While the righteous people have many troublesome times to face when the final prophetic countdown begins, they do not focus upon the persecution and hardship. Their eyes are firmly fastened upon the eternal world and the glories awaiting the faithful. They do not fill their thoughts with mourning over the suffering, which they face in this time of spiritual night. Rather, they know that "…weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning" (Psalm 30:5).

As the blasting of the seven trumpets in the fourth seal has come to an end, that joyous spiritual "morning" is now closer than ever before.

The longsuffering endurance of Elohim, in putting up with the wickedness of men has come to an end as the fifth seal is opened and the promise of persecution’s end is given.

The symbolic crying of the blood of His people, speaks of the Father’s love for those who have given their lives for the truth. They have remained faithful and He has not forgotten their great sacrifice. But, as this seal is first opened, the seventh angel’s trumpeted tones are still symbolically hanging in the air. Until the final clarion ring dies out, more may still enter into life. Thus, there will still be more martyrs at the outset of the fifth seal. Still, for the people of Elohim, there remains a silver lining amidst this cloud of death. Not only is their blood shed only as seed unto salvation, but also their loving and protective Heavenly Father will make these difficult days of extreme persecution short.

Every faithful and obedient child of Elohim is precious in His sight. He has only permitted their deaths because He also loves those who are not yet saved. If some other dear soul may be brought to accept the truth through witnessing a child of Elohim give his life rather than give up the truth, Elohim finds the saving of even one more worth the sacrifice.

But during the fifth seal, the last symbolic tones of the seventh angel’s trumpet die out. Grace has ended. The final Day of Atonement has come, as YHWH stands and pronounces the end of martyrdom in one powerful statement:

There are four distinct groups classed in this final pronouncement, uttered on this Day of Atonement. Two groups are saved and two are lost. The two saved groups are classified as "righteous" and "holy." The two lost groups are labeled as "unjust" and "filthy." As these groups are significant for understanding the final end-time events, we will carefully identify their characteristics, which have gained them their classification.

The first of the saved groups in the above Scripture is the group of the righteous. Abraham was classed among this group.

As is seen in this text, Abraham expressed his faith in Elohim through the works of obedience. Those who would also be classed as the righteous children of Abraham will posses the same active faith that their spiritual forefather demonstrated.

Those who will be among Abraham’s group of the righteous, will be those who are obedient to Elohim as Abraham was. As Christ Himself explained, "…If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham" (John 8:39). Those who render to their Heavenly Father the same faithful and obedient works that Abraham rendered are counted as the "seed" or "children" of Abraham. Thus, these children of Abraham are able to partake of the promises Elohim made to Abraham. "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made" (Galatians 3:16).

Abraham is an excellent type foreshadowing the group classified as "righteous." He demonstrates his faith through obedient works, just as will the righteous in every age. This faith-filled lifestyle is also Biblically labeled to be the life of the "just."

To be "righteous" is also to be "just" as was Abraham. Continuing to follow the typical pattern of Abraham, we find that he died, and was laid to rest. (See Genesis 25:8.) A period of rest in the grave will characterize the group labeled as "righteous" or "just." To those who share this classification, the coming resurrection contains the promise of eternal life. "And thou shalt be blessed… for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just" (Luke 14:14).

Whether their lives were cut short by martyrdom or they just lived out their full lifespan, we find that in YHWH’s pronouncement that the "righteous" will be "righteous still" is the assurance that those faithful ones who have died are not forgotten by heaven. The righteousness of Christ has been imputed to this group by faith.

The past sins of these slumbering righteous ones have been confessed and forgiven. They now lay in peace, as their record of good works wrought through faith in the power of Elohim follows them.

There will be many faithful ones living in the last days who will be laid to rest prior to YHWH’s return. These will be resurrected and united with the holy living saints to "meet Adonai in the air." (See 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.)

