The Martyr’s Cry

Transcript

GR 1525
04-05-09
The Martyr's Cry
Revelation 6:9-11
Gil Rugh

We're studying the book of Revelation together so I'd invite you to turn in your Bibles to Revelation 6. I remind you that the book of Revelation is sequential, it follows in an orderly pattern, one event after another. So we just move right along. It started in chapter 1 with the revelation of Jesus Christ, the resurrected glorified Christ presents Himself to the Apostle John who will be the human writer of the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. In chapters 2-3 Christ addressed the messages to seven different individual churches, historical churches in existence at that time. But seven churches selected by Christ because what is addressed to them will be pertinent and applicable to local churches down through history. And we've learned from the lessons of those seven local churches. Then in chapters 4-5 we were transported to heaven where John was called to heaven to observe things in heaven. And so we call that the throne room scene in chapters 4-5. With chapter 6 we see events now that are unfolding on the earth and that will encompass the rest of the book of Revelation basically. We will see things in heaven, but the rest of the book of Revelation is primarily occupied with what is taking place on the earth.

Now you remember the Rapture of the church has occurred, it really occurs after chapter 3 where Jesus Christ calls all believers on the earth at that time to meet Him in the air. First the bodies of believers who have died from Acts 2, the founding of the church, down until that event. They have been personally with the Lord, their bodies have been in the grave, their bodies were called back to life and they moved back into those bodies, glorified bodies now. Immediately following we who are alive will be caught up bodily to meet the Lord in the air. And as I Corinthians 15 tells us, in that atom of time we will be changed, we will experience the glorification of the body. We will meet the Lord and loved ones in the air and then the Lord will take us to His Father's house.

Now we are prepared for events to take place on the earth. So chapters 6-19 deal with God's judgments on the earth in preparation for the return of His Son, which is recorded in chapter 19, to the earth to establish His kingdom on the earth. Now you understand when we begin chapter 6 there are no believers alive on the face of the earth. At the Rapture of the church every believer is bodily removed from the earth. So as we move into this seven-year period we start out following the Rapture with no believers. So people will have to get saved after the Rapture of the church. And there will be multitudes of believers saved after the Rapture of the church. We're going to see that in our section we're going to turn to in a moment. So we start with no believers, by the time we get to the end of the tribulation when we go into the kingdom, there will be no unbelievers on the face of the earth. So a total reversal will take place then.

We often talk about the significance of world events and the coming together of the European Union, revived Roman Empire, Israel back in the land, the possibility of rebuilding the temple and so on. Those are all events that are drawn from this seven-year period that are after the Rapture of the church. And we look and see as we see these things coming together that may indicate that we are moving closer to this seven-year period, the 70th week of Daniel, drawn from Daniel 9:27. That's where we draw these events from. We are going to see that the temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem as we move further into the book of Revelation, well as we see people talking about rebuilding the temple, getting priestly items prepared for when the temple is. That just gives us that perhaps with Israel back in the land, talking about rebuilding the temple, whatever seems to be events that at least are consistent with what will take place after the Rapture of the church.

Two purposes that are being accomplished during this seven-year period. 1. God is pouring out His wrath on an unbelieving world. It's a time of judgment on unbelievers. We'll see more of that in a moment as well. 2. Secondly, God is bringing the nation Israel to its knees. So as we get to the end of this seven-year period, there will be a national turning to Jesus Christ on the part of Israel, which is what Romans 11:26 talks about, then all Israel will be saved. We'll talk more about that when we get closer to the end of this seven-year period.

But you keep in mind two things are going on, because the 70th week of Daniel is the final seven-year period. Seventy weeks, 70 seven-year periods, 490 years have been determined for the nation Israel to bring it to the kingdom, to righteousness as Daniel 9 talks about. So what God is doing is preparing them for the return of their Messiah, and He will not return until they are ready to say, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. So a time of wrath and judgment on unbelievers, also a time of such intense persecution that Israel ultimately in their despair will turn, acknowledge their sin and guilt before God and claim Jesus as their Christ, their Messiah. And we will be ready for the Second Coming and the establishing of the kingdom.

Chapter 6 begins the breaking of the seals. Every time a seal is broken a judgment comes out. The seven seals contain the rest of the book of Revelation because out of the seventh seal will come the next series of judgments, and then the next series of judgments. So significant events.

