Heavens – Page 4 – Praying Pint

12.l. “Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord”

Habakkuk 3:3 God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. His glory covered the heavens and his praise filled the earth. His splendor was like the sunrise; rays flashed from his hand, where his power was hidden. Plague went before him; pestilence followed his steps. He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed— but he marches on forever.

Deuteronomy 5:24     And you said, ‘Behold, the LORD our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire. This day we have seen God speak with man, and man still live.

Psalms 114:3-7    The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.  What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back?  O mountains, that you skip like rams? O hills, like lambs?  Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob,

Revelation 5:13   And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

Isaiah 6:3  And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”

As Habakkuk prayed for a revival he began to praise the God who brings revival. Habakkuk glorified the power and majesty of God. It is good to praise God like this, and God’s people need to do more of it. It is good to praise God because it gives appropriate honor and glory to God, it declares God’s specific works, it teaches and reminds us of who God is and what He has done, it places man in proper perspective under God, and it builds confidence in the power and works of God.

Do you ever wonder what is proper praise and worship of God? How do you get to the place in your hearts and minds where praise and worship flow out. God revealed and Habakkuk saw the judgment, anger, and wrath of God coming because of the defiance and rebellion of His people. Habakkuk prayed for revival and in this prayer he called out to God with praise and worship, remembering who God is. Nothing else is worthy of the praise and worship of God. He alone is worthy. When our hearts, minds, and souls are intentionally committed to honor, serve, follow, obey, rely, and trust God our hearts will overflow with praise and worship of Him. When our eyes to our hearts and ears to our minds are clouded with things of this world, and the Word of God is neglected and void in our desires, what should be praise and worship are turned into worry and fear and defeat. Habakkuk remembered the power of God and how He has control over all things. It confirmed in his heart and mind that nothing is impossible for God. We certainly have a lot that could cloud our eyes and deafen our ears to things of God. A global pandemic, riots, confusion, fear, foolish thoughts on what is right and wrong, division, hatred, defiance of God, wars, plagues …… You have to wonder how much more chaos needs to happen before mankind and nations will recognize the hand of God in all of this and only in and through His power and glory will it stop. In all of this God is in control and His plans and purposes are perfect. Mankind attempts to deny God’s hand in these happenings and you don’t have to see and hear much news to know their hearts are full of pride and defiance and void of fear/reverence of God. Do you want to see and end to all that is happening? Turn to God. Do you want peace in chaos? Turn to God. Do you want wisdom to see God’s hand in what is happening? Dive deep into His Word. Do you want to hope for the future? Believe in Him alone who can do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine. Keeping our hearts, minds, and souls pure through His Word and a deep desire to praise and worship Him will flow through us.

12.a. “They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment,”

Habakkuk 1:12 Are you not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O Lord, you have ordained them as a judgment, and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof. You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?

Psalms 90  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

Revelation 1:8   “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Lamentations 5:19   But you, O LORD, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations.

Isaiah 40:28     Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

1 Timothy 1:17    To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews 1:10-12     And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands;  they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment,

Isaiah 57:15    For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Almighty, Everlasting, Holy One, Rock, Righteous, Alpha and Omega, Creator, Unsearchable, Immortal, Invisible, and Unchangeable, is our God!!!!!!!!! It is hard to touch the edge of understanding of how great God is. The Mighty One who reigns in eternity is the same one who dwells with those who are repentant. “The One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” Our God reached out to His creation in love through Jesus Christ, to redeem those who come to Him in a contrite spirit. It was not as though He needed to do this. He is God and could have destroyed His creation and started over but He chose to send a redeemer into this world to rescue those who would respond to His offer of redemption through Jesus Christ. Adam and Eve chose to defy God’s warning. They chose to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. I do not know how this all worked but at this point sin and our sinful nature took birth. Every birth from this moment forward has a sinful nature. This same sinful nature that drove Adam and Eve out of the garden of Eden is the same sinful nature that drives us to willingly continue to separate ourselves from God. This sinful nature wants us and entices us to look at what this world has to offer more than the Word of God and His promises. This sinful nature wants us to water down the Good News of Jesus Christ to the point where it has no effect on the way we live. It wants us to water down the Good News of Jesus Christ so that the need for forgiveness, repentance, reliance, obedience, and humbly serving the King of Kings is not required. This should not be. Things of this world will never fully satisfy, but will surely disappoint. Things of this world will never give us lasting peace, but will surely rob us of rest for our souls. Things of this world will never give us lasting hope but will fill us with confusion and fear. Things of this world will not save our souls from eternal punishment and torment in hell but will fill us with a worldly wisdom that there is no punishment, torment, or hell. The grace, mercy, and love of God reached out to save us from our sinful nature. The Creator demonstrated this grace, mercy, and love by sending His only Son and placed our sins on Him as the only perfect, once and for all sacrifice. This perfect redemption came at a very high cost and yet, Jesus Christ paid the price willing for our redemption and forgiveness of sin. Our daily lives ought to be lived out in humble thankfulness and gratitude, full of worship, obedience, and reliance. Be mindful of your sinful nature and what this world is offering, they both lie. Turn your hearts, minds, and souls to the Almighty, Everlasting, Holy One, Rock, Righteous, Alpha and Omega, Creator, Unsearchable, Immortal, Invisible, and Unchangeable, God!! In this turning to God and away from self you will find purpose, meaning, peace, and rest. Eternity awaits us all. To some it will be eternity Heaven and others it will be an eternity in Hell. The choice is all yours and be assured that this choice has eternal consequences.

