Revelation 6: Rest a Little Longer

Today’s reading is Revelation 6.

Jesus went forth conquering and to conquer, but instead of instantaneous, worldwide victory with peace on earth, War, Famine, Death, and Hades followed in the wake of Jesus’s victory. What would you be thinking if you were a disciple in the middle of this?

Would it be something along the lines of, “Wait a minute! It’s not supposed to be like this. Why is this happening? How long is this going to happen?” You are in good company.

When Jesus broke the fifth seal, John saw under the altar (yes, even though it hasn’t been mentioned before, there is an altar in this heavenly tent) the “souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne” (Revelation 6:9, ESV). This is precisely the same reason John was exiled on Patmos (Revelation 1:9). They had been slain just as the Lamb who had ransomed them had been slain.

We must grasp the picture. The term translated “soul” can also be translated “life.” In fact, in the Septuagint (LXX), we find this term in passages like Leviticus 17:11: “For the life of all flesh is its blood, and I myself have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for its blood will make atonement for the soul” (LES2). The same Greek term for “soul” in Revelation 6:9 is found for both “life” and “soul” in Leviticus 17:11. Life is in the blood. Do you recall when Cain killed Abel, God said to him, “The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground” (Genesis 4:10, ESV). That is precisely what John is seeing. The souls, the life, the blood of the martyrs cry out from under the altar. While that may seem ghoulish to us with our modern sensitivities, there is a certain amount of comfort in this heavenly picture. The death of these martyrs was not in vain. They didn’t just die. From the heavenly perspective, those who die in persecution as martyrs, were sacrifices. They walked in the footsteps of Jesus. Their blood, their life, their souls pooled under the altar. They weren’t just swallowed up by the ground. These who were called to be living sacrifices and take up their cross daily, became the ultimate sacrifice for Jesus.

“How long?!” they cry. Jesus has gone forth conquering and to conquer, how long will War, Famine, Death, and Hades get to continue in their trades? How long will disciples of Jesus fall prey to their authority? How long until the conquering King will take vengeance for the blood of the saints pooling under the altar?

The response is not what we expect. They are given white robes and told to rest or wait a little longer. Why did they need to wait? Because there were more martyrs to be had. I know this is shocking. However, the issue here is one of free will. Persecutors will be judged. But God is not going to judge them for what they might do some time later, He will wait until they do it, and then bring judgment. In Matthew 23:29-36, Jesus warned the “scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites” that he was going to send “prophets and wise men and scribes” and the Jewish leaders would persecute and kill them. This would happen so God could bring upon these enemies of His people the blood of all the martyrs from Abel to Zechariah. God would not bring the blood of martyrs on the heads of these folks because of His foreknowledge of their actions. He would only bring it when they actually worked these abominations. God was not waiting for more disciples to be executed out of sadism, but out of love. Love even for His enemies. He wanted to give the enemies every opportunity to abandon their sin, repent, choose not to kill. But in order to give that opportunity, God’s people are left vulnerable to those who will not abandon sin and repent of the persecution.

While we may not find this very comforting, once again, we see God is working by His plan. He is not taken by surprise. He isn’t losing. We aren’t losing. And even those who die at the hands of War, Famine, Death, and Hades still win.

Praise the Lord!

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Revelation 6 prompt or improve your trust in God?

Psalm 73: The Solution of God’s Sanctuary

Today’s reading is Psalm 73.

Asaph struggled. Idolatry beckoned and called. He nearly slipped and stumbled.

But he didn’t. He hung on. He stayed true to the true God. What anchored him? What pulled him back?

But when I thought how to understand this,
it seemed to me a wearisome task,
until I went into the sanctuary of God;
then I discerned their end.

Psalm 73:16-17 (ESV)

Asaph went to the sanctuary of God. He went to the temple. He worshiped. He witnessed the sacrifices. He participated in the surrender.

If you’re like me, as you envision this psalm, you see Asaph standing alone in the temple gazing at the altar and the gold and the beauty of the building. That, however, is not the correct picture. He isn’t alone. He is surrounded by worshipers. He is surrounded by priests and Levites carrying out their duties. He is surrounded by folks who have brought their sacrifices. Going to the sanctuary doesn’t mean going into a beautiful building and standing alone. It means going in the midst of God’s people worshiping Him.

That is especially the case for us today. Though we often refer to the large room in which a congregation assembles as “the sanctuary,” the sanctuary, the holy place, the temple in our covenant is the people. We are God’s sanctuary. If we wish to find the solution to our doubts and struggles, we need to gather with God’s people, among God’s sanctuary. We must participate in the worship, offer the sacrifice of the fruit of our lips, lift up our voices with others who are part of this sanctuary, listen to the teaching, hear the praises.

Too many people start to doubt and then cut themselves off from God’s sanctuary. Don’t do it. Hang on. Go to the sanctuary. See the end of those who abandon God; see the end of those who hang on. That was Asaph’s solution. Let it be yours.

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 73.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 73 prompt or improve your trust in God?