We've looked at the four horsemen of the apocalypse because with each of the first four seals it is pictured as a rider on a horse coming out, bringing a judgment. The first one was in verse 2 on the white horse. He who sat on it had a bow. A crown was given to him, he went out conquering and to conquer. And here you have the false christ, the epitome of which will be the Antichrist. And it is his action according to Daniel 9 in inking an agreement, signing a covenant with Israel that marks the beginning of this last seven-year period. The second seal in verse 3-4 talks about peace being removed from the earth. He broke the second seal and verse 4, a red horse came out. So the first horse, a white horse, the rider has a bow but no arrows. But he conquers and it seems it's the diplomacy and so on going on that he solidifies power and a following. But make no mistake, there is turmoil in the world. And the second horse under the second seal that comes out, peace is taken from the earth and there is bloodshed from wars and battle. The third horse that comes out in verses 5-6, a black horse, depicting famine, resulting in mass starvation. So you see a scale and people not getting enough food and carefully rationing it, measuring it out. Then the fourth horse was death in verses 7-8. An ashen horse, this pale, sickly green color. And his name is death. And following death, the rider on this horse is called death, is hades because hades is the place where unbelievers go awaiting final sentencing to hell. And amazingly we are told under this fourth seal, verse 8, a fourth of the earth is killed.

So here we are, we have seven seals, seven trumpets, seven bowls. We're only at the first four seals in this series of judgment and here we are with one-quarter of the earth killed, dead. You can figure out what the population of Europe is, reduce it by one-fourth. How this is spread out we don't know. Perhaps it will be focused in certain parts of the earth so that other parts of the earth are living rather normal lives, marrying and giving in marriage as Christ said in Matthew. Going on because it's too bad if a major part of the world is totally wiped out, but as long as it doesn't reach home here and we're doing okay we'd be comfortable. But if it spreads in more diverse ways we're not told, we're just told the total number—one-fourth of the earth will die in these judgments.

So the devastation is overwhelming. Go back to Matthew 24, just to see the parallel again. Matthew 24 is dealing with this same seven-year period and the judgments of that seven-year period that culminate with the return of Christ. So verse 30, then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. That hasn't happened yet. That parallels Revelation 19. So we have a condensed version of this seven-year period in Matthew 24, whereas we get greatly expanded version in Revelation 19. But you'll note in Matthew 24:4, Jesus answered and said to them, see to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name saying I am the Christ and will mislead many. Out of these false messiahs there is the one that Israel will accept and sign an agreement with the Antichrist. You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. We saw under the second seal, the red horse, war. Nation will rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom in various places. There will be famines and earthquakes. The third horse, famine. Here you have additional destructions.

These are the beginning of birth pangs. They deliver you to tribulation, you'll be hated by all nations because of My name. Many will fall away and so on. So what happens is we have these events follow one another and there is increasing severity. So the seven seal judgments, it's hard to say they are the least severe when under the fourth seal we see one-quarter of the earth's population die. But the seal judgments are not as bad as the trumpet judgments. And the seven trumpet judgments are not as bad as the seven bowl judgments. And these judgments follow on one another and they are building. I mean, you have famine and it's not well now we have famine and that's over, now we have the next judgment. So you see a building of these judgments as they multiply. And you are adding to the judgments that are going on. And so the world is rapidly becoming an unlivable place. And as we noted, that's why in Matthew 24 Jesus said if He didn't intervene at the end of seven years there wouldn't be anybody left alive on the face of the earth. He doesn't intervene before the seven years because the seven years are part of the prophetic time period. But if He didn't cut it off after seven years the world would ultimately destroy itself and be destroyed in the judgments that God is bringing upon it.

We come to the fifth seal, verse 9. The fifth seal is different from the first four. It's a judgment but it is different because it takes us back to heaven. The first four seals were unique, that's why we call them the four horsemen of the apocalypse. They each are presented under the same picture, a horse coming out depicting a judgment. Now verse 9, when the Lamb broke the fifth seal. And you see the authority of heaven, we noted this, and of the Lamb, the only one worthy to open the seal, the only one with the authority to do it. I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the Word of God and because of the testimony which they had maintained. And they cried out with a loud voice saying, how long oh Lord, holy and true, will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth. The focus of this seal is on those who are martyred for their faith during the early part of the tribulation. Now remember we just said that at the beginning there will be no believers, they've all been raptured from the earth. So with the Rapture of the church and every believer being removed from the earth everywhere in the world, no matter what their nationality, no matter where they live. Every believer is removed from the earth, there are no believers on the earth. And yet during these opening months and so on of the tribulation there are going to be great numbers of people saved. The Word of God will still be present. There will be Bibles everywhere. If the Rapture would occur now, you know what? I hope this auditorium would be empty, but if not totally empty it would be by and large empty. You know what would be left lying on all these seats? Bibles. In our homes? Bibles. There will, I take it, people being saved through that means. We'll talk about other possibilities as we move into chapter 7 and get to the two witnesses. As well we have the 144,000 in chapter 7 and we'll talk about how that all relates.