11.b. “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me.”

Micah 5:15 And in anger and wrath I will execute vengeance on the nations that did not obey. Hear what the Lord says: Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. Hear, you mountains, the indictment of the Lord, and you enduring foundations of the earth, for the Lord has an indictment against his people, and he will contend with Israel. “O my people, what have I done to you? How have I wearied you? Answer me! For I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. O my people, remember what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.”

Deuteronomy 32:1    “Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak, and let the earth hear the words of my mouth.

Luke 19:40    He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

Jeremiah 22:29    O land, land, land, hear the word of the LORD!

Isaiah 1:2   Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the LORD has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me.

Give ear creation for God is proclaiming His anger against disobedience. God asks a very good question, “How have I wearied you?” “What have I done to you?” He is asking them what part of life is detrimental when following and obeying God? What part of being in the protective, powerful, and loving arms is bad for their life on earth? What part of promised eternal life with Him is not worth giving Him all our hearts, minds, and souls? What part of His provisions is so bad that we want to turn away and shun Him? If we give this any thought at all and look into how we are living our lives we might be ashamed of how we honor, glorify, follow, worship, obey, trust, and rely on Him.

10.s. Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world both low and high, rich and poor together!

Micah 1:1 The word of the Lord that came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. Hear, you peoples, all of you; pay attention, O earth, and all that is in it, and let the Lord God be a witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. For behold, the Lord is coming out of his place, and will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth. And the mountains will melt under him, and the valleys will split open, like wax before the fire, like waters poured down a steep place.

Deuteronomy 32:1    “Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak, and let the earth hear the words of my mouth.

Psalms 49:1-2    Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world both low and high, rich and poor together!

Jeremiah 22:29     O land, land, land, hear the word of the LORD!

Revelation 3:6    He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Isaiah 1:2    Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the LORD has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me.

Mark 7:14-16     And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand:

Malachi 3:5   “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts.

I am amazed at all of the news, fake news, drama news, political noise new, posturing news, lying news, false news, biased news, partial truth news, unfair news, news on news, opinion news, news for ratings, news for fear, etc……… How can you believe any of it? For everything that is reported it seems people are willing to believe it is true. They drink the kool-aid and don’t mind being led down paths that only a few short weeks ago they would have been up in arms over it. If they read it in the news or hear it on the TV news it must be true and at the same time they are choosing this they read scripture or hear scripture and doubt it’s application of truth for today.

Hear the words of the Lord. It is hard to hear when you are not listening. It is hard to hear when you are listening to something else. We listen to what we want to listen too. We choose to listen and give our attention to it. If the Lord is speaking to you and you choose not to listen it will be to your detriment. Scripture tells us we should b slow to speak and quick to listen. Scripture will speak to our hearts, minds, and souls if we would choose to listen to what the Holy Spirit is confirming deep within our soul. “Hear, you peoples, all of you; pay attention, O earth, and all that is in it, and let the Lord God be a witness against you”

9.m. “For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.”

Joel 3:9 Proclaim this among the nations: Consecrate for war; stir up the mighty men. Let all the men of war draw near; let them come up. Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, “I am a warrior.” Hasten and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves there. Bring down your warriors, O Lord. Let the nations stir themselves up and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Go in, tread, for the winepress is full. The vats overflow, for their evil is great. Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. The Lord roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake. But the Lord is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel.

