The Fifth Seal, Martyrs, Revelation 6:9-11

Revelation 6:9 (NKJV) When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.

Revelation 5 began with God seated on the throne with a scroll in His right hand. Revelation 5:1 tells us that the scroll was written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals.

Revelation 5:1 (NKJV) And I saw in the right [hand] of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals.

From the evidence in the passage, we concluded that this scroll is the title deed to the Earth. The Lamb, as our kinsman Redeemer, is the only One qualified to assume our debt and restore our inheritance. As the Lamb opens each seal, the stored-up wrath of God pours out on the world. As we watch the four horsemen, we see that the judgments that they bring are the consequences of humanity's actions. 

When the Lamb opens the fifth seal, no action is taken. God does not pour out wrath and judgment; instead, John sees “the souls who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.” We are going to explore why this is the wrath of God. God judges the earth when His children are persecuted.

To understand these events, we must understand all the elements revealed. 

First, John sees “under the altar.” These souls are not on the altar. They are “under” the altar.

We must understand what this altar is. Revelation speaks of this altar several times.

Revelation 8:3 (NKJV) Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer [it] with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

Revelation 8:5 (NKJV) Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw [it] to the earth. And there werenoises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.

Revelation 9:13 (NKJV) Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is beforeGod,

These verses show us that this is the altar of incense. 

Exodus 40:5 (NKJV) “You shall also set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the Testimony, and put up the screenfor the door of the tabernacle.

Notice the details. The altar is golden (Exodus 40:5 - Revelation 8:3). Incense is involved (Exodus 40:5 - Revelation 8:3). In Revelation, the golden altar is described as being “before the throne.” In Exodus, the golden altar of incense was in the Holy of Holies with the Ark of the Testimony. This holiest place represented the throne room of God and the “Mercy Seat,” which is another way of saying God’s seat of judgment. (God is merciful and offers forgiveness and restoration to all who call upon His name. He has done everything necessary for every person to inherit eternal life, but many reject His mercy.) 

Why would incense be used in worshiping God, and why would God put incense in His throne room before anything else? Revelation 5:8 can help us here.

Revelation 5:8 (NKJV) Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

Incense is the prayers of the saints. Psalm 141:2 and Luke 1:10 speak of incense in connection with prayer. The prayers of His people are a very high priority for God. He keeps them ever before Him and “in His face.” He is exceedingly intentional in this. He stresses to us that our prayers are incredibly significant to Him. Jesus said, “If you ask anything in My name, I will do [it.]” (John 14:14 NKJV) 

The devil attacks prayer. He convinces us that it does not make a difference and is not the best use of our time. We are too busy to pray. This is a huge, huge, huge mistake. If prayer is one of God’s highest priorities, how significant is it for us? Prayer is the most world-shaping, changing, powerful tool available to us as God’s children. For this reason, it is crucial for the devil that he keep us from praying. For this reason, Satan has caused much confusion about prayer, ritualizing, and formalizing it.

The altar for sacrifice is unnecessary in God’s throne room because the Lamb is present there. But the prayers of the saints are always before God. The souls’ position under this altar gives them a place of extreme attention and focus for God. They have His full attention.

Who are these souls that have God’s full attention? When the rapture occurred before all these events started (Revelation 4:1), all the dead in Christ and all those who were alive and remained were caught up with Christ to meet Him in the air and were thus in His presence. However, the Bible speaks of many of Christ’s followers being killed by persecution during the seven years of tribulation. Revelation 7 speaks of 144,000 witnesses from the nation of Israel, and Revelation 11 speaks of two witnesses. The entire purpose of the Tribulation is to bring people to repentance so that they might live and not die. Many millions will repent and call upon the name of the Lord during this time, and they will pay for that decision with their lives. These brave people will value God above their physical lives. The tribulation will be a time of persecution against the children of God as there has never been before. Revelation 7:9 describes these martyrs as “a crowd that no one could number.”

As these souls are gathered in the presence of God, what are they praying in Revelation 6:10?

Revelation 6:10 (NKJV) And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

They call upon the Lord, holy and true, to avenge their blood. 

Up to this point in the tribulation, God has been relatively passive, allowing what will happen to happen, but - no longer! 

