Participants: Pr. Stephen Bohr
Series Code: SOD
Program Code: SOD000010
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00:01 If a man dies, shall he live again?
00:07 What does it mean to be absent from the body 00:09 and present with the Lord? 00:13 Did Jesus go with a thief to paradise on Good Friday? 00:19 Did the souls of dead people 00:21 really cry out from below the altar? 00:25 Pastor Bohr answers these questions 00:27 and more in the amazing series. 00:35 Shall we bow our heads for prayer? 00:38 Father in Heaven, what a joy it is 00:40 to be in Your presence. 00:43 We're so thankful that You've given us Your word. 00:46 Father, it would be so difficult to live in this world 00:49 without any guidance without knowing 00:51 where things are leading to, 00:54 but You have provided us with information 00:58 about what is happening and what will happen 01:01 before the coming of Jesus. 01:03 We know that one of the great deceptions of Satan 01:05 will be persona fine the dead. 01:10 In other words, appearing as our supposed dead relatives, 01:14 He's gonna use spiritualism 01:16 as one of His great instruments in deceiving the human race. 01:20 And even Christians, Father, we know use 01:22 many of these texts to try and prove that 01:25 when a person dies their soul goes to heaven. 01:28 And as we study this evening, 01:30 the passage about the "Souls under the Altar" 01:33 we ask, Father, that You will give us divine wisdom, 01:36 help us to understand what the Bible is truly saying 01:40 in this very difficult passage. 01:43 We thank You, Father, for hearing 01:44 and answering our prayer 01:46 for we ask it in the precious name of Jesus, amen. 01:52 I'd like to invite you to turn with me in your Bibles 01:56 to the Book of Revelation 6:9-11. 02:02 Revelation 6:9-11. 02:06 Now while you're looking for that passage, 02:09 I just want to give you a little bit of context 02:11 so we know where that passage fits 02:14 within the structure of Revelation. 02:17 This passage that we're going to read 02:19 is actually a description of the fifth seal 02:22 of the Book of Revelation. 02:24 Now probably most of you know 02:26 that Revelation presents seven seals. 02:30 This seal is number five. 02:33 Now many of those who have studied the seals have concluded 02:36 and I have concluded this on the basis of many years of study 02:40 that the seals are actually describing Christian history 02:44 from the days of the apostles 02:46 till the second coming of Jesus Christ in power and glory. 02:51 In other words, the seven seals are describing certain eras 02:55 or period-- Periods of the history 02:57 of the Christian Church from Apostolic times 02:59 till the end of the age. 03:02 Now the first seal would represent 03:04 the Church of the Apostles 03:06 that goes out conquering and to conquer. 03:09 The second seal which is a red horse 03:11 represents the period of the church 03:13 during the persecutions of the Roman Empire 03:16 like, Nero and so on. 03:19 The third horse or the third seal 03:21 is a black horse and that represents 03:25 the period bearing consenting the great's time 03:28 when many of the errors and superstitions 03:31 that are not found in the Bible 03:33 penetrated and came into the church. 03:37 The fourth horse which is a pale one, 03:40 it's also the fourth seal represents the church 03:43 during the period of the Middle Ages. 03:46 It is the horse of death. 03:48 It's the period during which God's people are murdered 03:52 because they want to remain faithful to the message of God. 03:56 And then we have the passage 03:58 that we're going to study this evening, 04:01 the passage that deals with the fifth seal. 04:05 Now let's go in our Bibles there to Revelation 6:9-11 04:09 and read what we find in these very important verses. 04:14 It says there, "When He opened the fifth seal, 04:18 I saw under the altar 04:20 the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God 04:25 and for the testimony which they held. 04:28 And they cried with a loud voice, 04:30 saying, 'How long, O Lord, holy and true, 04:34 until You judge and avenge our blood 04:38 on those who dwell on the earth?' 04:41 Then a white robe was given to each of them, 04:44 and it was said to them 04:45 that they should rest a little while longer, 04:48 until both the number of their fellow servants 04:51 and their brethren, 04:52 who would be killed as they were, was completed." 04:58 The fifth seal describes the martyrs of Jesus 05:02 that were slain during the second seal 05:05 or the second horse, the red horse, 05:06 the imperial persecutions and those who were slain 05:10 under the period of the fourth horse, 05:12 the yellow horse, the horse of death, 05:14 the martyrs under the fifth seal 05:16 who were slain in the previous seals 05:18 are crying out to God from under the altar 05:22 because they have been slaughtered 05:24 in these persecutions. 05:27 Now we have several questions that we want to answer 05:30 concerning this passage 05:32 and I'll go through them one by one. 05:35 First, when does this scene take place? 05:40 The one that we just read about. 05:41 Well, we've already provided most of the context 05:45 that we're going to deal with. 05:47 Secondly, which altar were these souls under? 05:52 What altar is being talked about here? 05:55 Number three, why were they killed? 05:59 Why were these individuals killed? 06:03 Number four, what were they praying about? 06:06 What were they crying out about 06:08 and why were they crying out? 06:10 Number five, what do the white robes 06:13 that were given them represent? 06:16 Number six, why were they told 06:19 to rests for a little season 06:21 until the rest of the martyrs would be killed as they were. 06:26 And of course, the next question 06:27 I just answered in the previous one. 06:30 Is there more than one group of martyrs? 06:33 And finally, 06:35 when will the please of these martyrs be answered? 06:40 So those are the questions 06:41 that we want to answer in our study today. 06:46 Now in order to understand the cry of the martyrs 06:49 from under the altar, 06:50 we need to go to some old background. 06:53 So go with me to Genesis 4:3, 4. 06:59 Genesis 4:3, 4. 07:03 It's speaking here about the story of Cain and Abel. 07:07 And probably even those who don't read 07:09 the Bible very much 07:11 are acquainted with the story of Cain and Abel, 07:14 at least the broad strokes. 07:16 It says there in Genesis 4:1, 07:19 "And in the process of time 07:21 it came to pass that Cain brought an offering 07:24 of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. 07:27 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock 07:31 and of their fat. 07:33 And the Lord respected Abel and his offering." 