Soon!

Here is a link to last week’s series, Soon!

Our look at Revelation six continues with verses 9-17. Be sure to read the passages.

Revelation 6:9-17 (NLT)

John describes a detail of the tribulation that evokes a lot of interest among believers who have unsaved loved ones that may be alive after the rapture of the Church.

Many of us have friends and loved ones who won’t accept the free gift of eternal life. It’s sad to know people like that; you love them, but you can’t fix it. You must trust God and believe in His perfect love for mankind. He still pursues them, but they have a choice to make. God will not rob their right to accept or reject Him.

So that brings us to a large number of people that the Bible tells us is dwelling under the altar in Heaven following the devastation brought by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Who are they? The answer to this question is what fills my heart with hope for people left, unsaved, when believers have joined Jesus in Heaven. We know by this passage that many people will be saved after the Tribulation begins. Here is what we know about these saints.

They will:

• be given an opportunity to share their testimony and profess Christ as Lord of their lives
• be persecuted because of the Word of God
• die a martyr’s death
• live in their Spirit in Heaven while waiting for other martyrs to join them there
• receive white robes and will be given a time of rest
• cry out to God for vengeance against the evil ones who took their lives and continue to wreak havoc on earth
• offer prayers to God
• finally see the victory of the Lamb of God

When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of all who had been martyred for the word of God and for being faithful in their testimony.  

They shouted to the Lord and said,

“O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?” 

Then a white robe was given to each of them. And they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters—their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred—had joined them.

Revelation 6:9-11

So here is a great time to ask a question. When will it be too late for people left on earth to change their mind and accept the free gift of God’s grace and mercy?

Well according to the next passages we know that after Jesus has opened the 7th is broken, everyone will still have an opportunity for eternal life with Christ.

We will read in the next devotional how Christ will send 144,000 evangelists into the world to witness. Next week we will talk about how many may possibly be saved. Just be aware that we are not to be troubled with things that we don’t know the answer to. Just keep trusting in the sovereignty of God and His love for lost people.

Let’s take a look.

I watched as the Lamb broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood. Then the stars of the sky fell to the earth like green figs falling from a tree shaken by a strong wind. The sky was rolled up like a scroll, and all of the mountains and islands were moved from their places.

Revelation 6:12-14 (NLT)

Earthquakes, the sun blacked out, the moon turns blood red, stars fall, the sky is divided into two halves, mountains and islands are moved.

Can you imagine being moved to such terror as this will cause? No. You can’t. Neither can I. God is the ruler, yet! This earth and all creation belong to Him. And still, there will be time for those who survive these catastrophes to be redeemed.

Look at the next passage. After reading this, do you see why rebellion against God and His moral law is wicked? The hearts of these people are so hard that even in utter devastation they refuse to bow to Christ. They could be saved, but they won’t. It is their own choice. There is no excuse for unbelief.

Verse 15 points out that finally, it isn’t going to be just the poor and vulnerable that are suffering.

“Then everyone—the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy, the powerful, and every slave and free person—”

To this point the wealthy and powerful have still managed to live fairly untouched by the famine and some of the other catastrophes of the Tribulation. But now, even the leaders of the world, kings, and other notables will be crying out for instant death.

“…all hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb.  For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to survive?”

So, do you believe it is the catastrophic events on earth that is causing the people to beg to die? Look at this phrase:

…hide us from the face of the One who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb…”

The crumbling earth and fearsome darkness, along with cataclysmic destruction, were less terrifying than the sight of Jesus. This passage reveals that when the sky opened like a scroll, people saw Jesus on the throne and recognized Him yet still refused salvation. Now, after the Lamb opens the 7th seal and His Jewish witnesses have completed their task to share the Gospel, the end of days will loom. At that point it is too late for anyone to receive salvation.

God’s patience and love has been rejected for the last time.

What do you think the 7th seal is?

Well, believe it or not, we won’t get to the 7th seal until chapter eight. Next week we have a small window of time before the 7th seal is broken. Why not open your Bible and read chapter 7 for next week’s look at Revelation. May 27th is the day we will read together about the 7th seal.

Pray for those in your world who reject Christ. Watch your own life. Be careful to honor God in even the smallest ways, at work, home, and school—just doing life.

And share the Gospel in your world.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.