It is one thing to proclaim the Word of God. It is another to live for it.
Well, we get that. A lot of people come to Christ, they're all excited, they're all emotional, but then they have to deal with temptation and other people. Do they still stand by what they read and embraced? To hear the word, to live the word. To die.
For the word. Or maybe it strikes more of a chord to say to be killed. daring to believe that Jesus is Lord. This is Cross-Reference Radio with our pastor and teacher, Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel, Mechanicsville.
Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Revelation. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross-reference radio, specifically, how you can get a free copy of this teaching. But for now, let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Revelation, chapter 6, as he begins his message: Martyrs and the Lamb. One of the greatest wrestling matches you'll ever see is you reading the book of Revelation. Trying to get this organized and sequence.
you will be able to get some of it, but not all of it. And I say all of that to say, Don't be uptight if you hear different views on the revelation, so long as they don't break with. with strict doctrine, Um Every commentator is going to be different. That's okay, they're giving it to you as they see it. And I I preface the study with that because I have some views that depart.
From some of the standard opinions, and you're going to get some of that, and isn't that exciting?
So I can't wait to lay it on you. Yeah. Martyrs. And the Lamb. That's the title.
And once Again, I think the speaker should put a lot of work into the title.
Sometimes it comes, flows right off the scripture, other times, it has to emerge. From Trying to say what is going on here. I mean, really, for this congregation, what is coming out of this. And we're going to discuss the martyrs and the Lamb of God and His wrath. Beginning in verse 9 to 11, which is the fifth seal.
We won't go further than that in the reading. 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 testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth? Then a white robe was given to each of them, And it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren.
who would be killed. as they were was completed.
Well, there's so much there. Uh Mm-hmm. Trying to Not go very long. But how do you do these in-depth studies without Taking up time, you can't.
Well, the first six seals I think summarize the entire seven-year period of the Great Tribulation. And that's where I'm departing from a lot of other folks, and you'll find out more about it as we move through it. The seventh seal, which we don't get to chapter eight, is a parentheses, which signifies, is telling us something in and of itself. The seventh seal Colors in. The events of those seven years, particularly the last three and a half years, known as Daniel's 70th week.
the time of Jacob's trouble. That is what that seventh seal is going to unleash. and teach the world about. Because then you get the seven trumpets and the seven bowls before the end happens. Prophecy is a puzzle.
But it is not a game. And there's great power coming from the book of Revelation as you grapple with it. You come away blessed. How does that work? One of the most perplexing Uh books in the Bible.
just blesses nonetheless. It is an enigma.
Well, let's look at the first of our verses, verse nine once again. 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 testimony which they held.
Well, it's persecution. of the tribulation Converts, and these are Gentiles at this point. There's coming a second wave, there's coming this outburst of conversions. amongst the Jews that's not yet happened. But this seems like it's in the first three and a half years, and it is again being overviewed.
You'd be foolish to say when Antichrist rides in that persecution doesn't happen until the fifth seal. No, that's not how it's working. We're looking for that sequence, those bullet points, and they're not there as we would like. What we're getting is John saying, when these seals were opening, God was demonstrating He's controlling all of this. And when Antichrist comes to power, he comes in peace, he breaks that peace.
War is the next result, and the outcome of war is the famine, and the outcome of the famine is more death on top of the famine and the war. And in the midst of that, under Antichrist administration, the saints were persecuted, the converts. But he's not persecuting Israel yet. That doesn't come until midway through when he breaks the covenant. And so believers killed for being believers.
During the Antichrist regime, This fifth seal shows there has already been persecution. And it's going to be more, it will unroll as we move through the seventh seal. and largely targeting the Jews also. Because this is not the first seal, we tend to think. That the persecutions are delayed and uh that I don't think as you look at all the information surrounding the Revelation, You've got to be careful.
The strict sequence, if you take that approach, you're going to get tangled up. Because when we get to the end of this, We find the wrath of the Lamb pouring out. Which is the end of the age.
