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Tag: Revelation

The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John

Apocalypse 8 – Martyrs + the saints cry out
“How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who live on the earth?”
Revelation 6:10b NASB – the cry of the martyrs from beneath the altar

Martyrs

UNANSWERED Questions of those who died for their faith in Jesus Christ:

Where is JUSTICE for those who die by the hands of the evil?

Who will JUDGE those who kill the innocent and oppress the righteous?

the Stoning of Stephen- painting by Rembrandt

And all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

“Are these things true? ” the high priest asked.

“Brothers and fathers,” he replied, “listen: The God of glory appeared..

.. and Stephen proceeded to preach the Gospel until those who rejected the God of Glory and cut by Truth silenced him in rage, stoning Christ’s martyr by the weight of their own guilt.
Roger @ talk of Jesus {dot}.com on Acts 6:8-8:3 excerpt from CSB
Stephen, the Apostles & many more martyrs among the saints

The Acts of the Apostles record the power of the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ crucified and risen, but also the suffering by the saints of the church for witness of the Gospel to those who would believe.

Resource: https://www.ccel.org/f/foxe/martyrs/fox101.htm
Acts of the Apostles:
- 4:3-4 And they laid hands on them [Peter & John] and put them in prison.. and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
“You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.. and you have now become betrayers and murderers of Him; you who received the Law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.”
Acts 7:51-53 excerpt NASB – indictment of the Jews through the martyr Stephen
- 8:1b And on that day [of the stoning of Stephen] a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.
  - DATE: ~A.D. 33-36
- 12:2b-3a [Herod Agrippa I] .. had James the brother of John executed with a sword. When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter as well.
  - DATE: A.D. 44
- 14:19b–20a .. they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city.
  - After many additional attacks, Paul would be executed in Rome – DATE: ~ A.D. 64-68
- Simon Peter was also crucified in Rome during the persecutions of Nero – DATE: ~ A.D. 64-68 as were many other saints killed throughout the Empire both before and after the fall of Jerusalem.
When will justice be served to those who crucify Truth and destroy the lives of the faithful?

DATE ~A.D. 94–96 + John wrote the Revelation of Jesus Christ

The deaths of martyrs mentioned had already taken place when John writes Revelation. The opening of the seven seals gives the Church a glimpse of Justice at the End of these last days.

Jerusalem would fall in A.D. 70. The Sanhedrin would no more convict Christian or Jew.

Rome would divide and crumble by the third century and the Empire would fall in A.D. 476.

Even so, we realize now in A.D. 2021, the prophesy of the last days revealed by John is for a time nearer to US than that of the Apostles.

The Fifth Seal

the saints cry out!

Revelation 6:

9 When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained..

It is the Altar of the Holy Throne Room of Heaven! The Lamb stands surrounded by seraphim and four living creatures, angels and elders of the heavenly court, hearing the prayers of the saints as these plead for justice.

They cried out with a loud voice,
“Lord, the one who is holy and true,
how long until you judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood?”
Revelation 6:10 CSB

Oh Lord, δεσπότης – despotēs – as a bond servant addresses one’s Master, as one of the saints, bound to our Lord Christ as husband to the church.

Jesus Christ is HOLY AND TRUE! –

ἅγιος – hagios (an awful One) & ἀληθινός – alēthinos – Real in name and resemblance, but the real nature corresponding to the name.

“How long, O [Master], holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who live on the earth?”
- Do you not judge and avenge?
Rest yet a while longer

You servants of the Lord

take comfort in His answer to you;

for only He IS righteous in judgment

and vengeance belongs only

to the Lamb on the Throne.

And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
Revelation 6:11 KJV

NEXT Unsealed :

The Great Day of the Wrath of the Lamb
February 17, 2021
Apocalypse 7 – Death & Hell follows him
When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come!”
Revelation 6:7

Four Living Creatures: “Come!”

Note the description of this fourth beast and the other living creatures who have summoned John to the apocalypse of the Book (scroll).

Recalling that the four living creatures worship the LORD day and night and that they reside even closer to the Throne than the thrones of the Elders of Heaven, image how in awe of these you would be as a mere mortal.
- The first living creature was like a lion;
- the second living creature was like an ox;
- the third living creature had a face like a man
- and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.
And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
Revelation 4:8 KJV

The Fourth Seal:

Death and Hades

Revelation 6:

8 I looked, and behold, an ashen horse..

Describing ashes, a very symbol of repentance or death — some versions translate the colorless look of the fourth horse as ‘pale.’ Look on the ashen or pale horse as you might view the face of one close to death.

