The 5th SEAL - RELIGIOUS DISTRESS

The 5th Seal and the Judgment of Religious Distress

"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 fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled."

The Origin of the Opening of the Seal

"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:"

Christ is the One Who Opens the Seal

The Outset of the Opening of the Seal

"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?" 

The Persecution Against the Saints

"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:"
It is obviously for their faith that they are killed. Being under the altar is symbolism for being under the blood (Rev. 12:11; 13:7, 15).
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."
"And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations."
"And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed."

 

The Plea of the (endtime) Martyrs

"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?"
They address the Lord as, "0 Despot." By this they confess that they belong to the Lord and have been purchased by him.

They understand that judgment has begun, and they wonder why they are not avenged upon their enemies. These are martyrs of the endtime who paid with their lives because they refused to recant of their faith.

The Outcome of the Opening of the Seal

"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 fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled."

Provision is Made for the Martyrs Who Were Slain

Herein are some suggestions as to the intermedi­ate state where intermediate (temporary) bodies are supplied.

1. These souls are in heaven.
2.  They are under the protection and care of Christ.
3.  They are conscious.
4.  They are able to speak.
5.  They have some knowledge of what is going on in the earth.
6.  They have access and communion with Christ.
7.  They are clothed with white robes. These are a kind of intermediate body.
8.  These souls are resting. In the song that is now sung, echoing and reechoing through the corridors of heaven, is the fulfillment of God's purpose in Grace (Eph. 1:5-6, 12, 14). They praise Him because in His grace He has redeemed them from utter loss and has exalted them to the highest of all posi­tions. Rev. 1:6; 20:6 would support this position.

Persecution Goes on Until the Time of the End

The cup of iniquity is not yet full. It must grow and develop before the Lord is ready to draw his sword in judgment upon the wicked.

Two companies will yet join the ranks of the slain. The definite article appears with each group. They are (1) fellow servants, one group serving perhaps in the same capacity as them­selves, and (2) brethren in the faith who are not serving in exactly that capacity. The fellow servants may be Gentiles and the brethren may be Jewish saints.