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SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 29

TITLE: THE CRY OF THE MARTYRS

TEXT: REVELATION 6:9-11

INTRODUCTION: (1) THE GREEK WORD FOR WITNESS IS MARTUS.

* FROM THIS GREEK WORD WE GET OUR ENGLISH WORD MARTYR.

** A MARTYR THEN DESCRIBES A PERSON WHO BEARS WITNESS BY LAYING DOWN HIS OR HER LIFE.

*** NOW THIS SIMPLE DEFINITION DESCRIBES STEPHEN, THE FIRST CHRISTIAN MARTYR IN THE CHURCH IN ACTS 7.

**** HIS DEATH WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF BEARING WITNESS TO THE RIGHTEOUS ONE JESUS CHRIST.

(2) STEPHEN WAS STONED TO DEATH OUTSIDE THE CITY OF JERUSALEM. THE OUTRAGE STEPHEN CAUSED WAS SO GREAT THAT THERE WAS GREAT PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH THROUGH THE REGIONS OF JUDEA AND SAMARIA, PARTICULARLY IN JERUSALEM.

* IT IS SAID THAT OVER 2000 CHRISTIANS SUFFERED PERSECUTION AND DEATH AS A DIRECT RESULT OF STEPHEN.

** AND STEPHEN, THE FIRST MARTYR IN THE CHURCH, WAS THE FIRST OF MILLIONS WHO HAVE BEEN MARTYRED FOR THEIR TESTIMONY AND WITNESS OF CHRIST AND CHRISTIANITY.

*** IN FACT, ONE SOURCE I STUDIED ESTIMATES THAT STEPHEN WAS 1 OF 70 MILLION PEOPLE MARTYRED FOR THEIR FAITH IN CHURCH HISTORY.

**** BUT WHAT’S EVEN MORE STAGGERING IS THAT, ACCORDING TO THE SAME ESTIMATE FROM SOURCES LIKE OXFORD’S WORLD CHRISTIAN ENCYCLOPEDIA, 45 MILLION, OR TWO-THIRDS OF ALL CHRISTIAN MARTYRS, DIED IN THE 20TH CENTURY.

(3) AND THE KILLING CONTINUES. IN AN ARTICLE BY CHUCK COLSON TITLED: “A NEW CENTURY OF MARTYRS: ANTI-CHRISTIAN INTOLERANCE” COLSON QUOTES A JOURNALIST WHO ESTIMATES THAT AN AVERAGE OF 160,000 CHRISTIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED EVERY YEAR SINCE 1990 TO 2002 IN PLACES LIKE ALGERIA, NIGERIA, SUDAN AND PAKISTAN.

* AND THAT THE GLOBAL PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANITY IS STILL IN PROGRESS, BUT IN MOST CASES IS IGNORED BY THE MASS MEDIA AND CHRISTIANS IN THE WEST.

** AND A WORLD THAT CALLS FOR TOLERANCE, THERE IS TOLERANCE OF MOST THINGS BUT GENUINE BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY.

*** FOR GENUINE BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY COMMUNICATES HUMAN DEPRAVITY OVER HUMAN GOODNESS. CHRISTIANITY IS NOT INCLUSIVE BUT EXCLUSIVE AND THAT MAKES RELATIVISTIC, HUMANISTIC AND THOSE WHO ARE PLURALISTIC ANGRY.

**** GENUINE BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY CALLS PEOPLE TO REPENT AND FOLLOW CHRIST AND THAT WE ARE NOT TO LOVE OURSELVES BUT DENY OURSELVES, TO FLEE OTHER LOVES.

(4) GENUINE BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY CALLS FOR HUMILITY, NOT PRIDE THAT CHRIST SHOULD BE AT THE CENTER OF OUR UNIVERSE. THAT WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE ALONE, THROUGH FAITH ALONE BY CHRIST ALONE AND NOT ANY HUMAN WORK.

* THAT GOD IS THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE IN SIX DAYS, THAT COVETOUSNESS IS SIN, THAT IDOLATRY IS SIN, THAT PRE-MARITAL SEX IS SIN, THAT HOMOSEXUALITY IS SIN, THAT MEN ARE TO BE IN LOVING LEADERSHIP IN THE HOME AND THE CHURCH.

