Revelation 6:9

And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: The three last seals relate to the invisible, as the first four to the visible world; the fifth, to the martyrs who died as believers; the sixth, to those who died, or shall be found at Christ's coming, unbelievers-namely, "the kings ... great men ... bond man ... free man;" the seventh, to the silence in heaven. The scene changes from earth to heaven; so that interpretations which make these three last consecutive to the first four are doubtful. I SAW - in spirit. Souls are not naturally visible. UNDER THE ALTAR. As the blood of sacrificial victims on the altar was pou...

9-11 The sight the apostle beheld at the opening the fifth seal was very affecting. He saw the souls of the martyrs under the altar; at the foot of the altar in heaven, at the feet of Christ. Persecutors can only kill the body; after that there is no more they can do; the soul lives. God has provided a good place in the better world, for those who are faithful unto death. It is not their own death, but the sacrifice of Christ, that gives them entrance into heaven. The cause in which they suffered, was for the word of God; the best any man can lay down his life for; faith in God's word, and the unshaken confession of that faith. They commit their cause to Him to whom vengeance belongs. The Lord is the comforter of his afflicted servants, and precious is their blood in his sight. As the measure of the sin of persecutors is filling up, so is the number of the persecuted, martyred servants...

Verse Revelation 6:9. _THE FIFTH SEAL_] There is no _animal_ nor any other _being_ to introduce this seal, nor does there appear to be any new event predicted; but the whole is intended to comfort the followers of God under their persecutions, and to encourage them to bear up under their distresses. _I SAW UNDER THE ALTAR_] A symbolical vision was exhibited, in which he saw an _altar_; and under it the _souls of those who had_ _been slain for the word of God_-martyred for their attachment to Christianity, are represented as being newly slain as victims to idolatry and superstition. The altar is upon earth, not in heaven....

AND WHEN HE HAD OPENED THE FIFTH SEAL - notes at Revelation 5:1; Revelation 6:1. I SAW UNDER THE ALTAR - The four living creatures are no longer heard as in the opening of the first four seals. No reason is given for the change in the manner of the representation; and none can be assigned, unless it be, that having represented each one of the four living creatures in their turn as calling attention to the remarkable events about to occur, there seemed to be no necessity or propriety in introducing them again. In itself considered, it cannot be supposed that they would be any less interested in the events about to be disclosed than they were in those which preceded. This seal pertains to martyrs - at the former successively did to

EXPOSITION REVELATION 6:1 AND I SAW. A new departure in the series of visions is marked (see on Revelation 4:1). We have here the commencement of the Revelation proper, to which the first five chapters have formed an introduction (cf. Tabular analysis). The vision of the _seals, _which, although related first, exhibits events concurrent with those symbolized by the _trumpets _and _vials, _is contained chiefly in Revelation 6:1. Revelation 7:1 is occupied with an account of an episodal character, similar to that which occurs in...

AND WHEN HE HAD OPENED THE FIFTH SEAL,.... Of the seven seals of the sealed book; here is no beast speaking here, nor horse and rider presented to view; it was now a very dark time both with respect to the church of God and ministry of the word, and the Roman empire. This seal refers to the times of Dioclesian, and the persecution under him; and instead of the voice of one of the living creatures, John hears the voice of martyrs: I SAW UNDER THE ALTAR THE SOULS OF THEM THAT WERE SLAIN; these include not only all the martyrs that were put to death in the persecution of Dioclesian, but all those that suffered in all the persecutions preceding; for this, being the last, involves them all. "Souls", being immaterial and incorporeal, are invisible to the bodily eye; these therefore were either clothed with corporeal forms, as angels sometimes are, or rather John saw them in a visionary way, a...

CHAPTER S 6 The Opening of the Seven Seals _ 1. The first seal (Revelation 6:1)_ 2. The second seal (Revelation 6:3) 3. The third seal (Revelation 6:5) 4. The fourth seal (Revelation 6:7) 5. The fifth seal (Revelation 6:9) 6. The sixth seal (Revelation 6:12) 7. Parenthesis: The remnant of Israel (Revelati

REVELATION 6. THE OPENING OF THE SEALS. When the seals of the book are opened by the Lamb, a number of woes are let loose upon the world. The first four are described under the figure of horses of different colour, the first white, the second blood-red, the third black, the fourth pale or livid. The best interpretation regards these woes as (1) triumphant militarism, (2) slaughter, (3) famine, (4) death. The other two woes are described without this metaphor martyrdom and earthquake. The seventh seal is not opened till ch. 8. REVELATION 6:1. ONE OF THE SEVEN SEALS: belonging to the book of destiny (_cf. Revelation 5:1_). LIVING CREATURES: REVELATION 4:6 *. COME: to whom was the order

THE FIFTH SEAL. It is evident, from the entire change of the imagery, that, after the fourth seal, the subject of prophetic vision is entirely changed. The horse now disappears, and is seen no more in connection with the opening of the seals. Along with the horse the armed warriors sweep out of sight. The reader should mark carefully the following language: And when he had opened the fifth seal. saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with. loud voice, saying, How long,. Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them that they should rest yet for. little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren that should be killed as they _were,_ should be fulfilled.--6:9...

THE OPENING OF THE SEALS (Revelation 6:1-8) As one by one the seals of the roll are opened, history unfolds itself before John's eyes. As we study this section, we must remember one general fact which is basic to its understanding. In this series of visions John is seeing in advance the end of terror and judgment which could bring in the golden age of God. Before we study the section in detail, we note one general point. In the first section of the visions, Revelation 6:1-8, the King James Version consistently follows a form of the Greek text which makes each of the four living creatures say: "Come and see!" (Revelation 6:1;...