"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: "And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O 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 a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they [were], should be fulfilled." Revelation 6:9-11

 

"He"	The Lamb.
"Fifth seal"	The period is approximately from CE 1378-1518-28. The "angel" is John Wycliff.
"I"	The John Class.
"Souls under the altar"	Souls of the ashes of those sacrificed in death under the brazen altar in the court. The ashes are where the sacrifices are held in memory.
"Testimony which they held"	The faithful often were persecuted. Some were killed for their faithfulness to the truth which God had given them in their time and place.
"They cried with a loud voice"	Just as Abel’s blood cried out for vengeance, so this righteous blood needed to be avenged, which it is, as recorded in Revelation 16:5-7.
"How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood?"	The blood of the righteous must be accounted for in God’s dealings. However, the judgments must wait the proper time.
"On them that dwell on the earth"	Society in general, but especially on those in Christendom that are the children of those who persecuted the saints.
"White robes were given to everyone of them"	God judges these faithful and holds for them the righteousness "of the saints."
"They should rest for a little season"	360 years, covering from CE 1518-1878, when the resurrection of the "sleeping saints" would take place. We notice the resurrection would not occur under the fifth or sixth seal, but waited until the "seventh seal" in 1878.
"Until their fellow servants also and their brethren, should be killed as they were"	God waits until all the saints have been "sealed" before visiting the plagues,  Revelation 16:5-7, when God finally moves to vindicate his people. The phrase "should be killed as they were" implies that the persecution and ostracism would continue until all shall be "fulfilled."

    The "fifth seal" covered from CE 1378-1518-28. The messenger of this Sardis period was John Wycliff. The John Class is privileged to see what happened in this period of time.
    It is a scene not pretty to behold, but at least the saints have the opportunity to look out of heaven's window and see things the way God saw them. God is especially interested in the "souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held."
 

Burning of Huss

Cranmer, Latimer and Ridley

    Observers on earth have little interest in God’s view of matters. Perhaps they feel a twinge of remorse when they read of the persecution of the saints in these various periods. But no one suspects how strict a keeper of records God is.
    No righteous blood is spilled without His notice and no righteous blood will go unrequited. Today, as in the days of the Pharisees, they garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, to make a statement that God rejects. They said, as recorded in Matthew 23:30-32: "If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets."
    Jesus uses their testimony against them saying: "Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers."
    God in mercy has withheld the day of recompense, so as not to cut off previous generations. However, this evil conduct will be visited on the closing generation of the Gospel age.
    The cry of "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" still goes up. It may seem that God has long forgotten the wickedness of the past, but he patiently stores up the day of vengeance in His heart.
    God asks in Deuteronomy 32:34, 35: "Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures? To me belongeth vengeance." God will require of this generation the righteous blood spilled even as He did of the Jewish nation (Matthew 23:34-36).

The Destruction of Jerusalem

 

    The overthrow of that nation was the harvest of that whole Jewish age. Starvation raged within the city of Jerusalem. Only crucifixion awaited those who climbed over the walls seeking asylum. Those were the days of vengeance, which resulted in the destruction of the Jewish polity and the Jewish temple, with a terrible carnage in human life.
    This shadows what awaits Christendom for spilling righteous blood throughout the age.
    The faithful of the past were accorded "white robes." Being judged righteous overcomers they have obtained the promise of "righteousness." Revelation 19:8 says of the bride of Christ: "And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen; clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints."
    The "souls under the altar" could not receive their reward then, but needed to wait in the ashes under the "altar" until their fellow servants had finished their course. The day of reward was realized in 1878, when the sleeping saints were resurrected.
    They each had the "white robe" of actual righteousness given them. They will no longer need the robe of Christ’s righteousness for their justification in the days of their flesh. Those born of the "spirit" will have their own individual righteousness as perfected New Creatures.
    The test of faith has been long and protracted, but eternity in everlasting joy awaits the faithful. "We shall be satisfied when we awake in thy likeness."
    Christendom will be visited with seven "last plagues." During the "third plague," which is poured out "upon the rivers and fountains of waters" turning them to blood, the Lord at last answers the cries from "under the altar."

"And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.

"For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.

"And I heard another out of the altar [the Christ] say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments." Revelation 16:5-7

    At precisely the right moment God is vindicated.

Click to go to the following:

         TOPICAL STUDY ON THE SEVEN SEALS:
Seven Seals Part I - Part 2
1st Seal - 2nd Seal - 3rd Seal - 4th Seal - 5th Seal - 6th Seal - 7th Seal

CHAPTER/VERSE BY VERSE STUDY ON THE SEVEN SEALS:
1st to 6th Seal [Revelation 6] - 7th Seal [Revelation 8:1]

 

TOPICAL STUDY ON THE SEVEN TRUMPETS:
Prelude to the Trumpets - 1st Trumpet - 2nd Trumpet - 3rd Trumpet
4th Trumpet - 5th Trumpet - 6th Trumpet - 7th Trumpet

CHAPTER/VERSE BY VERSE STUDY ON THE SEVEN TRUMPETS:
1st through 6th Trumpet [Revelation 8,9] - 7th Trumpet [ Revelation 11:15-19]

 

TOPICAL STUDY ON THE SEVEN CHURCHES:
7 Churches Topical Study Home Page
Ephesus - Smyrna - Pergamos - Thyatira - Sardis - Philadelphia - Laodicea

CHAPTER/VERSE BY VERSE STUDY ON THE SEVEN CHURCHES:
7 Churches Verse by Verse Home Page
Ephesus - Smyrna - Pergamos - Thyatira - Sardis - Philadelphia - Laodicea

 

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