** GENUINE BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY COMMUNICATES A GOD WHO IS SOVEREIGN IN EVERYTHING INCLUDING SALVATION AND THAT GOD’S ULTIMATE END IS NOT OUR GOOD AND OUR SUCCESS, BUT HIS GLORY.

*** NOW SOME OF THOSE TRUTHS POSSIBLY RUB AGAINST SOME OF YOU IN A WRONG WAY, SO HOW DO YOU THINK THEY ARE RECEIVED BY PEOPLE WHO DON’T KNOW CHRIST? NOT REAL WELL.

**** AND I’M NOT SUGGESTING THAT WE USE GET IN YOUR FACE HARSH UNLOVING UNGRACIOUS METHODS IN TELLING PEOPLE THE TRUTH.

(5) BUT I AM TELLING YOU THAT WE MUST TELL PEOPLE THE TRUTH! WE MUST SPEAK THE TRUTH AND NOT BE ASHAMED OF IT.

* AND AS OUR WORLD DRIFTS FURTHER AND FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH, TRUTH WILL INFLAME THEM MORE AND INCITE MORE PERSECUTION AND MARTYRDOM.

** AND THEN TAKE THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE TRUE CHURCH OUT OF THE WORLD AND YOU HAVE THE MAKINGS OF A WORLD THAT IS TOLERANT TO EVERYTHING BUT TRUTH.

*** WELL, IN MY UNDERSTANDING OF ESCHATOLOGY OR THINGS TO COME, THINGS AREN’T GOING TO GET BETTER AND MORE TOLERABLE BUT NOR DIFFICULT.

**** AND INTERPRETING THE BOOK OF REVELATION FROM A FUTURISTIC GRID LEADS ME TO SAY THAT PERSECUTION AND MARTYRDOM IS GOING TO GROW.

(6) AND MARTYRDOM IS CLEARLY TALKED ABOUT IN OUR TEXT TODAY, IN REVELATION 7 AND IN REVELATION 13, A GREAT MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DIE BECAUSE OF THE WORD OF GOD AND BECAUSE OF THEIR TESTIMONY FOR JESUS CHRIST.

* AND SPECIFICALLY TODAY IN OUR STUDY OF REVELATION 6:9-11, WE SEE THE CRY OF THE MARTYRS AS CHRIST OPENS THE 5TH SEAL.

** AND THAT IS THE TITLE OF OUR STUDY, “THE CRY OF THE MARTYRS.”

*** AND UNDER THAT THEME WE’LL LOOK AT 3 POINTS, NO. 1 THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MARTYRED, V. 9; NO. 2 THE PLEA OF THESE MARTYRS, V. 10; AND NO. 3 THE PRINCIPLES OF REST, REWARD AND GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY IN V. 11.

**** AND WITH THOSE POINTS TO HANG YOUR THOUGHTS ON, LOOK AT V. 9 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE PEOPLE.

I. THE PEOPLE, (READ V. 9)

A. NOW AS THE LAMB (CHRIST) OPENS THE 5TH SEAL WE SEE IMMEDIATELY IT IS VASTLY DIFFERENT FROM THE FIRST 4 SEALS OF JUDGMENT THAT WE’VE STUDIED.

* FOR THE FIRST 4 SEALS HAVE BEEN CONNECTED WITH THE 4 LIVING CREATURES WHO, WHEN THE SEALS WERE OPENED BY THE LAMB, SUMMONED THE 4 HORSEMEN TO APPEAR.

** THERE ARE NO MORE LIVING CREATURES OR HORSES OR RIDERS INVOLVED HERE UNDER THE FIFTH SEAL.

*** SO THIS 5TH SEAL IS STRIKINGLY DIFFERENT; IT REVEALS TO JOHN AN ALTAR IN HEAVEN BENEATH WHICH HE SEES THE SOULS OF THE MARTYRS.

**** THERE IS A SCENE CHANGE, GOING BACK TO HEAVEN FROM WHAT’S BEEN GOING ON, ON THE EARTH IN THE FIRST 4 SEALS.

1. AND NOTE THAT THE 5TH SEAL IS NOT MARTYRDOM. THE SEAL JUDGMENTS EXPRESS GOD’S WRATH AGAINST UNBELIEVERS, NOT BELIEVERS.

