FBC Daily Devotions

Read Revelation 7:1-8.

Following the opening of the sixth seal and the retreat of the world’s people from God’s wrath, John now picks up a scene in heaven. Four angels appear holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent the destruction of land and sea. Their intervention temporarily halts the devastation occurring on earth in order to gather up the 144,000 saints of God from the tribes of Israel (v. 4). This interruption of events continues to follow along Matthew’s record of the end in Matt. 24 (cf. 24:31) – signs leading to the advent of Christ. So who are these 144,000 people?

When I was in college, we would occasionally have Jehovah’s Witnesses come to our door. Being more curious at the time, I would sometimes invite them in and chat about their beliefs. One conversation I recall relates to these 144,000 people in heaven. I remember the JW’s sharing that they were not going to be one of the 144,000. No, these were special people. My sense was that these were of a higher spiritual caliber than those at my door. The courageous individuals sharing with me were happy enough to be members of God’s Kingdom on earth rather than of those in heaven. I suspected they wanted me to know that I did not have to live up to the standards of these 144,000 in heaven, but that it was okay to live on the lower plain of earth. But it always bothered me that they didn’t aspire to reach the highest plain of heaven. It also bothered me that only 144,000 would go to heaven and the rest would remain on earth. I don’t know, I guess not going to heaven somehow seemed less than what I had always believed.

So who are these 144,000 people? If we are to take the passage literally (and I do), then these are representatives of the nation of Israel – 12,000 from 12 tribes ushered into heaven through the events of this great tribulation period. It would appear the nation of Israel will finally see Jesus as the Messiah during this time of great distress. Now some people see the 144,000 as more symbolic of all faithful believers who live during the tribulation period. This is explained by seeing in v. 4 the announcement of the number of saints, and then beginning v. 9 the presentation of the tribulation saints. My only difficulty with this perspective is that 144,000 saints cannot compare to the description of the multitudes in v. 9 described as being so great that “no one could count”.

If these, then, are representatives of the nation of Israel, it is interesting to note that today we do not know where most of those tribes are. At least ten of those tribes has been consider lost for several millennia when the northern kingdom of Israel fell to Assyria in 722 B.C., her inhabitants scattered throughout Asia Minor and beyond. Considering that although today most people see the tribes of Israel as “lost” according to John’s revelation, we see that what we think lost is never lost with God. He is going to bring them back one day, and what a reunion that will be! I am reminded that despite how lost I may think someone is in my life, they are never lost with God. He knows the whereabouts of everyone, and He is able to bring them back. I know some who have lost track of close friends or even a son or daughter. They may not know what is happening in their lives, but God does, and He is able to work without our knowledge. One day in heaven, we may see “lost” people in our lives. And like the nation of Israel, that is going to be a great reunion!

Thinking back over Sunday’s message, what things did God impress on you? How can it make a difference in your life this week?

In reading Revelation 6:12-17 again today, it is easy to see how one could focus on the severity of the events of that day. Indeed, when is the last time you saw the stars fall from the sky? But what has captured my attention today is those who hide from God. They are not only the kings and great men and the wealthy people of the world, but also the slaves and every free man. There is no partiality with the wrath of God. Great men and women aren’t any worse or better off than those who are at the bottom of the social scale. The bottom line will not be whether one lived an easy or hard life, but whether one is prepared to meet their Maker. What every one of these people will have in common is their lack of faith in Christ.  They would rather face death than believe in Christ. It is difficult for me to imagine how someone could walk away from God after having just experienced the worst devastation ever in history and now are witnessing the cataclysmic events of the 6th seal. I can only think of two reasons for running from God:

One is out of defiance. I have heard people say they would rather go to hell than worship the God of Christians. When life delivers great adversity, rather than turn to God, they become defiant. It is as if standing (or falling) with a fist to God will somehow make them a hero or something. That is the kind of stuff of movies. But we are not talking about good people standing firm against evil. God is all good and all powerful. Even those hiding from God in this revelation are heard to cry out, “Who can stand [against Him]?” For these, ignorant stubbornness blinds them.

