Sermon: How Long, O Lord?: Revelation 6:9-11

Old Testament Reading: Psalm 79

“A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins. They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the heavens for food, the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth. They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them. We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us. How long, O Lord? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire? Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call upon your name! For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation. Do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake! Why should the nations say, ‘Where is their God?’ Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes! Let the groans of the prisoners come before you; according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die! Return sevenfold into the lap of our neighbors the taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord! But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise” (Psalm 79, ESV).

New Testament Reading: Revelation 6:9-11

“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. 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?’ 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” (Revelation 6:9–11, ESV)?

Introduction 

Brothers and sisters, there are three principles that arise from the text that we are considering today. First of all, we must come to terms with the fact that in this life there will be Christian martyrs – some Christians will indeed die for their faith in Christ. Secondly, Christians should take comfort in the fact that God keeps his martyrs – to die in Christ is really to live in his presence. And thirdly, we should remember that God will avenge the blood of his martyrs in the end – though the wicked seem to prevail in this life, they will not prevail forever, but will certainly face judgment.

Let’s take these principles one at a time: Read the rest of Sermon: How Long, O Lord?: Revelation 6:9-11 »