.. and the one who sat on it had the name Death..

Little surprise here as the three riders before had carried a bow, a sword and scales to weigh the scarcity of famine. In fact, after mention of hell, the remainder of the prophesy refers to the judgment given to them all!

and Hades was following with him.

Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, and famine, and plague, and by the wild animals of the earth.

What the Hades?
- How many of us have faced death?
If you have, perhaps then the prospect of heaven or hell became more pressing in your consideration of the Lord God and Jesus Christ.

This apocalypse of Jesus Christ to John seems far from the Good News of the pristine amusement parklike picture of heaven many of us hope for after the inevitable end of our mortal life.
- Do you have a ‘happily ever after’ view of heaven?
- Isn’t Hell just a threat to everyone else but ME?
  - (For surely I don’t deserve punishment, because Jesus wants everyone in my church to be with Him.)
- I believe in God and Heaven and Jesus,
  - BUT I don’t really think Hades or Hell exists — does it?
- Can’t the evil lives of others just end so we won’t have to put up with THEM anymore?
ᾅδης – Hades

What hidden (and perhaps dreaded) truth is being revealed here in this awful ἀποκάλυψις apocalyptic appearance to John?

The KJV translates Strong’s G86 in the following manner: hell (10x), grave (1x).

Jesus spoke of it in His teachings. The rebuke of the Lord was for those of His own home town, churchgoers (synagogue šabāṯ–keepers) where the māšîaḥ preached to those who denied that He IS the Son of God.

“And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades; or if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day.
Matthew 11:23 NASB

Yes, Capernaum was destroyed — and it did not take until the end of all days of the heavens and the earth.

So it will be for most mortals who must face death.

You will face death: you may die in suffering or war of even in peace — but the judgment of all flesh will come at the end of these last days.
- Will it be heaven for you (even as those in Capernaum believed)?
Or Hell, the same Hades of which Christ Jesus cautions Capernaum?

Hell on earth!

NO, it will not be only on earth — but from beneath it and into the depths of the seas the vengeance of Almighty God will finally punish the wicked and sinners.

And let’s not forget that we ALL have sinned!

As it is now we see in Revelation that even the saints suffer; but in the judgment of the end, only the saints of the Lord have Good News.

And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.
And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
Revelation 6:8 KJV

Death… and Hell always follows.

After warnings to the seven churches, the Apocalypse began its Revelation of unseen Truth near to the Throne of Heaven.

From there the seals removed by the Lamb have revealed the voice of what is to come — spoken in Heaven.

We have seen the terrible messengers sent to the four corners of the earth in a time that is yet to come. Now note the extent of death on the earth.

If the Vision was for today

And I make not any claim that it is; but look at the numbers:
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Source: https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/ 

[Secure links on talk of Jesus {dot}.com provide additional opportunity to research scripture and other facts beyond those mentioned here and in other posts.]
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- Does this mean that after war and famine on the earth — that one fourth of mankind will suffer death?
We have already seen a frightful vision [Revelation 6:6] of the time when a day’s wages of a denarius (comparable to a penny) might only feed one man or small family for just one day — AND that assumes that a man could find work in an economy devastated by war.

See what that could look like in these last days in the year of our Lord, 2021.

A.D. 2021 – counting what counts

We easily get lost in today’s HEADLINE numbers of bad NEWS, but let’s begin with a couple of everyday numbers from which we can weigh what happens on a daily basis AND and give context to the foreboding projections of Revelation.
Current World Population

7,845,681,871 >TODAY

More than 7 BILLION, 800 MILLION

Deaths this year >7 MILLION
Deaths today >92,600

Deaths of 25% of Mankind

> 1 BILLION, 961 MILLION

MORE THAN the TOTAL POPULATIONS of Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Northern America, (including the U.S.) and Oceania.

One fourth of ALL mankind destroyed by God’s wrath!
Now see TODAY’S HEADLINES in light of the apocalypse of THE END.

A closer look at A.D. 2021 population:
- China > 1.4 BILLION — Deaths of 25% > 360.7 MILLION
- India < 1.4 BILLION — Deaths of 25% > 347.1 MILLION
- U.S. < 0.3 BILLION — Deaths of 25% > 83 THOUSAND
  - * US> 332,221,081
Compare today’s HEADLINES:
- CORONAVIRUS DEATHS = 2,411,000
- COVID deaths per million of population = 0,000,309.3
- Abortions this year > 5.2 million
- Communicable disease deaths < 1.6 million
- Cancer deaths this year > 1.0 million
Death Toll: 1/4 of the earth!

