Martyrdoms—Past and Future!

Next Part Satan’s Wrath on Modern Israelite Descendants

In Matthew 24:1-51, Christ, in answer to a question by His disciples about when He would return, spoke of and clarified events that would precede what the Bible calls “the great tribulation” (Matt. 24:21-22). This, followed by the wrath of God, comprises the three and a half years preceding His Second Coming.

A few verses before explaining the tribulation, Christ explained that a terrible martyrdom lay ahead for true Christians at the end of the age: “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and you shall be hated of all nations for My name’s sake” (Matt. 24:9). It is obvious that Christians will be doing something that identifies them as different from all those around them. They will be hated with such intensity that they will be tortured (“afflicted”) and martyred in great numbers (“killed”).

Revelation 6:1-17 is a precise parallel of Matthew 24:1-51. In fact, the careful reader will see that Matthew 24:1-51 is Christ interpreting His own words in Revelation 6:1-17.

In Revelation, John, in vision, was shown a preview of future events (“hereafter,” Rev. 4:1). Since John was “in the spirit” as the seals were opened (Rev. 4:2), the events he witnessed were not actually occurring when he saw them. They were heavenly previews of things that would happen later on Earth.

Revelation 6:9-11 contains a description of the fifth seal, which is the great tribulation and future martyrdom of saints. Upon the opening of the fifth seal (Rev. 6:9), John “saw under [at the base of] the altar the souls of them that were slain.”

Here is John’s description of the fifth seal: “And when he had opened the FIFTH SEAL, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, do You not judge and AVENGE our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled” (Rev. 6:9-11).

Some cite these verses to validate both the pagan immortal soul doctrine and the belief that the saved go to heaven (which is not true)—and thereby miss the whole point of what Christ is revealing.

This description is not literal, but rather is symbolic, as is much of Revelation. No one believes that the four horses that precede it in context are literal horses. They are obviously symbolic and part of a vision. So are the souls under the altar.

The fifth seal portrays the martyrdom of true saints (along with vast numbers from national Israel and Judah). This occurs during the tribulation. The context develops with the already-martyred souls asking God a question: “How long, O Lord ...” Rev 6:11 is a symbolic instruction to these martyrs of the Middle Ages to await this latter martyrdom of the end time.

In the vision, John was shown the future. A long period of martyrdom, at the hands of the great false “woman” church, who was “drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus” (Rev. 17:6), will have already taken place. (Revelation 12:1-17 briefly describes God's true Church through the last 2,000 years.) There, this period is described as “a thousand two hundred and three score (1,260) days”—or 1,260 years, from A.D. 325 to A.D. 1585.

Revelation 12:6 describes how the Church had to flee “into the wilderness” to escape persecution. Accounts from history indicate that more than 50 million human beings were killed during this time because of their unwillingness to compromise beliefs that were contrary to the Roman church. (Most of these were not true Christians striving to hold to all of God’s doctrines, but were “protestors” holding to some few areas where they disagreed with Rome.)

Again, a later martyrdom (the great tribulation) is yet to happen in our time. The “souls” who were already “slain” were previously martyred true Christians from past ages. These earlier martyrs were told to “rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled” (Rev. 6:11).

The great tribulation is not God’s wrath. The wrath of God is the seven last plagues, described extensively in parts of the book of Revelation. The great tribulation is Satan’s wrath on God’s true servants—and on the modern descendants of ancient Israel and Judah. This wrath will be perpetrated by a final empire of ten kings in Europe, united under one powerful leader—and done at the behest of Satan’s universal false church. Matthew 24:22 shows that God will have to cut “short” this persecution “for the elects’ sake.”

The “souls under the altar” are now awaiting God’s punishment of—His “vengeance” on—the great governmental power that persecuted them. God said that He would “AVENGE [their] blood” through the seven last plagues on those who carry the mark of the beast. God will pour His vengeance on this false Babylonish murderous woman and her daughter churches of Revelation 17:1-18. But this cannot take place until the second great and final martyrdom is past.

Elect Must Remain Fervent, Vigilant

Many of God’s true people in the end time have partially drifted away from God. They have not remained as close to Him as they should have. They have not zealously sought and obeyed God on a daily basis. This has allowed many to be deceived, and to fall into various false doctrines and wrong practices. This has been the pattern of history when false ministers capture the leadership of the flock. Only the tribulation will awaken these brethren—and even then only about half (Matt. 25:1-12)!

These “lukewarm” Christians will have to suffer this final martyrdom (Rev. 3:14-22). The faithful Christians who were previously killed must continue to “rest” (remain “asleep” in their graves–Eph. 5:14; 1 Cor. 11:30; 15:51) until others join them through this final martyrdom.

During the tribulation, there will be extraordinary worldwide deception, unlike any time in world history. Christ was very specific about this in Matthew 24:1-51 “And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity [lawlessness, worldwide] shall abound, the love [obedience to human laws and God’s Law–Rom. 13:10; 1 John 5:3] of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.... For then shall be GREAT TRIBULATION, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.... For there shall arise false Christ's, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders [the false prophet of Revelation 16:13 and 19:20—the woman and two-horned beast of Revelation 13:11-13—will lead in this]; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matt. 24:10-13, 21, 24).

This is a very direct prophecy about tremendous deception that seduces “many” at the end of the age, before Christ’s Coming (Matt. 24:3). The elect must remain on guard—and remember to practice Luke 21:36, among many other scriptures—daily!

At His Return, Christ will bring with Him the individual rewards of all His servants. They will have qualified for great glory: “For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man according to his works” (Matt. 16:27). Make no mistake. Your works in this life, your obedience to God’s plain commands, have a direct bearing on your reward in the next life!

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