Archive for March 29th, 2007
Tucked up under the throne
A scripture on the kingdom of God:
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5: 10)
Again, this reminds me of Revelation 6. In this case, the martyrs, “tucked up under the altar:”
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, dost thou 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 fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
In this case, their “blessedness” is their location at the altar, close proximity to the center of things. As Dale Gish pointed out in his teaching, the world might treat these people as fools, but God treats them as central. Dale also pointed out that it was perfectly acceptable for them to question God’s long delay, and that they are comforted with robes and an explanation (but not the vengeance they requested, at least not yet).
I, on the other hand, could not help but think that they martyrs are generally like other people who follow God–containing God’s light, but also containing much which will be “judged,” that is, judged and found wanting. Again, it seems right for them to ask how long, but it seems to me God could have also answered with Jesus’s example and teaching: “Father, forgive them,” and “turn the other cheek.” My blessedness (I hope, and please God) would be that closeness to God.