But it's clear here that people are saved. Now there are those who think we go into the tribulation and people are not saved, they are saved in huge numbers. In fact we're going to be told in one passage that you can't count them. So there are large number of people saved. Praise God for His grace even in judgment. And not just Jews, the prime conversion of Israel will happen further along. Not saying there can be no Jews saved early in the tribulation, but the prime salvation of the nation will happen toward the end of the seven years. We will have people from all tribes and nationalities coming to salvation in the early part of the tribulation. So don't give up on your witness.

Now I realize some people take II Thessalonians 2 .............. We're told during the seven-year period ................. God is not obligated to save people and people who reject them, He gives them what they want and they become consumed with their own sin and He sends them a deluding influence, verse 11, so that they will believe what is false. I think that's true today, it's going to be much worse during the tribulation. And yet people will be saved. But here He does this in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth but took pleasure in wickedness. Some take this to mean that anyone who has heard the gospel and rejected it, verse 12, they did not believe the truth, will not have opportunity to be saved in the tribulation. I believe it's clear from this it's going to be difficult, but with God all things are possible. I think the point here is the judgment is on the unbeliever, the people who did not believe the truth. That's another description of an unbeliever, right? They did not believe the truth. Wherever they are, the lost are those who have not believed the truth, because that's the only way to be saved. I don't think this passage is necessarily saying that people who have heard the gospel and not believed it after the Rapture will not be able to be saved. If that's so, God knows, but I don't think this passage needs to be interpreted that way. And from the indication of scripture I would take it that there will be multitudes. So don't give up on your witness. Perhaps you are witnessing to someone and they don't trust Christ. The Rapture may occur tonight, but those words may be brought back to them by the Spirit that they heard. Now there is a terrible price to be paid and that's what we are going to see under this fifth seal, because the vast majority of those who place their faith in Christ in the tribulation are going to pay a terrible price in the martyrdom that they will suffer and horrible deaths that will be inflicted upon them.

So as you come back to Revelation 6 let's look at this seal. I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the Word of God and because of the testimony which they had maintained. Now note here the purpose of this seal is not to cause the martyrdom of believers because all the judgments of the tribulation are directed toward unbelievers. That will become clear as well as we move along through this section. So this seal brings a judgment but the judgment is not the martyrdom of believers. What we see is the judgment that comes in the context of this seal is the result of the prayers of the martyrs in heaven. In the context here these martyrs are those who have been martyred in the early days of the tribulation. As a result of their prayers judgment now is brought upon the earth. God is responding to the prayers of these executed saints, if you will. They are underneath the altar. So now we are in heaven back to the throne room of heaven and the setup there and we have the altar. So we have heaven pictured as a temple or a sanctuary. And we have the altar present here. I take it this will be the golden altar of incense which is connected with the prayers of saints.

Look at this altar as it appears in the book of Revelation. Over in chapter 11 verse 19, we see here the picture of heaven as a temple with the items that would go with the temple, relating it back to the tabernacle, then the temple that was built to replace the tabernacle. Verse 19, and the temple of God which is in heaven was opened and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple. There were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. So you see now heaven is the temple of God where God manifests His presence. In the Old Testament you had the tabernacle, then you had the temple, the place where God manifested His presence. And in the inner sanctuary, the holy of holies was where God fully manifests His presence and the only one who could come in there was the high priest once a year on behalf of the people. Here now in heaven you have the true holy of holies and you have the altar of incense which is associated with the holy of holies and the holy place in the Old Testament temple.

Look in chapter 14 verse 15, another angel came out of the temple. So you see now we will constantly refer to this picture. We saw the throne room of heaven in chapters 4-5, here we have it pictured as the temple, the sanctuary, God's dwelling place in heaven. In chapter 14 verse 17, another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven. Chapter 15 verse 5, after these things I looked and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened. Verse 8, and the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and His power. And no one was able to enter the temple, the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished. We are moving rapidly toward the conclusion of the seven years here.

