Revelation 6: The Fifth Seal

Every opened seal reveals the historical circumstances of the church and the gospel's preaching under the direction of the Holy Spirit.

We can see how God’s Word (the Gospel) is proclaimed with power in the 1st Seal but is attacked in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Seals.

The 5th Seal shows the martyrs who suffered for the Word of God and cry out for the Avenger of Blood (Revelation 6:10, Revelation 19:2, Revelation 18:20). During the 6th Seal, we witness the final sealing of God’s people.

The Roman Catholic Church killed millions of Christians because they refused to obey the false teachings of the church, which included the following:

• Penance is necessary for salvation

• Purgatory

• Indulgences

• Prayer to the saints

• Mary is Mediatrix

• Sunday sacredness

• Infallibility of the Catholic Church

• Worshipping idols, icons and images

• The full benefit of Salvation is only through the Roman Catholic Church

• Sacred Tradition equal to scripture etc.

Further reading:

A list of false teachings in the Roman Catholic Church - Link

Overview of how Catholic faith contradicts the Bible - Link

Numbers and Necessities - Link

Inquisition - Link

Revelation Chapter 6 - Verse 9 to 11

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, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

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.

🔹Souls crying out

Question: How can dead souls cry out?

Old Testament Example: The Story of Cain and Abel (Genesis 4).

• Cain and Abel each presented an offering at the altar of sacrifice. 

• Abel obeyed God's command by bringing an animal sacrifice and worshiping Him as instructed. 

• Because Abel did what God said, he was regarded as being righteous (Hebrews 11:4 says "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.")

The sacrifice of Abel gave witness. Verse 4 uses the Greek term martura, from which we get the English word martyr. Even after his death, Abel's sacrifice is a testimony or witness to his obedience to God.

Genesis 4:8-10 - "8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

9 And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground."

After Cain killed Abel, his blood “cried out” for vengeance and justice. Therefore, the crying out of a person’s soul or blood symbolizes that what happened to them demands justice. 

🔹The souls under the altar

These people who were slain (killed) are those who lost their lives under the Pale Horse of the Fourth Seal. This persecution occurred during the period of Papal supremacy.

Their faith in God's word and the testimony they provided in their own lives led to their deaths. With their blood, they had sealed their faith. But why are they shown as being under the altar?

The sanctuary's courtyard housed the altar, with the sacrifice's blood spilled at its base. Leviticus 4:7.

The innocent blood that has been shed "cries out" for justice.

🔹White robes

Each martyr who died for the word of God and as a witness against the apostate church (Roman Catholic Church) received a white robe.

White is a symbol of overcomers and righteousness (Revelation 3:5; Revelation 19:8) 

The Fifth Seal consists of two stages:

The fifth seal reveals that the wailing of the martyrs has two separate historical stages: the martyrs of the past (those whom the papacy murdered during the fourth seal) and the martyrs of the future (those whom the papacy will kill when it resurrects from its deadly wound).

Next: Revelation Chapter 6: The Sixth Seal (Signs Of The Judgement)

Previous: Revelation Chapter 6: The Fourth Seal