The Vengeance of God
12/4/25 Bible Thought (Revelation 6)
The justice of God is inescapable.
In Revelation 5 we were introduced to the Lion of Judah who alone was worthy of opening the scroll. Now, in chapter six, we’ll see the results of six of its seals being opened.
The first four seals bring about four horsemen.
Now, the understanding of the first horse is debated, being thought by some to be a representation of the conquest of the gospel.[1] By others it is understood to be part of the package of suffering that comes with the following three horses which can be summed up as, “war, scarcity, death.”[2]
Regardless of the exact imagery here, the overall picture is one of suffering on earth. Now, rather than getting stuck in the weeds of apocalyptic interpretation, I want to focus on the fifth seal and the cries of the martyrs in glory:
“O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (Rev. 6:10).
A God of Justice
The Scripture presents a consistent picture of a God who is just. That is, He will punish sinners for their cosmic treason against Him and His ways. If God were to let rebels off the hook, He wouldn’t be just.
That said, the martyrs are longing to see vindication.
They recognize that God is all-powerful as Sovereign, and He is holy and true in nature.
Yet, they gave their lives in faithful witness to the gospel, and on the surface, it seems like their enemies have gotten away with it. Like the prophet Habakkuk’s complaint, there seems to be a discrepancy between the nature of God and His actions.
In response, they are enrobed in white and reassured they must wait just a little longer.
Coming Wrath
We then see the sixth seal opened which begins the outpouring of God’s wrath upon creation with pictures of cosmic upheaval.
So much so, that kings and those in high positions flee to the mountains, seeking death even at the hands of rocks in order to be spared from the wrath of God (Rev. 6:15-17).
This chapter, though filled with difficult imagery is nonetheless clear: God is just. He will avenge those who have suffered for the cause of Christ, even if it comes after delay.
However, we must likewise see that God did not promise to spare their suffering. Instead, there is an understanding that more martyrs were to come (see Rev. 6:11).
An Unpromised Easy Life
The Lord Jesus once told His disciples:
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (Jn. 16:33, emphasis added).
Things won’t always be great down here.
In fact, we can expect hardship as His followers. Yet, we can rejoice—He has overcome. His victory is certain. Though the final effects of His triumph are still awaited, the end of the story is clear: the believer is on the winning side.
Martyrs who were scorned, tortured, and brutalized here on earth will be clothed in white in glory. They are in the hands of God, and while they may not be spared physical suffering for Christ’s cause, they will be spared eternal suffering for their sins against Him.
When the wrath of the Lamb falls, the people cry out, “Who can stand?” and the answer is only those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 7:14).
So, in the meantime, no matter what hardships come we can trust and know:
God is just. All sin will be paid for, either by the sinner themselves or by the blood of the Lamb (see Rom. 3:21-26).
God is sovereign and He will mete out His justice at the time He has appointed.
Those whom the Lamb has redeemed will rest eternally secure around the throne of God.
These things in mind, we can have hope and peace today, no matter what comes our way.
Challenge for Today:
Do I ever find myself discouraged by the present injustices in the world?
We can take heart that even though God’s justice is delayed, it will surely come. At the same time, we must remain eternally grateful for His mercy towards us that was wholly undeserved.
[1] George Eldon Ladd, A Commentary on the Revelation of John (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1972), 99.
[2] Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 142.