However, once again, we see God’s mercy. He is waiting for more to repent and be saved. Verse 11 says,

Revelation 6:11 (NKJV) Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both [the number of] their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they [were,] was completed.

Because of the prayers of the saints, from this point on, God will act directly in judgment. The only reason the persecution and killing are not stopped immediately is God is patient and not willing that anyone should perish. He does not want anyone to go to hell. But unless one calls on the name of the Lord and accepts His mercy, hell is exactly where they are going. Physical death is preferable to going to hell, and many will make this choice, but whoa to the persecutors because the saints are before the throne of God, praying.

The Rider on the Black Horse, the Third Horseman Revelation 6:5-6

Revelation 6:5-6 (NKJV) When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”

When God established the nation of Israel, He told them of the curses that would fall on them if they ignored His laws. One thing God made clear is He is the provider. He sends the rain and gives the harvest. 

No matter how clever we are, if God does not provide, we will starve. 

The rider on the red horse will bring widespread warfare. This will cause a complete economic collapse. The rider on the black horse is carrying a pair of scales. Since the scale is a “pair,” we know it is a balance, the simplest means of economic trade. 

In verse 6, the voice says, “A quart of  wheat for a denarius.” To have a clear idea of what we are talking about, let’s look at the definition of a denarius from the Blue Letter Bible.

Denarius = "containing ten" 

A Roman silver coin in NT time. It took its name from it being equal to ten "asses," a number after 217 B.C. increased to sixteen (about 3.898 grams or.1375 oz.). It was the principal silver coin of the Roman Empire. From the parable of the labourers in the vineyard, it would seem that a denarius was then the ordinary pay for a day's wages. (Mt. 20:2-13)

Of course, the “quart” was not the measure used. So, let’s look at what the measure was at the time. The entry from the lexicon in the Blue Letter Bible follows.

a choenix, a dry measure, containing four cotylae or two setarii (less than our quart, one litre) (or as much as would support a man of moderate appetite for a day)

A day’s wages for a “quart” of wheat means that if a man worked all day, he could feed himself, and if he had a family, he would not have enough to provide for all of them.  John heard the voice declaring the cost of goods in the “new” economy. 

People will starve. Necessities will be hard to get and very expensive. As the supply of food dwindles, the price will go up accordingly. War destroys infrastructure. With so much of the world’s population destroyed, economic activity as we know it will cease. Not only is this a consequence of war, but it is also a consequence of not thanking God for His constant provision.

Jesus said that if these days were not cut short, no flesh would be saved.

Matthew 24:22 (NKJV) “And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

 From the time of the rider on the white horse to the return of Jesus, the Bible tells us that only seven years will transpire. Such complete and utter devastation signals the end of the world. If Jesus did not return, humanity would be extinct. 

These events are not far off but will be a reality in a few short years. This is not setting times for Jesus’s return. We can see the season. Jesus said,

Matthew 24:32-33 (NKJV) “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer [is] near. “So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near--at the doors!

In the case before us, the fig tree represents Israel. Earlier in Matthew’s account, Jesus had cursed a fig tree for not bearing fruit, and it withered and died. This is what happened to Israel. The nation did not recognize the day of its visitation and was destroyed. The Messiah came and was not recognized but rejected. This was all foretold in the prophets. But the fig tree will once again show life. Jesus is telling us that this will be the sign of His coming. The time is “even at the door.”

Israel became a nation on May 14, 1948. Since that time, we have seen the continual fulfillment of many prophecies concerning the Nation and its people. We have witnessed the events of Ezekiel 37 occurring before our eyes.

 Ezekiel 37:21 (NKJV) “Then say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land;

For close to 2,000 years, almost no one believed that Israel would ever be a nation again. And yet, God said it would, and it has. The leaves on the fig tree are showing green, and summer is near.

What are you pursuing? 

What are you living for?

That thing you are saving for - you may never see it. 

Things may go as we plan. We may die in a car crash. Or the world economy may collapse. Jesus told us to seek first the kingdom of God. He also warned us that where our treasure is, our hearts will also be. Therefore, we should store up treasures in heaven. Saving for retirement is wise. But be wise about it. What is our highest priority? How much we need for retirement needs to be balanced with what we can invest in the kingdom of God. God is our provider. He gives us all that we have. We need to remind ourselves that all that we have is His. We are stewards and caretakers. 

