much” denotes the fullness of Christ’s intercession for all His people. This incense was put upon the burning coals in the firepan, or upon the fire before the Lord (Lev. 16:13). This points to Christ’s intercession which is based upon His sufferings and death. Our prayers must be perfumed with the incense of Christ’s mediation to be acceptable to God.

THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS ARE GIVEN TO CHRIST

            The Angel has “given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints.” Some make much to do about the word “was given unto him,” saying this proves the person is an ordinary angel, not Jesus Christ. But on this they are mistaken. The incense offered up is explained in Revelation 5:8 as the prayers themselves. Of course the prayers of the saints are given to Christ, for He offers no prayers which have not been put in His hands. These prayers are given Christ by the saints and by God the Father who made Christ our great High Priest. Our prayers are given to Christ in the same sense the Revelation was given Him (Rev. 1:1), in the same sense the throne of David was given Him (Luke 1:32), and in the same sense all judgment was given to Him (John 5:27).

            We give our prayers to Christ, seeing He is our Mediator: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (I Tim. 2:5). The Father assigned the Son this work in the covenant. “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God. . .let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:14, 16). At present Christ as our Angel-Priest “appears in the presence of God for us” (Heb. 9:24). The prayers of the saints are put in the hands of One who is in God’s immediate presence. We must give our prayers to Christ because we can trust Him with them.

            When we pray we must ask our prayers in the name of Christ. Jesus said: “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13; 16:24, 26). This truth was seen even in the Old Testament in the expression “for the Lord’s sake” (Dan. 9:17) and “look upon the face of thine anointed” (Ps. 84:9).

            The name of Christ is not some musical close to a collection, nor a signal to the congregation that prayer is over so the people can go home and eat a good Sunday dinner. That is not the meaning of praying in the name of, or for the sake of Christ. His name is the very ground upon which we address the throne of grace. It is the very name by which God sends down blessings on us.

            What does it mean to offer our prayer in the name of Christ? First, it means we offer our prayers to plead His merit and intercession and to depend on His plea. If we come in our name, we cannot receive anything. Being sinners we have no name in Heaven. The name of Christ is well known in Heaven. Those who make their request in His name will have the petitions they desire of God.

            Second, we must ask in full recognition of Christ’s person and His relation to us and the Father. We must ask because of our union with Christ. When we truly ask in the name of Christ, He is the real Petitioner. Our prayers become His prayers, and He presents them to the Father, and the Father always hears the Son (John 11:41).

            Third, to ask in the name of Jesus is to ask as a servant of Christ, honoring His authority, seeking His will, and desiring His glory. To pray in His name implies an absolute self-sacrifice, and it involves a request that our prayers not be answered, except so far as in accordance to His will (I John 5:14-15). We are encouraged to ask for anything in His name, and what we ask in His name, He Himself (as God) will grant us.

CHRIST OFFERS OUR PRAYERS TO THE FATHER

            The Angel-Priest is first seen standing at the brazen altar (v. 3). The much incense given Him is the prayers of the saints: “And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints” (Rev. 5:8). Like the high priest in Israel (Lev. 16:12-14), the Angel-Mediator proceeds to the altar of incense, or to the very presence of God, to offer our prayers. These prayers are offered by the Angel-Priest with “much incense”, or with the satisfying blood of Jesus. Our prayers are like much incense: “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense. . .” (Ps. 141:2). But to our incense Christ must add much more incense, or He must add His prayers to our prayers. The imperfections of our prayers are perfumed and made acceptable to God by the atoning blood of Jesus.

            Mark carefully the words “with the prayers of the saints” (Rev. 8:4). This means for furthering them, benefiting them, and prospering them. The incense of Christ enriches and forwards these prayers of the saints. Thank God Christ makes “intercession for the transgressors” (Isa. 53:12; Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; I John 2:1).

            There is a connection between the brazen altar and the altar of incense. The priest could not approach the altar of incense with acceptance unless the incense was kindled by the sacred flame of the brazen altar. This showed the connection between the sacrifice of Christ and His intercession. Christ’s intercession is founded upon His sacrifice, and it is upon this ground the Father hears Christ always (John 11:41). The prayers of the saints find acceptance and an answer only through Christ’s intercession. The much incense which Christ offers along with the prayers of His people, and which are represented as covering the mercy-seat, is nothing by His own intercession. This gives a continual sweet savor unto God from His oblation and renders acceptable all our approaches unto God in prayer and worship.

            How thrilling to know Christ mingles His own prayers and intercession with our requests. This was typified by the legal service in the Old Testament. While the people were offering their prayers in the court of the temple, the priest offered sacrifices within. “And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense” (Luke 1:8-10). Even so, while we are praying, Christ offers incense to sweeten our prayers and to make them ascend as a delightful odour before God.

            Christ presents our petitions to the Father as if they were His own prayers, so that if the Father denies us He must deny Christ also. Christ’s blood pleads justice. It is just that the Father should hear our prayers since this was one end for which the blood of Christ was shed. The Father would be unjust if He did not give us what Christ shed His blood to purchase. Christ’s blood is the blood of the covenant (Heb. 10:29) by which the blessing of the covenant were purchased and confirmed. One of the articles of the covenant was that whatsoever Christ would ask the Father He would receive (Ps. 2:8; John 11:41). When Christ makes our prayers His prayers, His blood cries out for an answer to our petitions. A just and righteous Father must hear the prayers of Christ offered for us.

CONCLUSION

            1. Pure judgment will be meted out to the apostate earth during the seven-year tribulation period in answer to the prayers of the saints. Revelation 8:3-4 is followed by verse 5: “And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.” What we see in this is God is about to punish the earth. In Old Testament times the altar was the expression of God’s holiness in dealing with the sins of His people. The same holiness will search the earth and judge and punish accordingly. The voices, thunders, lightnings, and the earthquakes are the harbingers of the coming successive outburst of divine wrath on the earth.

            2. Saints are to pray for the righteous kingdom of God to come. These prayers are not in vain. Ultimately these prayers will result in the judgment of the enemies of Christ and the establishment of the kingdom of Heaven on earth.

            3. Our prayers prevail because of Christ’s intercession for us. Our prayers become His prayers, and the Father cannot refuse to hear the prayers of His Son. Prayer is not a waste of time, but a great privilege.

            4. Do you know this prayer-offering Christ? If not, your prayer should be: “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13).