Can saints hear our prayers?
The Apostle St. John, being "in the Spirit on the Lord's day" (Rev 1:10) conversed with those assembled in heaven just as Catholics and Orthodox and even Protestants converse with the angels and saints today, as a very apostolic practice.
St. John, one Sunday on Patmos, spoke to angels (Rev 1:2), and Jesus (Rev 1:17-18), and to the elders (Rev 5:5) and to the souls of the martyrs (Rev 6:9). We can be certain from St. John's testimony that the creatures in heaven are not dead, but are surely living creatures. We can also be certain that the angels and heavenly elders alive in heaven offer to God the prayers of the holy ones (Rev 5:8; 8:3).
In fact, by the power of God, St. John somehow heard every created thing in heaven and on earth without having to be omnipresent like God (Rev 5:13 - "And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea"). It seems one doesn't need to be omnipresent when God is the vine between the branches and can, by his almighty power, allow any of his creatures, even a mere human like St. John, to hear what all of God's creation is saying.
Likewise, it seems from St. John's testimony that those living angels, creatures, elders, and souls in heaven were quite aware, as was St. John, of what was happening all over the world. This all occurring prior to the Final Judgment. There doesn't seem to have been any such thing as soul-sleep according to St. John's testimony. Not only were living son's of Israel in heaven (Rev 7:4-8), but there was a "great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb" (Rev 7:9-10).
Like the Psalmist (Ps. 103:20-21, Ps. 148:1-2), St. John doesn't seem to believe that directly conversing with the angels and heavenly hosts is somehow heretical or impossible. Neither do Catholics.
God bless,
Dave
St. John, one Sunday on Patmos, spoke to angels (Rev 1:2), and Jesus (Rev 1:17-18), and to the elders (Rev 5:5) and to the souls of the martyrs (Rev 6:9). We can be certain from St. John's testimony that the creatures in heaven are not dead, but are surely living creatures. We can also be certain that the angels and heavenly elders alive in heaven offer to God the prayers of the holy ones (Rev 5:8; 8:3).
In fact, by the power of God, St. John somehow heard every created thing in heaven and on earth without having to be omnipresent like God (Rev 5:13 - "And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea"). It seems one doesn't need to be omnipresent when God is the vine between the branches and can, by his almighty power, allow any of his creatures, even a mere human like St. John, to hear what all of God's creation is saying.
Likewise, it seems from St. John's testimony that those living angels, creatures, elders, and souls in heaven were quite aware, as was St. John, of what was happening all over the world. This all occurring prior to the Final Judgment. There doesn't seem to have been any such thing as soul-sleep according to St. John's testimony. Not only were living son's of Israel in heaven (Rev 7:4-8), but there was a "great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb" (Rev 7:9-10).
Like the Psalmist (Ps. 103:20-21, Ps. 148:1-2), St. John doesn't seem to believe that directly conversing with the angels and heavenly hosts is somehow heretical or impossible. Neither do Catholics.
God bless,
Dave
posted by itsjustdave1988 at 4:32 PM
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