The book of Revelation has been describing to you what it means to be in the kingdom of Christ, that kingdom begun when Christ ascended to heaven and was made head over His church. That kingdom has been described in two aspects; it's already aspect and its not yet aspects.
As those for whom Christ died and rose, you already have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Because you have been united to Christ, you already sit in the heavenly places with Him. Final judgment for you has already occurred because God's wrath was already poured out on the Son in your place. You have already been granted the Spirit of the kingdom of heaven, sealing you as God's own possession forever.
But Revelation has been equally clear describing the not-yet aspect of the kingdom also. Because you still live in a cursed world, because you still have perishable bodies, and because you still sin, the not-yet aspect of the kingdom is defined as tribulation.
You have been challenged to reconsider your expectations for this life. Are you expecting more from this life than He has promised? Not only is the not-yet aspect of the kingdom defined as suffering, but Revelation has instructed us that these sufferings are actually means by which God establishes his kingdom.
Last week we saw in the four horsemen that Christ sovereignty uses the forces of evil to accomplish his purposes for His people. This means that the tribulations that come upon us in this life, though meant by Satan to draw us from God, are used by God to draw us further to Himself.
This should not seem so strange to you. The disciples were mystified when Jesus spoke of his own sufferings and death in the same breath with his predictions of the coming kingdom. In the disciples' mind suffering and kingdom were opposed to each other. But Jesus conquered through suffering, and now His people are called to take up their cross and follow in His footsteps.
We come now to the opening of the fifth and sixth seals of the scroll, and it doesn't get any easier. You have been challenged to interpret your situation in light of Scripture, and not the other way around. Revelation informs you not only how to think about the world, but how to think about yourself. This is not the power of positive thinking; this is renewing your minds to those truths accomplished by Christ. We do not make them come true by thinking upon them. By seeing how you are described in the Bible, you will then be enabled to live out who you are.
In this passage, you are called martyrs. You are called martyrs. When the fifth seal is opened, John sees the souls of all those who had been slain for their faithfulness to the word of God. He sees these souls under the altar, which would signify the idea that their lives were offered as a sacrifice to God. These souls are those who have suffered the tribulation of the four horseman, and now upon death their souls are in heaven.
Now as Protestants we do not exalt our martyrs. We look to them as examples of courage and faith, but we do not exalt them to a special place in heaven or in the church. I say this because if you are not careful you might be inclined to read from this passage that martyrs do indeed have a special place in heaven.
If you see in this seal a reference only to martyrs who have literally been killed for their faith, then this seal only has to do with a small minority in the history of the church. But this language of martyrdom throughout Revelation includes all believers in Christ; all who have persevered through the not yet of the kingdom.
In the New Testament the idea of dying for your faith most often refers to all Christians. For example, Jesus said in Matt 10 that only those who lose their lives in this world will gain their lives in the next. All true believers lose their lives in this world.
In Rom 8:36 all believers are described as lambs led to the slaughter. In Romans 8 all believers are defined as those who daily put to death the deeds of the body.
All true Christians are identified with the lamb that was slain. As He suffered for His faithfulness, so all His followers identify with Christ by laying their lives down, whether daily or ultimately.
So after remaining faithful through the tribulations of vv. 1-8, the souls of these saints now rest in heaven. We must continually remember that John is seeing a vision; this is symbolism that picture truth. You cannot actually see souls.
There is a doctrine you might be familiar with called soul-sleep. Jehovah Witnesses have held to it but certain fringe evangelical groups are beginning to also. This is the idea that at death the souls of men have no consciousness. But the picture in Rev is that the souls of believers are actively worshiping and praying; they are conscious as they await to be reunited with their bodies.
In v. 10 the souls of the believers call out to God to vindicate His name on the earth. This is not a prayer of personal vengeance. It is a prayer that God would receive all the glory he deserves. It is a prayer not satisfied with the wicked walking free while the righteous suffer. It is prayer that God would make all things right and bring to fruition all His promises. It is the same prayer you pray when you say, "Thy kingdom come."
The souls of the saints see those who worship idols living without consequence; they persecute the saints and treat them as nothing. The only way this prayer could be answered was if God judged all idol worshippers.
In v 11 these souls are vindicated by receiving white robes; revealing that they indeed were righteous even though the verdict of the world said otherwise. The white robe is a vindication that they were Christ's and that his righteousness covered them. And they proved they were Christ's by persevering under tribulation. Thus their suffering ended up establishing them in the kingdom.
But this doesn't answer the prayer of v. 10, does it? In v. 11 they are told to rest and wait until the number of their fellow servants who also will die is fulfilled. God has a specific number He has decreed to save, and the church must continue on in until the last of Christ's sheep is gathered. How are these sheep described?
They also will identify with Christ by taking up their crosses on earth before entering heaven. The souls are told to be patient; there are many more God plans to bring to Himself before He answers their prayer.
You understand that the Book of Revelation will not allow any triumphalistic thinking this side of Christ's return. We are never to expect suffering to end for the church with some kind of earthly vision of church glory. Revelation keeps your hope on the coming of Christ and the new heavens and earth.