Come back into Isaiah in the Old Testament, Isaiah 6:1. We're told that the pattern for the Old Testament tabernacle, which was the pattern then for the temple, was given from heaven. Those instructions were given from heaven and the indication you get from the book of Revelation is it reflects heaven and the setup in heaven, if you will. It is reflected in the earthly tabernacle as it was established. In Isaiah 6:1, in the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne lofty and exalted with the train of His robe filling the temple. So here you have the heavenly scene. And again, what do you see? The Lord enthroned in His temple, and His glory fills that temple. Same picture.

Go to Habakkuk 2:20, the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him. Obviously that's talking about the Lord in His holy temple and all the earth is to be silent before Him. Back up to verse 14, the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea, which carries us to millennial times. So now we are told the Lord is in His holy temple, in heaven. Let all the earth be silent before Him. Sometimes that verse is used to talk about the church, as though the church is the temple we are talking about. But we're talking about the temple ultimately in heaven where the Lord's presence is.

All right, come back to Revelation 6:9. These martyred souls, I saw the souls of those. The soul stands for them as a person. He's not trying to make a distinction here, they don't have their bodies although their physical bodies are not here. But John can see them and so we talk about how many souls were there today, referring to the person. He's not drawing out anything here because obviously John sees them and they are people and recognized as people. And they are underneath the altar. And as mentioned this would not be the brazen altar which is associated with the sacrifices of sin in the temple, but the altar of incense associated with prayer.

Turn over to Revelation 8:3, another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censor. And much incense was given to him so he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. So you see here we are at the altar of incense and it's associated with the prayers of the saints, here as it is in chapter 6. Verse 4, the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints went up before God out of the angel's hand. And then the angel takes the censor and throws it to earth. We see a similar picture here with the prayers of the saints being brought before God and the answer to their prayers.

In Revelation 9:13, and the sixth angel sounded and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God. Again, relating to the altar of incense in connection with the holy of holies in the Old Testament tabernacle and temple. So here you have the martyred saints, back in chapter 6, the souls of those. So they were slain we are told. So these are believers who have given their lives, now are in glory. They were slain because of the Word of God and because of the testimony of Jesus Christ. I take it since we're in the fifth seal we're talking about here those who had been martyred in the tribulation. The greatest persecution, and again it's going to intensify as we move along, and particularly the persecution of Israel will break out in the middle of the tribulation. We'll see that when we get into further chapters, and particularly chapter 12 where Satan is cast out of heaven in the middle of the 70th week of Daniel. But understand early on we talk about peace and people getting saved, with the restraint on sin removed as II Thessalonians 2 told us, there is opposition. So people are being saved by the grace of God through the ministry of the Holy Spirit using the Word of God, but one thing that does unite the world is a common hatred of believers. And so there will be martyrdom going on throughout the world from the early days of the tribulation. And people get saved, there will be martyrdom going on and people getting saved evidently in large numbers but being executed also in large numbers.

You'll note here, they are here alive and conscious, aware of what has happened to them, aware of what is going on. I find this encouraging. When we go to heaven we just don't enter into some kind of drug-like zone where we're just .......... I'm just here, happy, happy ................ No, they are there, they are here, they understand in the plan of God judgment is coming upon an unbelieving world and they are ready for it to happen. But they have been martyred because of the Word of God and because of the testimony which they had maintained. Why have they died? Because of the Word of God, because of the testimony which they had maintained, their unwavering loyalty to Christ. They haven't been believers very long, but you know what happens? A person gets saved and God takes hold of their life, changes them and makes them new. The Bible knows nothing about a salvation where a person says I made a decision for Christ. What happened? Nothing. I mean the power of God comes into your life and cleanses you, makes you a new person. The Spirit of God comes and dwells in you. God's salvation makes a dramatic, drastic eternal difference in a life. And these people, new believers are ready to give their lives. And this is a terrible time for them. It's a time of salvation, that makes it wonderful, but to live on earth as a believer, this is as close as we ever get to hell on earth. We use that kind of language for things today, but that is nothing like it's going to be. And for believers you have all the forces of Satan lined against them because Satan is doing all he can to establish his counterfeit kingdom on the earth, and there is no place in it for believers. So people almost as rapidly as they are getting saved, they are getting executed. It will take special intervention when we get to chapter 7 for the preservation of a number in Israel to secure the presence of Israel in the kingdom as we will see.