07:37 But then we're told that God did not respect 07:40 the offering of Cain. 07:43 Why did God respect the offering of Abel, 07:46 but not respect the offering of Cain? 07:49 The simple fact is the Bible tells us 07:52 that without the shedding of blood 07:54 there is no remission of sin. 07:57 God had asked for an animal sacrifice. 08:00 He had shown it in Genesis 3:21, 08:04 when the first animals were sacrificed, 08:06 the skins were taken to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve. 08:09 God showed them that the only way their nakedness, 08:13 the nakedness of the sin could be covered 08:15 was through the death of the animal. 08:17 Cain and Abel knew that. 08:19 Abel obeyed God and worshiped God 08:22 the way God said that you're supposed to worship 08:25 and he brought the animal sacrifice. 08:28 Cain on the other hand disobeyed God. 08:31 He worshiped God as he pleased 08:33 and he brought the grain or the fruit of the ground. 08:37 And therefore God accepted the offering of Abel, 08:40 but He rejected the offering of Cain. 08:42 You see this original controversy 08:44 had to do with obedience and worship. 08:48 Abel obeyed God and worshipped God 08:51 according to the way that God had established. 08:55 Now the fact that God had blessed the offering of Abel 08:59 made Cain very angry. 09:02 Notice Genesis 4:8. 09:04 Notice that the disobedient one, 09:07 the one who practices false worship 09:10 now is filled with anger against the one 09:13 who was obedient and the one who worshipped God 09:16 the way God had commanded. 09:17 Genesis 4:8, "Now Cain talked with Abel his brother. 09:23 And it came to pass, when they were in the field, 09:26 that Cain rose up against Abel 09:30 his brother and killed him." 09:35 So you'll notice in this story that the disobedient one, 09:39 the one who practiced false worship 09:42 kills the obedient one who practiced true worship. 09:46 In other words, the unrighteous slays the righteous. 09:51 Go with me to Hebrews 11:4 09:53 and I'm gonna show you 09:54 that Abel is called righteous in scripture. 09:58 Hebrews 11:4. 10:01 It says there, "By faith Abel offered to God 10:06 a more excellent sacrifice." 10:08 Do you see that the issue had to do with the sacrifice? 10:12 So it says, "By faith Abel offered to God 10:14 a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, 10:17 through which he obtained witness that he was, what? 10:22 Righteous, God testifying of his gifts 10:26 and through it he being dead still, what? 10:30 Still speaks." 10:31 In other words, his sacrifice even after Abel died, 10:34 his sacrifice of obedience and true worship 10:38 still speaks till this day. 10:42 So you'll notice that this text says that Abel was righteous. 10:47 Now what about Cain? 10:48 Go with me to 1 John 3, 1 John 3:12. 10:54 1 John 3:12. 10:56 Let's read about Cain. 10:58 It says there in 1 John 3:12, 11:01 "Not as Cain who was of the wicked one." 11:06 Who was the wicked one by the way here? 11:08 Satan is the wicked one because it says not as Cain 11:13 who was of the wicked one. 11:15 In other words, Cain was a follower of whom? 11:18 Of Satan. 11:19 "Not as Cain who was of the wicked one 11:22 and murdered his brother. 11:24 And why did he murder him? 11:27 Because his works were evil and his brother's, what? 11:32 Righteous." 11:34 Now let me ask you something. 11:36 Was there a great injustice done in this story? 11:41 Absolutely. 11:43 Because the righteous person is killed. 11:47 The righteous person dies and the unrighteous person lives 11:52 and actually kills the person who is righteous. 11:55 So a great travesty injustice had been made. 12:01 Let me ask you, did the blood of Abel 12:04 cry out for vindication 12:08 and for this situation to be rectified? 12:11 Absolutely. 12:13 Go with me to Genesis 4:10. 12:16 Genesis 4:10. 12:19 We're gonna notice that the blood of Abel 12:21 cried out from the ground. 12:24 It says there, "And He said." 12:26 God is speaking here to Cain. 12:28 "And He said, 'What have you done? 12:32 The voice of your brother's blood 12:36 cries out to Me from the ground.'" 12:41 How many of you have ever seen blood cry out? 12:46 Does blood literally cry out? 12:48 Of course, it doesn't literally cry out. 12:51 What is meant by this verse 12:52 when it says that the blood of Abel was crying out? 12:57 It was crying out for what? 13:00 For vengeance and for justice. 13:04 It was crying out for God 13:05 to rectify this injustice that had been performed 13:09 because the unrighteous lived and the righteous died. 13:14 And so the blood of Abel cries out for justice. 13:19 Now we need to go to another Old Testament source 13:22 that adds a little information that will help us understand 13:26 a little bit better 13:27 the crying out of the souls under the altar. 13:31 You know, the question is which altar is being spoken of here? 13:35 By the way, in the story of Cain and Abel 13:37 we're not told that they raised up an altar, 13:40 but it becomes very, very clear 13:42 that if they were-- If they were supposed to sacrifice animals, 13:46 Abel must have raised up an altar 13:48 to place that sacrifice upon the altar. 13:52 Now notice this further Old Testament background. 13:55 Go with me to Leviticus 4:7. 13:59 Leviticus 4:7. 14:02 By the way, in the Hebrew sanctuary 14:04 there were two altars. 14:07 There was the altar of sacrifice in the court 14:11 and there was Altar of Incense 14:13 in the Holy Place of the sanctuary. 14:16 So the question is which of these two altars 14:19 is being described in the fifth seal? 14:23 Is it the altar in the court 14:25 where the animals were sacrificed 14:27 and placed upon 14:28 or was it the altar that was found 14:32 in the Holy Place the Altar of Incense? 14:36 Well, let's go to Leviticus 4:7. 14:41 Something was done with the blood of the sacrifice 14:45 after the animal had been slain. 14:48 Notice it says there, 14:50 "And the priest shall put some of the blood 14:53 upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the Lord, 14:57 which is in the tabernacle of congregation." 15:01 And now notice this. 15:02 "And shall pour--" That's an important word. 15:05 "And shall pour all the blood of the bullock, where? 15:10 At the bottom of the altar." 15:11 In other words, on the ground." 15:13 At the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, 15:16 which is at the door 15:19 of the tabernacle of the congregation." 15:21 So you will notice where was this altar located? 15:24 It was located at the door of the tabernacle. 15:28 That means, it was in the court of the sanctuary. 15:32 Where was the blood poured? 15:33 It was poured next to the altar on to, what? 15:36 On to the ground. 