Well, good morning, everyone. How are we doing this morning? We all awake? Oh, that's good.
Today, we are continuing our sermon series through the book of Revelation.
And I got to tell you, this has been by far the most challenging, but the most rewarding sermon series that I've ever done.
I've read Revelation many times, and I got to tell you, it is a lot, right?
How many of you have read Revelation, and you're like, I don't know what in the world's going on.
And then there's different sides and different opinions arguing to and fro about this book.
And what's really unfortunate is that how Revelation is viewed upon as such a scary book.
But in reality, Revelation is a book about hope. It is a book about God making all things new.
Yes, there's the final judgment. There are so many apocalyptic language that's being used in this text.
But through the end comes the beginning. Through death and destruction and judgment comes new life.
And it's so interesting how when we talk about things such as heaven, in Revelation, we have the new heaven and the new earth.
We have this kind of language that is so connected within the Old Testament.
And it's really remarkable the more that we begin to read and study together this fascinating book.
It can be confusing, and it certainly can be heavy.
But Lord willing, we're going to open the text together, and we're just going to go through it.
This last week, we began in Revelation chapter 6.
If you guys want to get ahead and go ahead and turn there, that's fine.
And Revelation chapter 6 has been a very heavy and very difficult passage where we have this judgment kind of language.
The seven seals, right? And the seals are being opened.
But as we're turning there, I want us to keep in mind something.
As we've been going through Revelation, there are certain key points for us to remember.
The first is that God is in control. Amen?
That is the most important thing.
We don't need to fear the four horsemen.
We need to be in relationship with the Lamb.
Just like when we sing the song,
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain.
Very powerful lyric, right?
We sing that in many worship songs, many songs that's out there.
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, that is worthy to open the scroll, right?
The scroll that is found through Daniel.
The scroll that is prophesied about.
And now we have this scene where it is the opening of the scroll, the breaking of the seven seals.
When we think about it, this last week it was the four horsemen.
And that very metal kind of imagery, right?
How many of you have gone on Google or you've seen an image of the four horsemen and it's the most, let's be honest, kind of dark and scary kind of image, right?
And it's a very powerful image at that.
Don't get me wrong.
But for some people, they're like, I don't know about that.
At the other, got the other side of the coin where it's like, yeah, that's awesome, man.
There's got some judgment going on here.
With all of that, it's important for us to recognize we need to know the Lord.
And we don't need to fear the final judgment.
You have to know Jesus Christ being the way, the truth, and the life.
You know, life is beautiful.
From the time that we are born into this earth, holding a newborn baby is something that is remarkable.
Some of you parents, you remember when you held a newborn child.
And some of you grandparents, you may remember your son or your daughter or your grandchildren, right?
And how precious that life is.
And it's so incredible when Scripture talks about how God knew us before we were born.
How God knit us together.
And how, well, essentially, when we are born into this earth, we have a certain number of days.
Our entire life, Scripture talks about that we are amidst.
Amist.
And yet, in all of that, every day, every breath is a gift from God.
Not only this, our gifts and our abilities, our potential, all comes from the Lord.
And we have to think of how God gives each and every one of us, every single day, an opportunity for us to know Jesus Christ.
An opportunity for us to go from darkness into light.
I love how throughout Scripture, how many of you guys have been boating, whether it's on the ocean or on the lake, right?
And we know how windy and how stormy waters can be, right?
When you're getting tossed to and fro in the boat.
Do you realize that the sea is a representation throughout Scripture as chaos and sin and disorder and dysfunctionality?
Just like how Christ, when He goes out into the boat and He says,
Peace, be still.
Showing not only that Christ controls the water, but He will bring calm to the chaos.
It's such a powerful kind of imagery that we think about.
And so, in all of this, for many of us, we come from this chaotic world.
Where we are in the sea, as it were, right?
Getting tossed to and fro in the boat.
Wondering what in the world.
When is this storm going to be over?
And it's a call for all of us to know Jesus Christ who can bring peace to our life.
Give us calm.
Give us clarity.
Give us consistency.
Give us truth.