* THE FORCE, THEN, THAT ROLLS OUT IN THE 5TH SEAL IS THE CRY, THE PLEA, THE PRAYERS OF THE TRIBULATION MARTYRS FOR GOD TO ENACT VENGEANCE AND JUDGMENT ON THEIR CHRIST-REJECTING MURDERERS.

** SO IN THE PLAN OF GOD HE HAS ORDAINED PRAYER, THESE CRIES TO BE USED AS A MEANS TO THE END OF MORE JUDGMENT, FURTHER JUDGMENT UNDER THE REST OF THE SEALS, TRUMPETS AND BOWL JUDGMENTS.

*** THEIR PRAYERS FOR GOD’S VENGEANCE AGAINST THEIR PERSECUTORS ARE HEARD AND VINDICATION WILL COME IN GOD’S TIME.

**** NOW SPECIFICALLY AS WE GO BACK TO V. 9, JOHN SEES UNDERNEATH AN ALTAR IN HEAVEN THAT IS NOT IDENTIFIED THE SOULS OF THOSE WHO HAD BEEN SLAIN, THIS GREEK WORD LIT. MEANS TO SLAY, TO SLAUGHTER, TO BUTCHER, TO PUT TO DEATH BY VIOLENCE TO BE MORTALLY WOUNDED.

2. AND HERE WE SEE MARTYRS IN HEAVEN, THE SOULS OF MARTYRS IN HEAVEN.

* AND JOHN SEES THEIR SOULS BECAUSE THEIR BODILY RESURRECTION HAD NOT YET TAKEN PLACE.

** AND REVELATION 20:4-6 APPEARS TO BE CONNECTED TO THIS IDEA AND TRUTH OF MARTYRED SOULS OF THE TRIBULATION BEING IN HEAVEN WITHOUT THEIR RESURRECTED BODIES.

*** IT SAYS IN REVELATION 20:4-6 –

V. 4 – THEN I SAW THRONES, AND THEY SAT ON THEM, AND JUDGMENT WAS GIVEN TO THEM. AND I SAW THE SOULS OF THOSE WHO HAD BEEN BEHEADED BECAUSE OF THEIR TESTIMONY OF JESUS AND BECAUSE OF THE WORD OF GOD, AND THOSE WHO HAD NOT WORSHIPED THE BEAST OR HIS IMAGE, AND HAD NOT RECEIVED THE MARK ON THEIR FOREHEAD AND ON THEIR HAND; AND THEY CAME TO LIFE AND REIGNED WITH CHRIST FOR A THOUSAND YEARS.

V. 5 – THE REST OF THE DEAD DID NOT COME TO LIFE UNTIL THE THOUSAND YEARS WERE COMPLETED. THIS IS THE FIRST RESURRECTION.

V. 6 – BLESSED AND HOLY IS THE ONE WHO HAS A PART IN THE FIRST RESURRECTION; OVER THESE THE SECOND DEATH HAS NO POWER, BUT THEY WILL BE PRIESTS OF GOD AND OF CHRIST AND WILL REIGN WITH HIM FOR A THOUSAND YEARS.

**** NOW AS WE GO BACK TO THE MARTYRS IN REVELATION 6:9, THE QUESTION COMES UP, HOW ARE THESE PEOPLE SAVED? WHO TESTIFIES TO THEM ABOUT THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM THAT WILL BE PREACHED IN THE WHOLE WORLD?

3. WELL, REVELATION 7, WHICH FORMS A PARENTHETICAL SECTION BETWEEN THE 6TH AND 7TH SEALS, HELPS US WITH THAT ANSWER, WHEN 144,000 PEOPLE ARE SAVED BY GOD, 12 THOUSAND FROM EACH OF THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL.

* BEYOND THAT THERE WILL BE TWO POWERFUL PREACHERS KNOWN AS THE TWO WITNESSES IN REVELATION 11:3, AND THEN AN ANGEL WILL BE USED IN REVELATION 14:6&7 TO PREACH THE ETERNAL GOSPEL.

