When Jesus breaks the fifth seal, the martyrs who shed their blood and died for Christ rather than to renounce their faith are revealed.  Their cry is, “How long O Lord will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood?” This is just a glimpse into the world of the martyrs – men and women who have willingly died for Christ over the last 2,000 years.

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The Cry of the Martyrs

Revelation 6:9-11

Those who have studied the persecution of the Christian church estimate that about 70 million Christians have given their life for Christ over the last 2,000 years.  The really shocking statistic is that 45 million of them did so in the 20^th century alone!

This morning we come face to face with these gospel martyrs in Revelation 6:9-11.

As we do so, we see a vision given to John of the Lamb breaking the fifth seal, and as He does so, John sees “the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained.”  There is our description of these people who form the focus of this vision.

They had been slain. The Greek word is the same one that we find in Rev. 6:4. The word means “slaughtered” or “butchered.”  It is the same word used of our Lord in Revelation 5:9, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”

But the big question is “Why”?  Why were they slain?

Because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained.  Interestingly, John uses almost the exact same phrase in Revelation 1:9, “I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.”  John was exiled to this island for the very same reason that these martyrs were slaughtered. It was because of the word of God that they believed, and lived, and would not deny.  It was also because of the testimony of Jesus which they faithfully proclaimed.  What does John mean by “the testimony of Jesus”?  I think he means the gospel. These are gospel martyrs. These are those who have been faithful unto death.

Futurist View.  These martyrs are those who are converted after the rapture and are killed during the Great Tribulation, (the last seven years of earth’s history).

Preterist View.  These martyrs are those who were persecuted and martyred before 70 AD. by the unbelieving Jews.  They see the destruction of Jerusalem as God’s justice upon His enemies who persecuted His people. Specimens of these martyrs are Stephen and James, the brother of John. They quote Mt. 23:35 for support, “so that upon you (Jerusalem) may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.”

Idealist View. This vision shows the present state of those who have already died for their faith throughout church history. The martyrs of Christ in every age continue to live on before God and anticipate their eventual vindication, which will not be complete until their murderers are brought to justice.

To make it simple, the Futurist sees these as the martyrs that are killed during the last seven years of earth’s history. The Preterist sees these as the martyrs that died up until 70 AD, where God brought His justice to bear in the destruction of Jerusalem upon the unbelieving Jews. The Idealist sees these as all the martyrs throughout church history.

Application.  Brothers and Sisters, if you aggressively and faithfully proclaim the gospel to the lost you will face opposition!  For John, that meant exile on an uninhabited island.  For many down through the centuries that meant torture and death. That’s what it means for many throughout our world even today.  For you, it may mean insult, ridicule, slander, or loss of job. But if you or I am not feeling any opposition from the world, it probably means we are not being faithful to proclaim the gospel!  What about you? Maybe it’s time for us to get serious about getting the gospel out to the lost.

Now, let’s delve further into this vision and seek to understand what it was intended to communicate to John and to us.

1. The Location Of The Martyrs (where are they?) 6:9

Underneath the altar.  Notice there is no more talk about the four living creatures issuing commands to come. There are no more horsemen. There are no more horses. There are no more calamities poured out on the earth. Why? Because the scene has switched from earth to heaven.

The souls. John sees the souls because their bodies have died and are in the ground decaying, or have been eaten by beasts. These martyrs are pictured in The Intermediate State. That is the state of saints who have died, but have not yet received their resurrected bodies. They dwell in heaven as souls without a glorified body.

The altar. Where is this altar?  It must be in heaven, because there is no altar on earth where the souls of departed saints go. In chapters 4 and 5 heaven is depicted as a throne room in which worship is perpetually offered.  Here in chapter 6 heaven is depicted as a tabernacle.  Remember when God gave Moses instructions to construct the earthly tabernacle he was strictly told he must build it exactly the way God told him to. Evidently that was because the earthly tabernacle was a replica of the real Tabernacle in heaven – kind of like a model car that looks like the real one (Heb.8:4-5).

But which altar?  In the Tabernacle, there was the bronze altar, and the golden altar of incense.  I believe this was the bronze altar because it was on this altar that animals were killed and offered to God.

Remember that these visions given to John are symbols of a greater spiritual reality.

What did the altar symbolize?  The place of death and sacrifice.  That is exactly what took place with these gospel martyrs. They sacrificed their lives and were faithful unto death.

Why were they underneath the altar?  Interestingly, it was at the base of the altar that the blood of the animals that were sacrificed were poured out.  Well, that’s where we find these “souls.”  And to make this even more interesting, Leviticus 17:11 says that “the life of the flesh is in the blood.”  Well, the word “life” is the word for “soul”.  The soul of the flesh is in the blood.  So, those souls underneath the altar fitly symbolize the blood poured out because of their ultimate sacrifice.

Application.  This vision helps refute once and for all the idea of Soul-Sleep.  That doctrine teaches that when a person dies, his soul “goes to sleep” and he is conscious of nothing until the Resurrection.  However, in this vision, these believers have died, but they are very conscious! They are crying out for vengeance and asking how long it will be. “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (2Cor.5:7). Paul said he had the desire “to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better” (Phil.1:23).

2. The Activity Of The Martyrs (what are they doing?) 6:10

They cried out with a loud voice.  Whatever else we can say about these martyrs, they are passionate about something. They cried out with a loud voice!  Well, what are they crying out so loudly about?