What is antagonistic to the world is the testimony that believers bear regarding the Word of God, the truth of Jesus Christ. I mean, that's it. The Word of God antagonizes them. Our testimony for Christ antagonizes them. Come back to John 15. In this sense nothing is different except the opposition is greater and the restraint on man's sin has been removed. So if you will believers are more vulnerable. Now they are still under the ultimate protection of God, but God has removed, so to speak, the hedge. Remember the hedge He had around Job, Satan said, I can't get to him. Well if you will, the hedge and protection we enjoy today to a large extent will be lifted. And that will allow Satan greater freedom in attempting to destroy believers and putting them to horrible death. Jesus said in John 15:18 as He prepares the disciples for His crucifixion on the last night here. If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. We're moved to talk about hate. He's just talked about love in the preceding verses when you read the context, the love they are to have for one another as believers. But you understand that the world hates you, you know it has hated Me before it hated you. If you are of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. There isn't anything else here, right now because you belong to Jesus Christ you are objects of the world's hatred. Now the more clearly you manifest that you belong to the Lord, the more openly you declare you allegiance to Him, the more you open yourself up to persecution of one level or another. The hatred is there, we pretend the world will like us if we do these things. The world cannot like a believer because the whole world lies in the evil one. There just is no mixing there. The hatred is there, sometimes it is kept under the surface. In the tribulation with the restraint on man's sin removed, there will be no playing nice. The world will feel perfectly comfortable and at east to manifest their animosity toward believers.

Remember the word that I said to you, a slave is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. And He'll go on to talk about, verse 23, he who hates Me hates My Father also. Verse 25, they hated Me without cause, Jesus said. When the Helper comes whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me and you will testify also because you have been with Me from the beginning. Obviously the initial recipients of this are the apostles, the disciples who have been part of His ministry. Now this truth has been passed on to us, the Holy Spirit dwells in us, we give out the same truth from the Spirit of truth. Now we have it here and what happens? The world hates it, the world is opposed to it. In the tribulation people will be getting saved. Praise God for His grace. Evidently in great numbers following the Rapture of the church. But there will be open animosity and a freedom to martyr believers like we have not seen in our part of the world. But believers in other parts of the world even today experience a little taste of that.

I Corinthians 1:17, Paul said, Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech so that the cross of Christ would not be made void. For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. Verse 23, we preach Christ crucified. Down in chapter 2 verse 2, I determine to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. That's what it's all about. And what happened? Paul is going to end up executed. How did Christ die? Executed. What was Paul's life like? A life of suffering, turmoil. Read II Corinthians 11, what he went through. We have the idea that if we are nice, if we are kind, if we do good things, if we develop the right social programs the world is going to appreciate us. And even though we disagree they will really come to like us if not fully love us. Never, ever going to happen. The children of the devil cannot love the children of God. And we as the children of God are cautioned not to love the world nor the things in the world. We are to love our enemies and do good to them that persecute us. What he is talking about there is we do good, we have to function in character even to those who treat us sinfully. I cannot treat them in kind. But there is no fellowship with the world. What fellowship has light with darkness?

Back to Revelation 6. I want you to understand what we have is just the full blown situation of now what is somewhat veiled over particularly in our country. We don't get arrested, I don't have to fear that I'll get arrested and executed because I preach the Word of God to you today. In parts of the world that would be a danger. But in the tribulation that will be an open reality. But God will be bringing people to Himself and there will be a boldness that is often characteristic in new believers as they share with family and friends. And you know what? They'll get turned over to authorities and there will be execution of believers and nobody will be opposing it because they will view it as just and the right thing to do. Because now they have a freedom to manifest their true character.

All right, so these have been martyred for their testimony for Christ. They cried out with a loud voice, verse 10, saying, how long oh Lord holy and true will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth. You ought to note here, they cry out with a loud voice. So here you have their prayers coming, they are associated with the altar of incense which we've seen associated with the prayer of God's people. Oh Lord. The word for Lord there is not the common word, it's a word that's used a few times in the New Testament, that's all. Despotais, a despot, the absolute total sovereign, the one who has complete control. We use it in a negative sense often today because we say he's a despot, meaning he rules totally completely. Well that's what the living God is, He is the total, complete, absolute ruler. These martyrs, they realize that. Their death is not out of the control of God, but they also realize He is the Lord, the despot, holy and true. And His holiness, His truthfulness, and they know what He has promised—judgment on sinful people. This is not an ungodly prayer for personal vengeance, but it's praying in line with God's promises that He will judge and avenge. And we don't take this to ourselves, we commit it to the Lord. So these martyrs coming out of the tribulation say, Lord, when are you going to judge them and avenge our death? You know it is interesting how the Lord ............. We like to just emphasize the love of God, and He is a God of love, but here in heaven they declare His holiness, He is true. And that's why not one jot, not one tittle can fail from His Word. He's a God who is true and thus what He has said is truth.

