When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under
the altar the souls of all who had been martyred for the word of God and for
being faithful in their testimony. They
shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before
you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what
they have done to us?” Then a white robe
was given to each of them. And they were
told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and
sisters—their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred—had joined them. Revelation 6:9-11(NLT)
One brief side-road observation as we
begin this second message in our series on Heaven – it is my belief that since
we are closer to the events in this text than we’ve ever been (it’s always
later than it’s ever been), I believe we are close enough that perhaps most of
us here today will see Scripture fulfilled.
I believe that because this text
declares the martyrs under the altar were murdered because of the Word of God and their faithful testimony.
Have you noticed our culture’s anger
whenever any Biblical stance is taken?
Abortion, Homosexuality, Sexual immorality of any kind…for that matter; any
kind of restriction or Biblical imposition of punishment is seen as prudish,
Victorian, politically-incorrect or mean-spirited. The Bible itself is seen as antiquated and irrelevant…even
by many who claim the title “Christian”.
In short, we are moving, rather quickly
to that point where Christian believers who take their faith seriously will not
be simply ridiculed; it will move from public humiliation to hate, and from
hate to legislation that makes faith in Christ a crime. It will not be long afterwards that such a
crime will be punishable by death. I
truly believe that is the way wholesale martyrdom will become a reality in the
so-called land of the free, and home of the brave.
Now to the main thrust of our text…
Many people ask the question: What
is Heaven like today? The question behind the question is really: What
is it like for my loved ones who are already in Heaven?
Well, the simple answer would be: It’s
better there for them, than here for you! Well, let’s not beg that question with a
simple answer; you can get a lot of that out of magazines, the internet and
Washington these days.
Let’s consult the only really
authoritative source for what happens in life after this life, God’s Word. In the three short verses of our text we can
learn so much about what it is like to be a resident of God’s home across
Jordan.
Randy Alcorn’s wonderful book “Heaven” has much of what I
will reference in this message. These
observations about what life is like in Heaven while we wait for the final days,
are all in his book, and I recommend it heartily. [ii]
So let’s dig-in and learn: What
it’s like for my loved ones over on the other side.
1. They’re still who they were
The
souls under the altar are called martyrs
and they’re given white robes, symbols of pure character. These are the ones who held firm to their
commitment to the Word of God and were faithful in their testimony. Their character in heaven was consistent with
who they were on Earth.
2. They’re awake and alert
These
believers call out to God with a loud voice; they’re not in soul-sleep as some
suggest. Listen to a preacher from the
last century, Barnes:
“This is one of the incidental proofs in
the Bible that the soul does not cease to exist at death, and also that it does
not cease to be conscious, or does not sleep until the resurrection. These souls of the martyrs are represented as
still in existence; as remembering what had occurred on the earth; as
interested in what was now taking place; as engaged in prayer; and as
manifesting earnest desires for the divine
interposition to avenge the wrongs which they had suffered.[iii]
3. They’re in unity with other
believers
When
they “call out to God” it is with a loud
voice, not voices. Their faithfulness to God has created a unity
with each other that speaks loudly!
4. They are aware of what is
happening on Earth
They
remember they were victims of murder, and they cry out to God, knowing their
murderers on earth have not yet been punished.
This
is consistent with other places in the Bible as when King Saul consulted with
the witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28) to call up his deceased prophet
Samuel so he could ask him what to do.
When Samuel actually shows up he remembers everything that happened
prior to, and after he died. He was aware
of what was happening on Earth.
5. They communicate with God
and each other
There
are shouts of praise from the martyrs in other chapters of Revelation, and God
talks with them to explain what will happen next.
6. They experience
anticipation
God
tells them they must wait a little longer, until all is ready for fulfillment
of prophecy and justice. Contrary to
some popular theories of Heaven, the saints don’t automatically know everything
once they hit the pearly gates. So, as
in this life, there is still learning.
The martyrs are AWARE, and…
As we’ve already learned, the martyrs
are busy communicating with God, asking questions about how their murders will
be resolved, and when it will all take place.
There is no response recorded once God tells them to wait a little
longer. This is evidence of the “rest” that
comes with total trust. The martyrs ask
the question, but they’re satisfied with God’s answers.
How different that is than the response
I used get from the back seat when my kids were young…Are we there yet? No…just a
little longer. Oh, Maaannn!
They are also presented with white
robes, symbols of forgiveness and purity of soul. This is also evidence of the fact that the rest they enjoy is personal
and individual, as well as corporate.
They EACH
receive a robe and assurance that all will be accounted for; their souls are at
rest, enjoying perfect peace with the Prince of Peace.
