Who Are the Souls Under the Altar in Revelation 6?

Revelation 6

1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.

2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given to him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.

4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given to him a great sword.

5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and see a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.

6 And I heard a voice in the middle of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see you hurt not the oil and the wine.

7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.

8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given to them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

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:

10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, do you not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

11 And white robes were given to every one of them; and it was said to them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brothers, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, see, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every slave, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

The souls seen under the altar in Revelation 6 are the millions of faithful martyrs who were slain for their commitment to the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ during past eras of persecutionEVRR208+2. These individuals were victims of idolatry, superstition, and the apostate powers that dominated the earth during the Dark Ages and the period of Papal supremacyEVRR208+2.

The Nature and Condition of the Souls

The representation of these souls under the altar is a symbolic vision rather than a literal description of the state of the deadDAR1909 438.4+2.

• Personification of the Dead: Just as the blood of Abel is said to cry out from the ground, these souls are personified to represent the fact that a murder was committed and a life taken Genesis 4:9-10EVRR208+1. This literary device, known as prosopopoeia, attributes life and action to those who are actually in the grave awaiting the resurrectionRMLA 13.2+1.

• The State of Death: The Bible teaches that the dead know not anything and that these martyrs must "rest" in the grave until the first resurrection Revelation 20:4ARSH September 22, 1859, page 138.2+2. They are not conscious in heaven, as the altar of sacrifice is located on the earth, and it would be repugnant to the joy of heaven to represent souls shut up under an altar crying for vengeanceDAR1909 438.4+2.

• Symbolic Language: The term "soul" in this context refers to the persons or the lives that were poured out, similar to how the blood of a victim in the Old Testament was poured out at the foot of the altar of sacrificeEVRR208+2.

The Meaning of the Altar

The altar mentioned in the fifth seal is not an altar in heaven, but the altar of sacrifice on the earthDAR1909 438.4+2.

• The Earth as the Altar: In the sanctuary service, the blood of the sacrifices was poured out in the courtyard, which represents the earth where Christ and His followers shed their bloodEVRR208+1.

• A Symbol of Martyrdom: The souls are seen under the altar because that is where they fell as victims to persecution, much like victims slain upon an earthly altar would fall by its sideDAR1909 438.4+2.

The Cry for Vengeance

The cry of "How long, O Lord" is a symbolic appeal for the vindication of God's authority and the redress of wrongs committed against His people Revelation 6:10EVRR208+1.

• Vindication, Not Malice: This cry represents the need for the decisions of earthly tribunals to be reversed and for the character of the martyrs to be cleared of the infamy cast upon them by their persecutorsEVRR208+1.

• White Robes Given: Each martyr was given a white robe, signifying heaven's decision on their character and acknowledging them as overcomers and righteous saints Revelation 3:5+1EVRR208+1. This symbolizes the change in public opinion and the recognition of their faithfulness during the Protestant Reformation and the final judgmentEVRR208+2.

The Period of the Fifth Seal

The opening of the fifth seal covers the period of the great Reformation, following the horrific slaughters of the fourth sealEVRR225+2.

• A Respite from Persecution: This seal marks a time when the bloody persecutions against dissenters began to cease, and the reformers started to vindicate the cause of those previously slainMWV2 183.2+1.

• Waiting for the Final Conflict: The martyrs are told to rest for a "little season" until their fellow servants and brethren, who will face similar trials in the final closing conflict of earth's history, are also fulfilled Revelation 6:11EVRR212+2.