Seeing that the time is so short, what kind of people ought we to be?

2 Peter 3:11 (NKJV) Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner [of persons] ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,

The Rider on the Red Horse, the Second Horseman Revelation 6:3-4

Revelation 6:3-4 (NKJV) When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that [people] should kill one another, and there was given to him a great sword.

In Revelation 6:1, when the first seal was opened, one of the living creatures said, “Come and see.” Now, as the second seal is opened, the second living creature says, “Come and see.” 

With the first four seals, each is announced by one of the four living creatures. The fifth, sixth, and seventh seal are not announced. What has been translated as “living creatures” means “living ones.” These “living ones” are mighty servants of God who dwell in His presence and perform His bidding. In this part of Scripture, they are serving as messengers of God. 

The “Beast,” or Antichrist of the first seal, is a false savior and a representative of humankind. He is the epitome of humanity’s determination to rule itself. In humanity’s attempt to govern itself, it has subjugated itself to the rule of the Evil One, and as a result, the antichrist, the rider on the white horse, is a messenger and a servant of Satan. So also are the riders of all four horses. The “Come and see” command of the four living creatures represents a “passivity” on the part of heaven. God is always involved and sustains all things. Without His sustaining hand, all things would cease to exist. So, Heaven’s “passivity” means that God is allowing the natural consequences of man’s self-rule.

While the rider of the first horse is a great victor, winning a bloodless conquest of the earth, his peace is short-lived. Without much delay, the second messenger of Satan is loosed on the earth. 

Red is the color of blood, and the red horse brings the carnage of war. The rider on the red horse is given a great sword. The rider on the white horse had a bow, which is a “stand-off” weapon, meaning that battle is engaged at a distance. Since there are no arrows, the conquest of the first rider is “bloodless.” The second rider has a great sword. A sword is up close and personal, and it is very bloody. As we look at the rider on the red horse, the first thing stated about him is that “it was granted to him to take peace from the earth.” And then the Scriptures say, “And that people should kill one another.”

Humanity talks about peace. The League of Nations and the United Nations were created to bring peace on Earth. A bronze sculpture of a man beating a sword into a plowshare stands at the United Nations. A gift from the Soviet Union in 1959, the statue depicts Isaiah 2:4, which says: 

They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Isaiah is speaking of the kingdom that the Messiah will usher in, but humanity in its pride, has tried to usher in the Messiah’s age of peace without the Messiah. As a result, humanity ends up with a false messiah and uncontrolled, all-out war. 

Despite all the talk about peace, humanity has been in wars throughout history. 

God’s law says we should love our neighbor as ourselves, but who demonstrates this kind of love? We instinctively know we should not kill another person or take what is not ours. But we do these things anyway. One may comfort himself with the thought that he has never murdered anyone or stolen anything, but he only deceives himself. Jesus taught that if we hate another person in our hearts, we commit murder, if only in our hearts. And the same is true of theft. God clearly says we should not covet what our neighbor has.

The roots of war reside in the hearts of everyone. No one is exempt. God says as much when He says:

Romans 3:23 (NKJV) …for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

God gave His law through Moses, and humanity rejected His rule. No one other than Jesus Christ has ever kept God’s law. God sent His Son to fulfill His law and make a way for us to have peace, starting with peace with God. But humanity has rejected God’s Son, the Prince of Peace.

As the White Horse represents God’s judgment on the world’s rejection of His Son, the Messiah, the Red Horse represents God’s judgment on the world’s rejection of His Son, the Prince of Peace.

In Matthew 24, Jesus speaks about the signs of the age, and in verse 6, He says we will hear “wars and rumors of war,” but wars do not signal the end. Wars are not the sign of the end because there have always been wars which will continue until the end.

However, as humanity follows the rider on the White Horse (the Antichrist), there will be a time of unprecedented peace. But this peace will not last because very quickly, the rider on the Red Horse will enter the scene.

God’s lovingkindness and mercy are great, and He has continually held back the full horrors of war. The world has seen some devasting wars, but the devastation has not been what it could be. 