The valley of decision grabbed ahold of my attention. It is not as though these people are making a decision to seek God, repent, and turn to Him. They have made their decision to reject Jesus Christ. they have made their decision to do battle against Jesus Christ. Their decision is what warrants God’s decision of judgment, wrath, and anger. It is their decision just like it is for each of us. We can come to Him but have we made a decision with all of our hearts, mind, soul, and strength to rely upon, trust, honor, follow, and obey Him? Have we made a decision to listen to Him through how the Holy Spirit speaks to us through His Word? Have we made a decision to deny self and self-reliance? Have we made a decision to be humble? Have w made a decision to seek how we might honor Him in all we say, think, and do? This is a bit out of context but, it is time for us to come up out of the valley of decision and clearly put this behind us by making the decision for how we serve, honor, trust, obey and follow Jesus Christ.

9.k. Among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.

Joel 2:28 “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit. “And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.

There is so much here that relates to Jesus Christ, salvation, and end times. I think what Peter was led to say in Acts captures the fullness of Joel today. Act 2:17-37 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him, “‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”’ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

9.h. “But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the LORD.”

Joel 2:10 Return to the Lord “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God?

Deuteronomy 4:29-30     But from there you will seek the LORD your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.  When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the LORD your God and obey his voice.

Jeremiah 4:1    “If you return, O Israel, declares the LORD, to me you should return. If you remove your detestable things from my presence, and do not waver,

Jeremiah 29:12-13   Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.  You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

2 Chronicles 7:13-14    When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people,  if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Zechariah 1:3-4    Therefore say to them, Thus declares the LORD of hosts: Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts.  Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the LORD.

Acts 26:20     but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.

With all that is going on in the whole world today, is there any doubt that it is by the hand of God? Some may say it is just a fluke in nature and we should expect things like this to happen given the ease in which travel has become. Two views. One seeing God as the author and the other denying God is the author. The one who sees this as being at the hand of God will look inward to self and outward to culture and seek understanding, wisdom, repentance, and return to God more wholeheartedly. They know their security is in Him but more than that, they have an inner assurance that is soul deep. Belief in Jesus Christ will allow us to grab hold of the security as a means of facing trials but they lack the inner assurance that only comes when one comes out the other side of the trial. All trials should give us pause and push us to reflect on our lives. Are we keeping our focus on Jesus Christ, living for Him, seeking to follow, trust and obey Him? Not a single one of us can say there is not some area within our lives that we keep to ourselves and don’t give it over to Jesus Christ. Through trials, we can seek God’s leading and desire Him to show us what we have not yet surrendered to Him and His awesome power and control. We can return to Him more fully and find rest for our surrendered souls. It is in His hands we will find rest, assurance, hope, and purpose now and forever.

9.g. Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger?

Joel 2:10 a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness there is spread upon the mountains a great and powerful people; their like has never been before, nor will be again after them through the years of all generations. Fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them, but behind them a desolate wilderness, and nothing escapes them. Their appearance is like the appearance of horses, and like war horses they run. As with the rumbling of chariots, they leap on the tops of the mountains, like the crackling of a flame of fire devouring the stubble, like a powerful army drawn up for battle. Before them peoples are in anguish; all faces grow pale. Like warriors they charge; like soldiers they scale the wall. They march each on his way; they do not swerve from their paths. They do not jostle one another; each marches in his path; they burst through the weapons and are not halted. They leap upon the city, they run upon the walls, they climb up into the houses, they enter through the windows like a thief. The earth quakes before them; the heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. The Lord utters his voice before his army, for his camp is exceedingly great; he who executes his word is powerful. For the day of the Lord is great and very awesome; who can endure it?

Numbers 24:23    And he took up his discourse and said, “Alas, who shall live when God does this?

Nahum 1:6     Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.

Malachi 3:2   But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap.

