Monday, October 20: Revelation 6- martyrdom continues to this day.

If the scenes in heaven haven’t been “other” worldly enough, they grow even more incredible, hard to comprehend and symbolic in today’s chapter. One thing is clear; God’s wrath is a terrible thing, while at the same time it is the longing of the heart of the martyrs who see it as the justice their deaths call for. When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been (9-11).

The verse above makes it clear that martyrdoms are not yet over… there are more to come. And it seems they will continue until God yells, ‘Stop’, which will be at the time of His justice and His judgment.

Our world seems to have gone or is going more crazy lately. And in the Middle East, particularly Iraq, Christians are bearing the brunt of ISIS’ sword. As I read this morning’s text, this should not surprise us. God’s enemy still prowls and is looking to slay those who stand for the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.

In the United States, in particular, and our world of political connectedness and voice, today’s word does not mean I (we) should stand by and do nothing. But it does mean that I should not be shocked that the hand of the evil one can work through humanity like this. The real enemy is the devil but he uses blinded and duped fellow humans to do his bidding.

Lord, I pray that the time is not long, that Your coming will be soon, that you will avenge the blood of the martyrs and judge the world and the people here in. Come, Lord Jesus. Come.