** REVELATION 14:6 SAYS: AND I SAW ANOTHER ANGEL FLYING IN MIDHEAVEN, HAVING AN ETERNAL GOSPEL TO PREACH TO THOSE WHO LIVE ON THE EARTH, AND TO EVERY NATION AND TRIBE AND TONGUE AND PEOPLE.

*** SO AN ANGEL, 144 WITNESSES AND 2 SPECIAL PREACHERS WILL BE USED, PLUS THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DAY. FOR REMOVAL OF BELIEVERS FROM THE WORLD AT THE RAPTURE WILL NOT REMOVE THE SCRIPTURES, AND MULTITUDES THROUGH THE TRIALS OF THAT DAY WILL BE CONSTRAINED TO READ THE BIBLE.

**** AND THE WORD OF GOD IS SO POWERFUL THAT IT IS USED BY THE LORD TO SAVE HIS ELECT, READ

I PETER 1:23 (WHAT A NOVEL IDEA)

4. WELL, BOTTOM LINE, A MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE WILL BE SAVED AS WE’LL SEE IN REVELATION 7.

* AND JOHN SEES THESE SOULS UNDER THE ALTAR IN A KIND OF PREVIEW OF THINGS TO COME HERE IN REVELATION 6.

** NOW NOTE THE TEXT DOES NOT DEFINE WHICH ALTAR IS TALKED ABOUT HERE. SOME SAY THE BRAZEN ALTAR USED IN THE O.T. TABERNACLES AND TEMPLE, OTHERS SAY THE GOLDEN ALTAR OF INCENSE.

*** AND PROBABLY THE ALTAR JOHN SAW WAS EMBLEMATIC OF THE ALTAR OF INCENSE IN THE O.T. BECAUSE OF IT’S CONNECTION WITH INCENSE AND PRAYER.

**** THEN ONE LAST THING IN V. 9, JOHN GIVES TWO REASONS WHY THESE PEOPLE WERE SLAIN IN THE REST OF V. 9.

5. BECAUSE OF, FOR, THE PRIMARY PREPOSITION DEE-AH IN THE GREEK DENOTING THE CHANNEL OF AN ACT, THE GROUND OR REASON BY WHICH SOMETHING IS DONE.

* AND THE REASON THESE PEOPLE WERE SLAIN WAS NO. 1 THE WORD OF GOD, THEIR PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD OF GOD AND IT’S TRUTHS AND NO. 2 BECAUSE OF THE TESTIMONY THEY MAINTAINED.

** BELOVED, THESE PEOPLE DIED BECAUSE OF THEIR LOYALTY TO JESUS CHRIST, THEIR TESTIMONY, WHICH WAS DEMONSTRATED BY THEIR PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD OF GOD.

*** THEY WERE NOT ASHAMED OF THE WORD OF GOD AND OF THEIR LORD AND SAVIOR AND GAVE FAITHFUL TESTIMONY OF THAT AND IT COST THEM THEIR LIVES.

**** AND THAT’S THE PEOPLE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IN V. 9 WHICH LEADS TO THEIR PLEA FOUND IN V. 10, OUR SECOND POINT TODAY, LOOK AT V. 10 PLEASE.

II. THE PLEA, (READ V. 10)

A. NOW THESE MARTYRS CRY OUT TO GOD WITH A LOUD VOICE AND CRY OUT FOR VENGEANCE.

* AND SOME OF YOU MIGHT BE GETTING A LITTLE NERVOUS HERE BY A CRY FOR VENGEANCE FROM HUMAN BEINGS.

** BUT THE REASON FOR THAT IS WE ARE SO USED TO GRACE, THAT WHEN A RESPONSE FOR GOD TO JUDGE COMES IT ALMOST SEEMS UNMERCIFUL, UNJUST OR UNKIND.

*** I MEAN AT THIS POINT OF TIME, PROBABLY THE MID-POINT OF THE TRIBULATION, FOR THE BIRTH PAINS ARE OVER IN MATTHEW 24:4-8.

**** AND AS WE STUDIED BEFORE, JUST AS A WOMAN’S LABOR PAINS INCREASE IN INTENSITY AS THE TIME TO GIVE BIRTH DRAWS NEAR, SO ALSO WILL THE TERRIFYING EVENTS OF GOD’S JUDGMENT INCREASE IN PAINFUL INTENSITY AS THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST APPROACHES.

