How Long Until You Judge?
By Donna Keith
The vision received by John and recorded for us in the book of Revelation was intended to comfort and encourage the first century saints who were suffering for their faith. This comfort came from the assurance that God is seated on His throne and is in control of our world. God and the Lamb will win the battle that Satan and his forces are waging with Christ, the Lamb of God. Because of this guaranteed victory, the persecuted Christians in John’s time could have hope that one day all the persecution and suffering will end, all of God’s people will be with Him for eternity, and Satan and the forces of evil will receive God’s ultimate vengeance. We can have the same hope and reassurance from this book because John has given us the end of the story.
As the vision unfolds after John receives the letters to the seven churches, He describes a scene picturing God on His throne in heaven where He rules and is in control of all things. In His right hand is a scroll sealed with seven seals. Jesus, the Lamb of God, takes the book and begins to break the seals. The first four seals reveal horsemen on different colored horses and picture various judgments to be unleashed on the earth.
The fifth seal reveals an altar before the throne of God. Under the altar are “the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held” (Rev. 6:9). These victims of persecution, who have died for the cause of Christ, cry out, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Their plea for retribution against those who were torturing and killing the saints reminds us of similar calls for justice found in the Old Testament among some of the prophets and psalmists (e.g., Psa. 58:3-11). These individuals, in both the Old Testament and Revelation, are not seeking personal vengeance against their enemies. They are pleading with God to take His promised vengeance on the evil that has been directed against them.
In these visions to the apostle John, God has declared that He will win the victory over His enemies. A day of justice, retribution, and revenge will follow for those who have allied themselves with Satan, participated in evil, and refused to repent. God will remember the sacrifices of His saints and punish the impenitent persecutors eternally. However, the Christians who desire this justice for their wicked tormentors must wait patiently.
In the same way today, we may make our pleas to God. We may pray for a speedy return of the Lord. We may petition God to eliminate some evil in our world. We may pray fervently about a trial we are enduring or for the physical healing of ourselves or a loved one. When we do not see the desired results as soon as we had hoped, do we find ourselves wondering, “How long, O Lord?”
The answer is the same for us as for the souls under the altar. We must wait patiently. Keeping some fundamental principles from God’s word in our hearts can help us endure, persevere, and wait patiently for the Lord’s response. They include the following:
He will keep His promises, His justice will prevail, and His Purposes will be fulfilled. We know that God does not change (Mal. 3:6), and it is impossible for God to lie (Heb. 6:18; Titus 1:2). Because of these foundational facts, we can have confidence that He will be faithful to His promises (2 Tim. 2:13; Heb. 10:23). Throughout the Bible there are numerous examples of fulfilled promises, including more than 300 in the Old Testament related to the coming Messiah. Recognizing the certainty of His promises gives us comfort when we read of His plans to send His Son a second time (Acts 3:18-20; Jn. 14:2-3) and to raise the dead (John 5:28-29). We can be sure that He will judge all mankind through His Son (John 5:22, 27) resulting in eternal life for those who have been faithful to Him (1 John 2:25; Titus 1:2) and eternal punishment for those who have not obeyed Him (2 Thess. 1:6-9). The will of God will be accomplished. His eternal purpose (which existed before He created the world) will ultimately be fulfilled in its entirety when the Lord comes again.
He will take care of us and protect us. Because God keeps His promises, we can be certain He will take care of His saints as they seek His righteousness (Matt. 6:33) and cast their cares on Him (1 Pet. 5:7). We can believe that He will provide a way of escape from temptation (1 Cor. 10:13). We can avoid anxiety about daily necessities of life by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving (Phil. 4:6). We can know that, although He may not remove us from difficulties, He will help us have the strength to endure them. He will help us understand Paul’s assurance in Romans 8:18 that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” No matter what happens on the earth, if we remain faithful, He will keep us spiritually safe and grant our entrance into eternal life in heaven. If we keep His commandments and continue steadfastly in prayer (asking in faith, with proper motives, and consistent with His will), He will hear and answer. His “compassions fail not. They are new every morning” (Lam. 3:22-23).
He will do all these things in His time. While it is true that we are to look for and earnestly desire the coming day of the Lord (2 Pet. 3:12-14) and eagerly wait for the Savior (Phil. 3:20), we must understand that the day for judging wickedness and rewarding righteousness will be in God’s due time. James told the Christians who received his epistle to endure trials and testing and wait patiently for the coming of the Lord (Jas. 5:7). Christ’s appearing will be at a time known only to the Father and will be “in His own time” (1 Tim. 6:14-15). Just before His ascension, Jesus told the apostles who asked if it was now time for Him to restore the kingdom, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has put in His own authority” (Acts 1:7).
James instructed his readers to combine their patient waiting (their endurance in suffering and hardship) with prayer. We know that prayer is an important part of a Christian’s life. A parable of Jesus teaches that we always ought to pray and not lose heart (Luke 18:1). The apostle Paul urges us to continue steadfastly in prayer (Rom. 12:12) and to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). When we petition God with a request that is acceptable to make, He may answer with an immediate “yes” or with a “no.” He may also intend to grant our request at a time better suited to His will for the big picture of life on earth that we cannot see. In that case we must learn (as did the souls under the altar) to wait on the Lord. Whatever we pray for, such as physical healing, help in suffering, or the elimination of some evil, the Scriptures teach us to wait patiently for God to act. He will answer these prayers in a way and in a time that serves a larger purpose in His plans.
We will be victorious. The visions of Revelation assure John’s readers that the Lord will defeat all His enemies and the saints will be vindicated and rewarded. They will share in the victory over God’s enemies and rejoice in the triumph of righteousness over evil. This message was important for the early Christians who were enduring extreme persecutions, but the book is filled with encouragement and comfort for God’s children of every age who endure suffering and trials. Knowing that victory is assured for faithful saints, we can persevere until we receive the promised reward.
God is in control of His universe. Through His providence He will ensure that His purposes are accomplished. Even though we may not understand how God works in the world, we can be confident that He does. As Paul said to the Roman Christians, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” (Rom. 11:33).
We must concentrate on trusting God, depending on Him, and availing ourselves of the privilege of prayer. In this way, we can wait both eagerly and patiently for the Lord’s coming and be content with a delayed answer to our prayers. We must humbly and thankfully remember that God has “begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Pet. 1:3-5). Because of this hope, Peter says we can rejoice with “joy inexpressible and full of glory” (1 Pet. 1:8).
There will be times in our lives when we feel like asking God, “How long, O Lord?” May we not lose heart but follow the advice of David in Psa. 27:14 when he said,
“Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!”