Especially in the world that we live in.
Don't we live in the kind of world where people say there is no such thing as truth?
Don't we live in a world where people say darkness is light?
What are you talking about?
We know, we should know, Jesus Christ being the way, the truth, and the life.
The light for all of us to come to.
It's important for us to recognize that from the time that we are born,
God calls all of us into relationship by extending grace before us.
It is this invitation for us to respond.
And we are given time, but not forever.
How many of you have been invited to a birthday party or a wedding invitation, right?
We all know that you got to RSVP within 30 days.
You got to RSVP within two weeks.
I mean, depending upon the organization of the person putting together the party,
you've got to respond.
You've got to RSVP.
And in the same way, that's how it works with God inviting you into salvation.
Will you respond with a resounding yes or no?
We are given time, but not forever.
That's like how it is in any birthday party, right?
My birthday is in 10 days.
Are you going to come to the party or not, right?
Not on the 12th day.
My birthday has already passed, right?
You think of these kind of things and how God gives us this invitation.
And to know God is to respond to him.
It is to say yes to Jesus Christ.
And it is also recognizing that God is going to transform your life.
He is going to change the very fabric of who you are, being born again, becoming a new creation.
And as we're going to go over in the text, being given these white robes.
I'm not saying my jacket is white robes in any sense here.
But to be given new clothing, right?
Not only are we a new creation when we are saved by grace through faith,
but in this revelation kind of language, we'll see this type of new clothing
and how God cares for those that love him.
When we think of us coming to know Jesus Christ,
how wonderful is it that we can come together,
that we can worship Jesus Christ,
that we can sing these songs.
And I love how the scripture says, make a joyful noise.
It doesn't say make a joyful production.
Thank God, right?
We sing songs.
We praise the living God.
And look, you can be out of tune.
That's all right.
You don't have to sing.
But as long as you're worshiping God, that is what matters, right?
And the fact that we can come together,
we can open the word of God
when there are other places in the world that do not have access to scripture.
There are other places in the world that cannot sing songs to worship the Lord.
Some of us may know about the persecuted church,
the global church, and how Christianity is outlawed,
how it is difficult.
Now, granted, we may say it's difficult to be a Christian in America.
I understand that.
But it's very different when you look around the world.
And so important for us that throughout scripture,
throughout the history of Christianity,
we have found that there have been people
that have been persecuted for their faith.
There have been people that have been martyred for their faith.
And I got to tell you, as we're going into the text today,
this is going to speak to those who have died.
Those who have been martyred.
It's some easy reading, isn't it?
It's going to be some very more heavy language in here.
And so to know God is to respond to him.
To know him is to be held and care for
and provided for and given everlasting life.
And it's important for us to know that as we live here on the earth,
when we are saved by grace through faith,
we are in preparation for the new heaven and the new earth.
For us to dwell in the presence of the Lord.
What happens, unfortunately,
is many times there are Christians who are persecuted for their faith.
There are those that die for the word,
those that die for the cause of Christ.
And these people are remembered.
Let's turn there.
I want us to go into the text here.
My slides are out of order, and that's okay.
It is...
It's going to be on page 1,222 in your ESVP Bibles.
It's Revelation 6, verses 9 through 17.
And let's read it together, church.
Are we all there?
Feel free to read along out loud or listen,
or even in your own Bible of choice.
We do use the ESVP Bible.
It's those blue Bibles in here.
So it says in verse 9,
When he opened the fifth seal,
I saw under the altar the what?
The souls of those who had been what?
Slain for the word of God.
And for the witness they bore.
They cried out with the loud voice.
Let's say it together.
O sovereign Lord, holy and true,
how long before you judge
and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?
What a question, right?
Verse 11,
Then they were each given what?
A white robe,
and told to rest how long?
A little longer,
until the number of their fellow servants
and their brothers should be complete,
who were to be killed as they themselves had been.
That is not an easy thing to read, right?
Let's be honest here.
Verse 12,
When he opened the sixth seal,
I looked,
and behold,
there was what?
A great earthquake.
