A woman in India watches as her sister is dragged off by Hindu nationalists. Now she doesn't know if her sister is dead or alive. A man in North Korea prison camp is shaken awake after beaten unconsciously. And the beatings begin again. A woman in Nigeria runs for her life. She escaped from Boko Haram, which kidnapped her. But now she is pregnant. And when she returns home, her village will probably reject both her and her baby. A pastor in Afghanistan gets a text message letting him know that the Taliban knows he's a Christian and that they're coming to get him. A pastor in Ukraine busy helping those who are unable to evacuate, distributing food and medicine is shot dead by Russian troops. These people don't live in the same country, or for that matter, the same continent. But they all share a common characteristic. And that is they are all Christians, and they suffer for their faith. While Christian persecution takes various forms, it is defined as any hostility experienced as a result of identifying oneself as a follower of Jesus Christ. Christians are being attacked, discriminated against at work and at school. Some risk sexual violence, torture, arrest, confiscation of property, and much, much more. In just the last year, over 360 million Christians are living in places where they experience high levels of persecution and discrimination. Most of them live in the 40-20 belt that goes around the center of the earth, 40 degrees north of the equator and 20 degrees south. And many of those countries in that belt are Islamic countries. Under Islam, Christians are considered to be infidels and thus open to all kinds of abuse and even death. They are not afforded the same protection under Sharia law as Muslims are. It's illegal to openly practice or to share one's Christian faith in an Islamic country. Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, Syria are just a few of the Islamic countries where today Christians are being persecuted for their faith. You know, when we think of persecution, we usually think of Russia or China, where indeed there is suppression and oppression of Christianity. But other communist countries as well, such as North Korea and Cuba, carry out systematic persecution of Christians. I know we in the United States think we're persecuted when someone makes a snide remark about our faith or when someone opposes our witness. But we really have not experienced what so many throughout the world are experiencing today. In just the last year, over 5,898 Christians have paid the ultimate price and were killed because of their faith. They were martyrs for Christ. Over 5,110 churches and other Christian buildings have been attacked and destroyed this past year. 6,175 believers have been detained without a trial arrested, sentenced, and imprisoned because of their faith. 3,829 Christians have been abducted by Islamic groups. Their whereabouts and conditions are unknown. These statistics are according to the Open Doors ministry that tracks the persecuted church around the world. I downloaded this week from their website, their report entitled, The World Watch List, The Top 50 Countries Where It's Difficult to Follow Jesus. The top of the list is Afghanistan. That country which we recently gave back to the Taliban, who is now systematically hunting down, imprisoning, and killing Christians there. that these numbers may be low. In fact, many people think these numbers I shared this morning are on the low side because in many countries where Christians are persecuted, the killings are done in secret and unreported. No one in North Korea, prison camps or in the Muslim tribes in Somalia or any other Muslim countries are reporting the murder of Christians. Some mission organizations are estimating that over 100,000 Christians are martyred each year for their faith. That number includes Christians who were killed in the genocide wars in Africa, and may I say it's still hard to prove how many. Now Jesus never promised you and I that our lives would be trouble-free and carefree. In fact, he tells his disciples in the upper room the night before his trial and crucifixion, he says, if the world hates you, if the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the words that I said to you, a servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also. He goes on to say, these things I have spoken to you that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogue. Yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God's service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor me. Paul explains to his son Timothy in the faith that all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. but evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. And so therefore we should expect, we should expect persecution in various forms to increase as evil men grow worse and worse. We may not pay the ultimate price by giving our lives for Jesus Christ, but we should expect the opposition to the preaching of the gospel, especially as we see the day approaching for the return of Christ. But it's been estimated, somebody made the estimation, that over 70 million Christians, 70 million, have been martyred for their faith since the time Jesus gave his final instruction to his followers. And without causing undue alarm, we could also join those ranks if Jesus does not soon return, for we do not know what lies ahead in our nation as it's increasingly turning away from its Christian Judeo roots. We could one day be the hated and the hunted. But is there ever going to be a day? Is there ever going to be a day when God rights the wrongs? When God holds accountable those who promote and perpetrate the persecution of Christians? Is God ever going to get even the score and avenge the deaths of those who died because of their faith in Christ? Kind of goes along with our Sunday school lesson this morning. The