The Fifth Seal Of Revelation 6

This Revelation Timeline Decoded Bible study focuses on the fifth seal of Revelation 6.

Here’s a short summary of the fulfillment of the 5th seal of Revelation 6, then a video will give more details, followed by a verse by verse explanation.

It represents the millions of martyrs who were killed by the Roman Empire, especially the Smyrna church martyrs who Emperor Diocletian persecuted for 10 years, from 303-312 A.D. Their blood is crying out for the Lord to avenge their deaths.

The vision under the fifth seal of the souls of the martyrs beneath the altar, was interpreted by the Church of the first three centuries as representing the continuous persecutions and martyrdoms of Christ’s saints; while the sixth was regarded as a vision of the judgments attending the consummation, or close of the age. (History Unveiling Prophecy, Henry Grattan Guinness)

Revelation 6:9-10, “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. 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?” 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.”

The reason that Jesus opened the first four seals was to avenge the blood of the 10 million martyrs who had been killed by the Roman Empire.

There are two groups of martyrs spoken of in Revelation.  The first was those who were killed by the Roman Empire.

The second group were killed during the Dark Ages and the Inquisition came, when from 50-100 million martyrs were slain by Papal Rome and the countries that they controlled.

The first four seals of Revelation were symbolic, which means that the 5th one is too.

So these saints aren’t continually under the altar crying out to God to avenge them.

When they receive their reward, they won’t have tears.  How can they be in heaven, gazing on the glory of Jesus, and literally be crying day and night?

Genesis 4:10 says that Abel’s blood cries out to God from the ground.  Since Abel was dead, it’s obviously symbolic.

And our Lord was faithful in avenging their deaths from His sake, as He poured out His wrath on the Roman Empire.

The Pagan Roman persecutions ended when Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in 313 A.D., which gave liberty to the Christians.

Next Revelation Timeline Decoded Bible Study: Revelation 6 – 6th Seal Earthquake