And the sun became black as sackcloth,
and the full moon became like blood.
And the stars of the sky fell to the earth
as the,
this is interesting,
as the fig tree
sheds its winter fruit
when shaken by a gale.
Verse 14,
The sky vanished like a scroll
that is being rolled up,
and every mountain and island
was removed from its place.
Then the kings of the earth,
and the great ones,
and the generals,
and the rich,
and the powerful,
and everyone.
Okay,
so it's listing those that were in power,
and then everybody,
slave and free.
What did they do?
They hid themselves in the caves,
and among the rocks of the mountains.
Calling to the mountains and rocks,
what did they say?
Fall on us.
Fall on us,
and hide us from the face of him
who is seated on the throne,
and from the wrath of the Lamb.
For the great day of their wrath has come,
who can stand?
Whoa.
What is going on here, right?
So the main thing that we have to take away from here
is that the martyrs are crying,
and God answers.
That is very important for us.
Throughout Scripture,
there's a question that gets asked all the time,
and people in the everyday world ask this question.
Why does it seem like evil people do well?
Right?
It's a fundamental question that gets asked all the time.
I see those rich and these wicked people.
They seem to have everything together.
Right?
It's a question that's asked in Psalms.
It's a question that's asked throughout so much of Scripture.
In other words,
you may be familiar with the saying,
why do the wicked prosper?
Right?
As some mentions in Psalms here.
And in that,
we find those that are following the Lord,
those that are following God and His path and His ways,
and they may find,
you may even find,
that there's struggles that happen within life.
And you turn and you think,
these bad people appear to be doing good,
but yet I'm following the Lord,
and there's these struggles.
And it's important for us,
and this is not just in Revelation,
but throughout all of Scripture,
that wicked evildoers,
it appears that they're doing well.
But on the inside,
they're not.
On the inside,
they may have
this sense of emptiness,
a hole or a void that they cannot fill.
I mentioned it before,
and I'll mention it again.
And when you search the things of this world,
there's many things that the world has to offer.
Fame, notoriety, right?
There's casinos everywhere.
There's all kinds of things that the world has to offer.
And when you pursue those things,
do you find a life of fulfillment and happiness?
A life where you can say,
you know, I've gambled all my life,
and I have everything I could have ever wanted.
I don't think that's a statement that's,
I don't know anyone that has gambled
and has said that, right?
In fact, my father would tell me a story
about someone that he knew very dearly
who was an alcoholic
and would tell me that
the very look,
the very taste on his tongue,
every time he smelt alcohol,
it would give him this high, so to speak.
And how sad that happens,
that there comes a point
when you think of addiction and whatnot,
it's not the person drinking the bottle,
it's the bottle drinking the person,
getting used and consumed.
And it's very unfortunate
when these things kind of happen.
And so in this,
we have to realize and to recognize here,
there are struggles that happen in the earth.
The people that are wicked and evildoers,
it looks like they're doing well,
but yet there's a sense of emptiness,
a hole and a void they cannot fill on their own.
And then you have the good that are struggling.
Those that know the Lord, right?
I'm following the ways in the Lord,
and yet I'm struggling.
I don't understand why.
And then to top it off,
you have people that are killed,
those that are martyred.
You have people that are crying out,
why, God?
Why are you letting this injustice happen?
And it's important for us to recognize
that God works in his own timing.
When we think of God and his mind,
his ways being higher than our own,
we have our own human understanding, right?
And I gotta tell you,
I'm glad I am not a judge.
I'm glad I'm not a lawyer.
Because I am a human being,
and I am imperfect
when it comes to these kind of things.
I have my own human tendencies
and my own human biases.
But when it comes to God,
whose ways that are higher than ours,
his justice, his timing,
is certainly beyond our understanding.
And that's very difficult.
That is not an easy thing to talk about.
That is not an easy thing to preach on.
That is why it's so important for us
to wait upon the Lord
for his divine timing
and understand that he will have the final say.
And so in this, right,
the martyrs are crying.
God answers by providing them a white robe.
What beautiful language.
That even when wicked people
think they have the final say,
they certainly do not.
