Revelation 6:9-11 – The Fifth Seal – The Christian faces discrimination and persecution in this world. This – combined with the judgement of God – makes us ask ‘how long O Lord, how long? “.
Subscribe on YouTube
The Blog of David Robertson
The Blog of David Robertson
Revelation 6:9-11 – The Fifth Seal – The Christian faces discrimination and persecution in this world. This – combined with the judgement of God – makes us ask ‘how long O Lord, how long? “.
Subscribe on YouTube
“How long” “By their unrighteousness they supress the truth”.
Thanks David – persecution comes with following Christ and western churches are not immune from this. We in the west may not face physical torture, imprisonment and death but is mental torture any less arduous, is being imprisoned by the spirit of the age any less of an issue is the deadening of the soul any less tragic?
There’s echoes of this in what you read and say “My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord, how long?.. I am worn out from my groaning” (Ps 3:3,6).
It’s a tough call.
BUT
Let’s consider what Paul languishing in prison said.
“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Phil4: 11-13).
Perhaps the answer to “how long” is as long as it takes to learn contentedness in all things through Christ who gives strength and therefore to have gratitude.
In my view, there is an obvious parallelism that runs through the entire Bible – events appear to repeat themselves at different times in history, in different guises, on different stages and with different actors.
The prevailing plot remains the same though; which is that good will ultimately prevail over evil. Revelation is a book of promise and hope for those suffering persecution as much as it is for those simply weighed down and wearied by the world and its perverse ways. Clearly, the message of Revelation is intended to be timeless and remain relevant for all generations.
Anybody who does not see that the modern church is coming under increasing persecution, is blind – perhaps not the harsh persecution endured by the early church and even still today, in some parts of the world; but rather a subtle, insidious challenging of its core beliefs which ultimately leads to the ridicule and ostracism of Bible believing Christians. Sadly, many churches and their leaders lack the courage of their conviction and have already buckled under the pressure – so much so, that one has to wonder whether they ever really believed in the God of the Bible.
I’ve been reflecting on the four horsemen and the fact that death is, obviously, unavoidable for any of us. I think disease, famine, persecution must have brought this into sharp relief in the days when John was writing. It gives me comfort though, and must have to the early Christians, who were suffering, that God is in control, that Jesus has secured our future, that he knows the days we are to live and so we can rest secure in that. I think this is where the comfort is in this passage and what I am trying to draw on as I look at the news headlines and worry about the world. I wonder though how we respond, as Christians, in the midst of this? And I suppose I go back to Jesus’ teachings on how we are to live and treat one another in the midst of this. For example, to focus on how Jesus responded to the suffering He saw and the persecution He experienced, to comfort those who need comforted. I suppose I say this because it feels that the issues seem so big and overwhelming at times, you think what difference can I make to it? And I suppose it is good, in times like this, to go back to Jesus and his life and teachings.