,, 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.”
Rev. 6: 9-11
The next thing that John sees are "souls under the altar", which means that there is an altar in heaven, and we see that in this case it is a sacrificial altar, and in Revelation we also find an altar for prayers.
,, And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer [it] with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.”
Rev. 8: 3
Our devotion in the life of prayer in witnessing and living a consecrated life is accepted on the altar as a pleasing sacrifice to God. The Apostle Paul wrote about this to the Romans.
,, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.”
Romans 12: 1
and in the second place the apostle Paul, bearing in mind the heavenly altar which has support in the "shadowy Old Testament system of sacrifice," wrote:
,, For I am now ready to be offered ..."
2 Tim.4: 6
and here is what is written in the Old Testament:
,, And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put [it] upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar.”
Exodus 29:12
here we can see that when the sacrifice was ready, blood was shed under the altar and we have in our text "I saw under the altar the souls killed for the word of God and for the testimony they had." which means that these "souls" martyred their lives , we see that they were killed for the word of God and that they are under the altar, which means that the sufferings are over and that the sacrifice is over and that they are now with the Lord in heaven.
It is not written here that "souls" are in the grave but that they are in heaven and that means that "souls" cannot be killed, only the mortal body of man can be killed, but the "soul is immortal" and it can be with God after death. or being in hell the third possibility does not exist.
,, And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Mt.10: 28
This "killed" means that in a way the newborn people were killed but that only their bodies were killed and "souls" we see that they are in heaven "under the altar". These "souls" under the altar are not members of the Church because The Church is already in heaven, and here we are talking about great troubles, which means that these are the "souls" of believers who were born again during the great troubles and did not want to worship the Antichrist and his religion, but have professed faith in Christ. Jesus prophesied:
,, Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.”
Mt.24: 9
"I saw under the altar the souls of those killed for the word of God and for the testimony they had" here we have a reason why these people were killed, first for the "Word of God" and then we read "for the testimony they had".
So they believed in Christ, they know the Word of God, also the judgment of God that has already begun, they confess it, pass it on to others and that is why they are killed because they will not obey the Antichrist and his rally that he established (Revelation 17).
Below we see what "souls do", "And he cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Holy and True Lord, do you not judge and repent our blood on those who live on earth?" And here again we see confirmation of what we have already said that "souls" do not die, they do not go to the grave but are in heaven and now John sees that "souls" have cried out which means that they are aware of what is happening, are not trapped somewhere, do not float above something or wander through some expanses. to be in heaven and to communicate with God.
This was a picture from heaven, and we also have a text that testifies to us that those who do not believe and who are not born again end up far from God, ie in hell.
The story of the rich man and Lazarus is well known and it tells exactly that. Unlike Lazarus, the rich man lived on a "high leg" and when they died, the rich man immediately went to hell, not because he was rich but because he did not believe in God. Jesus and again Lazarus was poor so he immediately went to heaven not because he was poor but because he believed in Jesus Christ who is the Savior. We still see that both have the ability to see where they are and to think and also to speak so both are aware of the situation in which they find themselves.
,, And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that [would come] from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
“
Luke 16: 20-31
So when a man dies or is killed, his "soul" immediately goes to heaven with God or hell, and not after a few years, or tens of years, or maybe in a few thousand years, but immediately. When Jesus was on the cross between two robbers, what he believed him:
,, And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23:43
we see in the text we are studying that they are born-again believers from great tribulations whose "souls" have gone to heaven, and now they ask:
,, How long, Lord Holy and True! Do you not judge and repent our blood on those who live on earth? now here we have a prayer that is addressed directly from heaven to God but not to God as a merciful God but to a holy and true God, as a judge who has already begun judgment "over the earth." Jesus taught.
,, Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”
Luke 23:34
or from the one Stefan asked for:
,, And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
Acts 7:60
And the reason why we have such different prayers is that now a new period has begun in which there is no more mercy and grace but only the judgment of God. This is the time of God's judgment unlike the time of grace and grace in which were the prayers of Jesus and Stephen and we need to say that we too are still living in that period which is still called "the time of grace" or "the period of the suffering of our Lord
,, And account [that] the longsuffering of our Lord [is] salvation;”
2 Peter 3:15
This period we saw earlier inserted and we can still:
,, Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 4:16
But the end of this period will be when the Church is taken and then comes the period of God's judgment.