1. THE FULL FORCE OF GOD’S WRATH WILL BE UNLEASHED DURING THE 2’D HALF OF THE TRIBULATION CALLED THE GREAT TRIBULATION.

* AND MATTHEW 24:9 CORRESPONDS WITH THE 5TH SEAL JUDGMENT AS THE BEGINNING OF BIRTH PAINS, MOST LIKELY THE FIRST HALF OF THE TRIBULATION ARE OVER.

** AND THINGS START TO GET WORSE AND MATTHEW 24:9 SAYS: THEN THEY WILL DELIVER YOU TO TRIBULATION, AND WILL KILL YOU, AND YOU WILL BE HATED BY ALL NATIONS BECAUSE OF MY NAME.

*** NOW AGAIN MATTHEW 24:9 CORRESPONDS WITH REVELATION 6:9-11. SO WE ARE PROBABLY MIDPOINT OF THE TRIBULATION.

**** THE AGE OF GRACE IS OVER, THE PRAYER OF JESUS IN LUKE 23:34 IS OVER IN A SENSE (READ IT).

2. AND THE CRY OF STEPHEN, THE FIRST MARTYR IN ACTS 7:60 IS PAST, “LORD, DO NOT HOLD THIS SIN AGAINST THEM.”

* BUT NOW WE HAVE A RETURN TO THE PRAYER OF WHAT ARE CALLED THE IMPRECATORY PSALMS OF THE O.T.

** PSALMS THAT CALL FOR WRATH, JUDGMENT, TO CURSE ENEMIES, TO CALL DOWN JUDGMENT AND VENGEANCE.

*** THE TERM “IMPRECATORY” IS USED TO IDENTIFY THOSE PSALMS IN WHICH THE WRITER PETITIONS GOD TO CARRY OUT JUSTICE BY BRINGING PUNISHMENT OR DESTRUCTION UPON EVILDOERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO HAVE MISTREATED GOD.

**** SOME OF THESE PSALMS WOULD BE PSALM 35, 58, 59, 69, 83, 94, 109, 137 AND 140.

3. AND AS WE GO BACK TO REVELATION 6:10, THE PLEA OF THE MARTYRS FOLLOWS THE PATTERN OF THE IMPRECATORY PSALMS, GRACE IS OVER, JUDGMENT IS COMING AND DESERVED.

* HENCE THE CRY, “HOW LONG O LORD” WHICH IS THE CRY OF MANY OF GOD’S PEOPLE THROUGHOUT HISTORY, HOW LONG O LORD UNTIL YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT THINGS THAT SEEM UNJUST OR THAT DON’T MAKE SENSE TO US.

** BUT THAT CRY HERE IS TO THE RIGHT ONE HERE, TO THE LORD, NOT THE COMMON N.T. WORD FOR LORD IN THE N.T. KURIOS, BUT A WORD THAT MEANS MASTER, RULER, THE OWNER OF SOMETHING.

*** AND GOD OWNS THE EARTH AND HIS CREATION AND HAS THE RIGHT TO JUDGE IT AS THE ONE WHO IS DESCRIBED HERE AS “HOLY” AND “TRUE.”

**** AND NOTICE THE MARTYRS HERE BASE THEIR APPEAL FOR VENGEANCE ON TWO OF GOD’S ATTRIBUTES.

4. THE ATTRIBUTE OF GOD’S HOLINESS AND BECAUSE HE IS HOLY HE MUST JUDGE SIN.

* NO. 2 BECAUSE HE IS TRUE, HE MUST BE FAITHFUL TO HIS WORD AND KEEP HIS PROMISES TO JUDGE UNRIGHTEOUSNESS AND SIN.

** GOD IS HOLY AND TRUE AND HE CANNOT BE OTHERWISE IN HIS BEING AND WHO HE IS AS GOD.

*** BELOVED, HOLINESS AND TRUTH FOUND IN THE SOVEREIGN LORD DEMAND VINDICATION AND VENGEANCE.

**** AND VENGEANCE IS ONLY WRONG FOR US, NOT GOD. ROMANS 12:19-21 (READ THEM)

***** AND OUR GOD IS A GOD OF VENGEANCE AND HIS VENGEANCE, HIS WRATH, HIS PUNISHMENT, IS ALWAYS THE RIGHT AMOUNT, NEVER TOO MUCH AND NEVER TOO LITTLE. IT’S PERFECT.