It is God who has the final say.
It is God who makes all things new.
It is God who restores the broken.
It is God who does the healing and transformation.
That is very comforting.
Now, sometimes it's hard for us
to see it like that
because we see only a portion,
a piece of what is happening here on the earth.
But let us recognize,
when we talk about this judgment kind of language,
a day that no one can stand,
it's showing the power and the glory of God
being so powerful that no one can stand it, right?
It's being in the sense of an awe
and of wonder in this.
And it's interesting that it is connected here
and this is some harder language.
In Psalm 79, verses 10 through 13,
let the avenging of the outpoured blood
of your servants be known among the nations.
There have been people that have died
for the cause of Christ
and God recognizes that, right?
The cries of the saints
has been across the centuries
and it's the same cry that we see beneath the altar.
If you notice,
when it says in the text,
in verse 9,
opening the fifth seal,
I saw under the altar
the souls of those
who had been slain for the word of God.
So it's saying here in this kind of language
that the souls are under the altar, right?
Now, when we're looking at this apocalyptic type of language,
it's very similar to what you find
in the old Jewish temples, right?
The old sacrificial system.
There's a lot of connections within there.
We had talked about previously in Revelation,
the golden bowls,
our prayers being offered as incense.
And here we're seeing this scene
where the souls under the altar
is a representation of the protection
and the provision of God.
that not only are you protected and provided for,
but God is going to restore you
and make all things new.
That language of receiving a white robe then
is knowing it's a place of reward
and it's a place of honor.
You think about that.
Well,
to know that I'm going to be protected by the Lord
is a remarkable thing.
And for those that have perished,
those that have passed away,
that know the Lord and have been martyred,
it's very, very beautiful language.
And it is hard for us to understand.
I can understand that.
And so I mentioned about the prayers of the saints
rising as incense from the golden bowls,
the souls of the martyrs resting beneath the altars.
And it's interesting,
in Leviticus 7,
the priest would place in the sacrificial system
the blood, right?
The blood of the horns of the incense altar,
it was poured at the base of the altar
as part of a sacrifice.
And so in the same way,
it's kind of difficult for us
because we're not partaking in the sacrificial system.
But it's blood that is spilt out.
It's not being,
you're not bleeding in vain, so to speak.
It's you're being regarded.
Even though evil has happened,
you are being taken care of.
You're being revered by the Lord.
And so in this,
what can we observe in here, right?
The souls under the altar.
The second thing is that creation shakes here.
Oh, one second.
The souls under the altar,
another thing that's very interesting,
is the martyrs.
Martyrs, the language in that,
talks about those that witnessed.
Witnesses, or those that gave testimony.
That's actually, it comes from
martyria, if I pronounce that correctly.
That's where we get the word martyr from.
It is those who testified with their words,
the testimony,
with their blood.
So that's kind of interesting.
That's where we get the word martyr from.
And so,
them crying out,
how long?
It's connected with,
and I've mentioned this parable quite a few times,
is the parable of the persistent widow.
I've told you about the judge,
the wicked judge who didn't fear God,
nor respected man.
I don't want to know a judge like that, right?
And this widow is crying out for justice.
And eventually the judge gives justice.
And the whole point of that parable
is when Jesus says,
how much more will God give justice
to the ones that he love,
as opposed to a human
who doesn't revere God
and doesn't respect man.
It's going to show that God's justice
is far greater than humans in that.
And so,
the cry of,
how long, O Lord?
It's something that has been
throughout Scripture,
Psalm 13,
Psalm 79,
Habakkuk 1.
If you've ever read Habakkuk,
that's a pretty good book in the Bible
I should read.
The saints have always cried that question,
but it's waiting upon the Lord
for his divine timing.
And so,
creation shakes.
There's a great earthquake that happens,
right?
The shaking up that happens.
The sun becoming black as sathcloth,
and the full moon becoming like blood.
I don't want to see that.
Right?
What kind of scary imagery
we can think of
when we think about that
and the stars falling to earth.
every mountain and island
being removed in here.