So, how can that be in the sixth seal?
Well, that's what I'm trying to say. Be careful. with looking for the succession of events in strict order. 1 Thessalonians And I mentioned that these are the Gentile tribulation converts. Paul had written to the church before the rapture.
For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. It has twofold meaning, of course. In the judgment day, we have escaped that judgment because of the blood of Christ. But He's giving us an end-time teaching in Thessalonians 5, and that's the rapture, which has. happened already.
By the time we get to the first seal, the rapture kicks it off. It's the whole opening of the seals. That's why we see the church in heaven in Revelations 4 and 5. And I'm repeating myself because there's so much information. that should tie in to help us feel comfortable with the revelation.
So coming to Christ after the rapture will cost you your life. both Jew and Gentile. Except there are some exceptions to that. in latter chapters. The place where sacrifices are slain is the altar.
the animal sacrifices in the Old Covenant, but in the New Covenant It is the blood of Christ, it is the Lamb of God who is slain. It has always been Those Old Testament sacrifices, that Old Testament altar has always pointed to the Christ, to the Messiah. We just have more information. Than the Old Testament saints. Hebrews.
1310 we have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. Again, just to rev uh refresh your course on Hebrews. Paul is writing to the Jews. And he says, if you're Christians, And you're Jewish, stop practicing Judaism. Don't go down to the tabernacle and offer an animal.
It's done. Christ is our sacrifice. We have an altar. That's unlike any other, and it is Christ at the cross. But this mosaic tabernacle gives us meanings.
How else would we understand what these symbols meant unless we had some foundation, which is in the Old Testament, to the Jew first and the Gentile? And we should be grateful about that. Exodus 26 tells us about this Mosaic temple. You shall raise up a tabernacle according to its pattern which you were shown on the mountain.
So there, Moses was shown by God a pattern of how he wanted. The temple on earth To mirror this temple that he saw in heaven because all of those Signs and symbols that belong to the tabernacle have their meaning in both Old and New Testament, and they do not contradict. It says here that the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God, slaughtered is the idea. And it is the Word of God, which means the Word of God is still operating. after the rapture where the church is gone.
There are no more assemblies allowed. that defy Antichrist. Where are they getting the word?
Well, as many Bibles that are in circulation on the planet, there'll be plenty of information around, and they're going to be using it. Nothing during the reign of Antichrist improves anything except that it does bring out converts who otherwise would not be converted.
So as we go through the Revelation, Especially up until chapter 19. Don't look for happy things. They're not there. It's all a day of woe, a day of trouble. It is the day of darkness.
And it is a good place. to preach to an unbeliever from. hopefully scaring the wits out of them. in the salvation with truth, not manipulation. People during this tribulation period will be full of hatred, not only for the saints, they're going to hate each other.
Jesus said. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you. And you will be hated. by all nations for my name's sake, And then Many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. You can't just factor those, he's talking about the end times.
You can't just dismiss that kind of information. You have to keep it in. I should grapple with revelation. And remember, what's going on on earth? There's going to be a lot of hatred towards the Christians, towards the Jews, towards each other.
Especially, we haven't gotten to when the demonic activities are ramped up. That's coming. But not in the early phase, which I would say is the first three and a half years of the Great Tribulation. We'll come back to this in Revelation 12 when we get there at some other date. And he says here and for the testimony which they held.
It was the Word of God. And it was a lifestyle that came out of their understanding the Word of God. their their behavior. They would not bow down to Antichrist. They would not get the mark of the beast.
They would not worship him or anybody else. outside of the Godhead in Scripture. This is what it means that they held this testimony and were murdered because of it. Very clear. that they were not killed on battlefields.
But on spiritual fields.
Now It was not. And at least not said here, the cataclysmic events that are happening in the world, that's not what's said to be killing them. What is zoomed in on is their relationship with Christ. And Israel's turn is coming soon, just not yet. And Christ is going to say that in a somewhat veiled way.
