When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been. (Revelation 6:9-11)
For those who live in comfort, it is hard to imagine what true persecution is like. A hurtful word or an unkind action from an unbeliever is usually all Christians in the west might suffer for their faith, but it is quite different in much of the rest of the world.
All throughout history and even in modern times, people have been beaten, imprisoned and killed because of their stand for Christ.
Some may ask, “If God is so loving, why does He allow His children to suffer? If God is so good, why does He let His children die? If God is so righteous, why does He ignore injustice?”
He has not forgotten. He is waiting for the fullness of time.
Make no mistake. All sin, all evil, and all injustice will be punished. God has a cup filled with holy and righteous wrath, and it is prepared for all who violate His law and all who harm His people. The only question is, who will drink it?
Do not forget that the glorious truth of the gospel is that Jesus Christ, the only one with no sin of His own to pay for, has offered to drink the cup for all who trust and follow Him!
This means two things. First, if you are in Christ, then the full measure of God’s wrath against your sin has been received by Jesus Christ, and there is no more left for you! Second, when you see or experience injustice and persecution in this life, know that either it will be paid for in full as God’s wrath is poured out on the guilty, or it will have been paid for in full upon the cross of Christ.
Either way, when your soul cries out for justice as you see all the evil in the world, you can find peace in this truth.
God is the avenger of injustice.
–Pastor Phillip