15:39 Now let's go to another passage 15:42 which helps us understand this even better. 15:46 Go to Leviticus 17:11. 15:50 And I want you to remember the key points of the passage 15:53 that we just read. 15:54 Number one, the blood was poured out 15:56 on the ground at the base of the altar. 15:58 Number two, it is the altar of sacrifice 16:02 because it was at the door of the tenth of meeting. 16:05 I want you to remember also that the blood was poured out. 16:08 That's an important expression. 16:10 The blood was poured out. 16:12 Now let's read Leviticus 17:11. 16:17 We asked the question, how is it that the blood cries out? 16:22 Well, let's read in this text something very interesting. 16:27 It says, "For the life." 16:29 That's the word nefesh. 16:31 Remember we studied that word nefesh 16:33 that sometimes as translated soul, 16:35 sometimes as translated life, 16:37 sometimes as translated living being. 16:40 Well, here it's translated life. 16:42 It says, "For the life of the flesh is, where? 16:47 In the blood." 16:49 So that the nefesh is found where? 16:52 The nefesh or the life is found in the blood. 16:56 "And I have given it to you upon, where?" 16:59 See there's the altar. 17:01 "I have given it to you upon the altar 17:03 to make atonement for your souls, 17:06 for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul." 17:10 Let's notice also Deuteronomy 12:23. 17:15 Deuteronomy 12:23. 17:20 It says there, "Only be sure that you do not eat the blood, 17:24 for the blood is the, what? 17:27 The blood is the life, 17:29 you may not eat the life with the meat." 17:34 So what is the life? 17:35 The life is the blood. 17:37 So when the Bible says 17:38 that the blood of Abel was crying out, 17:41 what was it that was crying out for justice? 17:44 It was the life of Abel that had been, what? 17:48 That had been taken unjustly and unrighteous. 17:52 So is it the same thing to say that the blood cries out 17:56 as to say that the soul cried out? 17:59 Of course. 18:00 Because the soul or the nefesh is, what, is the blood. 18:04 Are you understanding what I'm saying? 18:06 So the soul crying out, the nefesh crying out 18:09 is the same thing as Abel's blood crying out 18:12 because the blood is the nefesh. 18:15 Are you understanding what I'm saying? 18:16 So when it says that the souls are crying out 18:19 from under the altar, they are not some-- 18:22 Some disincarnated spirits that have left the body 18:26 and have gone to heaven some place 18:28 to be there to cry out to God for justice. 18:31 After all, why would they cry out to God for justice 18:34 if they're already in heaven? 18:35 I mean, they should be praising the Lord 18:37 in the presence of God, right? 18:39 If they were up there, but the fact is 18:41 the Bible tells us that at this point 18:44 they have not received justice. 18:46 They're not in heaven because they're crying out. 18:48 They're saying to God, 18:49 "God, until when is it that You are not going 18:52 to rectify this situation? 18:54 We have been mowed down unjustly. 18:56 When are You gonna make things right?" 18:58 Are you following me or not? 19:00 So where is this altar located? 19:02 It's not located in heaven at all. 19:05 It's located on earth. 19:06 You say how do we know that? 19:08 What did that altar of sacrifice represent? 19:11 It represented the sacrifice of whom? 19:14 The sacrifice of Jesus. 19:16 Where was Jesus sacrificed? 19:18 Was He sacrificed in heaven? 19:19 Was He placed upon the altar in heaven 19:21 so to speak upon the cross in heaven? 19:23 No. Where was He placed? 19:25 On the cross. 19:26 He was placed on the cross on the earth. 19:28 See, the court represents the earth. 19:30 That's where the altar was. 19:31 That's where the victim after being slain was placed. 19:33 It represented the cross of Jesus Christ. 19:36 So wherever these souls under the altar are 19:39 they are not under a heavenly altar 19:41 they're under of, what, an earthly altar. 19:43 By the way, if this is the literal altar 19:46 that must be a big-- 19:47 Offer big altar to fit all of the martyrs under it. 19:51 Well, you have here symbolic language. 19:53 You don't have literal language. 19:55 What's happening is that these souls, 19:57 the lives that have been poured out 20:00 of these righteous people are crying out for what? 20:04 Are crying out for justice. 20:09 Now we need to answer 20:10 in the rest of our study together. 20:13 When this scene is occurring? 20:17 Let's go back once again to our passage 20:20 that we began our study with 20:22 and notice one or two things 20:23 which are extremely important for understanding 20:26 the rest of our study today. 20:29 Once gain Revelation 6:9. 20:32 "When He opened the fifth seal, 20:34 I saw under the altar 20:35 the souls of those who had been slain 20:38 for the word of God 20:39 and for the testimony which they held." 20:41 So you see the reason why they were slain 20:43 is for the word of God and for the testimony 20:47 which they held. 20:48 In other words, they were giving witness to Jesus Christ. 20:51 "And they cried with a loud voice, 20:52 saying, 'How long, O Lord, holy and true, 20:55 until You judge and avenge." 20:56 Remember that expression. 20:57 Judge and avenge. 20:59 "Our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" 21:03 Verse 11, "Then a white robe was given to each of them." 21:05 We'll talk about that in a few moments. 21:07 "And it was said to them 21:09 that they should rest a little while longer." 21:11 We'll come to that also. 21:13 "Until both the number of their fellow servants 21:16 and their brethren, 21:17 who would be killed as they were, was completed." 21:21 Let me ask you how many groups of martyrs 21:23 are being discussed in this passage? 21:26 There are two groups of martyrs. 21:28 Because the first group of martyrs 21:30 under the fifth seal are crying out, 21:32 until when Lord do you not judge and avenge our blood? 21:36 They're given white robes and they're told. 21:39 Now you rest a while 21:41 until the rest of the martyrs are slain, 21:44 until the rest of the martyrs that their number is complete. 21:48 Are you understanding what I'm saying? 21:49 So how many groups of martyrs are there? 21:51 There are two groups of martyrs. 21:54 Now the question is when were these martyrs slain? 22:00 I'm going to share with you 22:01 now some information that we find in Daniel Chapter 7. 22:05 And I'm gonna be very brief 22:06 because I have to give you some context. 22:10 Daniel Chapter 7, you have four beasts. 22:12 The first beast is a lion 22:14 that represents the Kingdom of Babylon. 22:17 The second beast is a bear 22:19 which represents the Kingdom of Medo-Persia. 