Ready for the End

Scripture: And when he broke open the fifth seal, I saw an altar, and underneath it all the souls of those who had been martyred for preaching the Word of God and for being faithful in their witnessing. They called loudly to the Lord and said, "O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge the people of the earth for what they’ve done to us? When will you avenge our blood against those living on the earth?" Revelation 6:9-10

Observation: As the seven seals are opened, the faithful martyrs speak out. They explicitly ask God when he will pass judgment upon the unfaithful of the earth.

For centuries, believers have loved others and worked to deliver the gospel of Jesus, even to the point of being killed, for they knew it was the will of God to reach all and save as many as would believe. Therefore, this very moment represents a major change in the direction of believers. Even the martyrs who have given their lives to reach others, are asking ... isn't it time to stop this and pass judgment? Hasn't this effort run its course, and we can now let these people receive your justice?

Even the most faithful of all are ready for the end, and for the final fulfillment of God's love for humanity. The answer will be 'not yet, but soon', but the reason for delay is ominous ... it is not that there are more souls to be saved, but that there are more martyrs still to die.

Application: I believe the martyrs yet to join the numbers with white robes in heaven are ... the church in the U.S. We know all we need to know about the end times, and the rebellion against God that marks that time in history. And we certainly see exactly how modern times align to those times. So if now - or soon - is the time the martyrs of all time will ask for the end, and God will respond, "when the others have joined you," then the others must in fact occur.

Certainly we know the U.S. church is entering the time of persecution. It has absolutely begun, as both a movement against individuals and now a systemic movement against faith in Jesus Christ. Death for such faith occurs elsewhere in the world, especially in the eastern countries. There is no reason at all to assume we will avoid this in 'the west'.

I am ready for the end. I wish it would come before there is a wave of western martyrs, but I feel that is exactly what this delay is informing us about. And ... I am ready for the persecution, too.

Prayer: Lord, thy will be done. Please forgive me this day for my many sins, and further give me a new heart that repents of all sin and even grows bold in pronouncing my faith and confidence in Jesus more and more and more. I only hope that I may grow in my faith so much that, when the persecution comes, I am persecuted. Amen.