And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.
And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth,
to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
Revelation 6:8 – apocalypse of the fourth seal

AS OF TODAY …

https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/

more than 7 BILLION, 8 million souls …
MORE THAN 1 BILLION, 961 million lives would end in death!
Math of the fourth seal of Revelation applied to AD 2021

Do you indeed speak righteousness?

(WLC 58:11) יִשְׂמַח צַדִּיק כִּי־חָזָה נָקָם פְּעָמָיו יִרְחַץ בְּדַם הָרָשָֽׁע׃

The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance;
He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked

So that men will say,
“Surely there is a reward for the righteous;
Surely He is God who judges in the earth.”

excerpt from Psalm 58: NKJV
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NEXT: The fifth seal + the saints cry out... 
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February 15, 2021
Apocalypse 6 – the Face of Justice
If I sharpen My flashing sword,
And My hand takes hold on justice,
I will render vengeance on My adversaries,
And I will repay those who hate Me.
Deuteronomy 32:41 NASB

What is already begun

And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

Revelation 6:4 KJV

A second horseman who wields a great sword is sent out to take peace from the earth. Men will kill one another and his horse is blood red.
- The first living creature was like a lion;
- the second living creature was like an ox;
- the third living creature had a face like a man..
- A creature like a lion sends out a rider with a bow
- a second living creature like an ox gives a powerful sword to his rider.
Now another living creature not a man, for like the others it has six wings and is full of eyes — a living creature with the face of a man — a terrible face like one never seen by any man created in God’s image — the third living creature hands the one who sat on a black horse a pair of scales.

He will weigh what is to be given to men of the earth.

The Terrible Face of Justice

A lion has roared! Who will not fear?
The Lord God has spoken! Who can do anything but prophesy? – Amos 3:8 NASB

Amos – Not immune from judgment

We are NOT IMMUNE to the #pandemic of sin!

In March of A.D. 2020, I interrupted introduction to the Gospel of John with prophesy of Amos (linked above).

“But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream.” – quoting Amos 6:24

Now, just eleven months later, I maintain the appropriateness of these parallels to US.

Pictures of JUSTICE & JUDGMENT!

What YOU think about Justice or about God or even about Jesus may turn out to be just POLITICS.

The JUSTICE of the LORD GOD will weigh the events of these last days differently than the blind Judgment of mankind.

Contemplation of Justice and Authority of Law

Even the US Supreme Court entrance displays the imagery of contemplation of justice.

A book of laws supports
her left arm and a figure of blindfolded Justice is
in her right hand.

Once the victorious and worthy Lamb of God takes the Throne and opens the BOOK of the LAW, a heavenly HIGH COURT now shows imagery to the Apostle John. One with scales in hand will equally weigh what remains for the PEOPLE after the ravages of war. It is a dreadful sight!

The Third Seal

Scarcity on Earth

Revelation 6:

5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.”

Remember, the awesome creature with the face of a man?

So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand.
Revelation 6:5b NKJV

Now remember that the four living creatures surround the Throne day and night worshiping the Lamb.

6 And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying,

“A measure of wheat for a denarius, and three measures of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine.”

Famine & Scarcity

The available food is being measured on the scales equally for ALL, because there is hardly enough for ANY.

The denarius was a penny — and yet it was one man’s wages for one day!

The poor will be starving for lack of the “necessities” while those in powerful control will be enjoying “luxuries.”
John Brown :: Revelation 6:3-6 – source: BlueLetter Bible

Additional Commentary of John Brown – Excerpts on the Third Seal

1. This time the horseman carries no weapons. This time it’s a pair of scales!

a) At the onset of war there is always the promise of a “better world” and a better economy but famine always follows war!!!

(1) It has been the case in China, North Korea, East Germany, Cuba, and Vietnam.

(2) The scales as well as the black horse speaks of a time great death upon the earth!

(a) Lamentations 5:10 Our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine. (KJV)

(b) Beating the plowshares into swords doesn’t leave much time for farming!

(c) There are already, in many countries, long lines for simple things like bread and butter and milk.

(d) Men, women and children are starving to death all over the world and it has become “common” and accepted!

What Next?

As if this were not fearful enough, we know that only three of the four living creatures have called John to come and see the apocalypse of this certain future.

Even if much is symbolic rather than literal, the remaining four seals of the book yet to be revealed bring all creatures in God’s image to contemplate the very justice of Almighty God.
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To be continued...
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February 12, 2021