What is the 5th Seal?
The 5th Seal
9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” 11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been. (Revelation 6: 9-11)
The 5th Seal refers to the Great Tribulation: a time of distress such as the world has never seen nor will ever see again. (see Matthew 24: 21)
Christian Martyrs
The ones who are asking God about avenging their blood are the souls of those who were martyred prior to the Great Tribulation. They are told that God’s wrath and judgment will not happen until the “full number” of martyrs have joined them in heaven. There is a specific number of people who will be martyred during the Great Tribulation but it is such a vast multitude that no one could count:
13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?” 14 I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 7: 13-14)
The martyrs have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God. Being washed in the blood of the Lamb refers to Christians. This indicates that the great multitude of martyrs described in Revelation 7 are Christians.
Jewish Martyrs
Although Jews will also be severely persecuted, God will protect a remnant of Jews during the Great Tribulation:
6 The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days. (Revelation 12: 6)
14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach. (Revelation 12: 14)
The Great Tribulation
When the abomination that causes desolation is set up in the Temple in Jerusalem, it will mark the beginning of the Great Tribulation. It will last for 3-1/2 years. (Daniel 9: 27) (Daniel 11: 31) (Daniel 12: 11) (Matthew 24: 15) (Mark 13: 14)
The 1st 4 Seals have been opened.
The 5th Seal is the Great Tribulation.
For more information, please read:
Leave a Reply