Revelation 6:9-11 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.
Seal five makes a break in the patterns of the first four seals. There are no more living creatures or riders because there were only four of these. The scene also changes from the earth back to the heavenly temple. John sees the altar there. There is no need for an animal sacrifice in heaven. Rather, the sacrifice is the souls of those who lost their lives as martyrs (witnesses) of the gospel. These represent the lives of those who on earth did not turn their backs on God even to the point of being killed. This is a place of high honor. Theirs was literally a sacrifice of praise that cost their lives. We should not get too caught up in this being “souls.” This represents their lives, their essence, their being.
The martyrs ask God for justice upon the earth. God is the one who avenges (Romans 12:19) and will make all things right. This is a sign of their total confidence in God that marked their lives on earth. God tells them that the number of martyrs is not complete yet. This means that more believers will lose their lives in the coming days. The times of persecution are not over.
These verses do two things for us. First, they can give us confidence that even if we lose our lives, we will be in God’s care and final justice will take place. Dying for our faith is the highest sacrifice we can make. Second, these verses help us be prepared for the coming days of persecution and trouble. God will not leave us nor forsake us. Our lives on earth are temporary while we look forward to eternity.
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