DfY1LaqnwRQ

1:18The cry of the martyrs. Just by way of review, if you missed last week, we started looking at, oh, I guess I got the different. PowerPoint. Might want to, it's okay. Don't worry, well, yeah, maybe go ahead and upload it. Sorry. But a couple of, or last week, we began looking at the first seal, if you remember, was the white horse, a horse that represented some kind of global movement, the movement that rises to global domination. Second seal was a red horse, red horse that depicted a worldwide discord, conflict, wars, rumors of wars. Then there was the third seal we opened, or we looked at the opening of it. And a black horse, a horse that represented some kind of global international depression on an epic proportion, something that we had not seen before in the history of humanity. And then there was the fourth horse. So let me just give you the pictures again, just because the pictures are so cool.

2:47So here we are. First seal, the white horse. Remember his name? Domination. Second horse, remember his name? Discord. We're going with the Ds. A black horse, what was his name? And then there is this pale green horse, death, indicating a widespread death that takes place upon earth. So then that brings us to the fifth seal. This fifth seal is clearly about martyrs. This morning we want to look at who they are. I want to look at their cry to God and God's response to their cry.

3:34And just as we jump into this, it's important to keep in your mind up front that the word martyr simply means witness, testify, like one would do in court to testify to a truth. And because the early church was very consistent in their testimony to Christ, in their witness for Christ, and suffered great persecution and even death, martyrdom became synonymous with those early Christians who died for their faith. But the word in its plain meaning is just witness. They witnessed to the point of shedding their blood and dying for what they testified to. But that's the idea of a martyr, somebody who witnesses all. The way to the point of death. A testifier, a witnesser to Christ, to God, who He is.

4:40And so, this morning, as we look at this fifth seal, I want you to understand this cry of the martyrs and God's response to it, so that you will be encouraged or to encourage you to be a good witness for Christ now, to help others maintain their witness for Christ, no matter what time period we're living in. What's important is that we witness for Christ, that we follow the example of this marvelous group of people that we will encounter on the pages of Scripture this morning. So, that's where we're going. First, the martyrs. We want to look at the cry of the martyrs. First, we need to look at the martyrs themselves in verse 9. Notice, first of all, I want you to notice where they are. Look back at verse 9. When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain. Now, notice that no living being makes an announcement this time. They were associated with the four horses. No longer are we looking at The scene on earth, or what's happening on earth, but we're raptured into heaven or taken into heaven to see these people. We're given a scene in heaven. Our mind is taken into heaven, and we see these people. And notice that they are not on the altar, but they are underneath the altar. Unusual expression. They are under, below, or perhaps down at the base of the altar. It would be completely in line with the word underneath.

6:37Clearly, John could see them. Question becomes: which altar? The options are either the altar of burnt offering or the altar of incense, or some would argue both. Well, I think it's most prudent to take it as the altar of incense for a number of reasons, but for starters, they are there praying, they're crying out. The altar of incense is associated with the prayers of the saints. In fact, you remember back in chapter 5, look back at verse 8. You remember when the Lamb had first taken the seal or taken the scroll. In verse 8, when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twelve. 24 elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and a golden bowl full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. So, there, just in a few verses before this, the altar that's being depicted there is the altar. It's the bowls to be incense that's going to be poured out upon the altar is being depicted. And so, here we are in six: prayers of the saints, incense.

8:02So, it's clearly that they, yes, they have lifted up their lives as an offering. But I think what's in view here is their prayers, the prayers of the saints. And then, when you get to chapter eight, more prayers are going to be added to these prayers and poured out on the altar of incense. I think it's talking about the altar of incense here. And as we keep going, in verse 10, you're going to see the actual prayer of these saints. But before we get there, I want you to notice a few more things about verse 9. Notice that they had been slain.

