In the sermon “Heavenly Observations of Earth” from the Revelation: Jesus Revealed – The View Behind The Veil series, we examine the opening of the fifth seal in Revelation 6:9-11. The Apostle John sees the souls of faithful martyrs — slain for the word of God and their testimony — gathered under the heavenly altar. They cry out with a loud voice, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
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Revelation 6:9 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.
Revelation 6:10 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?”
Revelation 6:11 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.
Matthew 24:9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be
hated by all nations for My name’s sake.
1) Is there life right after death?
2) Do people in heaven remember life on earth?
3) Do people in heaven see what is happening on earth?
The 5th Seal
I. THE CONTEXT OF THEIR MARTYRDOM.
Revelation 6:9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls …”
Revelation 3:12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God,
Exodus 40:5 You shall also set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark
of the Testimony, and put up the screen for the door of the tabernacle.
Exodus 40:6 Then you shall set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of
the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.
Revelation 6:9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls …”
Revelation 8:3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the
altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the
the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
Revelation 8:4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints,
ascended before God from the angel’s hand.
II. THE CAUSE OF THEIR MARTYRDOM.
Revelation 6:9 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.
They were murdered for fulfilling the two greatest commandments–loving God and
loving people.
Revelation 2:13 “… And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in
the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you,…”
According to a report from watchdog group, Open Doors US, in 2025
“388 million Christians suffered persecution last year with 4,849 murdered and 3,632
churches and Christian properties were either destroyed or attacked.while 4,712
Christians were detained.”
With North Korea, Somalia, and Yemen being the top 3 worst countries
Satan past, present and future has always used an ungodly governments to be the
greatest persecutor of the church.
III. THE CRY FROM THEIR MARTYRDOM.
Revelation 6:10 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?”
Luke 18:6, “Jesus said, … Shall not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to
Him day and night, and will not God judge when His elect cry out to Him?”
Genesis 4:10 “…The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground …”
Revelation 6:10 “… will avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
IV. THE COMPLETION OF THE MARTYRDOM.
Revelation 6:11 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.
Revelation 2:10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer.
Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested,
and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the
crown of life.
V. THE CONTINUATION AFTER THEIR MARTYRDOM.
Revelation 6:9 (VOICE) When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the
heavenly altar the souls of those murdered for holding fast to the word of God and
their testimony.
Revelation 6:10 They cried out in a great, singular voice. Murder Victims:
1. Death is Not the End. Life goes on after Death.
John 5:24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him
who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed
from death into life.
2. The Martyred Souls Aren’t Sleeping.
Daniel 12:2 ‘And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,Some
to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those
who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
1 Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God
will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the
body and to be present with the Lord.
Philippians 1:23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart
and be with Christ, which is far better.
For unbelievers, death means everlasting punishment in hell (Luke 16:22–23).
Luke 16:22 “… the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luke 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, …”
3) People in Heaven Remember Life on Earth.
Revelation 6:10 (NLV) All those who had been killed cried out with a loud voice saying,
“How long will it be yet before You will punish those on the earth for killing us?
Lord, You are holy and true.”
4) People in Heaven See What is Happening on Earth.
Revelation 19:1 After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in
heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to
the Lord our God!
Revelation 19:2 For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged
the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged
on her the blood of His servants shed by her.”
Luke 9:28 Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He
took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.
Luke 9:29 As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe
became white and glistening
Luke 9:30 And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah,
Luke 9:31 who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about
to accomplish at Jerusalem.
Do you realize that we really don’t know one another here on earth?
1 Corinthians 13:12 “… Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
5. Don’t Forget The Fans In The Stands.
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us,
and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
The last invitation in the Book of Revelation is the last one in the Bible
Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come…
Explore the terrifying and prophetic vision of the Four Horsemen in Revelation 6 in this powerful Bible teaching. As the Lamb opens the first four seals, the world is shaken by deception, war, famine, and death.
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Revelation 6:1 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard
one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.”