How long… will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth? Their cry has to do with when God is going to judge and avenge their enemies.  To them, it must seem like a very long time. When Cain rose up and killed his brother God called to Cain and said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground” (Gen.4:10). In other words, God sees the blood of righteous Abel and hears a cry coming from it to bring justice to the wicked one who slew him.  God sees the blood of these martyrs and it calls to him to bring about vengeance on His enemies.

How long. To us it seems like God has turned a blind eye to the injustices committed on the earth. He does not act swiftly. He seems to just ignore them. All the while, this really bothers us, because it seems like the righteous suffer persecution and evil men get away with it scott free! However, our problem is that our sense of time is not the same as God’s.  To Him, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day.  To us, a thousand years seems like forever. But to God, it seems like one single day.  One day, God will make all things right.

Those who dwell on the earth. This is a phrase which has a particular meaning for John.  He uses that phrase many times in this book. In every case, it refers not to every person on the earth, but to the ungodly in the earth. We are told elsewhere that God pronounces a woe against them, and that their names are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. These are the enemies of God.

Why are they crying for justice and vengeance? 

          Is this a sinful thirst for personal revenge?  Is it a bunch of bitter people seeking an eye for an eye?  No, absolutely not. Notice the description they give to God.  “Holy and true.”  God is holy. To allow this unrighteousness to go on unpunished, would be for God to appear unholy.  God is true. But to allow evil men to get away with evil would be for God to appear as false or untrue. These martyrs jealously want the honor of God’s name to be glorified. This is a cry for vindication, not only for themselves, but for God’s honor.  Above all, they are concerned for the reputation of God’s great and glorious name!

It is also a cry for their own vindication. They had been condemned to death by a human court. That decision stands against them unless it is reversed by a higher court. God has the power to reverse that unrighteous decision to execute these men. But for God to declare that these martyrs are in the right, means He must also declare that their executors are in the wrong, and thus to pass sentence upon them. And it is not yet time for God to do that. That takes place at the end of the world at the Great White Throne Judgment of Revelation 20:11-15.

Application.  On the one hand, the Bible commands us to never take our own revenge. But it also tells us to leave room for the wrath of God. What that tells me is that our longing for justice is good, righteous and holy. In fact, justice is one of God’s holy attributes. There is nothing sinful or wrong about justice, in and of itself. Justice is a holy and righteous virtue, and one day that longing for justice will be fulfilled by the great Judge of all the earth. However, we must be patient and allow God to be the One who brings that justice to pass.  When you or I try to bring about justice ourselves, we will end up in sin. We must allow either the governing authority or the Lord to bring justice to pass.  And if we never see justice in this life, we can be absolutely sure that the Lord will bring it to pass in the next life.

3. The Response To The Martyrs (how does God respond to them?) 6:11

1)  There was given to each of them a white robe. Notice that each of them received this. None were left out.  Notice also that it was given to them. This is a gift of grace.  What is it?  A white robe. Elsewhere in 7:14 we are told that the saints have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. The white robe stands for their perfect righteous standing before God, all due to the merits of the work of Jesus Christ. It stands for their perfect acceptance with God based on Christ’s finished work. They are treated as if they had actually lived the life that Jesus lived.

2)  They were told that they should rest for a little while longer. They had little to no rest on the earth, because they were hounded by their persecutors, and because of their untiring labor on behalf of Christ and His kingdom. Now, they are given a time of rest.

How long?  For a little while longer.  How long?  Until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also. How long will that take?  Until the second coming of Christ. They are to rest until it is time for Christ to return. Then Christ will judge and take vengeance on the enemies of His people. But why would that be referred to as “a little while longer.”  2,000 years doesn’t seem like a little while! Peter uses the same phrase in 1 Peter 1:6, “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials.” How long were the believers Peter was writing to distressed by various trials. Well, at the most it was their entire lives. Why should that be “a little while”? Because it was just a blip compared to eternity. And these 2,000 years are only a blip compared to eternity.

Application. Did you catch what we are told in verse 11?  There is a complete number of martyrs who are destined to be martyred. That number is not complete yet, so we must wait for justice on our enemies until the final martyr has died for Christ. What that tells us God is in control of all things. Not only is He in control of the calamities that take place when the four seals are broken, and the riders on their horses are ushered forth, and conquest, war, famine, and death take place on the earth (6:1-8), but He is also in control of who will die for Christ. Evidently, just as there are specific individuals God has chosen to be saved, there are also specific individuals He has ordained will pay the ultimate price and lay down their lives in His service. And, if that is true, then I think we can safely assume that He will grant the grace that each martyr needs to die for Him. I don’t know any other explanation of how the martyrs sang songs of praise as they were burned at the stake, or fed to the lions in the colosseum.

And brothers and sisters, surely if God will grant the grace that the martyrs need to be faithful until death, surely he will grant you and I the grace that we need to be faithful in the various trials and tribulations that He assigns us in our Christian life.

Conclusion

• May we depend completely on God to grant us the grace we need to live out our Christian lives and bear up under whatever suffering we are allotted in this life.
• May we be faithful under our sufferings and tribulations, and trust that in due time God will judge and avenge those who brought these sufferings on His people.
• May we understand that God is sovereign in all these things, we can trust Him in the midst of suffering.

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