In YHWH’s final pronouncement, the second group of people who are classified among the saved are the "holy." At the final Judgment, these pure ones need never again worry about losing their walk of holiness. They are forever secure as YHWH announces, "…And he that is holy, let him be holy still" (Revelation 22:11).

While righteousness is a high attainment, achieved only through the redemptive power of Elohim and the reciprocated loving commitment of His followers, holiness is a higher level still. To be classified as "holy," one will have connected so fully with the power and grace of heaven that every besetting sin has been forgiven and then completely conquered. Paul understood that holiness was the next wrung up on the progressive spiritual ladder. He referred to keeping each part of his body under control, serving only righteousness through them, that in such a lifestyle, the ultimate goal of holiness might be attained.

The process of becoming holy is the process of being sanctified. As we continue to walk in harmony with Elohim’s expressed will and ways, the Holy Spirit reveals more and more of YHWH’s will to us. Thus, we grow in grace through leaving each revealed sin behind and stepping ever nearer to the goal of perfect holiness.

The 144,000 will be a very special group of people. These are the holy people. To be classified as "holy" means that Elohim’s Spirit has finished revealing every sin and all iniquity has been utterly forsaken. Now the individual is living without committing ANY more sin.

To be holy is to have the work of sanctification completed in the life. In such a state, the character of the child of Elohim has come to fully reflect the character of Elohim. As He is perfect, so those who attain full holiness will be perfect in will and character.

Just as there are two categories for the saved on the final Day of Atonement, so there are two groups of the wicked. They are the unjust and the filthy.

According to the apostle Peter, the "unjust" are those who do "unlawful deeds." (See 2 Peter 2:8-9.) These are sinners who have never chosen to experience the justification which Christ’s blood offered to them. Their sins, which are Biblically defined as "transgressions of the Law," (see 1 John 3:4) have never been covered with the blood of Christ and thus forgiven. Those who now stand in this damned group are not here through any fault of heaven. Elohim is faithful to forgive those who repent and seek His righteous cleansing.

Those who are among the "unjust" will have rejected the opportunity for forgiveness through never believing in Christ and confessing their sins, never claiming His precious blood on their behalf. Now they stand judged, wearing only their own unconfessed lawless works of ragged unrighteousness.

While it is a distressing thought that there will be many in the end of time who have chosen to love their lives of sin, rather than avail themselves of heaven’s redemptive power; there is an even more sobering implication in the final judged group. The last category is classified as "filthy." (See Revelation 22:11.)

The unjust, on the other hand, are those who have merely never made any claim to Christ, whereas the filthy are another matter entirely. The word "filthy" is translated from the original Greek word rhupoo, meaning: "to soil" or "become dirty" (Strong’s Concordance #4510). This meaning lends some interesting information to this class. At one time or another, something, which "becomes dirty," must have been clean! Then this state of cleanness was lost. When the final pronouncement is made, they are found spiritually unclean.

These are the ones who called themselves Christians, but never allowed Christ’s power to transform them into His image. Isaiah drew a stark line of distinction between true and false Christians. The process of becoming sanctified, or continuing to grow in grace, is sometimes Biblically referred to as "the way of holiness." Those who are finally found to be filthy and spiritually unclean will be characterized by refusing to surrender to the Holy Spirit’s cleansing. For one reason or another, they have blindly believed that Elohim would not expect them to lead lives of victory. As Isaiah prophesied, "The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it" (Isaiah 35:8).

Refusing the transforming power of heaven, these filthy ones have chosen to remain in the unsurrendered and powerless worm-state. They have "had a form of godliness, but have denied the power thereof" (2 Timothy 3:5).Thus, heaven treats them like the worms they are. In vain they point to their spiritually taped-on wings, reminding YHWH that they have done good things or have formerly tasted of His salvation. But His eyes see past the butterfly costume to their unchanged and un-Christ-like hearts. Too late this group of pseudo-Christians will discover that it was not enough to merely wear a label. When all is said and done, heaven claims only those who "do the will of the Father" and cease to continue in sin.