22:22 The third beast is a leopard 22:24 that represents the Kingdom of Greece. 22:27 The fourth beast is a terrible, nondescript beast. 22:31 And that beast represents Rome, the Roman Empire, 22:35 and then that fourth beast sprouts 10 horns 22:39 that represents the 10 divisions of the Roman Empire. 22:43 Then among those 10 horns 22:45 once the Roman Empire is divided 22:47 a little horn comes up 22:50 and that little horn does some very interesting things. 22:54 Notice Daniel 7:21. 22:57 Daniel 7:21. 23:01 It says, "I was watching, and the same horn." 23:05 This is after the Roman Empire was divided. 23:07 "The same horn was making, what? 23:10 War against the saints and, what? 23:14 Prevailing against them." 23:16 Did Cain prevail against evil? 23:18 He most certainly did. 23:19 This little horn was making war against the saints 23:23 and was prevailing against the saints. 23:26 How long was he going to prevail? 23:29 Notice Daniel 7:25. 23:32 Daniel 7:25. 23:34 Speaking about the same little horn. 23:36 "He shall speak pompous words against the Most High." 23:40 Here's the important phrase. 23:42 "He shall persecute the saints of the Most High." 23:46 Was this gonna be a persecuting power? 23:48 Most certainly. 23:49 Was gonna persecute the saints of the Most High. 23:52 "And shall intend to change times and law." 23:55 And then it says, "Then the saints 23:57 shall be given into his hand." 23:58 For how long? 23:59 "For a time and times and half a time." 24:03 For how long was this little horn gonna persecute 24:05 and prevail over the saints? 24:07 For time, times and half a time. 24:09 How long is that? 24:10 Three and a half years. 24:12 But in prophecy, we find that a day is equal to, what? 24:17 Is equal to a year. 24:18 Now three and a half years times 360 days, 24:23 each year gives you a total of 1,260 days 24:28 in three and a half years. 24:29 Which means that this little horn 24:31 was going to rule how long? 24:32 1,260 years after it roused to power. 24:38 Now let me ask you, what is the only system in the world 24:41 that rose after Babylon, after Medo-Persia, 24:43 after Greece, after the Roman Empire, 24:46 after the Roman Empire was divided 24:49 that ruled for over a 1,000 years. 24:52 There's only one answer to that 24:54 and that is the Roman Catholic papacy. 24:58 Ruled from 538 to 1,798 25:01 when the pope was taken prisoner 25:03 by the general of the French armies. 25:06 Now let's notice the corroborating evidence 25:09 in Revelation 13:5, 7. 25:12 Revelation 13 doesn't speak about a little horn. 25:15 Revelation 13 speaks about a beast, 25:18 but it's the same power. 25:19 Different symbol same power. 25:21 Revelation 13:5, 7. 25:25 It says here, "And he was given a mouth." 25:28 That is the beast. 25:29 "Speaking great things and blasphemies." 25:31 Is that the same thing the little horn did? 25:33 Yes, we just read about the little horn. 25:36 "And he was given authority to continue forty-two months." 25:39 You say, "Well, that's not the same 25:40 as time, times, and half a time?" 25:42 Yes, it is. 25:43 You multiply 42 months time, 30 days each month. 25:47 What's the total? 1,260. 25:50 The same total. 25:51 And so he ruled the same period. 25:53 It says, "He was given authority to continue 42 months." 25:56 And now notice verse 7. 25:58 "It was granted to him to make war with the saints 26:02 and to overcome them." 26:03 Is that what we found in Daniel 7 26:04 about the little horn? 26:05 Absolutely. 26:06 So it's says, "It was granted to him 26:08 to make war with the saints and to overcome them. 26:10 And authority was given him over every tribe, 26:14 tongue, and nation." 26:16 So how long was this power going to rule? 26:18 How long was this power going to wear out the saints 26:21 and persecute the saints of the Most High? 26:24 It was gonna rule 1,260 years. 26:28 What was gonna happen at the end of those 1,260 years? 26:32 Were the saints gonna get a respect? 26:34 Were the saints going to have 26:36 a period of rest from persecution? 26:40 Absolutely. 26:41 Notice Revelation 13:10. 26:44 Revelation 13:10. 26:48 Speaking about this power, it says, 26:51 "He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity." 26:55 In other words, 26:56 this power that he led God's people in captivity, 26:59 he was gonna go into captivity. 27:01 He-- Notice, "He who kills with the sword." 27:04 Must be what? 27:06 "Must be killed with the sword. 27:09 Here is the patience and the faith of the saints." 27:12 What did this beast power used to persecute. 27:15 To wear out the saints he used, what? 27:18 The sword. 27:19 What was the sword gonna do? 27:21 That same sword that he used to persecute 27:23 was going to be used to kill him. 27:26 In other words, to remove his power. 27:29 By the way, Revelation 13:3 amplifies this point. 27:34 When we're told about this beast in Revelation 13:3 27:38 and we're only gonna read the first part of the verse. 27:41 "And I saw one of his heads as if it had been, what? 27:47 Mortally wounded." 27:49 What happened to the beast 27:50 after it ruled 42 months or 1,260 years? 27:53 The Bible says that it was going to receive a deadly, what? 27:57 A deadly wound. 28:00 What was going to give it that deadly wound? 28:02 It was gonna be killed with, what? 28:05 With a sword according to what we just noticed. 28:08 Now you say, "What does that mean 28:09 that it was gonna be killed with the sword?" 28:12 In other words, that used the sword 28:13 and now the sword was going to arise against it. 28:17 How did the Roman Catholic papacy persecute God's people 28:19 during the Middle Ages? 28:21 The fact is that the church did not directly slay God's people. 28:28 What the church did was appealed to the power of the state 28:32 and by using the power of the state 28:34 God's people were slain. 28:37 In other words, the church would try the individual for heresy 28:40 and then the church would deliver the supposed heretic 28:44 into the hands of the secular power 28:46 for the secular power to slay that person 28:49 who was not in harmony with the teachings of the church. 28:52 Now I want to show you that the sword 28:55 really represents the power of the state. 28:58 In other words, the church had the power of the sword, 29:00 it had the power of the state 29:02 to persecute and kill God's people. 29:05 Notice Romans 13:1-4. 29:08 Romans 13:1-4. 29:13 Here the Apostle Paul is speaking about Rome. 29:16 And he says this. 29:17 "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities." 29:22 He's speaking about the governing authorities. 29:24 "For there is no authority except from God, 29:28 and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 29:32 Therefore, whoever resists the authority 29:35 resists the ordinance of God, 29:38 and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 29:41 For rulers--" Notice he's talking about ruler. 