8:44These people have already been slain. They're not being slain. They had already been slain. In fact, the same word is used back in chapter 6, verse 4, just a few verses up. You remember? The red horse. He went out. And to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another. That's the very same word. And so that red horse, which depicts that worldwide activity of wars, rumors of wars, and the brutality of man against man and what people would do to one another is associated, of course, with the red horse. But these souls had already been slain when this fifth seal had been opened.

9:43And their outcry goes up. It's evident that they had been slaughtered sometime before the events depicted in seal number five. They have been slaughtered sometime during the period represented in those four horsemen. The worldwide conflict. This period of worldwide discord that is on the international, national, and even on the very personal, local, family level. This conflict depicted by the red horse seems to have taken a very negative turn against Christians. They were Targeted, slandered, murdered. Perhaps in one of the greatest concerted efforts to purge the earth from Christianity. That's what's happening.

10:50They have already been slain. And we're not left wondering what or why they were slain. Look back at the text. When the lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain. Because, and here it comes, here comes the reason they were slain. Because of the Word of God and because of the testimony which they had maintained. He gives us the two reasons why they're killed. First, because of the Word of God. Because of the Word of God, which is a reference to the testimony, to the teaching of truth itself. That which God has spoken through the prophets and certainly ultimately through his Son.

11:35And they had received the Word of God. This generation of martyrs at the altar, they had received the Word of God. And you know what happens when you receive the Word of God? It goes to work in you, doesn't it? The Word works. That's what it does. It makes you think differently, see the Word. Differently, value things differently. And because of the word of God, they thought and they acted differently. And the world hated them for it. This is what set them at odds with the world.

12:17You think, as you read through John 17, there's a real sobering moment on the pages of Scripture there. Jesus, in his most vulnerable moment in chapter 17, verse 14, he says this as he's praying to his father, I have given them your word, speaking of his disciples. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. You think about what Jesus did. I gave the word. I gave, he's praying to his father, Heavenly Father, I gave your word to these men who I've come to love and their families who I've come to cherish. And now the world hates them because of it.

13:11What a sobering moment. You ever think about what we're doing here at the church? We're disseminating that same word. And when people receive the word, when our children receive the word, guess what happens? It goes to work. They begin to think and act differently. The word we proclaim here has a transforming effect. It takes a person who is an enemy with God and makes them friends with God. But in the same token, it sets them at odds. Jesus said, Don't think I came into this world during my first Advent to bring peace. I came to proclaim the word of God, the sword, and therefore set people at odds with each other because I'm here to make people friends of God.

14:06And inevitably, in a world where there's enemies of God, there's going to be conflict. But Jesus thought it was good. That was the whole purpose. He knew it was good to separate people from this world so they would not be judged along with this world. It is good. Truth is good. It is good what it does. And so Jesus came as a herald of truth, a proclaimer of truth, the embodiment of truth. And those who received the word of God, as these did.

14:46These altered martyrs, it was because of this word that they had received, is why they had been slaughtered. But there's a second reason. Look back. Because of the word. Of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained. The testimony which they had maintained. There's that word for martyr, testimony, because of the witness that they had maintained and would not give up. They embraced the truth, and it showed up in the things they did and the things they said. And they kept maintaining this testimony, no matter what the pressure was or the temptation was to get them to forsake Christ.

15:38They couldn't bring themselves to do it. They loved Christ. They loved God's Word, and they were loyal to it. Their loyalty to Christ was obvious, it was visible, it showed up. It was like a badge of allegiance that testified to who they were wherever they went. That's why they were slain. They wore a badge of loyalty to Christ, and they couldn't take it off. And by the way, this is how you can tell a true Christian in any time period.

16:23And listen, let me ask you something. Is your loyalty to Christ conspicuous now? If it's not conspicuous now, it won't be later. Listen, the loyalty to Christ is how you can tell a true Christian in any time period. Read earlier that account of Cain murdering Abel. Why in the world did Cain murder Abel? Well, because Abel loved God, he believed God, and his actions showed it. Cain, for some strange reason, hated Abel for that. Therein is the mystery of evil. Why does evil hate good? What did Abel ever do to Cain?