Revelation 6:17    for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

How many people right now are walking around with the thought of Christs’ coming wrath? How many tune in their radio to an uplifting station that speaks of grace, mercy, and love of Jesus Christ, who, living in prosperity, freedom, and without many worries cast their focus on the ease of life. The thought of coming wrath and anger of Jesus Christ is far from their thoughts. He is coming again to claim His own and then the judgment. The problem is we very seldom give thought to the coming judgment because we know we are redeemed, saved, and have our focus on eternity in heaven with Him. If we don’t give thought to coming judgment how are we to have the urgency to tell others of the gospel. It seems as though the gospel has been watered down to prosperity, financial, relational, and health benefits for believing in Jesus Christ. It seems as though calls to come to Christ are not for the redemption of sin and coming wrath and judgment but rather for ease of life cares. We need to speak of sin, judgment, and salvation. This needs to be proclaimed or I fear we will see shallow conversions without root. Our lives this side of eternity are not about ease of life but rather walking through this life of trials and troubles with faith in Jesus Christ knowing that our home is not here but in Heaven. Our redemption and salvation from sin change us from the inside and trust, obedience, and reliance grows through maturing our faith in Christ through His Word. Ever before us is the knowledge of what we have been saved and set free from. The knowledge of being saved from our sin and the coming judgment against sin should propel us to speak boldly of sin, judgment, and salvation.

7.m. Behold, the day of the Lord comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger

Isaiah 13:9 Behold, the day of the Lord comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it. For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light. I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant, and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless. I will make people more rare than fine gold, and mankind than the gold of Ophir. Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of its place, at the wrath of the Lord of hosts in the day of his fierce anger. And like a hunted gazelle, or like sheep with none to gather them, each will turn to his own people, and each will flee to his own land. Whoever is found will be thrust through, and whoever is caught will fall by the sword.

Isaiah gives a clear prophecy about what we have read so far in Revelation as recorded by John. “the day of the Lord comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger,” It may be hard for us to understand and see Jesus cruel, with wrath and fierce anger. Living in and during the time of His great mercy, grace, and love, and where God’s wrath has been held back against sinners in hope that they will come to the knowledge, understanding, and wisdom of Jesus Christ. This knowledge and understanding begins to find root in their heart when they receive the wisdom of their sin and God’s Holiness, their need for redemption and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and their need for forgiveness and the mercy, grace, and love revealed to their heart, mind, and soul by the Holy Spirit through belief and trust in Jesus Christ. This knowledge and understanding of forgiveness flood their heart, mind, and soul with a “Knowing” peace, rest, hope, and joy. The fact that God has withheld His wrath and anger and judgment on them seems to get lost in this understanding for when we are in receipt of His grace, mercy, and love we become new creatures, born again, and the old sinful self is changed and continues to change as we grow more and more in knowledge of Him who was, who is, and who is to come. Yes, we get lost in His grace, mercy, and love. How could we not? We were lost and without hope and now we are found and have eternal life promised to us. We forget the wrath, anger, and judgment coming on those who reject His grace, mercy, and love because the love we have personally experienced overwhelms our heart, mind, and soul. Be assured, He is coming again, not as a lamb but as a judge of sinners. A judge of those who have rejected His sacrifice. A judge of those who sealed their heart against the need for forgiveness. A judge of those who deny the need of Jesus Christ. A judge of those who practices evil. A judge of those who despises God. A judge of those who harden their heart against His offer of redemption. A judge of those who have intentionally chose to live in darkness and apart from honoring, serving, following, trusting, and obeying Him. A judge of Sinners. We must always keep this in mind, for this is exactly what we deserved prior to God’s Word of salvation through Christ breaking through into our hearts.

6.w. Surely there is a God who judges on earth.

Revelation 6:9 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. 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?” 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.

Deuteronomy 32:43 “Rejoice with him, O heavens; bow down to him, all gods, for he avenges the blood of his children and takes vengeance on his adversaries. He repays those who hate him and cleanses his people’s land.”

Psalms 58:11 Mankind will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth.”

When the 5th seal is opened John sees these martyrs and hears their cry “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” These have been martyred for witnessing and living for Jesus Christ. These are those who believed in and proclaimed the gospel after the removal (rapture) of believers prior to the opening of the seals. Standing firm to the end is not a way to be saved but the evidence that a person is really committed to Jesus. Persistence is not a means to earn salvation; it is the by-product of a truly devoted life. Times and trials serve to sift true Christians from false or fair-weather Christians. When you are pressured to give up and turn your back on Christ, don’t do it. Remember the benefits of standing firm, and continue to live for Christ.

Remember these martyrs have been told to wait until the full number of those who will be killed for their belief in Jesus Christ is complete. When I give just a small amount of thought to this I am ashamed for what I think is a trial in my life. I am ashamed of the times I think the trials I face are “BIG” for the trials I have faced surely have not ended in death for believing in Jesus Christ – the ultimate test of faith.