29:44 "For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. 29:48 Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? 29:51 Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 29:56 For he is God's minister to you for good." 30:00 But now notice the key phrase. 30:02 "But if you do evil, be afraid, 30:05 for he does not bear, what? 30:08 The sword in vain, for he is God's minister, 30:12 an avenger to execute wrath on him 30:15 who practices evil." 30:18 So what does a sword represent? 30:20 The sword is in the hand of the state 30:23 of the authorities or of the rulers. 30:27 And that's the way in which the church of the Middle Ages 30:30 persecuted the saints of the Most High. 30:32 It used the power of the sword, 30:34 the power of the state to kill and to destroy God's people. 30:38 But the Bible says that in 1798, 30:41 at the end of the 1,260 years 30:43 the sword of the state was going to arise against this system 30:47 and that's exactly what happened 30:49 when France aroused against the Roman Catholic papacy, 30:52 and the state no longer allowed itself to be used by this power. 30:57 And by the way, democratic governments appeared 30:59 all over the Europe and all over the America 31:04 as a result of the deadly wound. 31:07 So what is the first stage of martyrs that were killed? 31:11 The first stage of the martyrs is during the 1,260 years, 31:16 during the time, times, half a time, 31:18 during the 42 months that's when this little horn power 31:22 and this beast's power persecutes 31:24 and wears out the saints of the Most High. 31:28 Now allow me just for a moment 31:30 to give you another picture of this, 31:33 of this period persecution 31:35 as it appears in the series of the seven churches. 31:38 You know, there are seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3. 31:42 They also represent the history of the church 31:44 from the days of the Apostles till the end of time. 31:47 The first church Ephesus is the church of the Apostles. 31:51 The second church Smyrna is the persecuted church 31:55 under the Roman Emperors. 31:57 The third church which is the Church of Pergamum 32:01 represents the time when error came into the church 32:05 in the days of Constantine. 32:07 The fourth church, Thyatira represents 32:10 the period of people's supremacy just like the fourth seal. 32:14 Now I want to read about of the fourth church 32:17 which is the same as the fourth seal. 32:20 Go with me to Revelation 2:20-23. 32:24 Revelation 2:20-23. 32:28 It's speaking about the spirit 32:29 and there's a woman mentioned here 32:32 who was the enemy of God's people 32:34 during the period of this church. 32:37 It says there in verse 20. 32:39 "Nevertheless I have a few things against you." 32:43 That is against this church. 32:45 "Because you allow that woman, what? 32:49 Who ruled during the period of people's supremacy? 32:53 Jezebel, it says." 32:55 Because you allow that woman Jezebel-- 32:57 By the way, it's not Jezebel in person. 32:59 She didn't resurrect. It's not her soul. 33:01 It's a system that is similar in character 33:04 to the way Jezebel was in the Old Testament. 33:07 "Who calls herself a prophetess, 33:09 to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality." 33:14 The King James translates it fornication. 33:18 "And eat things sacrificed to idols. 33:21 I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality 33:25 or her fornication and she did not repent. 33:30 Indeed I will cast her into a, what? 33:32 Sickbed." 33:33 Is that exactly what happened 33:34 when she received the deadly wound? 33:36 Mostly certainly. 33:37 "I will cast her into a sickbed. 33:39 And those who commit adultery with her 33:41 into great tribulation." 33:42 By the way, that's the French revolution. 33:44 It was a convulsion in France. 33:47 "Unless they repent of their deeds." 33:49 And notice that this harlot also has children 33:52 that were born from her. 33:53 "I will kill her children with death, 33:55 and all the churches shall know 33:57 that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. 34:00 And I will give to each one according to your works." 34:05 Now the question is what was Jezebel 34:06 like in the Old Testament? 34:09 When she prefigures 34:11 what this church was like during the Middle Ages. 34:13 Well, let's read some things 34:15 about Jezebel in the Old Testament 34:17 because the church during this period, 34:19 during the period of people's supremacy 34:21 was going to have the characteristics of Jezebel 34:23 because the church is called Jezebel during this period. 34:26 Notice 2 Kings 9:22. 34:29 2 Kings 9:22. 34:32 Let's study a few things about Jezebel. 34:34 It says, "Now it happened, when Joram saw Jehu, 34:38 that he said, 'Is it peace, Jehu?' 34:42 So he answered, 'What peace, 34:44 as long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel 34:51 and her witchcraft are so many?'" 34:54 Notice two characteristics of this woman, Jezebel. 34:57 She was a harlot. 34:59 And she was involved in, what? 35:01 She was involved in witchcraft. 35:04 Furthermore, I want you to notice something else 35:06 that this woman did. 35:08 1 Kings 18:4. 35:11 1 Kings 18:4. 35:14 It says, "For so it was, while Jezebel." 35:17 Did what? 35:19 "Massacred the prophets of the Lord." 35:22 Is that what the little horn did during the Middle Ages? 35:25 Is that what the beasts did? 35:27 Absolutely. 35:28 Is that what Jezebel does 35:30 during the period of the fourth church? 35:31 Absolutely. 35:33 So it says, "For so it was, 35:34 while Jezebel massacred the prophets of the Lord, 35:37 that Obadiah had taken 35:39 one hundred prophets and hidden them, 35:41 fifty to a cave, and had fed them with bread and water." 35:46 Now let me ask you. 35:47 Was the blood of God's people eventually avenged upon Jezebel? 35:53 Was this woman destroyed? 35:55 Was she killed? 35:56 She most certainly was. 35:58 And the blood of God's people was avenged 36:00 because she had shed the blood of the righteous. 36:03 Notice 2 Kings 9:7. 36:06 Very interesting terminology. 36:08 2 Kings 9:7. 36:12 It says here, "You shall strike down 36:15 the house of Ahab your master, that I may do, what?" 36:22 Is that a word that we find in Revelation 6:9-11? 36:27 Of course. 36:28 It says, "That I may, what? 36:31 Avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, 36:36 and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, 36:39 at the hand of, whom? Jezebel." 36:43 So my question is this. 36:45 Did this system represented by the beast, 36:48 represented by the little horn, 36:50 represented by Jezebel under the fourth church? 