This week’s daily readings:

This week’s devotional:

Reflections of God’s Justice

by Rev. Justin Elerath

Scripture:

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.

— Revelation 6:9-11 (NIV)

Reflection:

In Revelation, Chapter 4, we get a glimpse into heaven. We are introduced to the four living creatures and the never-ending worship that takes place before the throne. In Chapter 5, we are presented with a scroll – a scroll that can only be opened by the Lamb of God, by the one whose blood was shed. The angels were singing, “Worthy is the lamb who was slain.” The conclusion is that the seven seals on the scroll can only be opened by the Lamb because he alone is worthy – the only one who paid the price. In Chapter 6, we see the opening of the seals by the Lamb of God who we know to be Jesus. Jesus is the only one capable of opening the seals mentioned in verse 1 of the chapter.

As each seal is broken, the trials for the Church progress. In verses 9-11 (quoted above), we see the martyrs’ desire to see judgement on those who took their lives: “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”

Justice is one of the communicable characteristics of God, meaning humans can reflect this characteristic, though in an imperfect way. In the opening of the fifth seal, we see the desire for justice executed in an imperfect way. God gives the martyrs a white robe and tells them to wait.

Justice isn’t justice only if it must happen in our timing. Often, we desire to see justice played out immediately and we lose sight of the bigger picture. The bigger picture is most certainly in the opening of the seals of the scroll! The martyrs are assured that they will be avenged, but the timing is (disappointingly) not yet.

As the Church, we should expect persecution, and we can expect God to avenge those hardships. However, we must be satisfied with the promise – the promise of tomorrow – with complete faith that we serve a holy and just God!

How can you reflect God’s justice today?

Prayer:

Lord, we are fully aware that your ways are not our ways, that your idea of justice is far above human ideas. Why, then, are we so often disappointed in having to wait for justice to be carried out? Lord, hear our cries and forgive our impatience. Help us to be satisfied knowing that Jesus, the Lamb of God, will reveal your perfect plans to us and that you will act in the timing you know is best. Give us the ability to reflect your justice in the things we do. Let those reflections be a testimony to your wisdom and goodness. We thank you for your perfect promises and look forward to tomorrow! We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen

Week 51: December 14-20, 2025 -Reflections of God’s Justice

CONTACT US