Revelation 6:11, commentary and pictures

John is shown beneath the altar the souls of those slain for the word of God and for the testimony they held. White robes are given to every one of them as the pronouncement that they are pure and holy. This clothing is their vindication after suffering for the truth, taking away their reproach and honoring them as the Lord's redeemed when earthly judgments against them are reversed. They are told to rest yet for a little season until their fellowservants and their brethren who should be killed as they were should be fulfilled. The scene is not a present reality but a prophetic representation of what would be in a future time, belonging to the terrible judgments of God when He goes forth to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity.

Setting and Symbols

The verse belongs to the vision of the fifth seal, in which are seen beneath the altar the souls of those slain for the word of God and for the testimony they held, the testimony of Jesus Christ. That vision belongs to the account of the book sealed with seven seals held in the right hand of Him who sits on the throne. That book is the roll of God's providences and the prophetic history of nations and the church, containing God's utterances, authority, commandments and laws, the whole symbolic counsel of the Eternal, and the history of all ruling powers, showing in symbolic language the influence of every nation, tongue and people from the beginning of earth's history to its close.

The giving of white robes to every one of them means they were pronounced pure and holy. Those slain for Jesus are later seen among the redeemed in pure white robes with a red border and brilliant crowns, on the way to Mount Zion in the heavenly land and in the new earth, and the red borders mark them as martyrs. Among those in white robes with red borders are children murdered for Jesus and for their parents' faith, seen as an innumerable company of little ones.

They were told to rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, who should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. The scene was not a present reality but a prophetic representation of what would be in a future period of time. The verse is part of the vision about God's persecuted people hidden in caves and dens who are called forth as faithful witnesses, whose persecution has not destroyed them or their influence.

Faithfulness Vindicated and Rewarded

The giving of white robes is vindication for those who have suffered for the truth's sake and been maligned by Satan and his host, for they shall be clothed with a change of raiment and their reproach shall be taken away. God's faithful people who have suffered persecution and been condemned or killed for refusing Satan's deceptive claims will receive white robes and be honored as the Lord's redeemed when God reverses earthly judgments. Their being seen afterward among the saints and redeemed shows their vindication and reward and honored place after suffering for Him.

Those slain for Jesus are later seen among the redeemed wearing pure white robes with red borders, and in the new earth they appear in those robes with brilliant crowns, showing their honored place among the redeemed. An innumerable company of little ones wears red borders as well. The verse concerns faithful Christians killed in persecution who remained true to their religion rather than yield, and God looked on them with approval. Their suffering drew them closer to the Lord, and each suffering increased their reward in heaven, and though Satan rejoiced at their deaths they were secured to Jesus Christ as subjects of His kingdom.

Multitudes of Christians were killed because they sought to preserve the purity of their religion. The blood of the martyrs testified to the truth through faithful workers who carried the word of God across distant lands and raised up churches through their labor. Their work will yield a harvest of souls revealed at the day of God.

Judgment and Final Fulfillment

Revelation 6 and 7 are full of meaning concerning the terrible judgments of God. They describe the Lord going forth to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, when the earth shall disclose her blood and shall no more cover her slain. Part of this work of punishment is the commission of the seven angels who stood before God and received seven trumpets. That work reaches to the plagues of God, when hail about the weight of a talent will fall upon the wicked who would not obey God but insulted Him and despised His mercies.

This martyrdom comes before the scenes of Revelation 18, when faithful and true people are called out from Babylon with the testing message for this time. The vision of the fifth seal, in which are seen beneath the altar those slain for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, is followed by those scenes of calling out. The martyrs are then seen close about the throne of God, surrounded by ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands upon thousands. Among them are the very ones so recently in abject misery in the time of trouble, whom the world knew not and hated and despised. They are the loyal and true who would not worship the beast or his image and accept and revere an idol sabbath, though in anguish while the wicked mocked, threatened, and boasted what they would do if they continued obstinate. Their revelation comes when the heavens part as a scroll when it is rolled together, and the sight shuts out everything else so that the taunts are heard no more.