36:54 Did she persecute and slay the saints of the Most High? 36:58 She most certainly did. 36:59 During her 1,260 years of dominion. 37:03 Well, let me ask you after the 1,260 years, 37:06 was that it? 37:08 Was this system going to rise to power again 37:12 and persecute God's people again? 37:14 Yes, because we find them to the fifth seal 37:16 that there are how many groups of martyrs? 37:18 There are two groups of martyrs. 37:21 The first group with those who were slain 37:23 during the 1,260 years, 37:25 but they are told to rest for a while 37:27 and we're going to that in our next point 37:29 and tell the rest of the martyrs in the future is complete. 37:34 Now what does that mean that the first group of martyrs 37:36 who were slain during the 1,260 years? 37:39 What does it mean that they're told to rest from their labors? 37:42 Let's read Revelation 6:11 37:45 and then we'll Revelation 14:13 37:47 to find what rest means. 37:49 It says in Revelation 6:11. 37:51 "Then a white robe was given to each of them, 37:54 and it was said to them 37:55 that they should rest a little while longer, 37:59 until both the number of their fellow servants 38:01 and their brethren, 38:02 who would be killed as they were, was completed." 38:05 In other words, you're going to be judged 38:08 and avenged when the rest of the martyrs, 38:11 the number of the rest of the martyrs is complete. 38:14 What does it mean that they will rest during this period? 38:17 Revelation 14:13 uses the same word, rest. 38:21 It says there, "Then I heard a voice 38:23 from heaven saying to me, 38:24 'Write, "Blessed are the dead who die.'" 38:29 In case, you didn't understand the dead part. 38:32 "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." 38:36 'Yes,' says the Spirit." 38:38 That they may, what? 38:39 "That they may rest from their labors, 38:42 and their works, what? Follow them." 38:44 So what condition are these souls 38:46 under the altar after the period of the 1,260 years. 38:50 Are they in heaven under heavenly altar 38:52 and hallelujah Lord, we're here. 38:55 We've been to live it from our enemies. 38:56 Is that the condition they are in? 38:58 Of course, not. What are they doing? 39:00 They are resting. 39:01 How could they be crying out if they're resting, 39:04 if they're dead? 39:05 The fact is, what is that that's crying out? 39:08 It is their life, it is their blood 39:10 that is crying out, for what? 39:12 That is crying out for justice. 39:14 Are you with me or not? 39:16 Now, is there going to be a second stage of martyrs? 39:20 There most certainly is. 39:22 Go with me to Revelation 13:3 39:25 and we're going to read the second half of the verse. 39:28 You see, I only read the first half of the verse. 39:30 First half says, "And I saw one of his heads 39:32 as if it had been mortally wounded." 39:36 But then I want you to notice 39:37 the last half of Revelation 13:3. 39:40 It says, "And his deadly wound was, what? 39:43 His deadly wound was healed." 39:47 So is this beast-- Is this little horn-- 39:49 Are they going to behave the way they did in the past? 39:52 Are they going to have dominion? 39:54 Are they gonna persecute again? 39:56 Are they gonna kill again? 39:57 Absolutely. 39:58 You say, "Pastor Bohr, you're talking too strong here." 40:01 The fact is that prophecy gives us the sequence of powers 40:05 and the sequence of events. 40:07 You can follow it in the course of history. 40:09 Now notice Revelation 13:3 says, 40:13 "And his deadly wound was, what? 40:15 Was healed. 40:16 And all the world marveled and followed, what? 40:20 The beast." 40:21 In fact, do you know that the Bible says 40:23 that there will be one nation in the world 40:26 that will return the power 40:28 to this first beast, to this little horn? 40:31 And it's the United States of America. 40:33 Let's read that in Revelation 13:11 40:36 and then we'll read verses 12 and 15. 40:39 We've studied this prophecy in other venues, 40:41 so I'm not gonna get into a lot of detail, 40:43 but I just want you to notice 40:44 that this beast that rises from the earth 40:48 is gonna help this first beast, get its power back 40:51 and it's actually gonna give a death decree 40:53 in honor of that first beast. 40:55 It says there, "Then I saw another beast 40:57 coming up out of the earth, 40:59 and he had two horns like a lamb 41:01 and spoke like a dragon." 41:04 Verse 12. 41:05 "And he exercises all the authority 41:08 of the first beast in his presence, 41:10 and causes the earth 41:11 and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, 41:15 whose deadly wound was, what? Healed." 41:17 Does this second beast 41:19 force everybody to worship the first beast? 41:21 Yes. 41:22 So must the first beast have the resurrection to power? 41:26 Absolutely. 41:27 Verse 15, "He was granted power 41:31 to give breath to the image of the beast, 41:33 that the image of the beast should both speak and cause 41:37 as many as would not worship 41:39 the image of the beast to be, what? 41:42 "To be killed." 41:45 Is there gonna be another group of martyrs? 41:47 Absolutely. 41:48 Is it when the beast resurrects to power 41:50 or the little horn resurrects once again to power? 41:52 Absolutely, the Bible is clear. 41:55 The Bible makes it very clear 41:57 that the United States of America 41:59 is going to return the sword 42:01 into the hands of this first beast. 42:05 The United States of America 42:06 is gonna lend the power of the state 42:09 to the Roman Catholic papacy to impose her teachings 42:13 like, Sunday observance and so on. 42:15 And those who do not go along, 42:17 the Bible says will be slain. 42:19 And you say, "Pastor Bohr, 42:21 in these United States of America, 42:23 that's an absolute impossibility." 42:26 I just want you to remember what I'm saying today. 42:30 And when you'll see it transpire 42:32 just remember what we're studying 42:35 because it is true and it is going to happen 42:38 because the Bible says 42:40 that the deadly wound is gonna be healed 42:42 and the whole world is gonna marvel 42:43 after the beast helped by this beast 42:46 that roused from the earth. 42:49 So there is going to be a second stage of martyrs. 42:52 Now let's study about that second stage of martyrs. 42:57 Go with me to Revelation 17, Revelation 17 43:00 and let's study the second stage of the Jezebel power. 43:06 You remember that we studied Jezebel 43:08 under the fourth church, right? 43:10 Now we're gonna look at Jezebel 43:12 after the deadly wound is healed when she rises again to power. 43:16 Revelation 17:1, 43:20 and actually it'd be nice to read 43:21 all of the first five verses. 43:23 We don't have time, but read it at your leisure. 