Do You Want To Be In This Number? (Revelation 6:9-11)

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Do You Want To Be In This Number? (Revelation 6:9-11)

GIST: People will continue to lose their lives for Jesus, but vengeance belongs to the just God of compassion. 

Last week, I told you we were going to divide chapter 6 of Revelation into three parts. Today is part two of that. Just to recap a bit, in chapter 4, we’re given this beautiful picture of the throne room of God in all His power and majesty. In chapter 5, we were presented first with a dilemma—there is a perfectly sealed scroll, the plans of God to rescue and restore the world, and no one is worthy to open it— and a solution— Jesus, the powerful lion and sacrificed lamb, is worthy and He will open and execute this plan! Chapter 6 then shows Jesus doing that. 

We covered the first eight verses last week and saw the first 4 seals being opened. Symbolically, we were told here that there will be a desire for selfish gain (conquest), and will lead to war, scarcity, and death. These types of calamities will continue and grow until Jesus returns. Today, we’re going to look at the next three verses. Now, the observations I want to make today shouldn’t take too terribly long. They just would have been too much to tackle with all we tackled last with and what we’re covering next week. That being said, what is addressed here, though brief, is heavy, so I want to read it, then walk through it relatively quickly, then camp out a bit more in the takeaways this morning. Let’s hit that gist first: People will continue to lose their lives for Jesus, but vengeance belongs to the just God of compassion. 

QUICK WALKTHROUGH

I actually typed up my notes backward this week. I finished typing the takeaways before I fleshed out the walkthrough portion, so it might feel weird, but I don’t have any formalized points here… those are in the takeaways ☺️. Let’s check this out!

“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. 10 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?" 11 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.”

So what’s happening here? In verses 9 and 11 we see→ 

The Souls of Those Killed For Jesus. It has happened, and it will continue to happen until Jesus returns. And where are these souls? → 

Under the Altar. In the sacrificial system, this is where the blood is poured out. I’m just going to leave it there for now. Don’t worry, I’ll come back to it, but let it sink in for a second ☺️.  And what are these souls doing? → 

Seeking Justice. This is understandable as they have just faced the greatest injustice. Nonetheless, what does Jesus do? He doesn’t tell them to calm down or stop complaining. He→ 

Gives Them White Robes and→ 

Tells Them To Wait & Rest. 

Now, let’s unpack a few points here in our→ 

TAKEAWAYS

1. People will lose their lives for Jesus; would you be willing to be in that number? Ok, so there are two thoughts here. First, this is going to keep happening. Let’s not be blind to that. This isn’t a problem of the past, something that used to happen before society progressed. This is the reality of so many. We take our safety and freedom for granted, but all over the world living openly as a Christian is risking your life. Which brings up maybe the obvious second thought→ Would you be willing to be in this number? When I listened to Kevin DeYoung preach on this passage, he pointed out that everyone wants to be like the saints who go marching in. You know, like in the song (If not, watch this to refresh your memories☺.) We want to be counted as His when it’s cast in the context of triumph and joy. We love talking about hope and Heaven—but what about what Dietrich Bonhoffer called the “cost of discipleship”? Would you be willing to die for Jesus? Maybe that sounds extreme, and I pray none of you have to actually answer that, but what about the immediate? Are you willing to face the costs of living boldly for Jesus? Are you willing to be made fun of or ostracized because you hold to truths the world, at best, views as old fashioned and, at worst, views as hostile or biggotted? It’s the best possible life, but it will not come without costs. When faced with the consequences of ridicule or death, will you stand as firmly as you’re standing in the safety of this building?

2. Vengeance is the Lord’s; will you trust His justice? It’s easy to see the cry for justice in this passage as almost anti-Christian, but if we’re honest, we know it speaks to our hearts. Don’t we long to see, in the words of Tolkien, all the sad things become untrue? Don’t we want to see the bad made good? Don’t we want wickedness to be punished? Sure we do— unless we’re the wicked ones… I have four kids, so I see this all the time. I’m also the oldest of three brothers, so I’ve lived this. I’m quick to want justice when I’ve been wronged, but quicker to want mercy when I’ve done wrong. I’m not even remotely neutral, and neither are you. That’s why it’s so important not to miss what these martyrs do with their feelings of injustice. They bring them to Jesus! Instead of taking vengeance into their own hands, which is our natural tendency, they trust Him to do what is right. Which is good because→ 

3. Compassion is the Lord’s; do you realize He’s loving beyond comparison? As a final observation, look at the love we see here. These people have lost their lives for Jesus, and they are crying out for Him to be just and righteous… from a place that confirms He is exactly that. They’re under the altar. That’s where the blood is poured out after a sacrifice. They faced physical death but aren’t suffering anymore because Jesus faced ultimate death—Hell—in their place, in your place. They are secure under the altar because He poured out His blood on the cross! Then, when they cry out, what does He do? He gives them white robes, covers them in His righteousness, and tells them to rest! This is so beautiful. He sees their hurt, and reminds them He’s already changed everything. He died, so they can live. Though they are sinners, they can enter into the presence of the God of the universe because they’re covered in His righteousness! And… they are told to rest. They were killed for Jesus. Their lives were not restful. They carried a burden we probably cannot understand, but Jesus calls to the weary and heavily laden and offers the rest only He can provide! It’s probably also worth pointing out that though their rest is now eternal, they are only told to rest for a little longer, so the implication also seems to be a direct response to their pleas. He is making all things right. He’s just not done saving souls yet!