So it is one thing to proclaim the word of God. It is another to live for it.
Well, we get that. A lot of people come to Christ, they're all excited, they're all emotional. But then they have to deal with temptation and other people. Do they still stand by what they read and embraced? To hear the word, to live the word.
To die For the word. Or maybe it strikes more of a chord to say to be killed Daring to believe that Jesus is Lord. When verse 10, he says, And they cried out with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?
Well, this is they're crying for justice.
Now, I have a note here and a bookmark to read from 1 Thessalonians, but I don't want to read it yet. It will take too much time. But if we don't get back to it, it's actually 2 Thessalonians. Verses one through six. And Paul lays out What the tribulation is going to look like in a short paragraph.
How long? O Lord, holy and true. These are terms for Christ in chapter 1 and in chapter 3. This is how Jesus was referred to, and this is whom they are talking to. He is the holy and true one.
They who are making this plea to God for justice. Not revenge well, revenge is part of it, but it is judgment. They're out of danger. But they are asking for Judgment. On fellow believers.
still being moddered. With more to come. How insightful is how God is treating this with them. It's not this emotional response. God is staying on The steps of prophecy that He has laid out, He has His purposes, and we're going to come to that too.
Their killers are still alive on earth, and they are still killing. believers of Christ, and so they cry out for justice. That's the same thing to do. If you had a chance to talk to Jesus about you, you know, you get raptured and you get to interview and you know that these slaughters, wouldn't it be sensible to say, Lord, how long before this stops?
Well, we won't have to ask that because we have Bible information. We know the answer. But if you didn't have that... Yeah, which There's a case here. He says, Until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth.
Those slain for trusting Christ, Well, it's what martyrs do.
Now, a modern, there are other religions, there are other peoples, other causes that produce moderns. The difference is they haven't died. Or the truth. I am the way. The truth and the life.
He is still holy to them. He's still their Lord. even though he let them get killed. They're still calling him holy and true.
So the voice of the martyrs. Are calling for justice from the Lamb of God, and it will come.
So the question is not whether God will judge. The oppressors. It's when Will he judge them? The doom of their oppressors is certain. It's not going to change.
If you get the mark of the beast, voluntarily. You're done. I have to throw that voluntarily in there because there will be those that will be forced to get it and have no desire to worship Antichrist or any knowledge like that. For example, special needs children. You know, let's put that chip in them and let's do that.
We'll cover that, and it will be very clear when we get to it in latter. Sections.
So, this plea matches the Old Testament imprecatory psalms of David asking for judgment on the enemies of God, which the church was to. pause when it came to that.
Well, the church is gone. And now it's back. They're asking for justice to be executed. Habakkuk the prophet He didn't understand how God would use dirty Gentiles to judge. the chosen people of God.
And he had a problem with this. It's a beautiful three-chapter prophecy. And he says, he makes this appeal right out the beginning of his book. He says, Oh Yahweh, how long shall I cry, and you will not hear, even cry out to you, violence? And you will not save.
So you hear in the end, of course, Habakkuk lines up with God and says, whatever he does, I'm fine with. I don't like it, but I'm going to serve.
Well, that's what's happening here. These New Testament tribulation converts that were modered. Are seen in dialogue with The Lamb of God. They're asking for justice, and his answer is going to be... Wait.
There's more to come, more deaths. More of your brethren. They were slain because they were effective at preaching Christ. And antichrist and his administration, that regime wanted to get rid of them. Verse 11.
Then a white robe was given to each of them, and it was said to them, That they should rest a little while longer until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren. who would be killed as they were, was completed.
So John is being shown the slaughter of the saints. And he's reporting. what he is being shown about the future. How much of it does he understand? It's not important.
What is important is he put enough down for us to have a clear picture The evil that will Run loose on the earth. This white robe was given to each of them That's a uniform of the redeemed. It's signaling to all of us that God presents them as righteous. That they weren't slaughtered because they did something wrong. They were killed for doing right.