17:25Why does loving God create such hostility? Because that's the nature of evil. Evil hates God. But just as Abel's blood cried out from the ground, so these martyrs we see crying out, blood cries out to God for justice. So let's look at the cry. So we've looked at the martyrs. Let's look at their cry in verse 10. And they cried out with a loud voice, saying, Stop there for a moment. And they cried out with a loud voice. Notice the strength of their cry, it could not be ignored. Blood crying out, justice, innocence, slain innocence, crying out from the ground.

18:35What have you done, Cain? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground. What have you done, Cain? He murdered his brother. But notice how they address God here. And they cried out with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true? O Lord, the word there is master. How long, master? Holy and true. How long, master? Your character is holy, and you are true. Your character is holy. You cannot tolerate evil. Or injustice, you are just, you are holy, you are righteous, you are not evil. How long, you who are holy, how long you are the one who is true? You are the one who is true, the one who promises to keep his word. Not only are you holy, but you are true, and you have promised that justice will prevail, that right will prevail over the earth. How long you who are holy and you who are true will let this slaughter of innocence happen?

20:14Now, notice their appeal. Look back at verse 10. How long, O Lord, holy and true, will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth? Now, notice that they don't demand anything from God. There is a respect here. They do not tell God what to do. No, they know he is holy, they know he is true, they know that judgment is certain. Look back. Their question is not if you are going to judge, but when. We know your character, and our question is when.

21:00How long are you going to let this go on? How long before you act? What else has to happen before you act? How long? Do you hear the cry of some of the greatest perplexities and difficulties and pain? They have witnessed not only they have been slaughtered, but they have witnessed the slaughter of many of those they loved. And they didn't do anything wrong. But notice an important note here. Notice who they're crying out against. How long, O Lord, holy and true, will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell upon the earth? Those who dwell upon the earth. And it's a present verb. Those who are currently dwelling upon the earth. That's the expression. How long there are those who are currently dwelling upon the earth? How long are you going to allow this to continue? Do you see what's happening? They've just been slaughtered and their killers are still on planet Earth. That's how. We know we're not talking about martyrs from all history here. We're talking about martyrs of a future generation because their killers are still dwelling upon planet Earth. This is a future generation of martyrs.

22:55Those killers are still alive on planet Earth when this fifth seal is opened. And you see these martyrs crying out: How long are you going to let this continue on planet Earth and let those who are doing this continue doing what they are doing? That's their question. How long will you refrain from doing these two things? Look back. Two things: judging and avenging. How long before you judge the case, make a decision, render a verdict? How long? How long before you avenge our blood upon these unjust murders and slanders? Innocent blood has been shed. And the way this probably goes is something like this: it involves all the deception and slanders of evil. Did you see what she did?

24:00Did you find out what was on his computer? Did you see this? Let me tell you about this leader. Let me tell you what he embezzled. On down the line, there will be slanders and accusations. Let me tell you about these bigots. Let me tell you about these racists. Let me tell you about these haters of humanity. And let's bring them down. That's the direction. And it ultimately ends up in portraying them as haters of humanity and deserving of death. And so, poured out upon them. And the cry is: how long are you going to allow this to go on before you avenge? And let me say something here. This is not about a personal revenge. This is not people that are just like, I'm mad and I want revenge. That's not what's going on. This is an honest cry to set things right. You are holy. You are true. You know, it's one thing to be killed. It's another thing to watch time and time again those who have done no wrong be lied against and be portrayed as evil and be murdered for it. It's one thing to die yourself. It's another thing to see those you love stand for the truth and be slain for things they didn't do.