Revelation 6:2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow;
and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
Revelation 6:3 When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature
saying, “Come and see.”
Revelation 6:4 Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one
who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another;
and there was given to him a great sword.
Revelation 6:5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say,
“Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had
a pair of scales in his hand.
Revelation 6:6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying,
A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do
not harm the oil and the wine.”
Revelation 6:7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth
living creature saying, “Come and see.”
Revelation 6:8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who
sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them
over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by
the beasts of the earth.
Job 39:19 “Have you given the horse strength? Have you clothed his neck with
thunder?
Job 39:20 Can you frighten him like a locust? His majestic snorting strikes terror.
Job 39:21 He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength; He gallops into the
clash of arms.
Job 39:22 He mocks at fear, and is not frightened; Nor does he turn back from
the sword.
Job 39:23 The quiver rattles against him, The glittering spear and javelin.
Job 39:24 He devours the distance with fierceness and rage; Nor does he come
to a halt because the trumpet has sounded.
Job 39:25 At the blast of the trumpet he says, ‘Aha!’ He smells the battle from afar,
The thunder of captains and shouting.
THE 1ST SEAL: THE WHITE HORSE OF DECEPTIVE PEACE.
Revelation 6:1 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard
one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.”
Revelation 6:2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow;
and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
Opinions on who is the first rider is include:
1) Jesus Christ
2) the advance of the gospel,
3) False religion
4) the antichrist,
5) the spirit of conquest,
6) government persecuting Christians,
7) Satan’s servants in general.
8) Not a person but a personification
Revelation 6:8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat
on it was Death, and Hades
The horsemen are not persons, but personifications, representations
manifestations, embodiments,
It’s not that the four horses will actually ride over the earth, but are symbolical
representations of things that will happen
Revelation 6:4 Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one
who sat on it to take peace from the earth, …”
Daneil 11:21 And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give
the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by
Jeremiah 6:14 They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, saying, ‘Peace,
peace!’ When there is no peace.
1 Thessalonians 5:3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction
comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.
THE 2ND SEAL: THE RED HORSE OF DESTRUCTIVE PUNISHMENT.
Revelation 6:3 When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature
saying, “Come and see.”
Revelation 6:4 Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who
sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and
there was given to him a great sword.
Matthew 24:6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not
troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Matthew 24:7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom …”
Matthew 24:22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved;
but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
Albert Einstein said,”The unleashed power of the atom has changed everything
except our way of thinking. We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking
if mankind is to survive.”
President Ronald Reagon once said, “Man has used every weapon he has ever
devised … It takes no crystal ball to perceive that a nuclear war, is likely … In a
nuclear war, all mankind would lose.”
Former Soviet president Brezhnev once said, “Only he who has decided to
commit suicide can start a nuclear war.”
THE 3RD SEAL: THE BLACK HORSE OF DIVISIVE POVERTY.
Revelation 6:5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say,
“Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had
a pair of scales in his hand.
Revelation 6:6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying,
A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barleåy for a denarius; and do
not harm the oil and the wine.”
Lamentations 5:10 Our skin is hot as an oven, because of the fever of famine.
Lamentations 4:9 Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger;
For these pine away, stricken for lack of the fruits of the field.
Matthew 24:7 “… And there will be famines …
Mark 13:8 “… and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.
Revelation 6:6 “… and do not harm the oil and the wine.”
THE 4TH SEAL: THE PALE HORSE OF DEADLY PLAGUES.
Revelation 6:7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth
living creature saying, “Come and see.”
Revelation 6:8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who
sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them
over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the
beasts of the earth.
Matthew 24:37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of
Man be.
Exodus 8:19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But
Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, just as the Lord had said.
Revelation 9:20 20 But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues,
did not repent …”
Revelation 9:21 And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their
sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.
Song “I Wish We’d All Been Ready”
Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we’d all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we’d all been ready
There’s no time to change your mind
The Son has come and you’ve been left behind
Acts 17:31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in
righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this
to all by raising Him from the dead.
