Revelation 6:9

 

In Revelation Chapter 6 we have been introduced to the time of the Great Tribulation, a time of sorrow and trouble and difficulty that will come upon the earth just before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. It will be a time of trouble and death and suffering like the world has never seen. This teaching about the future Great Tribulation has several practical implications. Of course, it’s a warning for those who will be alive during the Great Tribulation so that they can understand what is happening to them, and so that they can turn to the Lord before it is too late. It also has a meaning and a lesson for us who are alive today, but will be gone by way of the Rapture prior to the beginning of the Tribulation.

 

Now all of what will occur when the Great Tribulation comes, will not just instantaneously take place. The seeds of that horrible harvest are now being sown and we can see them at every turn. September 11, 2001 is just one horrible example of the chaos to come.

 

The judgment of the Lord will be poured out in unlimited measure during the Tribulation, but it is tempered with mercy and grace as many will be saved out of the Tribulation. As a result of what they see, what they endure, and what they heard before it comes upon the earth, they will turn to the Lord and cry out for salvation. Right now we live in the age of grace, and all have the opportunity to turn to Jesus now and avoid the time of trial and testing that is coming to the earth. Just turn to Revelation 3: 10 and read what a wonderful promise the Lord gives to those who trust in him now!

 

The period of the Great Tribulation that's described in Revelation Chapter 6.

 

In Rev. 6:9-10 the Bible says,

 

"And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the alter the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, do you not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?"

 

Another group of people who are in heaven and who are close to the throne of God are those who had been slain, that is, martyred for their faith. Obviously, those who love God so much that they are willing to die for their faith, are people who have gained a special place in God’s heart and who will gain special rewards in heaven. Since the time that Jesus was on the earth, His followers have been subjected to persecution. The Bible says that those who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Jesus Himself said that the servant is not greater than his Lord. We here in America have not known what real persecution is all about. We think of persecution when our neighbors or fellow workers make fun of us. No, real persecution exists in the world today and it is not just name calling and denigrating comments from fellow workers, it is murder, torture and mayhem upon the true believers in Jesus Christ standing up for their Lord in the face of Satan himself.

 

There is a spiritual warfare going on in this world, and the enemies of God are resorting to violence; but the servants of God have been called to follow the example of Jesus and to not use violence against their attackers. Paul admonished us that our weapons are not carnal, but are spiritual.

 

We should always remember the example that Jesus gave when He hung on the cross and he said,

 

"Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."

 

That’s the attitude that we are supposed to have, but there is a day when judgment is coming for those who do not repent. Many times there is not justice in this life for wrongdoers, but there will eventually be justice because everyone will have to give an account to God. The earth cries out for justice, according to Revelation 6:10 the martyrs in heaven cry out for justice, and justice will come to the earth one day.

 

This is one of the reasons that God told us not to be vengeful against those who do us wrong. Remember that the Bible says,

 

"Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord, I will repay."

 

Justice is inevitable. No one is going to get away with anything. The reason that justice and judgment are inevitable is stated by the martyrs in Revelation 6:10 when they addressed God and said,

 

"How long, O Lord, holy and true…"

 

God is holy and true. He must judge sin because He is holy, and God will judge the right judgment for every person because God is the truth. That’s one of the reasons that we need a Savior. In Christ sin was judged and condemned and paid for. Happy are those who are in Christ, because they will not be held accountable for their own sins. But eternal woe will be the fate of those who are not in Christ. It will be a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God without a Savior to intercede for you.

 

Many things will be done for those who believe in Jesus Christ. They will be given what they could not have earned on their own merits. The goodness and righteousness needed to enter the Kingdom of God will be given to them freely. That’s why the first part of Rev. 6:11 says,

 

"And white robes will be given unto every one of them..."

 

These are white robes because white is symbolic of holiness and purity. We are not good or pure because of our own actions or because of what has happened in our lives, but rather because having been washed in the blood of Jesus we have been made the "righteousness of God in Christ Jesus!"

 

When Jesus forgives you, He forgives you all the way. It’s important to note how the people in heaven have gained their goodness and purity, how they gained their white robes. They did not gain them by their own works or by their own efforts. The word that is used in Revelation 6:11 is the word "given." The white robes were "given" to the souls in heaven.

 

Romans 6:23 describes this gift,

 

"The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." We can only have eternal life if we are holy and righteous and we only receive holiness and righteousness through the shed blood of Jesus.