It's actually connected
with the prophet Joel,
where it says,
the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the great and awesome day
of the Lord comes.
It's talking about
what will happen
before the final judgment.
So,
that kind of language
has been shown
in Scripture before.
We also know that
in Exodus,
when God moved against Pharaoh,
the sun was darkened,
right?
That's another very similar language
about judgment.
And so,
there's,
and even the fig tree.
When Jesus said,
fun fact,
in Luke 21,
when Jesus says,
when these things begin
to take place,
straighten up
and raise your heads
because your redemption
is drawing near.
That's very important,
is that despite all of this
apocalyptic
and scary kind of language,
we don't need to be afraid
of that.
it's going to show
how powerful God is
in His divine works
that,
let's be honest,
we don't fully understand.
And that's okay.
It's just like how we hear
that God works
in mysterious ways.
We don't understand
all of the complexities
of God.
God works in such
incredible ways
that's like,
whoa,
okay,
the sky turning black
and the great earthquakes
and people running
and hiding in caves
is very difficult
for us to comprehend.
And again,
that is okay though.
It's going to show
that God is powerful
and no one can stand
the awe,
the power,
and the glory
of God.
And so in that,
the imagery
that we have here
is of God's judgment
showing the power
of God.
It's important
for us to recognize.
When you hear
and read this kind
of language,
who's really in control?
Is it the wicked
or is it God?
So it's here,
it's God showing
you wicked evildoers
do not have
the final say.
It is God that does.
Because the ability
to shake up
all of creation
and everyone
being afraid
of the presence
of the Lord
in that respect
is,
well,
I don't have
the final say.
It is God
that has the final say.
It's going to show
his power
and his authority.
And then finally,
the third thing
is that all flesh
hides, right?
And so in this,
it's interesting.
It talks about
the kings of the earth,
the great ones,
the generals,
the rich and powerful.
You kind of wish
you would just stop there,
right?
No, it extends
to everyone, right?
Everyone in this place,
slave and free,
they hide themselves
in the caves
and among the rocks
of the mountains.
And you have to think
how powerful
a presence
it must be,
especially if you're wicked,
to call upon the mountains
and the rocks
to fall on them.
When is the last time
you've ever called
for a mountain
to fall down on you?
I mean,
I hope that's none of us
here in this room, right?
But to think for a moment
that the face of God,
right?
And we'll go into
what that means.
It's kind of an interesting one.
The presence of God
being so powerful
that it's so convicting
to you that you cannot stand
being in the presence
of the Lord.
Isn't that interesting?
That these people
would rather flee away
in darkness
and rather
have mountains
fall on them
than to deal
with the Lord.
That's powerful.
I mean,
that is
something that's remarkable.
And it's also
a fulfillment
of the prophet Isaiah
when he says,
men shall enter
the caves of the rocks
and the holes
of the ground
from before
the terror
of the Lord.
Talking about
God's judgment,
His presence,
and His wrath.
We have to think
when we read
these kind of things
that
you know,
you have
God's love
and His mercy,
but you also have
God's truth
and God's wrath.
Now,
a lot of us
love God
on this side,
right?
We love the love
of God
and the mercy
that He has for us,
but there's also
this sense of
truth,
justice,
the wrath of God.
We have to think
that
when God offers
all of us
a choice,
we have to
essentially decide,
are we going
to receive the love
and salvation
or are we not?
It's so simple,
but yet,
there's so much
consequence
that comes
to that.
And so,
in this,
it's the wrath
of the Lamb,
and it's the same
Lamb who opens
the scroll.
It's the one
the wicked
cannot bear.
Now,
if you think
about it,
this shows
the power of God,
the fulfillment
of prophecy,
and it's when,
and I want to make
this very clear,
this is when evil
is held accountable
by God.
Okay?
I want to make
that extremely
clear to you.
That this sense
of,
I want mountains
to fall on me,
it is this sense
of the wrath
of God
and that they
are being held
accountable.
How many of you
have ever felt
convicted before?
Yeah?
I know I have.
There have been times
where this stirring
in my heart,
and I've got,
I've got to do
something now.