answer, I believe, is found in the fifth seal judgment that's recorded in Revelation chapter six. Revelation six, beginning at verse nine. Revelation six, beginning at verse nine. John writes, 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 oh 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 the to the that they should rest 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. Now Jesus at the beginning of the seven year tribulation period he opens these first four sealed judgments and then he unleashes the four horsemen of the apocalypse. We looked at those last week. The first, the rider on the white horse, is the Antichrist, whom God will use to refine his ancient people Israel and prepare them for receiving their Messiah and his kingdom. The red horse that follows is war, And God will remove peace from the earth. In fact, the entire tribulation period, that seven years, is going to be a time of conflict as nation rises against nation and kingdoms against kingdoms. The rider on the black horse we saw was famine, which is a natural consequence of war and conflict. The world is going to experience during that period of time hyperinflation, nothing like we know today. It is going to be so bad that a price for food will skyrocket and basically going to cost one a full day's wage just to provide enough food for one person to eat during that day. A denarius, which was what a worker made in that day. One denarius is going to buy one quart of wheat. That's enough for one person to live on. Following famine on that black horse will be death. And he's going to be on a pale horse. Death. He will have at his disposal four means of accomplishing his grim task. He's going to have war, famine, disease, and wild animals. And as a result, we saw that one quarter of the world's population at that time During the first three and a half years of the seven-year tribulation, one quarter of the world's population is going to die as a result of that judgment. In addition to divine judgment through false peace, war, famine, and disease dominating the unbelieving world, there will be at the same time widespread persecution of believers led by Satan, his demons, the ecumenical one-world apostate church, and of course the Antichrist who is solidifying his power over the world. In the Olivet Discourse of Matthew 24, Jesus teaches the same sequence of events with the first seven verses describing the events of the first four seals. The fifth seal is described in verse nine where it says, then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. Now this event, marks the midpoint of the tribulation period, the three and a half years into it. There's three and a half more years to go because it says that the event that takes place then is that the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place. Abomination of desolation is when the Antichrist sets up a statue of himself in the temple that's going to be rebuilt there in Jerusalem, and he's going to demand people to worship him. And it says that that marks the beginning of the Great Tribulation. Such as not has been since the beginning of the world until this time, no nor ever shall be. Now that has not happened yet. So this worldwide persecution and martyrdom of Christ's followers begins in the first half of the tribulation and will escalate into the second half after the abomination of desolations takes place and the Antichrist declares himself to be God who is to be worshipped. Now the questions this morning is who are these martyrs? In what way are they a judgment since the seals are all judgments from God? And then what provision does God give to them? We're going to look at those questions this morning. First of all, who are these martyrs? And we're going to consider the people who are martyred. Look at along in verse 9 of our text, Revelation 6 verse 9. He says, 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. Now some believe that the souls gathered under the altar are all who have ever lost their lives as a result of their faith in God and faith in Christ, including those in the Old Testament, the church age, and those during this tribulation period. But may I say to you, believers today who are martyred are not souls under an altar waiting their white robe, because they've already been clothed. Already been clothed. Paul explains in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, he says, for we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building with God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation, which is from heaven. If indeed having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now he who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the spirit as a guarantee. When believers today die, When they die today, either through natural means or as a result of persecution, they're martyred, we are instantaneously transported into the very presence of our Lord. Paul states in 2 Corinthians 5.8, we are confident, yes, well pleased, rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Your earthly body, this physical earthly body, this physical part of you, it's put into the ground to decay and to wait the future resurrection. The immaterial part of you, that is your soul, the real you, is immediately in the presence of the Lord and upon arrival there you are clothed with a new body, an intermediate temporary one awaiting your new body at the resurrection when you'll get your glorified body. We are not unclothed souls waiting to be clothed. the saints that are under the altar are told in verse 11 to rest until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who would be killed was complete. In other words, they are a part of a larger group who will be martyred. Now who's that larger group? Revelation chapter 7. reveals the completed group at the end of the tribulation. Verse nine says, after these things, I looked and behold a great multitude, which no one could number of all nations, tribes, people, and tongues standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice saying, salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. Now who is this great multitude that are now clothed in white robes? One of the elders around God's throne asked John that same question. He didn't have an answer. And so verse 14 says, so he said to me, these are the ones who come out of the great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. The souls that are under the altar are therefore tribulation saints. That is people. people who will come to embrace Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord during this period of tribulation. They are not Old Testament saints, nor are they church saints, because the church is with Christ now in heaven, but these are people who have accepted Jesus Christ after the rapture of the church has occurred, but they pay for it with their lives. They are martyred for their faith. Now the question is, how is it possible? How is it possible for them to come to faith in Christ after the rapture occurs? From scripture, we know that salvation or regeneration is the work of the Spirit of God. Jesus himself said, most assuredly, I say to you, that unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. A person needs a new birth. They need to be regenerated. They need life. They are dead in their trespasses and sins. They need new life. And he goes on to explain to Nicodemus most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of the water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I say to you, you've got to be born again. The birth of the Spirit of God. Born of water means a physical birth. You've got to be born into this world as a physical person. But born again means you've got to be born of the Spirit, a spiritual birth. It's the work of the Spirit of God. Paul talks about this process of salvation in Titus 3 when he says, but when the kindness and the love of God our Savior towards men, man appears not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us through the washing of regeneration, the renewing of the Holy Spirit who be poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. Regeneration New life, renewal, are the works of the Spirit of God, and without the Holy Spirit, there is no new life in Christ. And so these people that come to Christ during the tribulation period, it has to be by the Spirit of God, His work. But doesn't Paul teach in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 that the Holy Spirit is going to be removed before the tribulation period begins, that the Spirit of God is that restraining force that is keeping the Antichrist from being revealed. Indeed, the Spirit of God does keep evil men in check. But if you remember, when I spoke on that passage a few months ago now, it seems, we identified the restraining force as the Spirit-filled church. And when the rapture of the church takes place and we are out of here, we're gone, there will no longer be salt to retard the spiritual spoilage and evil will run rampant, enabling the man of sin, the Antichrist, to come on the scene and take over the world. And so while the Holy Spirit is no longer going to be restraining sin during that time, the Antichrist, from being revealed, he will be very active here on earth, during the tribulation period, regenerating, sealing, filling those who come to faith in Christ. Now, how will they come to faith in Christ? After all those of us who know Jesus Christ as our Savior today, we're going to be gone. We're not going to be here. During this period of time, we're going to be raptured, and we're going to be with Christ in heaven. And so we'll no longer be here to witness, to testify, to evangelize the lost. Missionaries who are serving around the world today will be gone as well. The voices will be silenced. So how will people living during the tribulation hear the gospel in order to be saved? Well, perhaps the answer they are slain, perhaps the reasons they are slain reveal the ways in which they will hear the gospel. First of all, I think they're going to hear the gospel through the Word of God. Through the Word of God. You know, Paul says in Romans chapter 10 verse 17 that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. It has to be through the Word of God. While after the rapture the church you and I are going to be gone, But we're going to leave behind, what are we going to leave behind? One of the things we're going to leave behind is our Bible. Our Bible. We're not going to take that with us. And all the Christian literature that we might have. And I believe that people are going to be looking for answers to explain the disappearance of so many people and loved ones. Many, of course, will turn to the media and to the statements of world leaders. But I believe others are going to be drawn to the scriptures and to seek answers from God's word. I think there will be a heightened interest in what God has to say. In fact, much of what Jesus says in Matthew 24 is addressed to those who will be living during the tribulation period. So people are going to want to know what's coming next. What's coming next? And as they read the Word of God, they understand what has happened as promised in God's Word, and as they see the events unfolding in the tribulation period, prophecy being fulfilled in front of their eyes, they will realize spiritually that they are in deep weeds, that they are destined for hell, that they are in need of a Savior, and will at that time embrace Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Now the Antichrist in the secular world might seek to destroy copies of the Scriptures. In all Christian books and literature they might have a big bonfire to burn everything. But if the past is anything like it, their efforts