Will you refrain from judging and avenging? It's not that He's not going to do it, but there is restraint even in the tribulation. Otherwise men would be wiped out in an instant. Why will you refrain, how long? It's not if you will judge and avenge us, but when will you judge those who dwell on the earth. You have to act consistent with your character. They are praying consistently. Those who dwell on the earth, that becomes a technical expression in the book of Revelation to refer to unbelievers. They are earth dwellers. We saw it back in chapter 3 verse 10 where the promise is given, I will keep you from the hour of testing which is to come upon the whole world. Note this, to test those who dwell on the earth. Over in chapter 8 verse 13, I looked and heard an eagle flying in mid-heaven saying with a loud voice, woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth because of the coming judgments. Chapter 11 verse 10, with the death of the two witnesses that's recorded in chapter 11, we'll talk about when we get there. Note, those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them. They are excited that these two men who have stood firmly and declared the truth of God have now been executed. Those who dwell on the earth will rejoice. It ties them to this earth, they are unregenerate people. Chapter 13 verse 8, all who dwell on the earth will worship him, the Antichrist. Verse 12, he exercises all the authority of the first beast, in his presence he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the beast. Chapter 17 verse 2, verse 8, same thing, those who dwell on the earth.

So the martyrs coming out of the tribulation, they've died horrible deaths, excruciating deaths. You know, we had the Inquisition. I encourage you to read The Blood of the Martyrs, Fox's Book of Martyrs, not because you love the gory but it reminds you of the price people have paid and the deaths they have died to be faithful to the Lord. And these will have died terrible deaths. Lord, when will you avenge us on those who dwell on the earth?

This is consistent, we have to go to Luke 18. They are praying according to what God said He will do. So again this is not a personal action here, but they are calling on God, the One who is holy and true, to act according to what He said He will do. Verses 7, and will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night? Will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. So these martyrs are asking, Lord, when will you do what you said you are going to do? You are the holy God who has to judge sin, you are the true God who will keep His Word. When will this happen, Lord? It's consistent in the throne room of heaven to pray consistently with God's character, consistently with God's Word. And that's what we want to do on earth as we bring our prayers to Him.

You'll note these who have been martyred, they have full awareness of what has happened to them on earth, they have full awareness of what God has promised. They are alert and aware and know. We say, what will people remember, what will they know in heaven? Evidently quite a bit because these are quite alert and aware of what has happened to them.

Back in Revelation 6. There was given to each of them a white robe, depicts holiness and purity that is theirs as the redeemed, now in glory. Now they are experiencing the blessings that have been promised to them. And then they were told they should rest for a little while longer. This delay will end when we get to chapter 10 verse 6 and there will be an angelic announcement there. The angel standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, the earth and the things in it, the sea and the things in it. There will be delay no longer. Now we'll come to that, but now you rest for a little bit longer. God is not yet ready. Everything happens on His time schedule, He's never early, He's never late. He's always exactly to-the-second, everything is under control. The world with billions of people, so much going on and in so many ways, it seems like chaos. Everything is exactly on schedule. And now you rest. And heaven is a place of rest. It's not time for these things to unfold.

Until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed, even as they had been, would be completed. You know, it's awesome here. Judgment is going to come, but there are more martyrs. That's a negative, but that's a positive because you know what that means? There are more people going to be saved and more people on earth are going to die. But even the martyrs are part of the plan of God. As Paul, we talked about this in our study of Timothy, talked about his death and how it was coming up, it's the completion of God's plan for me. So it always is. You remember that if your child has to be martyred and your grandchild has to be martyred for their faith. Lord, where are you? How could you let this happen? Understand, it's all under control. These people have died horrible death, but you know once you are on the other side of death does it matter how you got there, if you are a believer? If you died at 120 of old age or you died at 30 of cancer, or you died in a terrible automobile wreck. Once you are through death, it doesn't matter whether they put you on the rack and pulled you from limb to limb. Once you leave the body, I'm there, I'm home free.