God’s judgment often comes in the form of giving us what we want. 

When Israel wanted a king, God punished them by giving them a king. Romans 1 tells us that when we replace God with idols and things we desire, God disciplines us by giving us our desires. The world has set out to accomplish what only the Messiah can, and when God permits the natural consequences, the world will see war like it has never seen. 

When God pulls back His restraining influence, war will have its full reign. The Bible speaks of a war that will kill one-quarter of the earth’s population. Today, that would be two billion people. It has not yet been “granted” to kill people on this scale, but it will be “granted” to the rider on the red horse.

God is not going to do this to be cruel. He gave His only begotten Son so that we can be saved. All who believe in Jesus will be saved from this outpouring of wrath. And the whole purpose of giving humankind its own way is to bring those who are willing to repentance and life. And it will work. Many will believe in Jesus and be saved during those horrible days. But why wait? Why go through it when God has provided a way of escape? At the time of Noah, God provided a boat, but only eight people got on the boat. In our day, God is offering a way out just by calling on the name of Jesus. Will you take His hand and be saved, or will you wait and see what humanity can do for itself?

Please call on the Lord Jesus to be saved!

The Four Living Creatures, Revelation 6

Revelation 6

Revelation 4:6 says:

Revelation 4:6 (NKJV) Before the throne [there] [was] a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, [were] four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.

When we reach Revelation 6:1, one of the four living creatures says with a voice like thunder, “Come and See.”

Who are these four living creatures? 

We meet them in Ezekiel 1 and 10.

In Ezekiel 1, the Hebrew word used for “living creature” is “ḥay.” The emphasis of this word is life or “living one.” It is used of God as THE Living One. So, the “creature” is not a reference to a beast but could also be translated as a “living being.” In Ezekiel 10, these beings are called “cherubim.” The “im” of cherubim is the Hebrew plural. In English, we add an “s” to the end of the word to indicate a plural. In Hebrew, they add “in.” So, a cherub is a single angelic being.

Looking at Ezekiel Chapter 1, it is clear that a “cherub” is not the cute baby with wings pictured in our culture. The cherubim around the throne of God are majestic and awesome to the point of being terrifying to our human sensibilities.

Ezekiel 28:14-15 says:

Ezekiel 28:14-15 (NKJV) “You [were] the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You [were] perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you.

This is speaking of Satan. He was once one of these glorious beings before iniquity was found in him.

We see these servants of God in Isaiah 6, where it says:

Isaiah 6:2-3 (NKJV) Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy [is] the LORD of hosts; The whole earth [is] full of His glory!”

In Revelation, these beings are also seen worshiping God and proclaiming His holiness. God’s throne is surrounded by these four representatives of the heavenly hosts and the 24 elders representing the people of all ages who worship God. God is sufficient in Himself. He has no “need” that can be filled by any of His creatures. And yet, wherever God is, there is an abundance of life. Cherubim live and move in His presence, and as we see in Revelation 6, they work as messengers of His calling on John to “Come and see.” 

In Luke, the angel Gabriel came to Mary with the announcement of Jesus’s birth, and in Matthew, an angel told Joseph in a dream not to be afraid to take Mary to. be his wife.

We see angels at various places throughout Scripture, always in the service of God and doing His bidding.

The reason God has created all things and that all life exists is for God’s pleasure. Revelation 4 says:

Revelation 4:11 (KJV) Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

As we consider God’s word, we realize that our happiness and fulfillment will only be found in pleasing God and not ourselves. Jesus said:

John 15:10-11 (NKJV) “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and [that] your joy may be full.

Jesus tells us that our joy will be full as we keep His commands and abide in His love. 

The joy and fulfillment of the cherubim are contrasted with the consequences of rebellion against God as the seals are opened. The four horsemen of the first four seals are contrasted with the four “living creatures.” The four horsemen are messengers of doom for the earth, whereas the four living creatures are proclaimers of the glory of God for the redeemed before the throne.

Are you living for your pleasure, or are you living to please God? 

If you would enjoy eternal life and joy, make it your purpose to live for God. God gave His only begotten Son so that you can enter into the joy of His presence. Please accept Jesus, and invite Him into your life today while there is still time.