“Hold Back the Winds of Judgment!”

Before you start todays devotional, ask the Lord to use it to grow you up in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The winds of judgment are blowing on the earth as we’ve seen the four horsemen do their horrible work. But even in this, nothing happens outside of God’s purpose, the Bible says.

God’s purpose in the Tribulation is as it has always been—to save those in the human family who will turn to Him. He likely wouldn’t keep this world running if it wasn’t for people turning to Him. Even in this horrific season, multitudes will turn to Him and He’ll welcome them with open arms.

But even more will turn against Him. God’s judgments are like the sun on wax and clay—some will be hardened by it; others will melt.

Opening of the Fifth Seal: Prayer of the martyrs (6:9-11)

Back in heaven, John next sees an altar where Jesus Christ offers His literal blood for the sins of the world (see Hebrews 9:23-26). Gathered around the altar are the souls of those who have been killed for their faith in God, both in the Old Testament and since the beginning of the Tribulation. They cry loudly, “How long, Strong God, holy and true? How long before you step in and avenge our murders?” (see 6:10).

Then each martyr is given a white robe, symbolizing salvation and eternal life, and told by God to be patient, sit back, and wait until the full number of martyrs are filled from among their faithful friends.

Opening of the Sixth Seal: The Day of Wrath has come (6:12-17)

The scene shifts back to earth and signals the last half of the Great Tribulation. God first causes a planet-sized earthquake to rock the whole world. Then the sun grows dark, the moon reddens “like blood,” and stars fall like a meteor shower. The sky will look like it splits and rolls back like a scroll. Those on earth will glimpse into the throne room of heaven.

With dread and terror, people run to hide in caves and call on the mountains to fall on them—anything to get them away from the wrath of the Lamb. They don’t want to stand before a holy and righteous God. All the fury of God’s wrath is now revealed in the Lamb. God has declared war against sin.

What About the People Turning to God and Getting Saved During this Period?

Since you can’t turn to God without the work of the Holy Spirit, how does anybody get saved now? The Holy Spirit didn’t leave the earth; He’s just changed roles. During our day, the Spirit restrains evil so the gospel can penetrate a Satan-controlled and Satan-blinded world. How could the Word go out unless the Spirit of God holds back evil? Even today, satanic forces work against the Word of God being heard and believed.

The Great Tribulation is the devil’s holiday. God will give him the freedom to do as he pleases. This is part of God’s judgment on a world that rejects Jesus as Savior. But even then, a great company of people will be saved in the Tribulation—more than in any other seven-year period in the history of the world.

Between the sixth and the seventh seal, we have a pause. Revelation7 answers the question asked at the end of chapter 6: “Who is able to stand?”

Four angels, standing on the corners of the earth controlling the wind, are then ordered by a fifth angel to prepare for a fearful judgment about to break on the earth. He says, “Hold back the winds of judgment, the winds of the Great Tribulation Period, because we have to seal these folk so they can make it through” (7:2-3). Two great companies of people will be called out, from Israel and out of the Gentiles.

We don’t know what sign the Lord uses to protect them, but it is some spiritual mark on their lives in contrast to the mark of the beast. God will protect them so they can make it through the Tribulation.

Next: Who are the 144,000 saved?

1. What does it tell us about God that, even in the midst of His judgment, He is still saving people?

2. How should understanding that Christ is the Lamb, but that He also has great wrath against evil, motivate us when it comes to obeying and applying His words?

3. The Spirit seals believers in the Tribulation just as He does those that believe today. What does it mean to be sealed by the Holy Spirit?

Additional Resources

Listen to Dr. J. Vernon McGee’s complete teaching on Revelation 6:7-17, Revelation 7:1 and Revelation 7:2-4.