So for these it is God's ordained plan that they give their lives as a believer in the tribulation. So some say, I'll wait and trust Him after the Rapture. If the Rapture occurs then I'll know and I'll believe then. But you understand there is a price to be paid. It's worth it because the ultimate end will be heaven or hell. We'll get to that in the closing chapters of the book. So we're not saying it's not worth the price to be paid. You understand it is a great blessing to be saved in the tribulation, but thank you, I'll take salvation today and spend the seven years in heaven. But these people by God's grace will be saved, but it's God's plan that the number. And you'll note here, we talk about the number of the elect and when the last elect person gets saved. But here John talks about you have to have the last martyr when you are in the tribulation. So the martyrs are spread out. The last person to get saved and the last person to give his life in testimony for Christ, then I pour out the full and ultimately the final vengeance and the ultimate final vengeance. We get to chapter 20 and they are sentenced to an eternal hell. And chapter 14 will give us a preview when it says the smoke of their torment ascends into the ages of the ages.

The number of their fellow servants, their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been would be completed also. I tried to put myself in position as I thought about that this week. How do I take that? There is more of this to go, there is more bloodshed, there are more martyrs. But they know the privilege. They are clothed now in white. Do you think they regret giving their lives? No, they are not complaining about that, they are just looking to the fulfillment of what God has promised. There will be many more martyrs, chapter 7, chapter 13, chapter 18, chapter 20.

Let me just give you a few points, just a reminder. 1. Death ushers us into the presence of the Lord. I'm excited to see these martyrs here. Terrible deaths, maybe excruciating drawn out pain. To see loved ones perhaps have trusted Christ die this way, but they are at rest in heaven. They've been truly rescued as Paul says in II Timothy 4, He will rescue me from every evil work and bring me to His heavenly kingdom. 2. A second thing we've noted in this, identification with Christ antagonizes the world. I John 3:13, we are reminded again we will experience the animosity and hatred of the world.
3. A third thing to note is God will avenge the wrongs done to His servants. Here we're talking about martyrs in the tribulation, but ultimately................. II Thessalonians 1:5-10, even there Paul reminds the Thessalonians God will avenge those who are persecuting you. But we can leave it in the hands of the Lord, justice will be done. Nothing will be left open-ended, unfinished. When it all is said and done every unrepentant sinner will be in hell and every repentant sinner will be in the glory of God's presence. So I don't have to worry, God will take care of it all. 4. We ought to also remember the prayers of God's people are effective. They come before the throne of God. We see that here, we'll see it later in the book of Revelation. How amazing, we can come before the throne of God. We are told, come with confidence before a throne of grace, Hebrews 4. Even today my prayer is brought before the throne of God in glory. We run and talk to everybody we can come to talk to, and that's fine to talk to Christian friends, but understand I can go right to the throne room of heaven and bring my requests before Him. 5. God is using the wicked to accomplish His purposes. They are wicked men who are martyring believers. But you know what? God has appointed a certain number of martyrs. Even the wicked sinfulness of men is used by God to accomplish His wonderful purposes, even the terrible death of His children, a part of His sovereign plan, accomplishing what He intends to accomplish in the world.

He is a God of grace, a God of blessing. And you and I know Him, we know what is coming. You would think we would be urgently about telling everybody there is a Savior, today is the day of salvation, today is an opportunity like you may never have again. Repent, believe. God has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness, but you can be saved today. I'll think about it, maybe tomorrow. No, today. We oughtn't to be ashamed. Paul said, we beg you in the place of Christ, be reconciled to God. Do it today, believe in Jesus Christ and settle it and have it done. And that's the privilege we have and the message we have to carry to the world if Christ delays His coming for the church even this week.

Let's pray together. Thank you, Lord, for your grace. Thank you even for this heavenly scene, those in coming days who will give their lives for the testimony for Jesus Christ. Lord, how blessed and privileged we have been to come to the knowledge of the Savior in these days of grace and salvation. Lord, we are privileged to live in a context where we can speak the Word of God with freedom and boldness yet often we are intimidated and afraid and reluctant. May even the truth of your Word again remind us of the privilege we have to belong to you and to bear testimony for the Savior who loved us and died for us. Use us this week to give many the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ which can bring salvation to each and everyone who believes. We pray in Christ's name, amen.