Each seal opens a new chapter in the book sealed with seven seals. The contents of the book under the fifthe seal are revealed in symbol form in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh verses of Revelation Chapter 6.

Revelation Chapter 6 Verse 9

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:

The Lamb opens the Fifth Seal

Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, opens the fifth seal.

Links to other articles in the series

This article is one in a series of studies on the Seven Seals - you are currently on the topic that is in bold:

Absence of a beast to announce the Seal

The four six-winged beasts guard the throne of God in heaven. One beast looks like a lion, another like an ox, another like a man, and another like an eagle. These beasts parallel the four gospels in the New Testament, which protect the testimony of Jesus Christ on earth, and vindicate the Holy Spirit in the Church in the book of Acts.

These beasts are absent in the fifth seal as the Holy Spirit has been taken off of the earth, and those who were filled with the Holy Spirit have been "raptured", or taken into heaven without having to die. As the Holy Spirit has left with the Church, there is no further use guarding this testimony on earth.

I Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Souls under the altar

These souls were slain for the "Word of God, and for the testimony that they held". These people were not slain for the testimony of Jesus Christ, but they did have the Word of God. These are the Jews who remained loyal the their cause, preserving and protecting the Jewish race and the word of God throughout Church history.

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: (ROMANS 11:25-26)

Revelation Chapter 6 Verse 10

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?

A cry for judgement

These people didn't ask for forgiveness for their persecutors, like Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Instead, these people are calling for judgement, not grace. These are people who received the judgement of God when they cried (or their fathers' cried) His blood be on us, and on our children (Matthew 27:25), and are now demanding the same judgement on those who brought them pain.

Revelation Chapter 6 Verse 11

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.

White Robes

According to Romans 11:25, the Jews were blinded so that the Gentiles could receive the grace of God. Though blinded by their own father, these Jews are also granted white robes by the mercy of God.

Those who will be killed

The season of killing is the last three and a half days of Daniel's 70th week, which translates into three and a half years. During this time the two prophets and the 144,000 will be killed.

And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. (REVELATION 11:7)

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