25:30Or for things they were not. Well, this is the cry of the martyrs. I know we could take a moment and I could go into a 73-part series on the voice of the martyrs through the ages. In fact, we've already looked at Polycarp through this study, that pastor of Smyrna. We've looked at the Philadelphians who went over and the many that died and all of that. Just recently, I read of a mother who died centuries ago. She was martyred by her faith by being burned at the stake. And to silence her, her persecutors screwed her tongue to the roof of her mouth so she wouldn't speak anymore. And after the burning, her son went out to the ash site, sifted through all the ashes, and he found the screw. And he took it home. And though it silenced her mouth temporarily, it did not silence the word of God. And out of those ashes came a young man, bold and bent on preaching the truth. That's what the martyrs have done through the histories. And I could give you a 78-part, see, it's grown since the last time I mentioned it. I mean, it grows. There's a lot of them.

27:04We don't need to do that. I think you get the picture. But keep in mind, God has promised to bring about justice for his people. God will bring about justice, and he will do it speedily. We may look a little bit at that tonight, but I'm going to move on. So we've looked at the martyrs. We've looked at their cry. Next, I want us to look at God's response to it. God's response to it. And there's really three things to see in verse 11.

27:36He gave them something, he told them something, and then he answered their question. He gave them something, told them something, and then he answered their question. Let's look at that in verse 11. First of all, he gave them something. And there was given to each of them a white robe, a white robe. So this indicates God's perspective on their situation. God wanted them to know that they are blameless and righteous in his sight. He clothed them, just like the elders were clothed. Remember the elders that we've just seen, the 24 elders sitting on the thrones? They're clothed in the very same way. They're dignified. He's judged their case, and he has vindicated them in heaven. Vindicated. Now, there's a couple points here maybe worth mentioning. Just some.

28:30There's a couple little rabbit trails that people point to this verse, and it says there's some implications. First, it's speaking about the kind of body we might have in the intermediate state. In other words, we have a human body now, see that. When we die, we go to a state where we are with the Lord, but we're absent from the body or absent from this body. And then in the future, though, God is going to raise the dead and put us in a glorified human body forever, never to be separated from that again. And so, in this intermediate state, as some theologians call it, what kind of body do we receive? Well, some would say, well, it must be some kind of body that can put on a coat. Well, I think that may be straining things a little more. That's not the emphasis of this text. And yes, maybe there is an implication for that. I don't doubt that there are implications, the text on other things. But this was not why it was written. It was not written to tell us what kind of body we're going to have in the intermediate state. It's written to tell us why judgment is coming upon the earth in the proportions that we see in Revelation. And it has to do with the slaughter.

30:00Of these many, many martyrs. White robe. Another implication that some is that this is an indication that there are two judgments. There's a great white throne judgment at the end of the age, or at the end of, just before the eternal state, new heavens and the new earth. But it's clear that God has looked at their case already, and he has put a white robe on them. And then in Revelation 19:8, it speaks about white robe is indicative of the righteous acts of the saints. So he has made a judgment on their case, he has clothed them in righteousness and dignified them. He has justified their acts before all of heaven.

30:55So he gave them a white robe. But the clear implication of this is that he's dignified them. He wants them to know they are blameless and righteous in his sight. But then, second, notice he told them something. He told them something. Look back at verse 11, and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer. The word should, in the New American, should really be will. In other words, this isn't some subjunctive that may happen. Happen. This is what this would be what would be good for you. It's a future indicative of what's going to happen. And they were told that they will rest for a little while longer.

31:45They will rest. They will rest. He says, Here, you are to rest a little longer. A little while. Notice the word a little while. The time is short. It's nearly complete. He's saying, God is going to let evil have its course. Let evil finish exposing itself. It's not yet complete. But know that God sees, and he hears, and he judges. And he put those who are faithful to him in a state of eternal blessing. And he's going to let the things that are happening on the earth go ahead and run their course.

32:37So he said he did three things in verse 11. He gave them something. He told them something. And then, number three, he answered their question. Look back. And there was given to each one of them a white robe, and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer until, and there's the word, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who Were to be killed, even as they had been, would be completed also.

33:06So God answers the how long question. How long? A little while longer until the full number of their fellow slaves and beloved brethren and sister included come in. In other words, he's telling them, Earth's atrocities are not yet complete. The full measure is not yet done, but it will be very soon. And notice the phrase, those who were to be killed, the phrase there, the verb there is literally the ones who are on the verge of being killed.

