The Fifth Seal

Revelation 6:9-11

Why does death or dying seem like such a sad event?  It surely has a lot to do with the fact that in this life they are gone from us, and that we miss them in many ways.  Those must be the key reasons.  The Scripture teaches us that all will die at some point, a physical death, but the soul will not die, the spirit, the real you will be very much alive, and this is the real issue.  If that loved one is in Christ, the Scripture teaches us that they will be absent from the body, but present with the Lord. 

Revelation 6:9-11 is about the fifth seal being opened and what John saw; “When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne.”  We can only imagine what this looked like, the many thousands who have been killed because they spoke of the “Truth” and bore witness to the blood of Jesus that was given to redeem the world back to God.  John goes on telling us what he heard and saw, “They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”  It seems to me that it is of the utmost importance to remind the reader of what the apostle Peter said in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”  It is because of God’s great love for us that we see the Father delaying the request of those who had been slain, and so let us take up the story of what John is being an eye witness to; “Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest 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.”(Rev. 6:11)

Are you one of the ones they are waiting for, am I one of the ones?  Only God can answer that question, but the truth is that many followers of Jesus Christ will still be called to give up this life because they will bear witness to the Scripture and to the love of Jesus Christ, and the redeeming blood that he shed for the sins of each of us.  It was not that long ago that a young girl, a teenager in Colorado was slain for her faith in Jesus Christ, and in many countries around the world, people are being slain for their faith and added to that number, and God will not forget those he has dressed in white robes, but, “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice