Background to passage: Rev 4-5 are chapters of praise to God and Jesus respectively that culminate with angels, living creatures, saints, and elders praising the Lord for redemption because he is the lamb that was slain before the foundations of the world. He was also is proclaimed as the only one who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals.
So, in chapter six, he begins to open the seven seals. The first four unleash the “four horsemen of the apocalypse.” White, red, black, and pale. Today we look at the fifth seal to see some martyrs that give us a glimpse of what the lives of believers will be in the present heaven.
Revelation 6:9–11 ESV
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.
Opening illustration: For all, death comes like an utterly unsympathetic landlord waving an eviction notice. But that eviction merely releases believers from a wretched earthly neighborhood to an infinitely grand and glorious dwelling in a heavenly neighborhood. For the believer, then, the sorrows, disappointments, and suffering of this life are worse than death. Death releases believers from the relatively dilapidated slum in which they now live and ushers them into a room in the house of the eternal Father in the heavenly city. -John MacArthur
Main thought: what will our lives be like in heaven
1) We will have the ability to speak (v. 10)
Revelation 6:10 ESV
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?”
1) We will have the ability to speak (v. 10)
Explanation: the first specific group of individuals to be dealt with in the book (elders, living creatures, and angels notwithstanding), we can see that they have the ability to speak. They cry out with a loud voice to God. Don’t know if they have an intermediate body with vocal chords, but they have some sort of identifiable form (robes), and speak in heaven.
There will be emotions in heaven other than joy. Their are described as loud cries. They asked questions, so they had the ability to learn. You will not immediately know everything when you get to heaven, in fact, as a finite being, you will never know ALL knowledge…but you can ask.
If there is the ability to ask questions, learn things (have conversations), then the ability to have personal relationships is there as well. Of course, the most important one is with God; personal, real, unveiled, face to face relationship with God. Also, we will have personal relationships with others. Those we knew on earth and those we didn’t.
1 Corinthians 13:12 ESV
12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
Illustration: Sometimes we say, “when I get to heaven I’m going to ask God...” Well, you can.
Application: You can have your list of questions. You can look forward to seeing loved ones. We had a discussion of what we would look like to ourselves and others last Sunday afternoon. Most importantly, your walk of faith with the Lord Jesus for years will be sight. You will see him as he is, and will enjoy the relationship that we have longed for.
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2) Our memories will be intact and enhanced (v. 10)
Revelation 6:10 ESV
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?”
2) Our memories will be intact and enhanced (v. 10)
Explanation: We see that these martyrs remember how they died. They do not have their memories wiped when they enter heaven. Neither will we. In fact, I believe that our memories will be made better, not worse, so we will remember things that we have forgotten about.
So what about bad memories you may ask. To an extent it is speculation, but it could be that bad memories are dealt with, given an explanation of God’s providence that gives us understanding, and it no longer is “bad.” Or maybe the bad seem less significant in the light of Christ. Heaven is a place of rest.
Luke 16:25 ESV
25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.
Romans 8:18 ESV
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
2 Corinthians 4:17 ESV
17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
Illustration: Think back about your life (which we will give an account of in heaven), there is probably a memory from when you were a small child, when you determined you were going to run away. You may have packed up your Spiderman lunchbox and put it in your Star Wars backpack, put your favorite stuffed toy in, and headed out the door. (I am not making light of legitimate childhood trauma regardless of age) So, tell me now what it was the great injustice you suffered?
Doesn’t even have to be in your childhood. I remember one of the first big fights Erika and I had; married less than a couple months. She could probably tell you what it was about specifically, but all I remember is she threw something at me. I have no idea what it was about.
Application: You will know others in heaven. Memories of God’s mighty works in your life over its course will be enhanced. You will probably find out the eternal impacts of small Christian acts that you would have never dreamed might have brought chances in people’s lives. You will recognize people you knew at various times in your life.
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3) We will be shaped by the knowledge of God (v. 10-11)
Revelation 6:10–11 ESV
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.
3) We will be shaped by the knowledge of God (v. 10-11)
Explanation: we see what they asked for, but we need to think about why they asked for it. In the presence of God, they are shaped more deeply by the person and character of God. We will be too.
They ask for justice. God is an absolutely just God. He will right all wrongs and everyone will receive their due reward. They address him as “Sovereign Lord,” acknowledging, trusting in, and appealing to his power to do all things in his creation from the tiny birds, to the hairs of our heads, to the stars which he names, to the kingdoms that he causes to rise or fall, or the hearts of kings that he turns to the right or to the left.
They know that he knows how they died and the means and time upon which he will judge. How long they ask, a little longer, until the number of martyrs is fulfilled. He knows the deaths of all people, but of the specific number and names of the martyrs. They know of his lovingkindness because of the robes they are given and the rest to which they have while they wait.
Argumentation:
Illustration:
Application: Because of our limited knowledge and circumstances, we ask questions now like, why me or why now. We doubt his love or wisdom. We wonder where is the justice when we are wronged, or when abortion kills so many, or wars rise with unspeakable horror. Anxiety floods our soul because our faith is running low, or is weak, or the circumstances are huge, and seemingly out of control.
But in his presence…no anxiety will exist. Our eyes and minds will see that his beauty, sovereignty, justice will blow away any minute beginnings of fear, worry, etc. Any requests, desires, needs will be full of faith because we are in the presence of the one who possesses all the qualities to comfort us. You will never feel cheated or wronged. You will never even have a concern that is not met with rest easy.
And our knowledge of his perfections with only continue to increase and deepen.
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Closing illustration: story of Conrad and Nic who are doctors in love. He had called 8 months in advance to get a reservation at the fanciest restaurant in ATL where she’d always talked of going on Valentine’s Day. Turned out for several unforeseen circumstances, they couldn’t go. They gave their registration to another doctor, and Conrad went and picked up Nic when all the things had blown over late at night. They got in the back of his old “OJ Simpson” model Bronco, had a gourmet sub sandwich, got out wine glasses for their sparkling water because they have to go back to the hospital later. She talked about how bad she felt because of the reservation, but he said it was OK, and they some of that sweet young couple in love stuff. Then she said that it was all perfect because he was there...
Do you want to go? Has this increased your desire to go?
Do you know the way to go? Are you going? If you died today would you enter into the joy of your Master or are you just hoping so?