34:00And when they are killed, then we're done. In other words, there's a whole bunch of people just like them who are on the verge of being killed for their faith, and they will be killed. And at that point, it's done. Earth's measure of evil is complete. Sin has a limit. And so it will not be. Be long after this point. So, after the fifth seal is opened and the cry of the martyrs goes out, and they ask, How long will it be? The answer is, not long.

34:46So, we've looked at the martyrs, we've looked at their cry, we look at God's response. Now, now that we've looked at the details, and we certainly aren't in that period at this moment, what in the world does this have to do with us today here at Emmanuel Baptist Church? What are we to take away from this? In fact, what does Jesus want to accomplish by revealing the contents of this fifth seal? Because he wants us to go out to all the churches, not just in Asia Minor, but all the churches for all time. What is he trying to accomplish? Well, probably several things. But I want to mention three things that I believe he's accomplishing by doing this. Number one, it answers the reason why judgment is coming. As you're reading Revelation, you have to ask yourself the question. I mean, there's some frightening things that come up on earth. And you have to ask yourself the question: why in the world?

36:00Would all of this come upon the earth? What have they done? What has so moved God to pour this kind of wrath out upon them? Well, the answer is here. The fifth seal prepares us to understand why the day of the Lord is coming upon the whole earth. It informs us and all who read it not only what that generation of earth dwellers are going to experience, but why. And God, throughout the scripture, he does not bring calamity without announcing it first.

36:50Remember Noah's flood? Sin had reached its limit, and God stepped in to do something about it, but he had Noah build an ark and preach as he did. Why Sodom and Gomorrah? Sodom and Gomorrah had their sin had reached a limit, and God came down because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah had reached exceedingly grave proportions. Why Canaan? Why did God drive out the Canaanites from the land during the Israeli conquest? In Genesis 15, 16, God tells us, the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete. Therefore, you're going to go down to Egypt for 400 years, or your people are. And then they're going to come out, because that's how long it's going to take for the Canaanite iniquity to be complete.

37:53Why? Jerusalem. Why did God judge Jerusalem? And in all these cases, he says he's in Babylonian exile. And what happens in Rome in 70 AD? He sent prophets. He warned. He said, this is coming. But listen, if God did not exempt even Jerusalem, do you think the whole earth and the Gentile nations are going to be exempted if they do the same things? Of course not. What we're seeing here in Scripture is that day of the Lord against the whole and the generation upon which that is going to come and why it is going to come upon them.

38:48But the pattern in Scripture is clear. It's an announcement. Here's the announcement. God is good. God is holy. God is just. His judgment is coming, and he gives us time to heed. So, scripture pattern is announcement, time to heed, and then he brings about the judgment he promised. And the believer, the one who has faith and takes his word as true, looks, receives, and relates in faith to God. Listen, the world and all of its institutions, I want to give you a news flash, is not maturing in righteousness. Our institutions are going the other way.

39:43Crookedness. We are maturing in crookedness. We've had a lot of time to get this thing right, and we haven't. But there is mercy here. I love the good news of the gospel. There's a new life for your old one. New life is being set before you. That's why God brings announcement. That's why He doesn't just bring judgment like that. He gives you announcement. He tells you what's coming and why. Listen, you do not have to mature in your sin. That's the good news. You don't have to keep going down that trajectory.

40:31And I know this morning, I'm sure there are some here today, and let me tell you what you're thinking. You're feeling guilty over your past sin. The good news is, you can be forgiven. There are some of you here today that are perhaps excusing your sin. The good news is, you don't have to. You can just confess it. There are some of you who are exercising or who are caught up and burdened down with the pattern of sin right now. The good news is that not only does God forgive you and make you absolutely pure and clean in His sight, He also gives you the power and ability to change trajectory from maturing in sin to maturing in righteousness to maturing in Christ's likeness. That's the gift of His Spirit. The good news is, you do not have to be judged with the world. And the good news is, you do not have to conform to the pattern of the world.

