When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been. (Revelation 6:9-11 NIV)
How long? Thirty-four families in Florida have been wondering that for a long time. On February 14, 2018, a shooter attacked Stoneman Douglas High School. Seventeen people were killed. Seventeen more people were wounded. Thirty-four families cried out for justice. Thirty-four families waited for justice. For four and a half years. “How long? How long until justice is served?” The day finally came. On November 2nd, that killer received seventeen life sentences. And the victims’ families said, “That doesn’t seem enough. After all that he did? Life in prison doesn’t seem long enough.” Where’s the justice? How long until justice is really served?
Do you ever find yourself asking that question? “How long?” That question has been on the minds of God’s people for a long time too. Do you know whom Jesus called the greatest person ever born? John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11). Do you know what happened to him? He was beheaded in his 30s, and his head was paraded around on a platter. Where’s the justice? How long? Can you name the three most famous disciples? Peter, James, and John. Do you know what happened to James? He was beheaded too (Acts 12). How long until justice is served?
That cry didn’t stop with Bible times. There has been so much evil done against Christians. Have you heard of Ignatius of Antioch? He was a disciple of Jesus’ disciple John. Ignatius was taken to Rome, where he was forced to fight wild beasts and was torn to pieces for his faith in Jesus. Can you imagine that? Ever heard of Polycarp? He was another disciple of John—maybe the last person who personally knew one of Jesus’ disciples. When he was 86 years old, in 155 A.D., he was burned at the stake for being a Christian. When will those wrongs be made right? How long?
That didn’t stop two thousand years ago. Have you ever heard the names Jan van Essen and Henrik Vos? They were the first Lutheran martyrs. Lutheran martyrs? Yes. They were the first of many. Jan van Essen and Henrik Vos were burned at the stake in Brussels in 1523 because they refused to deny that we’re saved by faith alone. Isn’t that awful? Where’s the justice? How long?
Do you think it’s stopped now? Historians actually estimate that more Christians were killed for their faith in the 20th century than in the previous nineteen centuries combined. In the 1900s, they estimate that 26 million Christians were killed for their faith. 26 million! In places like the Soviet Union, Turkey, Uganda, China. In America, we’re told that if you believe the right things, you’ll be healthy and wealthy! Is that true? No way. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). Was he right? Yes. How long? How long? How long until true justice is served?
Even for people from Oklahoma. Did you know that the largest Catholic church in Oklahoma is being built right now in Oklahoma City? It’s in honor of Stanley Rother. Have you heard of him? Stanley Rother was born in Okarche, OK in the 1930s. He became a Catholic missionary to Guatemala. In 1981, three men murdered him in the middle of the night. No one was ever arrested for it. Why does God let people get away like that? How long will God’s people suffer?
“How long, O Lord?” Have you ever prayed that? I bet you have. I bet you have over and over again. “How long, O Lord? How long will I have to suffer? How long will life be so unfair? How long will you let all the wrong people be successful? How long will your people seem to be trampled and ignored? How long?” That’s always been the cry of God’s people: “How long?”
Here’s a surprise: That’s not just the cry of Christians on earth. Jesus once showed his disciple John what heaven is like. John wrote, “I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.” John saw the souls of Christians in heaven. Not just any Christians. The souls of Christians who had been violently slaughtered because of God’s Word and their faith in Jesus. Like John the Baptist and James…
Does that surprise you? Souls in heaven? Actually, it fits exactly with what the Bible teaches. According to the Bible, what happens to your soul immediately when you die? Your soul goes to heaven or hell based on whether you have faith in Jesus. When those believers in Jesus were executed for their faith, where did their souls go? Heaven! Just like the rest of the Bible says.
But there is something that surprises us. In heaven, they are still praying. Sometimes we get the idea that in heaven people spend their time thinking about unicorns and butterflies and rainbows. No! What are the souls in heaven doing? Praying. Actually, more than praying. Crying out to God. “They called out in a loud voice, ‘How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?’” Don’t misunderstand. Revelation also tells us that the saints in heaven are praising God for his salvation. In heaven, there is no more death or mourning or crying or pain. In heaven, God wipes away every last tear from their eyes.
But they still have one question, even in heaven: “How long until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Are the Christians in heaven worried about justice? Of course they are! When we get to heaven, we’ll be even more concerned about justice than we are now. Why? Because we’ll be perfect. Here on earth, we’re tainted by our sins. Do you want police officers to pull over speeders? Maybe. If it’s not me. Do you want the IRS to crack down on people paying taxes? Kind of. If it’s not me. We don’t want too much justice, because then we’ll get it, right?
