Revelation 6:9; Under the Altar

Posted on Posted in Devotions Tagged with , ,

Revelation 6:9 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: 

Walvoord observed, “The best rationale supports putting the martyrs in the prophetic seventieth week of Daniel, probably in the first half of the week.”

This seal foretells the miseries still to come by way of additional plagues that must happen soon, just before the personal return of Christ [Beckwith].

The active role of the prayers of these martyrs and other saints in promoting the seventh seal, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls should not be underestimated.

Revelation 8:3-5 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer itwith the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which camewith the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast itinto the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. 

Typically, in the tabernacle and temple, the blood of the sacrificed animal is poured at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering.

Leviticus 4:7 And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 

These saints whose blood were poured out for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held, were not forgotten by God. It is as it were in Genesis 4:10 “… the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.” God knows! He has an altar for the martyred saints in heaven awaiting vindication.

2 Timothy 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; 

Amen.