41:43Your future can change and you can mature. That's the good news. That's one reason I believe Christ, what he wants to accomplish. The second is to prepare us. For the millennium. Not only does this text answer the question why the judgment of this magnitude is coming upon the earth, but it also prepares us for the millennium. What I love about this is we see a magnificent people in this seal, and we're not done talking about them yet. This seal gives us insight into who is going to reign upon the earth during the millennium. In Revelation 20, verse 4, let me just read this to you real quickly. This is after Satan's been thrown into the lake of fire. I mean, yeah, he's bound for a thousand years. I'm sorry, he's not, he's bound. This is after Satan is bound for a thousand years. And then, verse 4 says, Then I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And who's on these? And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received a mark on their forehead and on their hand, and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

43:17God has a noble purpose for these people. They are going to reign. These martyrs will be vindicated before the Lord. Whole earth in two phases. First, before their friends and fellow believers, they will be vindicated by God putting them in seats of authority over the earth during the millennium. These are a wonderful people. And what an exciting time. Earth is going to be governed in righteousness. And it's going to be governed by those who have previously experienced the pains, the horrors, the slanders, and the abuses, and every other form of injustice. They're going to know what it's like to reign.

44:14So I am optimistic about the future of planet Earth. Not because I see in our institutions that they were getting more and more godly, but because we have a promise that Christ is going to break in and He's going to raise up a cast of godly people and seat them in places of authority and they will rule and they will reign with him and they will bring out what is good on planet earth. They will steward, they will tend, they will take care of, and they will not let these thrones go to their heads.

44:51They will use them as they were intended for this service. And they're going to show us what public servants really are. There's a second phase of the vindication of these martyrs, and that's at the very end. Revelation 20:12, and I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books according to their deeds.

45:30So they're going to be vindicated before their friends, they're going to be vindicated before their enemies. So, three implications or three reasons why are what I think we should take away. Number one, we should understand why judgment is coming upon the earth. Number two, it prepares us for the millennium, understanding who and what God is going to do and who He's going to seat on the throne. But, third, and down to our level right now, to motivate us to witness more effectively. Listen, throughout the church period, throughout Scripture, the church is a witnessing community. That is what we do. We testify to the Word of God, and that shows up in the things we say and do.

46:22The church is a witnessing people, even in times of great persecution. Church witnesses to the Word of God. And what a gift that is to the inhabitants who will hear and turn. You see, we are to wear our loyalty to Christ like a badge of honor. We are to wear our relationship with Christ so that it is visible to others. That's what it means to be a witness for Christ. Don't get caught up in the temptation and trivial things of this age, regardless of what age you live in or what you may face. It boils down to the simple.

47:19We are to be witnesses for Christ through all temptations, through all pressures to conform to something other than we are witnesses to the very end. Well, I wanted you to see this cry of the martyrs and God's response so that you and I will seek to maintain a good witness for Christ and that we will come along, our brothers and sisters, and help them maintain a good witness for Christ. Even with all these martyrs, they're facing this as a Collective people. There are probably relatively few of them that are actually dying.

48:08There are, but there are many more that are watching the martyrs die, and they are helping them maintain a good witness through it all. So let's help each other maintain a good witness. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we recognize no matter what time period we live in, Father, there is a truth that rings very clear through these words. We are to be a witnessing people, and we are to admire those we see in our text today who great multitude, a great many of them, Father, who stood up for the Word of God, were not ashamed of you, did not go with the march and drumbeat of a fallen and broken and wicked and perverted world. They were not taken in by the great global movements, movement to disown you.

49:19And Father, as we look at them, help us today in the tasks that you give us to face. Father, may we testify. And enjoy the relationship that we have with you. In whatever temptation, or whatever persecution, or whatever pressure we face, Father, help us to be your witnesses. And we rely upon your Spirit to bring that about. In Jesus' name, amen.