will not be complete. Because the Word of God, it says in Scripture, abides forever. There is going to be a testimony of God's Word here on earth. And copies are going to remain hidden from the authorities. People will come to faith through the preaching. of the word. I think another thing, it's not in your notes and it's just something that came to me as I'm standing here, is I believe God's gonna use creation itself as a means of witness. Paul talks about that in Romans chapter one, that everybody all over the world has a universal witness as to the fact that there is a creator, there's a God who made it. Made everything, it made us. And I think when they see all the things that are going to happen during the tribulation period, the stars falling from the sky, the sun being darkened, the day being cut by a third, and all the catastrophe that's going to draw people back to the scriptures to find out what's going on. And through the gospel, we'll come through that. I think in addition to that, there is going to be their time. They will come to faith through the testimony which they held, the testimony through the witness of others. Tribulation believers sharing their testimony with others of how they came to trust in Jesus as their Messiah, Savior, so that they too might trust in him for their salvation. Just like today, we are called upon to be his witnesses and to give an answer for the hope that we have in Christ. We're commissioned to be his witnesses in our Jerusalem, Samaria and unto the other most parts of the earth. And so in addition People are going to be sharing their faith. In addition, during this period of time, there are going to be preachers around the world spreading the good news about salvation to Christ. Revelation 7 and 14 introduces us to 144,000 Jewish evangelists. who will be servants of God, sealed on their forehead, who are going to be sent out over the whole world to preach the gospel concerning Jesus Christ as their Messiah, the Savior, and warning the world of coming God's imminent judgment, and begging men and women to repent and to call upon the name of the Lord in order to be saved. 144,000. Today we have around 35,000 Protestant missionaries around the world. 35,000. 144,000. That's four times as many. And so they're going to spread out throughout the whole world and preach the gospel. Revelation 11 introduces us to two witnesses. who will be in the middle of the tribulation. They're going to come on the scene. They're going to counteract the Antichrist and the false prophet, and they will prophesy for three and a half years. They're going to do great miracles, again testifying to the world that judgment is imminent and the need for repentance. and before the seventh trumpet judgment sounds unleashing the last round of severe bold judgments the two witnesses are going to be killed by the antichrist on the third day they're going to be raised from the dead ascended to heaven again a powerful witness to the watching world And then God's not finished. For Revelation 14 verse six says, then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth, to every nation, tribe, tongue, people, saying with a loud voice, fear God, give glory to him, for the hour of judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens and the earth, the sea and the spring of water. And so every person Every person will have an opportunity to hear the gospel, to be confronted with their sin, their need for repentance, and trust Jesus Christ as their savior during the tribulation period. God is never without his witnesses. God is never without his witnesses. In fact, Jesus said that this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. And so effective will be their preaching that those who respond and are saved are described in Revelation 7 verse 9 as a great multitude which no one can number of all tribes, nations, tribes, people, and tongue. It's going to be the greatest spiritual revival in human history. I believe it's going to happen during this tribulation period because many will embrace Jesus Christ as their savior, but they will pay for it. Many of them will pay for it with their lives. They will experience extreme persecution. Some of them will be beheaded. They will not be able to buy or sell for they're going to be, they will not have tattooed on them the mark of the beast, 666. So they're going to be hunted down and hounded. they will pay a terrible price at that point for their faith in Christ. Now the question is often asked, what about those who hear the gospel before the rapture and reject it? Can they change their minds and be saved during the tribulation period? We perhaps have all had loved ones, perhaps friends, family members who we know who have heard the gospel but who have yet to respond to it and accept Jesus Christ. and were concerned about their spiritual well-being. Rightly so. What happens to them if the rapture occurs today and they're left behind? Will they be able to accept Christ after the rapture? Well, let me say that many Christian, many preachers and Christians and Bible teachers contend that God will preclude anyone who rejects Christ today before the rapture from being saved after and during the tribulation. In other words, if a person heard the gospel today and the rapture occurs, they're not going to be able to be saved afterwards. And they point to 2 Thessalonians 2, verse 9 through 11 as their proof where Paul writes this, the coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, And with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all the unrighteous deception among those who perish because they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved. And for this reason, God will send them strong delusion that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness." Now they contend that God's going to send on them strong delusions so that they will believe the lies of the Antichrist and thus cannot be saved during the tribulation. But if you look at this text closely, Paul is not focusing on people who reject Jesus Christ prior to the rapture, but rather he is focusing on those who reject Jesus Christ during the tribulation and receive instead the Antichrist. These are those that are bedazzled by him, who are taken in by him, who receive his mark. They refuse to believe the gospel, the truth. On them God's going to send strong delusions so that they believe the lie and are condemned. Now may I say to you, many who reject the gospel before the rapture will do so after. But it won't be easier, for it won't be easier to be a Christian after the rapture, but more difficult since the Antichrist is going to openly persecute those who receive Christ and refuse to take his mark. However, to say that it's impossible for anyone to receive God's mercy during the tribulation who heard the gospel prior to the rapture is expanding 2 Thessalonians 2 beyond what the context allows. I think God's going to use the horrors of the tribulation to bring millions of sinners to the Savior. And among this number, this crowd, certainly some who rejected the Lord before the rapture, will reconsider and humbly accept Jesus as the Son of God, Savior and Lord. But they may well pay for it with their lives. So the souls of those who were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they are held are tribulation saints. Men and women hear the gospel, repent of their sins, trust in Jesus Christ for their salvation during the tribulation period, and they're martyred for their faith. But how, now how is, second question, I know time's going, but how is their martyrdom a judgment from God? All of the sealed judgments are judgments from God. How can their martyrdom be a judgment from God? Follow along as I begin as I read Revelation 6 verse 10. It says, And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood of those who dwell on the earth? May I say to you this morning, martyrdom itself is not a judgment from God. For the sealed judgment depicts God's wrath and judgment on the evil and ungodly, not on his children. But rather the force of the fifth seal is this, it is the petition, it is the prayer of these tribulation martyrs for God to enact vengeance on their Christ-rejecting murderers, on those who dwell on the earth. It will be the prayer of these martyr tribulations that will move the hand of God in judgment. Jesus illustrates his principle, prayer moving the hand of God, in a parable of the persistent widow and the unrighteous judge. Punchline to the parable, the story that he told is in Luke chapter 18 verse 6, when he says, hear what the unjust judge said. And shall not God not avenge his own elect, who cry out day and night to him, though he bears long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily." These prayers of these martyred tribulation saints will help them activate the torment of the sixth and seventh seal, along with the seven trumpets and bold judgments to follow. And so prayer is going to move the hand of God to act. Now they appeal to God to judge, to avenge their blood on the basis of two of God's attributes. First of all, God is a holy God. He is a holy God and therefore cannot tolerate sin. Psalm 5 verse 4 says, For you are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand in your sight. You hate all workers of iniquity. God cannot tolerate sin in his presence and therefore he must judge and indeed he will. but he also appealed to God not only the basis of his holiness but because he is true and therefore he must fulfill his word and fulfill the promises that he made. Now what does God say about vengeance? We talked about this in Sunday school this morning. Somehow we're always on the same page because we preach out of the same book. Vengeance. Deuteronomy 32, 35, vengeance is mine and recompense. Their foot shall slip in due time for the day of their calamity is at hand and the things to come hasten to them. He goes on to say, now see that I even I am he. And there is no God beside me I kill, I make alive, I wound and I heal, nor is there anyone who could deliver from my hand. For I raise my hand to heaven and say, as I live forever, if I let my glittering sword and my hand take hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to my enemies and repay those who hate me. I will make my arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh, with the blood of the slain and the captives from the heads of the leaders of the enemies. Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people, for He will avenge the blood of His servants, and render vengeance to His adversaries. He will provide atonement for His land and His people." God is going to judge. He's going to judge His enemies. He's going to avenge the death of His servants. David in Psalm 79, one of the imprecatory psalms in which the psalmist calls on God to judge and avenge. David cries out, why should the nation say? Where is their God? Let there be known among the nations in our sight the avenging of the blood of your servants, which has been shed. The prophets also spoke of God's vengeance. Speaking of God, Isaiah declares, for he put on righteousness as a breastplate and a helmet of salvation on his head. He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and was clad with zeal as a cloak. According to their deeds, according to, he will repay fury to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies, the coastland he will fully repay. Nahum 1 verse 2 reveals that God is jealous and the Lord avenges. The Lord avenges and is furious. The Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries and reserves wrath for his enemies. But you know the truth is not just confined to the Old Testament. Paul writes this, he says, since it is righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power." Over and over again God makes this statement, vengeance is mine, I will repay. Vengeance is mine, I will repay. So these martyred tribulation saints are going to hold God to his word. God has promised this. He has promised that he's going to avenge the blood of his servants and they're wondering how long How long until this is going to happen? Which is a well-known cry of the suffering righteous as their pain is increasing. How long? How long will it be before the Antichrist and Satan are destroyed, before iniquity is defeated, before the wicked are judged, and before Jesus Christ reigns on the earth? How long? The time of grace is growing near. No longer do God's people ask God to forgive their enemies for the time. It's fast approaching when God is going to judge his enemies and Jesus Christ will come into his inheritance, taking his rightful place as the ruler over the kingdoms of this world. How long? God will make things right. He is going to right the wrongs, avenge the blood. Now notice quickly God's provision for these martyred saints, verse 11. He says, then white robe was given to each of them and it said to them that they should rest a little while longer until the both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who would be killed as they were was completed. God gives to them the gift of a white robe, a white robe. according to Revelation 3 verse 5 that promises made that he who overcomes shall be clothed in a white garment and I will not blot out his name for the book of life but I will confess his name before my father and before his angels and so the martyrs standing before the throne of heaven given a white robe and the end of the tribulation they are the ones who washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb The brilliant white robes, the reward of God's grace, symbolizes God's gift of eternal righteousness, blessedness, dignity, and honor. And they symbolize all the glories that redeemed saints will enjoy in heaven. They're given a white robe. Along with that, they're given the permission to rest. To rest. This is not a rebuke for impatience, since impatience is a sin and perfect people in heaven do not sin, but rather it's an invitation for them to stop crying out to God for vengeance, but instead enjoy the bliss of heavenly rest until God's time for wrath to come. And it's coming. It's coming. their wait is almost over God's day of vengeance of wrath is about three and a half years away and will not come until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who would be killed as they were was completed so more people More people needed to hear the gospel. More people needed to trust Jesus Christ as their Messiah and Savior. The number of those who will lose their lives as a result of their faith in Christ is not yet complete. So in the meantime, rest, chill, chill out, enjoy heaven. Trust God to fulfill his promises. The day of vengeance is coming. He will repay. Now, there are two more sealed judgments to come. Both, I believe, are unsealed after the middle of the tribulation period. And before we get to them, I want to spend some time exploring what's going to happen at halftime. What's going to happen in the middle of the tribulation? But that's going to have to wait. You'll just have to chill until after Easter. Now, in closing, what's here for us? First of all, the promise made to the martyred tribulation saints that God will avenge the wrong and make things right applies not only to them, but to us as well. Applies to us as well. Paul in Romans 12 says to us, beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath, for it is written, vengeance is mine. I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he's thirsty, give him a drink. For in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. We are to love our enemies. We are to do good to those who mistreat us. We're to forgive those who have wronged us. For we know that in the end, God's going to even the score. Vengeance is mine, he says. I will repay. And indeed, He will. Secondly, I think as we see here, the power of prayer, to move the hand of God, the power of prayer to move the hand of God, like these martyred tribulation saints, we need to be crying out to God day and night for Him to work in our world, to move the mountains we might be facing and to deal with the circumstances in life which are hard for us to handle. And I believe God acts as we pray. He responds to the prayers of his children. Thirdly, we're reminded this morning of our own responsibility to share the gospel with others so that they might escape this time of tribulation that's going to come here upon the earth. While I believe that some that heard the gospel prior to the rapture will accept Christ during the tribulation, it'd be far better for them to do so prior to the tribulation. when they will pay for it then during that tribulation when they may well pay for it with their lives. And so I trust that this message this morning is going to encourage us and motivate us and move us to live for Christ and to share the good news with others who need it. May I say like these martyred tribulation saints, we too become impatient. We too become impatient because the Lord has not returned yet for us. But may I remind all of us to rest in him, to trust him. He's going to come in his kind when the number of those who are to be saved during this hour of grace is complete. For as Peter writes, for the Lord is not slack, concerning his promises is some count slackness, but is long suffering towards us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Jesus is waiting to come until the last person who will be part of his redeemed people, the church, has repented and accepted him. And when the role is filled, the role will be called up yonder. Until that we can count on that.