5. BUT OURS IS NORMALLY TOO MUCH. WE DON’T RESPOND, WE REACT, WE WANT TO DOLE OUT TOO MUCH AND COME ON TOO STRONG. WE ARE UNJUST BUT GOD IS JUST, HOLY AND TRUE.

* SO THESE MARTYRS CRY OUT FOR GOD TO JUDGE AND AVENGE THEIR BLOOD ON THOSE WHO DWELL ON THE EARTH.

** AND THEIR BLOOD WAS SHED FOR CHRIST, WHICH IS SYNONYMOUS WITH SAYING THEY LOST THEIR LIVES, FOR THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD IS SYNONYMOUS WITH GIVING OF LIFE, READ LEVITICUS 17:11 AND GENESIS 9:6.

*** SO THE BLOOD EQUALS LIFE, AND THESE MARTYRS ARE CALLING FOR GOD TO JUDGE THOSE WHO “DWELL ON THE EARTH” AN EXPRESSION USED IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION TO DESCRIBE MEN OR WOMEN IN HOSTILITY TO GOD, TO THE UNGODLY, THE ENEMIES OF GOD.

**** AND ULTIMATELY THIS KIND OF CRY FOR VENGEANCE ON GOD’S PART COMES FROM THE DESIRE THAT GOD WHO HAS ULTIMATELY BEEN OFFENDED BY THAT SIN WHO IS HOLY AND TRUE ACTS IN RETRIBUTION.

6. IT’S NOT SO MUCH A PERSONAL VENDETTA TO GET EVEN, BUT A JEALOUSY FOR GOD’S HONOR AND NAME AND HOLINESS TO BE VINDICATED. IT IS GOD-CENTERED, FOR GOD’S GLORY AND NAME AND NOT OUR NAME.

* AND THAT KIND OF PLEA IS GIVEN HERE IN V. 10, WHICH LEADS US TO V. 11 WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR LAST POINT TODAY, THE PRINCIPLES. LOOK AT V. 11 PLEASE.

III. THE PRINCIPLES, (READ V. 11)

A. NOW TWO PRINCIPLES JUMP OUT AT ME IN V. 11, REWARD AND REST FOR THE MARTYRS AND GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY.

* NO. 1 REWARD AND REST. THE LORD REASSURES THEM BY GIVING THEM WHITE ROBES, BY HIS GRACE, A PICTURE OF THE PURITY IMPUTED TO THEM THROUGH CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNESS, IMPUTED PURITY, BUT ALSO AS A MEANS FOR BEING FAITHFUL TO THE LORD UNTO DEATH.

** AND HOW CAN SOULS WEAR WHITE ROBES HERE. AND PEOPLE ARGUE ABOUT THAT, BUT LET ME SAY, THEY MUST HAVE SOME FORM BEFORE THEY RECEIVE THEIR GLORIFIED BODIES, SO THEY CAN WEAR THEM IN THIS HEAVENLY STATE WHICH IS NOTHING LIKE WE ARE USED TO.

*** NEXT THEY ARE TOLD TO REST WHICH REMINDS ME OF REVELATION 14:13 WHICH SAYS: (READ IT).

**** AND HERE IT APPEARS THEY ARE TOLD TO REST IN THE LORD, THAT IN HIS TIMING, “A LITTLE WHILE LONGER” HE WILL JUDGE THOSE WHO NEED TO BE JUDGED FULLY.

1. SO IN ESSENCE THEY ARE TOLD TO ENJOY THE BLISS OF HEAVENLY REST UNTIL GOD’S TIME FOR WRATH COMES.

* BELOVED, THE LORD REASSURES THEM THAT THE TIME WILL COME, PROBABLY IN THIS CONTEXT 3 AND A HALF MORE YEARS, WHICH IN HEAVEN’S TIME IS VERY SHORT.

** AND THEY COULD REST IN THE BLESSEDNESS OF WHAT THEY WERE EXPERIENCING AND THE ASSURANCE OF GOD’S “RIGHT TIME OF JUDGMENT” IN NO. 2 GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY.