Upon this ultimate Day of Atonement, the final Judgment is pronounced, completing the events of the fifth seal. Now heaven and earth begin to come apart as the unmingled judgments of Elohim shake this planet to its foundation.

At the opening of the sixth seal, the silver trumpet of mercy has symbolically ceased to blast. Time is up. All that could be saved have been. Now, upon those wicked ones, who looked grace in the eye and spiritually spat upon the offer, fall Elohim’s most terrible judgments.

Even while the wicked are fleeing in terror and being driven mad with fear, the righteous are calmly accepting the promise of YHWH’s protection. Their trials are past. Now, although heaven and earth churn in violent convulsions about them, they walk in complete peace and safely, as though standing in the eye of the storm. To them, Elohim calls gently:

When the events foretold to take place in the sixth seal are drawing to a close, the last event of this seal is the Second Coming of Christ. This is the day, which John alluded would come during the sixth seal by recording the wicked people’s reaction to meeting Elohim face-to-face. "…And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb" (Revelation 6:16).

The day that the wicked will meet Elohim face-to-face is that Great Day when our Saviour returns in the clouds. Those who have accepted Christ’s offer of righteousness now rejoice. But to the rest of the world, this is the blackest hour yet to come upon them. In the sixth seal, the sun has been darkened, the stars have fallen, the earth has seemed to come apart at the seams. Yet none of this is to compare with the terror that now rests in every wicked breast. As the One Who wanted to save them looks at each filthy face, His eyes burn into them and they cry for the rocks to crush them to death to spare them from having to behold Him. (See Revelation 6:16-17.)

The tribes of the earth may be mourning, but for Elohim’s holy ones, the sight of the sun turning black and the moon becoming blood is greeted with great joy. For they have studied the Scriptures. They know heaven’s promises are sure. These manifestations prophesied in the sixth seal are the very ones their precious Saviour told them to watch for. They are the last signs, after which the Saviour will return.

This day has been rehearsed for centuries through the first Sabbath of the Feast of Tabernacles. Elohim’s whole reason for asking the ancient children of Israel to build Him an earthly tabernacle was so that He might dwell among His people. (See Exodus 25:8-9.) Now, in this ultimate fulfillment of the first day of Tabernacles, Christ comes to take His people to live with Him forever.

Christians have long known that Christ was prophesied to soon return. But, as Elohim has appeared to "tarry" in order to extend salvation to all who would accept it, some have gotten the idea that they may behave as if He may never come. They do not choose to study the Scriptures, whereby they would clearly see the nearness of Adonai’s return. They do not strive with the power of heaven for the mastery over sin. Sadly, their lustful lives are evidence that they do not really believe Christ will soon return.

Giving up now is about like falling short of the finish line in a race. Having lost sight of the goal (which is preparing for the sealing), we have come to think of Elohim’s return as the great event to be watched for. But for those who wait to see Christ appear before they begin getting serious about becoming Christ-like, they will have waited too long.

As we see the participants of the final prophetic timeline beginning to take their places, like actors before a play, we will know that the events we have waited for will soon begin. Already the fourth angel is beginning to speak! Soon the Pentecost will be fulfilled empowering the 144,000 to carry this powerful message to the whole world. Of all times of history, now is not the time to lose our spiritual vigilance. Now, more than ever, we need to press toward the eternal goal we have looked for so long.

• The fifth seal will bring the end of martyrdom, as it will coincide with the final fulfillment of the Day of Atonement.
• There are four categories into which all people are grouped on the Great Day of Judgment: righteous, holy, unjust, and filthy.
• During the sixth seal, Elohim’s unmixed judgments are fully poured out. As this period draws to a close, Christ will return. His appearing will take place on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles, fulfilling the annual rehearsal that has pointed to Christ’s return for thousands of years.