43:26 It says there in verse 1, 43:28 "Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came 43:32 and talked with me, saying to me, 'Come, 43:36 I will show you the judgment, of the what? 43:40 Of the great harlot." 43:43 Was Jezebel a great harlot under the fourth church? 43:48 Absolutely. 43:50 "Who sits on many waters?" 43:52 By the way, she's called Babylon in that passage. 43:54 There is a cup in her hand filled with wine 43:57 which are her false doctrines. 43:59 She is decked with gold and silver and precious stones. 44:03 Her special colors are purple and scarlet. 44:07 And it says she sits on many waters 44:09 which are multitudes, nations, tongues and people. 44:12 In other words, she rules over the nations of the world. 44:15 Need I give you any further description? 44:17 Then notice what we find in verse 6. 44:21 "I saw the woman, drunk, with what? 44:26 With the blood of the saints 44:29 and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus." 44:33 Is this harlot gonna persecute again? 44:35 Is she gonna shed innocent blood? 44:37 Yes. 44:38 "And when I saw her, I, what? 44:41 I marveled with great amazement." 44:45 This is describing the period when the deadly wound is healed 44:48 and the harlot who ruled under the fourth church 44:51 is gonna be ruling once again 44:53 over the world in the future 44:55 aided by this beast that rises from the earth. 45:00 Let me ask you, is the blood of God's people 45:03 then going to cry out once more for justice? 45:09 Are the martyrs gonna cry out? 45:11 "How long, O Lord, until You judge 45:14 and avenge our blood and those who shed it upon the earth?" 45:17 Yes. 45:19 The second group of martyrs will cry out, 45:21 but when the last martyr dies, folks. 45:24 God is going to answer their plea 45:28 by punishing the harlot. 45:30 Let's read about it in Revelation 16:5, 6. 45:35 Revelation 16:5, 6. 45:41 This is speaking 45:42 about the period of the seven last plagues 45:45 that fall upon Babylon 45:46 and the persecutor of God's people. 45:48 It says, "And I heard the angel of the waters saying, 45:51 'You are, what? Righteous.'" 45:55 Did you notice that in the prayer the martyrs say, 45:58 until when or how long, O Lord, righteous and true? 46:04 Now you'll notice that the angel says, 46:06 You are, what? 46:07 Righteous, O Lord, the One who is and who was 46:12 and who is to be, because You have, what?" 46:17 There is the word. 46:18 Not how long until you judge. 46:20 It says, "You have, what? 46:21 You have judged these things. 46:24 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, 46:28 You have given them blood to drink. 46:30 For it is their just due." 46:34 Is the day coming when the plea of the martyrs 46:36 is going to be judged 46:38 and it is going to be avenged according to this text? 46:42 Absolutely, it will be during the period 46:45 of the second and the third plague 46:47 of the Book of Revelation. 46:49 In fact, the Bible gives a description of a song 46:53 that God's people are gonna sing once they're in heaven 46:57 after they've been delivered from this persecuting power. 47:02 Notice Revelation 19:1, 2. 47:05 Revelation 19:1, 2. 47:10 "After these things I heard a loud voice 47:12 of a great multitude in heaven, saying, 'Alleluia!'" 47:16 Where is this multitude? 47:19 So, are they victorious at this point? 47:20 Certainly. 47:21 "After these things I heard a loud voice 47:23 of a great multitude in heaven, saying, 'Alleluia!' 47:26 Salvation and glory and honor and power 47:29 belong to the Lord our God!'" 47:30 And now notice. 47:32 "For true and righteous." 47:33 Are those the same words that the martyrs cried out to God 47:36 and tell when or for how long, 47:38 O Lord, righteous and true? 47:40 Absolutely. 47:41 So it says, "For true and righteous are His, what? 47:45 Judgments, because He has avenged 47:49 or he has judged, rather, 47:51 the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication, 47:54 and He has avenged on her the blood 47:59 of His servants shed by her." 48:01 What are God's people gonna sing 48:02 when they get to heaven? 48:03 You have judged and You have, what? 48:07 You have avenged. 48:08 Let me ask you, is the case of Abel 48:11 going to be rectified in the heavenly court? 48:14 Absolutely. 48:17 Is the fate of all of those martyrs 48:19 who died during the 1,260 years going to be rectified? 48:22 Yes. 48:23 How about the future group of martyrs 48:25 who will be slain by this union 48:27 or correlation of church and state, 48:29 are they going to be judged and avenged? 48:31 Is their blood going to be avenged? 48:34 Absolutely. 48:35 The Bible says, yes. 48:36 And in fact, do you know that the Bible tells us 48:39 that then those who sing this song 48:43 that God has judged and avenged 48:45 are now going to be the judges of their oppressors. 48:50 What? 48:51 Absolutely. 48:53 Go with me to Revelation 20:4. 48:56 Revelation 20:4. 49:00 "And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, 49:03 and judgment was committed to them."" 49:07 Who are they? Who are the them there? 49:08 Oh, notice. 49:10 "Then I saw the souls of those 49:12 who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus 49:15 and for the word of God, 49:17 who had not worshiped the beast or his image." 49:19 Is this the second group of martyrs? 49:21 Yes, because the beast and his image is future. 49:24 So it says, "Who had not worshiped the beast or his image 49:27 and had not received his mark on their foreheads 49:30 or on their hands. 49:31 And they, what? 49:32 And they lived." 49:34 Oh, so they were did, but now what are they gonna do? 49:36 "They lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years." 49:40 And what are they gonna do during those thousand years 49:42 according to what we just read? 49:44 They are going to judge. 49:48 And according to what we studied last night, 49:50 who are they gonna be judging? 49:54 They're not gonna judge the righteous. 49:55 The righteous are all in heaven. 49:57 They're not gonna be judging the good angels. 49:59 The good angels are all in heaven, 50:00 they don't need any judgment. 50:02 Who are they gonna judge? 50:03 The Apostle Paul says, 50:04 "Do you not know that the saints will judge the world. 50:08 Do you not know that we shall judge angels?" 50:10 In other words, they will participate 50:14 in the judgment of those who oppress them, 50:17 who actually led them to the slaughter. 50:20 Isn't that interesting, 50:21 how things will be reversed by God? 50:27 Now we need to deal with one final thing 50:29 before we bring this to an end. 50:31 What are the white robes that they are given? 50:36 The fact is that every martyr died a conqueror 50:40 because they died faithful to Jesus. 