I've got to make
a phone call,
and that kind of,
it's this,
like,
stirring,
as it were,
to act,
and it bothers you.
For some people,
you may lose sleep
over such a conviction,
right?
I've got to call
and make amends
with so-and-so,
or I've got to,
I've got to do this,
I've got to talk
to so-and-so,
this just didn't sit
right.
And God works
in that kind of,
really remarkable
kind of way,
stirring in your heart.
Well,
imagine the kind
of conviction
for an unrepentant
soul.
Or imagine
the kind of conviction
of all evil,
all evil people,
in that sense.
Very harsh language,
indeed,
but,
it goes to show
that God
cannot stand
for evil.
And when
the wicked
do evil things
to God's people,
that's not a good thing.
How many of you
are
protective of your
own children?
You wouldn't want
anything to happen
to them,
correct?
I hope everyone
says yes in that,
right?
Protective of your
children,
protective of your
spouse,
right?
Protected of
family members
and even your
friends at times.
So,
if we're so quick
to want to
protect those
that are our own,
why is it such
a big deal
for us to
understand that
God wants to
protect his own?
We have to,
and I know
it's,
obviously it's
different human
relations compared
to the Lord
and us,
but it's a
similar concept
here when we
think about this.
And so,
in our
interpretation,
what does all
of this mean?
The first one
is that God
is not late,
he works in
his own
timing.
Right?
Now,
for some of us,
this is very
hard to read.
Even for a
person like me,
it can be hard
to read because
I want God
to intervene
now,
right?
How many of
us,
we wanted God
to respond
immediately?
And we're
like,
God,
come on.
Now,
maybe a few
minutes ago,
right?
We have those
kind of moments
that happen,
but it's
important for us
to know God
works in his
own timing.
He's not a
genie in the
bottle,
right?
Although some
of us may
view God
as that.
It's
inaccurate.
But God
is completing
something.
If you notice
in the text
when it says
until the
number of
their fellow
servants
should be
complete,
God is
not behind
schedule.
It is
waiting for
the proper
time for
all of
his own
to be
gathered
together.
Okay?
And I
want you to
consider the
persecuted church,
those that have
gone before
you.
Those lives
that have
been persecuted,
they're not
forgotten.
They are
remembered.
They are
held.
You even
think of
even in the
early days
of
Christianity
spreading.
The wars
that happened.
Ever heard
of Emperor
Nero?
Right?
That's a
good example,
right?
In that
kind of
apocalyptic
language.
Persecution
of the
Christians.
And in
that,
to face
that kind
of fear
and trembling,
it's relying
on God
knowing that
look,
God has
the power
over
death
itself.
So these
wicked people
that think
they're going
to take
your life,
they're not
going to
have the
final say.
It is
God who
controls
life itself.
So although
people may
do wicked
things,
and they
may do
evil things,
God gives
them the
choice to
make on
what they're
going to
do.
It's the
same kind
of choices
we have
to make.
Are we
going to
come to
know the
Lord?
Are we
going to
let God
transform us
and do
good in
his name?
Or are we
going to
be like
the wicked?
It's
unfortunate
when in
my own
personal life
there have
been people
I've met
who blatantly
not just
reject God
but go
against God
in the
process.
If you
want to
talk about
a tragedy,
it's the
hardened
hearts of
people.
And it's
very interesting
to talk
about how
God renews
our spirit,
how God
transforms
our mind,
changes the
very fabric
of who we
are.
It's very
unfortunate if
you ever
know somebody
that has
departed,
as it were.
And so
the persecuted
church today,
it stands at
the same
altar as
Stephen,
Polycarp,
and those
that have
been martyred.
I mean,
who can
count the
amount of
lives that
have been
lost?
It's a
really,
it's a very
heavy thing
for us to
think about,
right?
It's very
difficult to
talk about
the persecuted
church,
but at the
same time,
knowing that
they will be
remembered,
to be given
that new
robe,
and they'll
dwell in the
presence of
the Lord
forever,
that's a
remarkable
thing.
