THE SEVEN SEALS V
MEMORISE: The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. Zephaniah 1:14
READ: Revelation 6:9 -11
9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
MESSAGE
The first four seals involved human beings destroying each other. All that the inhabitants of the world at that time would have seen will look man-made – people destroying each other. From the fifth seal on, the punishment will be coming directly from heaven.
When the fifth seal was opened, John saw under the altar in heaven, the souls of Martyrs – saints who were killed for the sake of the gospel. They were crying for vengeance. This tells us straight away that vengeance is coming for all those who have died and those who are currently suffering for the gospel. If you are one of such saints, take heart; the persecution may be great now, but please don’t try to avenge yourself so that you do not miss your place in heaven in the process. Just keep standing for Christ; the time is coming when your persecutors will be dealt with if they refuse to repent. Take heart, beloved of the Lord and be strong.
Now, John records that the martyrs were given white robes and told to hold on for other Christians on earth who will be martyred too, and then God will avenge them. In that time, many people who will realize their error after missing rapture will be determined to make heaven. It will be very difficult then to be a Christian because the Christians will not worship the Anti-Christ nor take his mark. Now, there are some areas in the world where it is difficult to be a Christian, but those areas are few; after the rapture however, it will be difficult to be a Christian everywhere around the world. The whole world will be against Christians. They will gladly kill any Christian that refuses to take the mark and the government will back them up.
And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads; And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Revelation 13:15-17
Do all you can to avoid missing the rapture.
ACTION POINT
Surrender your life totally to Jesus now and commit to a life of holiness so you do not miss the rapture.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Job 1-5
HYMN 19: O WORSHIP THE KING ALL GLORIOUS ABOVE
1 O worship the King all-glorious above,
O gratefully sing his power and his love:
our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days,
pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.
2 O tell of his might and sing of his grace,
whose robe is the light, whose canopy space.
His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form,
and dark is his path on the wings of the storm.
3 Your bountiful care, what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air, it shines in the light;
it streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,
and sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.
4 Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
in you do we trust, nor find you to fail.
Your mercies, how tender, how firm to the end,
our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend!
5 O measureless Might, unchangeable Love,
whom angels delight to worship above!
Your ransomed creation, with glory ablaze,
in true adoration shall sing to your praise!