50:43 They died covered by the righteousness of Jesus. 50:47 In fact, let's read about that in Revelation 7:13. 50:52 Revelation 7:13, 14. 50:55 Speaking about the white robes it says, 50:57 "Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, 51:00 'Who are these arrayed in white robes, 51:02 and where did they come from?' 51:04 And I said to him, 'Sir, you know.' 51:07 So he said to me, 51:08 'These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation." 51:14 And what are they done? 51:15 "And washed their robes and made them, what? 51:19 White in the blood of the Lamb." 51:21 What are the white robes? 51:23 The white robes represent the righteousness of Jesus. 51:26 Every martyr who died singing praises to Jesus 51:30 died a conqueror. 51:33 Yes, it appears like the wicked had prevailed 51:36 because they died. 51:37 But the Bible tells us 51:38 that God is going to rectify the situation. 51:41 He will resurrect them from the dead. 51:43 They will sing praises to His name 51:45 and they will participate in the millennial judgment 51:48 against their oppressors. 51:50 Now what does this mean that they were given white robes? 51:54 By the way, they're given the white robes 51:56 before they actually are judged and avenged. 51:59 Did you catch that? 52:01 They're given the white robes 52:02 before they are judged and avenged. 52:06 Now what does that mean they're given white robes? 52:08 Go with me to our final passage Matthew 22:11-13. 52:15 Matthew 22:11-13. 52:17 And if we have enough time we'll read one more, 52:19 but this-- This one I want us to understand. 52:21 This is a parable of Jesus. 52:24 It says here, "But when the king came in 52:27 to see the guests. 52:28 "This is a wedding that has been prepared 52:32 and there have been people invited to the wedding. 52:34 So it says, "When the king came in to see the guests." 52:37 Is there any examination of the guests here? 52:40 Yes, there is. 52:42 "He saw a man there who did not have on a, what? 52:47 A wedding garment." 52:48 By the way, had the wedding garments 52:50 been given to people before the wedding actually took place? 52:54 It becomes very clear that they were. 52:56 In other words, they were given their wedding garment 52:59 and then they were invited to the wedding. 53:02 And an examination was made to see if they had, what? 53:07 If they had the wedding garment that had been given before. 53:11 So, are they given the wedding garment 53:13 before the examination is made 53:17 to see whether they have the wedding garment? 53:18 Of course. 53:20 Now notice what it continue say in verse 12. 53:22 "So he said to him, 'Friend, 53:25 how do you come in here without a wedding garment?'" 53:27 Do you think this individual someway sneaked into heaven? 53:31 Remember we studied last night? 53:33 How do you appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ? 53:36 You appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ. 53:38 How? 53:39 Through your, what? 53:41 Through your records. 53:43 See, your record is gonna reveal 53:45 whether you truly receive Jesus as Savior and Lord? 53:48 Whether you were covered with His righteousness? 53:50 And when Jesus comes 53:51 and He examines your case you're absent, 53:54 but He is looking at it through the records, 53:55 He's gonna say, "Oh, this one 53:58 has the white garments of the righteousness of Jesus." 54:03 But what He examines the records of others? 54:05 He's gonna say, "This individual was claims 54:08 to have a right to be up here, 54:09 but look he doesn't have on the wedding garment 54:12 by what is registered in the books." 54:14 Are you following me or not? 54:16 Now notice, "'Friend, how did you come in here 54:20 without a wedding garment?' 54:22 And he was, what? 54:24 Speechless. 54:26 Then the king said to the servants, 54:28 'Bind him hand and foot.'" 54:30 Is this the punishment stage? 54:32 Yes. 54:33 "Bind him hand and foot, take him away, 54:36 and cast him into outer darkness, 54:38 there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 54:42 Do you notice three things here, 54:43 three successive stages? 54:45 Number one, the robe is, what? 54:48 Given. 54:50 Number two, the robes are examined. 54:55 Number three, the reward is given. 55:00 In this case, the positive reward 55:03 for those who had the wedding garment 55:04 and being cast into outer darkness 55:07 where there's weeping and gnashing of teeth 55:09 for those who claim to have a right to be in heaven, 55:12 but whose records showed that they really did not, what? 55:17 They really did not belong there. 55:18 So what does the Bible mean when it says that 55:20 these martyrs were given white robes? 55:23 It simply means that they died conquerors. 55:25 They died in Christ. 55:27 They were covered with the righteousness of Christ. 55:29 When Jesus closed their biography in heaven, 55:33 He probably wrote at the end, conquerors, 55:36 because they were covered with the righteousness of Jesus. 55:39 What happens when their records are open, 55:42 when the record of life is brought out? 55:45 Ah, they have, what? 55:47 They have the wedding garment. 55:49 See, you don't have to be afraid of the judgment 55:51 as long as you have the wedding garment. 55:53 So they'll have the wedding garment. 55:55 And then the time comes when God's people will be, what? 55:59 When God's people will be rewarded. 56:03 So the martyrs will rest 56:06 until the number of the martyrs is complete, 56:10 and then both groups will be judged and avenged 56:17 and they will sing praises in honor 56:20 and glory to the God of Heaven. 56:23 Do you understand a little bit better 56:25 what the Bible's talking about 56:26 when it says that the souls of the martyrs were crying out? 56:33 It doesn't mean that they were some disincarnated spirit up 56:37 there under some gigantic altar in heaven and there, 56:41 you know, they're saying, "Lord, when are You-- 56:43 Until when are You going to judge and avenge us? 56:45 Well, if they're in heaven, 56:46 why would He need to judge and avenge them?" 56:50 Besides the altar is not the heavenly altar at all. 56:53 It's not the altar in the Holy Place, 56:54 it's the altar in the court and the court is the earth. 56:59 What is really crying out is their life the word nefesh, 57:04 the word psyche. 57:06 What is crying out is their blood 57:08 because the life is the blood 57:10 and they're crying out for a judgment in their favor 57:14 and they're crying out to be justified 57:17 and to be included in the kingdom. 57:20 If we should die, we will have that great privilege. 57:23 I pray to God that we will have the white garments 57:26 so that we can walk the street of God. |
Revised 2014-12-17