Prayer in the Book of


by Lawrence O. Richards


Our prayers should rise as incense before the Lord.


IM, ONE OF THE men in a Bible study I lead every Wednesday night, was in the military during World War II. He was married just a week before going overseas. For three years he communicated with his wife by letters. In his letters he poured out his love, sharing as much as he could of his experiences. How he longed to be home with her again.


The Futile Petitions of the Lost


Then, finally, the war was over. A few months later he walked down the gang- plank of a troop ship and into his wife’s arms.


That was over 50 years ago. For Jim and his bride, the last five decades have been wonderful. They have known years of love and fulfillment as they have met life’s challenges together and raised a family. Never in all that time have they been separated again.


The last book in the Bible, Revela- tion, reminds us that—like Jim—we live separated from the Lord we love. Our prayers are “letters” addressed to Him; Scripture and the Spirit’s promptings are His communications to us. But one day soon the war between good and evil will be over. Satan, already defeated but still struggling, will be chained forever. And then, the final victory won, all of God’s people will go home. We will be with the Lord forever, with no need for peti- tion. Our hearts and lives will be filled with endless praise.


Praise echoes throughout the Book of Revelation. We can understand why this is true, for this wonderful book portrays the victory of God over evil, unveiling the significance of that victory for all who trust in Him.


revelation J


The Book of Revelation also records several petitions. These reflect the unique content of this final book in Scripture.


The terrible divine judgment that Rev- elation describes evokes a response from the unconverted. It is clear even to the lost that the events that mark history’s end have a supernatural cause. This is reflected in a prayer reported in Revela- tion 6—a prayer uttered at the beginning of the period of judgment.


John first describes the reaction of people everywhere to the cataclysms he described earlier in chapter 6. He writes, “The kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men…the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains” (v. 15).* They fled in terror. As they cowered in their hiding places, John described their prayer “to the mountains and rocks”—not to God: “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (vv. 16-17).


Those being judged realize what is happening, but they call on the rocks to hide them rather than turning to God! This strange reaction is also reflected in chapter 9. As part of the final judgment, God causes devastating judgments that kill at least a third of earth’s population. He then unleashes millions of demons, whose stings tor- ment those left. As John looks on in awe and wonder, he reports:


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