*** FOR NOTICE THAT TIME HAS BEEN SET. UNTIL, TILL, THE NUMBER OF OTHER MARTYRS WOULD BE COMPLETE.

**** IN OTHER WORDS, GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY PREDETERMINED THE EXACT NUMBER OF THOSE WHO WOULD BE MARTYRED.

2. WHEN THE NUMBER SET IN GOD’S PRE-DETERMINED PLAN WOULD BE REACHED, THEN THE END WILL COME AND CHRIST WILL RETURN AND DESTROY ALL OF HIS ENEMIES.

* THERE IS A SET NUMBER OF ELECT MARTYRS WHO WILL DIE, GOD HAS DECREED HOW MANY MARTYRS THERE WILL BE AND WHEN THAT NUMBER IS COMPLETED, GOD WILL MOVE IN HIS VENGEANCE IN JUDGING AND AVENGING THOSE WHO DWELL ON THE EARTH.

AND AS I WRAP UP THINGS TODAY: (1) TWO APPLICATIONS. NO. 1 WE SEE ANOTHER POP-UP OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY THAT IS LIKE A THREAD THAT RUNS THROUGHOUT THIS BOOK.

* AND WE ARE REMINDED AGAIN FROM THIS SPIRITUAL POP-UP TO REST IN HIS SOVEREIGNTY, HIS PLAN, HIS PURPOSES, HIS WORK IN HIS ELECT PEOPLE.

** HE ALWAYS HAS AND ALWAYS WILL BE ON THE THRONE AND IN CONTROL OF OUR LIVES. MAY WE REST IN THAT MY DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

(2) NO. 2 GOD IS NOT SO MUCH ASKING US TO DIE FOR HIM TODAY IN AMERICA, BUT TO LIVE FOR HIM.

* TO SAY IT ANOTHER WAY IN OUR CULTURE AT THIS POINT OF GOD’S HISTORY, WE ARE NOT MARTYRED FOR THE WORD OF GOD AND TESTIMONY OF CHRIST.

** AND CERTAINLY AS OUR SOCIETY CONTINUES TO DRIFT AND TURN AWAY FROM TRUTH, IT WILL BECOME MORE ANTAGONISTIC AND IT WILL COST US MORE FOR THE WORD OF GOD AND TESTIMONY OF CHRIST.

*** IN FACT, EVEN NOW A GODLY LIFE OF TRUTH WILL BRING HATRED, REACTION AND ANTAGONISM, READ

II TIMOTHY 3:12 AND I JOHN 3:13.

**** BUT RIGHT NOW, I DON’T KNOW OF ANY CHRISTIANS IN OUR LAND THAT ARE DYING AS MARTYRS. AGAIN IT MAY COME TO THAT.

(3) BUT NOW WE NEED TO DIE TO SELF, TO MORTIFY THE FLESH, TO PUT TO DEATH, TO DESTROY, TO RENDER EXTINCT BY RADICAL ACTION.

* TO PUT TO DEATH WHAT IS EARTHLY IN YOU, COLOSSIANS 3:5. COLOSSIANS 3:5 IN THE ESV SAYS: “PUT TO DEATH THEREFORE WHAT IS EARTHLY IN YOU: SEXUAL IMMORALITY, IMPURITY, PASSION, EVIL DESIRE AND COVETOUSNESS WHICH IS IDOLATRY.”

** AND WE NEED TO DIE TO THOSE THINGS WHICH GET IN THE WAY OF GOD’S GLORY, FOR THE GLORY OF GOD ALONE.

*** AND ALL THE IDOLS MUST BE ROOTED OUT BEGINNING WITH THE IDOL OF SELF. AND WE MUST DIE TO SELF AND LIVE FOR CHRIST, READ ROMANS 12:1.

**** AND THE MERCY OF GOD’S SOVEREIGN GRACE ALONE, MOVES US TO BE LIVING SACRIFICES WHICH IS OUR SPIRITUAL WORSHIP.

(4) BELOVED, LET’S BE MARTYRS WHO DIE FOR CHRIST BY LIVING WHOLLY FOR HIS GLORY ALONE!