How Long?

How Long, O Lord?
John R. Petrilli

Did you know that the Bible records a whole international assemblage of people crying? In Revelation we find a host of people up in heaven verbalizing their appeal to God for Justice. They were unfairly executed by the forces of earthly power, and were growing impatient to see their shed blood avenged. “How long, Sovereign Lord, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood.” (Rev. 6:10) This mighty throng had been mercilessly slaughtered for their faith in Jesus (Rev. 6:9), and felt it was high time for divine justice to roll down like thunder, for divine retribution to fall swift and sure upon those who had wantonly taken their lives. Even the angelic hosts of the Tribulation period voice the need of the hour, calling down God’s righteous wrath upon those who had martyred His faithful followers (Rev. 16:4-5). The wheels of justice turn slowly but the time would soon arrive for things to come full circle (Rev. 16:6). These loyal-to-the-death souls had paid the supreme price for their fidelity to Jesus, and were waiting to receive their well-earned reward (Rev. 20:4). Their precious lives had been sacrificed at the altar of demonic worship (Rev. 13:11-15), and now had been assigned to tarry under God’s altar until their day in court had come. They’d waited long enough, and were anxious to see God wrap up their story of pain, suffering and injustice.

There isn’t a more magnetic sound in the universe than that of a baby’s cry. Nursing mothers wake out of a sound sleep at the slightest whimper, racing to see if all’s well in the crib. Perhaps it’s the awareness of the babe’s utter helplessness and complete dependence that drives its mother to such heroic measures. Even those of us who don’t nurse the young feel our hearts pull right out of our chests at the sound of a little one’s plea for milk or a diaper or to be held in our arms. God made it this way. He designed that vocal appeal in such a way that it is totally irresistible to the normal human psyche.

Imagine what it would sound like if you had to care for, say, fifty babes in a nursery and they were all crying for attention at the same time? Well, we’d have to elevate that sound about one million times to hear the thunderous refrain of the innocents who’ve been slain at the altar of selfish convenience. Oh, we can’t hear their cry for justice, but there most certainly is One Who can. His heart is ripped-out at the sound of every one of their voices. Black children, brown children, white children, red children, yellow children. Almond-eyed kids, round-eyed kids, slanted eyed kids. Dark-haired, light-haired, fair-complexioned, medium-complexioned, dark-complexioned. Blue-eyed, brown-eyed, green-eyed. Male and female. Listen to them by the billions, lifting up their tender voices to God to avenge their innocent blood. If God was able to hear the blood of just one slain soul named Abel appealing to Him for justice, how much more the incessant song of this heavenly throng of unfortunates who were robbed of their right to life itself (Genesis 4:10)?

So just how long will their cry for sweet relief waft up to the divine Throne before it’s answered (Psa. 6:3)? How long will they have to wait while God seems silent (Rev. 13:1)? How long will it be before they are permanently rescued from the devouring hands that so cruelly shed their natal blood (Rev. 35:17)? How long until God arises and strikes down those who have mocked Him by their cold-blooded, cold-hearted murder of the defenseless unborn (Rev. 74:10-11)? How long until God answers their desperate cry for full deliverance from their destroyers (Psa. 79:5-8)? How long before the Lord ends His patient endurance of the works of the wicked and shows His favor on the righteous (Psa. 82:2-4)? How long until His holy wrath breaks out and ends His virtual silence (Psa. 89:46)? How long before the pro-death camp ceases their songs of rejoicing over the legal battles they have won (Psa. 94:3)? How long before those who single out the most vulnerable of our society for persecution are dealt with (Psa. 119:84)?

How long? Only God knows the answer to that age-old inquiry. But painful as this endless lament may be, there will come a time for it to finally cease! There is coming a Day when the whole world will be judged in righteousness by a Man Who Himself knew the tortures of death by defacing, dehydration, and dislocation (Acts 17:31; Isaiah 52:14; Psa. 22:15; John 19:28; Psa. 22:14,17). When He returns, all the books will be balanced, every bill will be paid in full, and the crying will once and forever come to an end (2 Thess. 1:5-10). Until then we must work and pray and trust God’s timing and wait ... and perhaps shed a tear or two for and with the martyred innocents.