Adhering to the scripture. And having a testimony, that's what adherence to the scripture is, a testimony.
So the living will see. That they were killed for being right with God.
Somebody's gonna take other people to this section in Scripture during the Great Tribulation period and say, The saints are being slain. And the Bible has called it, and no one else. And that's going to make some converts. It's gonna make more enemies. The deaths of the tribulation converts will be savage.
But not wasted. And that's the point. The sacrifices are not wasted. They have value. And God will use the blood of Christ to win souls through the blood of the martyrs.
They will have Fruit. From being killed, he continues, he says, Where he says, and rest a little while. longer until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren would be killed. And That's telling them there's more coming. Their deaths were appointed, they were not by accident.
They were foreseen. God has His reasons. for allowing evil to run its course. God is not auditioning to be God. He's sharing.
He doesn't have to share the revelation. There are many saints that are loyal to him without the book of Revelation. He has drawn a line in the sand, and he said, This many will be slaughtered. God, when we say God is populating eternity, it means He's putting into. His eternal world People who have believed him without ever seeing him face to face.
He's got the angels, the righteous angels. They've seen him face to face, they are loyal to him. But ever since Abel's death, If that's the first death in Scripture, I believe it is. From that point to the end of the Great Tribulation period, God is putting believers in heaven. And this is part of that.
that process. The first group of martyrs already have given their lives for the word of God. The second group of martyrs is forthcoming. And that's what verse 11 is telling us, and it is pointing to the seventh seal.
So if you look at Old Testament prophecy, which? I've had to factor out. I could quote for almost everything in the Old Testament. There's so much. Revelation prophecy in it that if I don't take it out, if I stopped to quote all the time, we wouldn't get out of this chapter.
So here's the point. The Old Testament prophecy is like a coloring book. It's got the the image there. The Revelation colors in. The image.
giving us the detail. We have a better appreciation. for what we're looking at. in life. And here they chose the right side and died for it.
Their killers chose the wrong side and they will die twice for it. Once in the flesh and once in the spirit.
Well, the soul. Verse twelve, I looked. When he opened the sixth seal, And behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair. and the moon became like blood.
Well, the Lamb's wrath is placed right next to The Lamb's martyrs His people are persecuted. And now we have this next seal that opens, and this one is his wrath. This is not by mistake God is saying, Yeah, I'm angry. At what they've done to my people, and I'm going to extract justice if he's justified in these judgments. And the world understands justice.
Well, You cannot be unjust unless you understand just. You gotta know what to violate. The world gets what justice is, they just trample it. Most people. I mean, there's exceptions with anything.
Anyway, taking the approach that the first six seals are. And I'm not saying seals like Yeah. I'm saying seals like Sticky stuff. Anyway, the first six are outlining the great tribulation, and this sixth one is the wrath of the Lamb. I know I'm repeating myself, but that's it's required.
When we get to the seventh seal, it's sort of like God saying, Now, let me go back and show you what is going to happen. Halfway through this tribulation period under the sixth seal. Again, strict chronology is not possible, but human rule on Earth ends with absolute and abject terror. Doled out by God Himself. These will not be natural occurrences.
Uh This has been Cross-Reference Radio with Pastor Rick Gaston. This program is a radio outreach of Calvary Chapel, Mechanicsville, in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Pastor Rick has been teaching through the book of Revelation, but if you're interested in learning about a different book of the Bible, we have hundreds of past episodes available to listen to on demand. Just visit us online at crossreferenceradio.com and you'll find an archive of Pastor Rick's past teachings. While you're there, you can also find links to follow our program on your favorite podcast app, as well as links to get connected with us on Facebook and YouTube.
There's also an interviews tab where you can learn more about Pastor Rick's heart for ministry.
Well, we hope you'll join us next time here on Cross Reference Radio. Hello.