When you get to heaven, you won’t be less concerned about justice. You’ll be more concerned about justice. Why? Because you’ll be like God. What is God like? “Holy and true.” God isn’t the pushover our world makes him out to be. God is absolutely perfect. Absolutely just. If we sinful people are concerned about justice, how much more is our perfect God concerned about justice? God hates sin. He will make it right. He will right every wrong! There’s a day for that: Judgment Day. There’s a place for that: Hell. If you could see hell, you’d never worry about the wicked being punished. If you want justice, you need Judgment Day. “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”
Before we hear God’s answer, note one thing: It’s not our job to get revenge here on earth. Remember what Jesus said to Peter when he pulled out his sword and cut off a man’s ear on the night Jesus was arrested? Jesus said, “Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword” (Matthew 26:52). It’s not our job to carry out justice against others. That’s God’s job. He says, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay” (Deuteronomy 32:35).
So we say, “How long?” Ready for the answer? “Then each of them was given a white robe.” Really? Clothes? That’s the answer? Yes! Do you know what a white robe in the Bible means? The next chapter of Revelation explains it for us: “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14). What does it mean to have a white robe? It means you’re saved. You’re forgiven by Jesus’ blood. To those martyrs, rejected by the world, slaughtered, what was God’s message? “You’re mine. You’re forgiven. You’re saved. Now!” No one can ever change that.
Because we actually haven’t mentioned the greatest martyr yet. Do you know who it was? Not John the Baptist or Polycarp or Stanley Rother. It was Jesus. Jesus was slain on the cross. To pay for our sins. To suffer what we deserved. At the cross, God showed his perfect justice against sin and his perfect love for sinners at the same time. On Veterans Day, a little girl asked an old veteran if he would do it all over again. He leaned in close and said, “I would, for you!” That’s Jesus! Can you see the comfort? “How long, O Lord? “Each of them was given a white robe.”
“And they were told to wait a little longer.” Just a little longer. For what? For Judgment Day. God’s judgment is coming. I hope you realize that! God’s judgment is coming. For every evil done in this world, from every sinful thought to every violent murder, there are only two ways to make it right. Either you trust in Jesus’ forgiveness won for you at the cross or you will suffer forever in hell for you own sins. That’s God’s justice. Either you trust that Jesus paid for your sins on the cross, or you will pay for your sins in hell. God’s got justice covered. When you see school shootings and violent dictators and cruel people, God will judge! Just wait a little longer.
“Until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.” God’s waiting for more Christians to be killed for their faith. That doesn’t sound very comforting. But it is! Who is in complete control of our lives, even when others may persecute us? Jesus is. And Jesus wants more Christians to have the chance to die like he did. Have you heard the old saying? “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” The more Christians who die for their faith, the more people are drawn to Christianity. How long? Just wait a little while longer. God wants to give more Christians the chance to die for him. Maybe even you.
Because the way of a Christian is the way of the cross. There are two competing philosophies about Christianity. We’ve talked about them before. One is the theology of glory. The theology of glory says, “If you believe in Jesus, you’ll have glory here on earth. Popularity! Success!” Not finding it? You must not believe enough! The other is the theology of the cross. The theology of the cross says, “If you believe in Jesus, expect to face what Jesus faced.” What did Jesus face? A cross. First the cross, then the glory in heaven. Which is true? The theology of the cross.
That means our faith in Jesus is always a “now” and a “not yet.” When are our sins forgiven? Now! Right now you are forgiven by Jesus’ blood. When will we be free from sin? Not yet. One day. Wait a little longer. When are we loved by God? Now! Right now God loves you more than you can imagine. When will we feel loved all the time? Not yet. One day. Wait a little longer. Now and not yet. Do you see why I say that? Heaven. Hell. Justice. Grace. Now and not yet.
So how long? Don’t expect that question to go away. Actually, you might still be asking it when you get to heaven. How long? So, first, trust in Jesus’ salvation. It’s yours now. No one can touch that white robe that Jesus has draped over you. Not even if they kill you. No one can touch your salvation through Jesus. Then wait a little longer. Like that verse says: “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Say that with me: “Be still and know that I am God.” Wait a little longer. Finally, let your light shine for Christ. More people will come to faith. More Christians will be killed. To God’s glory. “How long? Where’s the justice?” It’s coming. Just a little longer.
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