And so
in that,
there's a
question that's
asked in
Luke 18,
will not
God give
justice to
his own,
who cry to
him day
and night?
I tell you,
he will give
justice to
them.
That's right
after the,
that's in that
connection with
the parable of
the persistent
widow,
showing the
same kind of
connection.
And this is
part of the
remarkability,
the significance
of scripture,
is how connected
it is with the
Old Testament
and with the
parables of
Christ,
these kind of
things.
And this is
connected,
right,
with the second
one,
the martyrs
are not
forgotten.
They wear
white in
anticipation.
What beautiful
language in
that.
The white
robe is God
making everything
new.
Everyone will
be restored
unto him.
It's as though
you received a
royal garment
given by God
himself,
or like the
guests at the
great banquet
who wait in
anticipation for
better days to
come.
It's kind of,
you think about
it,
we can think
about this in
common terms.
You're waiting
for the
wedding feast,
a great banquet
as it were,
and you're
waiting for
everyone to
arrive in
their proper
attire.
That's such
simple language,
but that's
very similar
to what the
Lord is
doing.
And so
God honors
those who
gave their
lives for
the cause
of Christ,
for the
witness of
Christ.
They're not
forgotten,
and their
lives are not
wasted.
They are
counted.
It's just
like how
the Apostle
Paul wrote
in Philippians,
for to me
to live,
for to me
to live
is Christ
and to
die
is gain.
It's
such a,
almost
confusing
when you
read it
at first,
right?
But it's
connected in
here,
that death
is not
the end.
And for
the saint,
death is
the moment
where the
white robe
is going
to be
placed,
given to
you.
Because God
makes
everything
new.
So we
don't need
to fear
the apocalyptic
language of
revelation.
We don't
need to
fear
evildoers.
We trust
in the
living God
who will
sustain us
and hold
us.
And so,
finally,
you have
the two
kinds of
hiding,
the two
kinds of
face I
put on
here.
You can
hide in
the protection
of the
Lord,
right?
to be
hidden
away.
There's
language
talking about
the shadow
of the
wings,
right?
To be
protected
as a
bird
protects
its own,
right?
You think
of that
kind of
beautiful
language,
how God
protects
his own.
So you
can hide
in the
Lord,
as it
were,
and the
protection
in the
cover,
to be
hidden
in the
lamb.
Or you
can hide
away from
the face
of God.
Just as it
mentions that
the king's
hide from
the face
of God
and begging
the mountains
to cover
them.
It's going
to show
that in
that sense
of power
of God,
what are you
going to
hide in?
Are you
going to
flee to
the mountains
or are you
going to
flee to
God and
be hidden
in him
as it
were?
And it's
interesting
that to
flee to
the mountains
would be
against the
very notion
of what,
when we go
over our
benediction
here at
church.
The Lord
make his
face shine
upon you
and be
gracious to
you.
The Lord
lift up his
countenance
upon you
and give
you peace.
You think
for a moment,
well, if you're
fleeing away
from the
Lord, it's
the opposite
of that.
Really think
about that.
And so,
let us,
as we read
that, as we
think of
this, may
you hide
in the
protection of
the Lord.
This leads
us then to
how should
we live?
The first
one I put
is to cry
out to
the Lord.
Pray to
the Lord.
Be in
connection
with him.
That's
something
that's very
important.
The persistent
widow did
not stop
asking for
justice,
and the
souls beneath
the altar
did not
stop crying.
It's a
call for
us to
pray without
ceasing.
for us to
continue to
remain in
the Lord.
It's okay to
cry out to
the Lord for
justice, for
healing, for
the prodigal, for
the persecuted
church.
God hears our
prayers.
God will
answer in
his time.
And let's
not forget
when we
think of
praying to
the Lord,
be specific
in your
prayers.
Pray for
your city.
Pray for
your leaders.
prayers.
Pray for
your family.
Pray for
that prodigal
family member.
Think of
people, and
maybe take
some time
this week
to think
of who
specifically
you can
pray for.
The second
thing then
is to
endure,
that God
restores
his own.