If the fifth seal is the cry of the departed saints, the sixth seal is the answer to their cry. When the sixth seal is opened, John sees a terrifying sight. Here is the answer to their prayer. Have you thought about what you ultimately are praying for when you pray "Thy kingdom come?" How dare the church pray the Lord's Prayer in a rote manner! VV. 12-17 picture final judgment coming on the earth.
Now here is where too often some forget that we are dealing with a vision. Some have tried to match these descriptions in v. 12&13 with physical scientific phenomenon. For example, some have suggested that the moon turning to blood refers to a certain kind of lunar eclipse that will occur immediately before the return of Christ. But what we are seeing here is one picture; we must take it as a whole to grasp the point, and we must remember a vision uses symbolism.
The Final Judgment is the end of this creation. Christ's return will affect the whole cosmos. These descriptions weave together many OT texts describing final judgment. As the earthquake begins John sees everything in the heavens and earth begin to change and eventually crumble. The sun turns black, the moon turns to blood, and the stars begin to fall to the earth, just as shaken fig tree drops hundreds of figs.
The sky begins to be rolled up like a scroll; and every mountain and island begins to roll up also. Take this as one picture. Can you imagine the horrifying scene unfolding before John's eyes in this vision? It is the end of the created world.
Now it is difficult to discern from Scripture the continuity between this old earth and the new heavens and earth. Do not think that the new creation will be void of a physical earth. As we will have physical bodies, so we will live in a physical place.
Christ's resurrected body is the best example. There is continuity with His old body in that His resurrected body is recognizable and physical. Yet upon his resurrection it was a glorified, perfected body.
As with our bodies, so will it be with this earth. The old created order will cease to exist, but a new created order somehow related to the old will take its place. VV. 12-14 symbolically describe the end to the old order, including the end to the old humanity who has Adam as their covenant head.
In v. 15, six classes of men are judged by God; kings, nobles, commanders, or mighty men, rich, slave and free. You will notice that in the earlier description six elements of the created world are destroyed; the sun, moon, stars, sky, mountain, and islands. In Revelation the number six represents the number of man, specifically the number of sinful man. Remember man was created on the sixth day. The six-fold description serve to emphasize God's anger with man who He created on the sixth day.
All classes of people are included in this judgment from the mightiest to the lowly slave. God is nor respecter of persons in salvation or judgment.
In vv. 15&16 the men of the earth are pictured as hiding themselves in caves and rocks. We read in Isaiah that this image of seeking protection from the rocks and caves refers to the action of idolaters. Isa said:
Their land is also full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands…. Enter into the rock and hide in the dust, from the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty… They shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, from the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty, When He arises to shake the earth.
The point is that one either worships Christ or he is an idolater. When Christ comes these idolaters appeal to the rocks and the mountains to protect them from the divine wrath. Why do they call out to created objects? Because that is what they have been worshiping all along. They have made an idol out of this creation, now they call upon their idol to save them. They have considered their earth their final home so now they see refuge in that home; but the rocks and caves can do nothing.
We are brought back to Gen 3 when man hid from the terror of the Lord after the first sin. Here is the final judgment for sin and man is still doing the same thing.
Now we would expect after seeing Christ in His glory that many of these would cry out in repentance. But the ministry of God's Spirit to regenerate hearts and draw them to Christ no ceases. Man is left to his sinful self. How sinful is sin? These idolaters would rather trust in rocks than to humble themselves before the living God. Be sure you are on the right side on Judgment Day.
Now let us use this text to transform our minds, that we may know the will of the Lord for our lives. You will notice that in v. 10 unbelievers are described as those who dwell on the earth. This is an odd phrase, considering in a physical sense God's people dwell on the earth also.
But this wording gives you insight as to the difference between believers and unbelievers. Unbelievers are said to dwell on the earth because they have made this passing world their final home. As with Lot's wife they can only look back, they refuse to place their hope anywhere else. They have loved this world, and in loving this world they have lost their souls. They are idol worshipers because they have worshiped the elements of this creation, including their own selves.
But in the Book of Revelation you are not called earth-dwellers. You are described as citizens of heaven. You are not to live as if this world were all that mattered. You are always to live with your eyes looking ahead. This is to affect how you treat one another; what your expectations are for this life, and how you love even those who mistreat you.
And in v. 9 you are described as martyrs. Martyrs die. They die to self. They struggle against sin and temptation. They do not live demanding others to meet all their needs.
Most marriage problems among Christians have to do with one or both parties forgetting who they are in Christ; they act like an unbeliever who loves this world; they make demands of their spouse instead of love and serve them. They refuse to say I'm sorry as if there is any place for pride in the new creation.
Martyrs do not demand; martyrs joyously give. A Martyr takes up his cross instead of waking up each day asking how much I can receive from this world.
A true Christian is a martyr, he has entered the struggle; he fights against sin; he is not too proud to repent and say I'm sorry. The very fact that you are in the struggle should be great encouragement to you. It is in the struggle that Christ displays His power, in your weakness He is strong.
Finally, if you want to comprehend somewhat what Christ experienced for you on the cross, you can consider this picture in Rev 6. As horrible as it will be for the unbeliever, it was more so for Christ, who knew no sin of his own. Christ received the full wrath of God in our place. He who knew no sin gave us His righteousness so that we may enter into the fullness of the new heavens and earth. Our king and Savior is certainly worthy for us to take up our cross as a sacrifice of praise. Amen.