Revelation 8:3

And another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should add it unto the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

Revelation 8:3-6 seems to connect the prayers of the saints with the trumpet judgments; and, in a sense, "it is these prayers that set the judgments in motion."[27]

Over the altar ... All speculations about where, exactly, this altar is located, and whether or not it is the same as the one mentioned in Revelation 6:9, "are uncalled for."[28] This prophecy does not present any diagram of the heavenly scene which John saw. Any altar is a place where prayers and sacrifices are offered.

Having a golden censer ... In Revelation 8:5, it is stated that the angel "taketh the censer," and some writers have expressed wonder as to how he could take it when he already had it; but such quibbles are due to not recognizing the nature of these visions, which "are surrealistic, rather than rational and logically consistent."[29]

Much incense that he should add it to the prayers of the saints ... We are sure that Beckwith is wrong in supposing that this offering of incense added by the angel to the prayers of the saints was "to add efficacy to the prayers of all Christians."[30] No!

The role of an angel does not consist in making the prayers of saints acceptable to God. The mediatorial role of angels does not find a place in New Testament theology.[31]

There is only one mediator between God and man, Jesus our Lord (1 Timothy 2:5). The angel here did not produce the incense; it was given to him. "Therefore, the angel is not here represented as giving efficacy to prayers."[32] There is no support whatever here for the mediation either of angels or dead saints. Hendriksen thought the incense given to the angel might "represent our Saviour's intercession in heaven for the redeemed";[33] and it also might signify the service which angels perform for those who shall be the heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1:14). The important truth here is the fact that the prayers of God's people enter into the purpose of God in the forthcoming judgments.

[27] Leon Morris, op. cit., p. 120.

[28] R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. John's Revelation (Minneapolis, Minnesota: Augsburg Publishing House, 1943), p. 269.

[29] George Eldon Ladd, op. cit., p. 124.

[30] Isbon T. Beckwith, op. cit., p. 270.

[31] Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1977), p. 182.

[32] A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 231.

[33] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 142.