Fifth Seal - Martyrs
The fifth seal opening reveals the souls of martyrs kept underneath the altar as they plead with God for vindication and justice – Revelation 6:9-11.
The opening of the fifth seal reveals the souls of men slain for their
testimony “underneath” the altar, where they plead with God for
vindication for what they have endured at the hands of their enemies. But they must
wait for justice until the complete number of their “fellow servants”
who are to be slain - “just as they” - are gathered to join them.
The Temple imagery
is continued from the vision of the “throne” when the “altar” first
appeared in the book. Here, the martyrs are given priestly robes for the sacrifice
they have made, their lives poured out at the base of the altar.
The incomplete
number of martyrs is the result of the first four seal openings. The victims of
the forces unleashed by the four “riders” are saints who suffer for
their “testimony.” This is especially clear from the second seal opening,
the “rider on a fiery red horse” who is armed with a Roman sword with
which he caused men to “slay” one another.
SLAYING OF THE MARTYRS
“Slay” translates the Greek verb sphazô, a
term used for the “slaying” of sacrificial animals, and the same verb applied now
to the “slain” martyrs under the altar, and previously to the “slain
Lamb” who received the “sealed scroll” from the “throne” (sphazô
– Strong’s - #G4969).
This also explains the limitation placed on
the four “riders” to kill only a “fourth of the earth.” And so, we
now see the incomplete “number” of the martyrs “underneath the altar.”
The point is not mathematical precision, but
the verbal and conceptual links. The tribulation of the churches began with the
release of the four “riders,” but it has yet to run its full course.
The fact that the martyrs now plead for “vengeance”
against the “inhabitants of the earth” demonstrates that the forces
unleashed by the first four seal openings did not target the enemies of the
church; their punishment will come later, and in response to the pleas of the
martyrs.
For example, the “plagues” of the “seven
trumpets” are unleashed later in response to the “prayers of all the saints” offered as
incense on the “golden altar before the throne” – (Revelation 8:1-6).
COMING WRATH
And the fifth seal prepares
the reader for the arrival of the “wrath of the Lamb” in the next seal
opening, and for the sealing of the “servants
of God” and the vision of the “innumerable multitude” that will “stand” before the “Lamb”
- (Revelation 6:9-11).
In the first four seal openings, John “heard” commands
from the “four living creatures.” With the fifth and sixth seals, the
stress falls on what he “sees.” Both of the latter seal openings begin
with identical language (“And I saw when
he opened the fifth seal…”; “And I
saw when he opened the sixth seal…”), both include verbal links to the vision
of the “innumerable multitude,” and both pose questions that are answered
in the latter vision:
- “How long?”
- “Who is able to stand?” - (Revelation 7:9-17).
Thus, the fifth and sixth seals form a pair. Their order is
literary, not chronological, and this is dictated by when the “Lamb”
opens each seal.
The “altar”
corresponds to the altar of burnt offerings in the court of the ancient Tabernacle.
Blood from sacrificial victims was poured out at its base, just as the “souls”
of the martyrs are now found “underneath the altar.” This
demonstrates that they died as sacrificial victims. Just as the “Lamb” was
“slain,” so, the martyrs
are “slain” - (Exodus 30:1-10, Leviticus 4:7,
Hebrews 9:4).
“The inhabitants of the earth.” Throughout the book, this term refers to human society in opposition to the “Lamb.” It does not refer to geographic location, but to the life orientation of the group - (Revelation 8:13, 11:10, 13:8, 13:12-14, 17:2-8).
John uses the term “soul”
in the holistic sense typical of the Old Testament to signify the entire person
(“the soul of the flesh is in the blood”). For example,
Isaiah’s Suffering Servant “poured out
his soul unto death” - (Leviticus
17:11, Isaiah 53:12).
WHITE ROBES
Each martyr is given a white “robe” or
stolé, the Greek term from the Septuagint translation
of the Hebrew Bible for the vestments worn by priests. Thus, the
“white robes” point to the priestly function of the
martyrs, but unlike the Levitical priests, they poured out their own
lives at the base of the altar, not the blood of animals - (Exodus
28:4, 29:21, Ezekiel 44:19).
The “white robe” is also linked to
the later vision of the “innumerable multitude.” In it, the victorious
saints were “standing before the Lamb” arrayed in “white robes” (stolé leuke). Through their perseverance,
they had “washed their robes (stolé) and made them white (leuke) in the blood of the Lamb” - (Revelation
7:9-14).
Until the full number of fellow witnesses is assembled, they must “rest yet a short time.” The same phrase occurs later when the “Dragon” becomes enraged, knowing that he has only “a short season” in which to destroy the covenant community.
Likewise, at the end of the “thousand years,” Satan
is loosed for “a short time.” The verbal
links locate the period during which the full complement of witnesses will be
assembled – The war by Satan against the saints - (Revelation 11:7, 12:12-17,
13:7, 17:10, 20:7-9).
The plea of the martyrs echoes the final vision from Daniel.
The prophet was informed that “your
people will be delivered, everyone found written in the book,” then a voice
asked, “how long will it
be to the end of these wonders?”The martyrs are to “rest” until all the “witnesses”
are added to their company. All must be assembled before the
final judgment can occur when the full company of saints will “stand” before the “Lamb and throne.”
Thus, the fifth seal reveals the fate of the first
martyrs for the “Lamb,” but also informs the reader that more martyrs must
be gathered before the “day of the Lord,” the hour of final judgment when
all the righteous together will “stand” before the “Lamb.” In the
interim, the “martyrs” are granted “rest” while the onslaught
against the churches continues until the appointed hour.