But I think for people in the last days, they will run from God for a different reason. As said earlier, they know God is all-powerful whose wrath is unbearable. I believe these will run from God not out of defiance, but out of fear. As a child, if you ever did something wrong, you knew what it was like to wait for dad to come home that evening to exercise a little discipline. Our immediate reaction is to run in these times (especially true if you knew you deserved it). Guilty people tend to run. So it may be in the last days. The guilty will run because they know they are deserving of God’s wrath. The sad truth is that today there are people who feel undeserving of God. They anticipate God’s wrath thinking that is the consequence of their sinful thoughts and behavior. I know people who don’t want to be prayed for because they think they will get God’s wrath rather than His love. What a sad misunderstanding of God.

How does one overcome that kind of thinking? The first and foremost way to change that thinking is to accept them with God’s love. We have opportunities to affect the way people see God. If we are judgmental and condescending, then people will see God as judgmental and condescending. But if we are loving and accepting, then they may begin to see God in the same way. We can help people run to God rather than shirk in fear.

Let me challenge you: Do you know someone who believes they are so horrible God could never accept them? Take the opportunity to love them in a way that alters their view of God. Enable them to see God with a more balanced perspective. He is not merely a God of wrath, but He is a God of love whose love through Christ was designed specifically for imperfect, “unacceptable” people.

Read Revelation 6:12-17.

According to Matthew 24:29, the sixth seal is opened immediately following a terrible time of distress as mentioned in the previous verses (Matt. 24:15-28). This time of distress (otherwise known as the Great Tribulation) is followed by the 6th seal. I see the 6th seal as a precursor or signal of the coming of Christ and the unleashing of God’s ultimate wrath on His enemies (seen in the 7th seal). The sun will become black, the moon as blood, and the stars will fall from the sky. According to Matthew’s account, Jesus will be seen in the clouds coming forth with power and great glory and all the nations of the earth will mourn (Matt. 24:30). John’s account reveals that “the kings of earth, and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains.” (6:15) It is God’s time now to wield His power in ways never witnessed before. Both earth and sky will be affected. And the inhabitants of the earth, they will not be turning to God, but rather running from Him. When God is one’s adversary, there is no hiding from Him. But when He is one’s advocate, one will run to Him.

It is good to remember that God is our advocate and friend. He is not One to run from, but One to run to. When we face trials and tribulations, we have no reason to fear. The psalmist writes:

“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” (Ps. 55:22) 

The apostle Peter writes in his first letter:

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1Peter 5:17)

And lastly, John writes:

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.” (1John 4:18)

God’s wrath is not something anyone should want to experience. It is a praiseworthy to know that God is not storing up wrath for us, but the loving assurance of a home with Him.

Read Revelation 6:9-11.

And now the fifth seal. This seal opens up heaven to reveal the martyrs of God watching and waiting for God’s judgment on His enemies. They cry out to God, “How long… will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood?” It is from this scene that it would appear the judgment of God has not yet been cast upon His enemies on earth. Regardless of how severe the earlier seals were on the earth’s inhabitants, these were not the ultimate judgment and vengeance of God. Instead, the distress on earth is the fallout of God’s restraint being removed. Mankind is merely following his own natural course. So in this fifth seal, God tells the martyred saints to wait a little longer because the time of God’s wrath would soon come.  

Comparing the fifth seal with Jesus’ words in Matthew 24, we might put the parallel at Matt. 24:9-14, where there will be an increase in persecution, false prophets, a turning away from the true God, and an increase in wickedness. Like the martyred saints in heaven, one must wonder and wish that God would stop the unjust persecution of the saints on earth. How could God let such injustice continue? Perhaps one of the reasons is that God desires that the gospel be delivered to all nations of the world regardless of the cost (after all, it did cost Jesus His life). God allows the saints to continue the work on earth despite their terrible treatment in order to preach the gospel to all nations (Matt. 24:14). Indeed, they will accomplish this task, and thereafter the birth pains will proceed into the sixth seal.

If you have ever wondered why God would have us suffer in this world, consider that it may be for the purposes of reaching those around us that need to hear the gospel. He loves the lost so much that He asks His children to suffer for their sakes. It might be easy to ask as the martyred saints in heaven do, “How long O Lord?” And the answer is, until they are all reached with the gospel. I’d like you to consider this week to handle your hardships well for the sake of the lost. People are watching. They know by how we handle hardship that the supernatural power of God is at work in us. What hardships will you face this week? How can you handle them in a way that reveals God’s love for the lost?