Here are examples of similar prayers from the time of the law:
,, Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt. Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.”
Ps.74: 10-11
,, Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud. Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?”
Ps.94: 2-3
These "vengeful prayers" were addressed in the age of law and justice, and today we offer prayers in the spirit of "grace and grace" and these martyrs from our text will live in the "age of judgment and revenge"
,, For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.”
Luke 21:22
and they seek in the spirit of what is written in Romans:
,, Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but [rather] give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance [is] mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
Romans 12:19
"On those who live on earth" we have already said that souls are aware of what is happening and from this part of the verse we see that they know what is happening on earth. They know that those who killed them are still alive on earth.
According to Carnic: "How long, holy and true Lord, will you not judge and sanctify our blood on those who live on earth?"
The "souls" of these murdered people are practically looking for a court that has already begun, they seem to be impatient to bring justice and truth, and that is why they ask and then get an answer.
"And every one of them would be given white clothes, and they would be told to rest for a little while, until their friends and their brothers, who should be killed like him, were finished."
Carnic says:
"until the battle between their co-workers and their brothers is over"
but it is not written that they were clothed in them. Since the great troubles have already begun, they have been killed in heaven, but they have not been clothed, probably because they do not yet have glorified bodies and they are waiting for the resurrection of the body.
,, For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.”
2 Cor.5: 2-3
"These believers" are spirit and soul, and they receive the body at the resurrection because man is only complete when he has spirit, soul and body.
,, And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and [I pray God] your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Thess.5: 23
These "souls" are in heaven, but the body has remained on earth, which means that this person is not yet complete
,, For as the body without the spirit is dead, …”
James 2:26
so death is the separation of soul, spirit and body as in their case and resurrection is the union of spirit, soul and body and that is what they are waiting for, they have received the garments of Christ's justice but are just waiting for the moment when they will put on white garments.
"They would be told to rest a little longer," These "souls" are in heaven and enjoy all the protection of Christ and the glory of God, which is why he said:
,, For to me to live [is] Christ, and to die [is] gain. But if I live in the flesh, this [is] the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:”
Phil.1: 21-23
Paul did not mean to go to the tomb here, but to go to the Lord and enjoy the glory and wait "much better", and that is the resurrection as these souls are waiting now.
Paul writes that he knows a man (he writes what happened to him probably when he was stoned so they thought he was dead) who saw this and therefore claims that it is much better because he had experience and now he passes it on to all those who want to they listen.
,, I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”
2 Cor.12: 2-4
"And they were told to rest for a little while, until their friends and their brothers, who should be killed like him, were finished."
God reveals the secret to them here because they have to wait a little longer. We see that some of their "brothers" should be killed until the planned number is completed, Carnic says:
"until the battle between their co-workers and their brothers is over."
from this we can see that everything goes according to a certain plan that is not known to us but God knows it and sticks to it. For us sometimes it seems strange, maybe illogical but God knows best what is best at all times. As for the ungodly, to whom he gives life to some longer and to others shorter, he writes:
,, The Lord hath made all [things] for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.”
Proverbs Sol.16: 4
and this evil one is surely coming today, and when he comes is he:
,, Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
Gen. 18:25
And this is the answer to "souls", the Lord seems to tell them to comfort them, "wait a little longer until My plan is fully fulfilled. Don't worry, everything is under control, you are enjoying the glory here and a just judgment is sure to come, behold, he has already set out, and everyone will get what they deserve. "The Bible says:
,, The secret [things belong] unto the Lord our God:”
Deut. 29:29
So we do not know everything that God plans and wants to do, but what we do know is quite enough to spend eternity with Him in glory and therefore believe in the Lord Jesus Christ:
,, Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”
1 Job.5: 1-5 ,,
,, And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; [and] he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.“
1 Job 5: 11-12