So much
in Scripture
when it
says to
hold fast
until the
end and
to remain
in him
until the
end is
recognizing
this is
the other
side,
that God
will restore
you.
No matter
what the
world does
to you,
how the
world may
attack or
even persecute
you,
God will
protect you.
God will
be there
with you,
and he
will restore
you.
That should
give us
comfort.
That should
give us
a really
good
understanding.
For many
of us,
we may be
worn down
in doing
good.
For many
of us,
we may
even be
suffering in
some
capacity.
Just
know,
let this
be a
call for
you to
remain in
the Lord
and to
know that
you'll be
restored in
him and
to be
that God
will make
all things
new.
The family
is almost
complete.
In other
words,
it's like the
family reunion
coming together
despite this
incredible kind
of language.
God honors
his own.
The grave
does not
have the
last word.
It is the
Lamb of
God who
does.
Let us
remember
that.
And finally,
the third
thing is to
proclaim,
to share
the gospel
whatever the
cost.
It is
recognizing
that,
look,
the martyrs
were slain
for the
word of
God and
the witness
that they
bore.
Their
testimony is
why they
rest beneath
the altar.
And so,
let this be a
call for you
to share in
your faith,
in the words
that you
speak,
in how
you conduct
your life.
Plant seeds
and recognize
some people
will choose
Christ,
some will
not.
Some will
respond to
that invitation,
some will
not.
Our job is
to continue
in the
Great Commission,
to tell the
world about
Jesus Christ.
Our job is
to witness.
And it's
important for us
to recognize
there are
churches in
the world
today where
their Bibles
are hidden,
where pastors
are imprisoned,
and where
believers are
martyred for
the name of
Christ.
We remember
those lives.
The Lord
remembers them.
And we pray
for those
that are
persecuted.
We proclaim
and we thank
God for the
blessings that
he has given
us.
And so,
in conclusion,
the Lamb who
was slain,
he holds the
scroll.
The blood of
the martyrs
is at the
base of the
altar,
representing that
they are not
forgotten,
that they are
held,
that they are
remembered.
And the
prayers of the
saints,
they rise as
incense,
that beautiful
language,
to know that
God does
have the
final say.
No one can
stand against
the power of
God.
And remember
that in your
life,
you all have a
decision to
make.
Whether to
receive salvation
through faith
or to not.
And in
receiving salvation,
know that there
is a call for
you to be
transformed,
for you to
grow in the
Lord,
and to
proclaim the
good news of
the gospel to
others.
And how
wonderful is it
to know that
in knowing the
Lord,
no matter what
evil does,
it cannot stand
against the
power of God.
God, no
matter what
evil thinks
that they have
the final say,
they certainly
don't.
It is God
who has the
final say.
And so,
in all of
this, let us
cry out to the
Lord, let us
remain in him,
and proclaim the
name of Jesus.
Let's pray
together.
And Father God,
we thank you for
this passage.
We know this is a
very difficult
passage.
A lot of
language of
the sky
vanishing like
a scroll,
the stars
falling to
earth,
showing the
power of
who you
are.
And we
just pray
that may
we all come
to know who
you are.
You call each
and every one
of us,
may we respond
accordingly.
May we not
be afraid of
judgment.
May we not
be afraid of
you.
Rather, may
we come to
you and
respond to
you.
May we be
in that sense
of, just as
scripture talks
about, the
fear of the
Lord, being
in the sense
of awe and
wonder of
who you
are.
May we
boldly come
before you
and respond
to you.
May we be
transformed in
our understanding
and may we
recognize that
there are some
things that we
are just not
going to
understand and
that's okay.
What matters
is that we
believe in you
and that we
grow and we
continue in
the mission.
Father, we're
grateful for the
grace that you've
set before us
and how when we
receive this
salvation, we
certainly are a
work in progress.
May we be
molded.
May we be
confident in
you.
May we live
in love like
your son,
Jesus Christ,
the way, the
truth, and the
life.
May we wait
upon you and
trust in your
divine timing.
It is in the
name of Jesus
that we pray
and we all
say together,
Amen, church.
Amen.