The martyrs are AWARE, AT REST, and
finally…
Ø
they are awaiting justice
…how long before you judge the people who belong
to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?” Revelation 6:10(NLT)
The key to understanding the true
meaning of verse 10 is in the words “shouted”
and “avenge”. The martyrs aren’t merely hollering
over to get the Lord’s attention with their question about justice, they are shouting; this is an
impassioned scream for the justice that avenges
innocent blood. Listen to what Randy
Alcorn wrote in his book Heaven:
Heaven
dwellers have a deep concern for justice and retribution (v.10). When we go to Heaven, we won’t adopt a
passive disinterest in what happens on the earth. On the contrary, our concerns will be more
passionate and our thirst for justice greater.
Neither God nor we will be satisfied until his enemies are judged, our
bodies raised, sin and Satan defeated, Earth restored, and Christ exalted over
all.[iv]
I had a conversation the other day with
a pastor who is a Universalist. That’s a term which describes someone who
doesn’t believe in divine punishment – that everyone goes to heaven in the
end. Aside from the other twelve hundred
chapters of the Bible that say differently, and which warn of eternal death
being the penalty for sin, this chapter has God telling the martyrs to hold-on
because judgment is coming. If God isn’t
a Universalist, how can any human being (who knows she’s a sinner) possibly
think that way?
The imprecatory Psalms (particularly of
David) ask for God to punish evil-doers.
Have you ever read Psalm 109?
This is imprecatory, calling down fire!
O God, whom I praise, don’t stand silent and aloof while
the wicked slander me and tell lies about me. They surround me with hateful words and fight against me for no reason.
I love them, but they try to destroy me with accusations even as I am praying for them!
They repay evil for good, and hatred for my
love. They say, “Get an evil person
to turn against him.
Send an accuser to
bring him to trial. When his case comes
up for judgment, let him be pronounced guilty.
Count his prayers as sins. Let his years be few; let someone else take his position.
May his children become fatherless, and his wife
a widow. May his children wander as
beggars and be driven from their ruined homes. May creditors seize his entire estate,
and strangers take all he has earned. Let no one be kind to him;
let no one pity his fatherless children. May all his offspring die. May his family name be
blotted out in the next generation. May
the Lord never forget the sins
of his fathers; may his mother’s sins never be erased
from the record. May the Lord always remember these
sins, and may his name disappear from human memory. For he refused all kindness to others;
he persecuted the poor and needy, and
he hounded the brokenhearted to death. He
loved to curse others; now you curse him. He never blessed others;
now don’t you bless him. Cursing is as
natural to him as his clothing, or the water he drinks,
or the rich food he eats. Now may his curses
return and cling to him like clothing; may they be tied
around him like a belt.” Psalm 109:1-19(NLT)
The judgment of God is a fact! And while we are never to take the mantle of
retaliation for ourselves, in Heaven God’s saints will join in the imprecatory
prayers that bring the bowls of wrath on the heads of those who refuse to
repent and accept Christ.
Well known preacher and expositor John
MacArthur put it this way:
God
is patient to penitent sinners who embrace the gospel, but there will come a
time when He will no longer withhold His judgment on those who reject it. He gave the sinful pre-Flood world 120 years
to repent (Gen. 6:3),
proclaiming the message of salvation to them through Noah. But at the end of that time, the judgment of
the Flood came and destroyed them all. Similarly,
in the future there will come a day when grace will end and judgment will fall
on everyone.[v]
The judgment of God is a fact!
But your loved ones are awaiting more
than justice…
Ø
they are awaiting reunion
Then a white robe was given to each of them. And
they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers
and sisters—their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred—had joined
them. Revelation 6:11(NLT)
Brothers and sisters, fellow servants of
Jesus; this is who your loved ones are awaiting in Heaven.
Each year in the fall the church
worldwide celebrates All Saints Sunday. It is an acknowledgement of the reunion that
is coming someday. The church is one
church…believers and followers of Jesus Christ.
But we must make the point that it is not
the brothers and sisters of earthly families John says the martyrs are
awaiting; it is the family of God, those who have been redeemed by the blood of
Christ for forgiveness of sins.
You may have been born into a family
that attended church, but if you have not been born-again, by confessing your sins to God, trusting in
Christ’s finished work on the cross for your forgiveness, you will not go to a
reunion in Heaven, you will be sent away from the throne of God into
everlasting punishment.
But that is not what God wants for
you. He wants you to be saved, and to
spend all eternity with Him in perfect fellowship in His home called
Heaven. He wanted that so very
passionately He was willing for His only Son to die in your place on the cross.
As we learned last week, there is coming
a time when all time will end; and that includes the time to be saved. That’s why the Scripture warns us that
NOW…TODAY is the time to be saved.
Notes
[i]
Title image: Russell
Brownworth, Thunder Struck Ridge, Blue Ridge Parkway, 2006
[ii] Places in this sermon rely on observations in Randy
Alcorn’s Heaven (Carol Stream, Ill,
Tyndale House, 2004), Chapter 7
[iii] Barnes’ Notes on
the New Testament, Electronic Edition STEP Files Copyright © 1999, Parsons
Technology, Inc
[v] MacArthur's New Testament Commentary: Revelation
1-11©1999
