Revelation Session 10

The Fifth and Sixth Seals (6:9-17)

(Recap)

I. Setting the Stage

II. Exposition of Revelation 6:9-17

III. Theological Reflection

IV. Eschatological Views Compared

V. Application

Recap

Where are we Eschatologically?

a. Upon the Lamb breaking 4 of the seals one of the 4 living creatures commands “come” and 4 horsemen on 4 distinct horses appear:

White horse – Conquest

Red Horse – war

Black Horse – famine

Pale Horse – Death

Application:

God is Sovereign Even Over Chaos

God Judges a World That Rejects Him

Suffering Not New – Nor is it random

The Church Must Bear Witness in the Midst of Crisis

Jesus Alone Is Worthy

Setting The Stage

Revelation 6 continues the drama that began in chapter 5, where the Lamb—Jesus Christ—alone was found worthy to take the scroll from the right hand of the One seated on the throne. The scroll represents God’s redemptive and judicial plan for history. As the Lamb breaks each seal, those plans unfold on earth.

Now, as we enter Session 10, the scene shifts dramatically. Instead of more earthly devastation, the focus turns first to heaven, and then to cosmic upheaval.

This second half of chapter 6 sets the stage for the question that frames the entire chapter: Who can stand on the day of God’s wrath?

Session 11 will reveal that answer but this session prepares ours hearts to understand why that question must be asked.

Revelation 6:9–17 LSB

9 And when He opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the witness which they had maintained; 10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Master, holy and true? Will You not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 And a white robe was given to each of them; and it was told to them that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also. 12 Then I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. 14 And the sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; 16 and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

II. Exposition (vv. 9-17)

A. The Fifth Seal – The Cry of the Martyrs (vv. 9-11)

Revelation 6:9–11 LSB

9 And when He opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the witness which they had maintained; 10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Master, holy and true? Will You not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 And a white robe was given to each of them; and it was told to them that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.

The Identity of the Martyrs:

“the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and because of the testimony which they maintained.”

These are not regular Christians who have died but those who lost their lives as a result of their commitment to Christ and the word of God:

Matthew 5:11–12 LSB

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Philippians 1:29 LSB

29 For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

There is a sense in which believers rejoice in being able to suffer in this way. Remember when new apostles were flogged for teaching Jesus?

Acts 5:41 LSB

41 So they went on their way from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for the Name.

Even after the apostolic era, this sentiment continued:

Lightfoot’s Apostolic Fathers in English 2

grant me nothing more than that I be poured out a libation to God, while there is still an altar ready

These are the words of Ignatius of Antioch on his way to be executed in Rome in AD 110.

Pastor Mehdi Dibaj (Iran, 1994)

A Muslim convert to Christianity.

Imprisoned for 10 years.

Offered freedom repeatedly if he would recant Christ.

He refused, saying: “I am a Christian. I cannot deny my Savior.”

He was sentenced to death explicitly because of his testimony of Jesus.

After international pressure briefly secured his release, he was found murdered months later.

Ashur Sarnaya (2025 — Lyon, France)

A Chaldean/Syriac-Assyrian Christian refugee from Iraq

Publicly shared his faith and criticized Islamic extremist groups via livestream.

Because of that public testimony, he received death threats

In 2025 he was murdered while livestreaming.

Kasanga massacre (2025 — Democratic Republic of the Congo)

February 12 2025, militants attacked Christian civilians in North Kivu, DRC.

70 believers were abducted and beheaded at a Protestant church by machete.

This attack targeted them specifically because they were Christians

Their location under the altar is intentional and symbolic. In the Old Testament sacrificial system, the blood of sacrificial animals was poured at the base of the altar (Exod 29:12; Lev 4:7). Here, the martyrs themselves are seen as a sacrifice—acceptable to God, precious in His sight.

2. Cry for Justice:

Revelation 6:10 LSB

10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Master, holy and true? Will You not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

This is not anger but it is a longing for God’s righteousness to be revealed. Consider:

Habakkuk 1:2 LSB

2 How long, O Yahweh, will I call for help, And You will not hear? I cry out to You, “Violence!” Yet You do not save.

Also consider Ps 13, 74

3. God’s Answer: Rest and Robes

God responds immediately with assurance:

Revelation 6:11 LSB

11 And a white robe was given to each of them; and it was told to them that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.

White Robe:

Purity

Victory

Vindication

Acceptance into the presence of God

White robes appear repeatedly in Revelation as markers of those who belong to the Lamb (Rev 3:4–5; 7:9,14; 19:8). Their suffering did not disqualify them; it identified them. But they are also told to rest a little while longer.

A Little While Reveals That:

God’s timing is intentional

His plan includes a set number of martyrs

He is not forgetting injustice

His judgment will come at the appointed hour

In other words, the seal reveals that God’s justice is certain, even when it is not immediate. Also consider what does wait a little longer mean outside of time.

B. The Sixth Seal — Cosmic Disturbance and the Day of Wrath (vv. 12-17)

The opening of the sixth seal shifts the scene back to earth, and everything becomes chaotic and catastrophic. The imagery is so dramatic that it is impossible to confuse these events with ordinary natural disasters.

Revelation 6:12–17 LSB

12 Then I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. 14 And the sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; 16 and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

We see here three distinct movements:

A Universal Shaking of Creation

Humanity’s Response

The Cry of the Unrepentant

The Climatic Question

John Sees:

a massive earthquake shaking the foundations of the world

the sun turning black like sackcloth

the moon becoming like blood

stars falling to earth

the sky receding like a scroll

every mountain and island being moved from its place

This language is not unprecedented. It mirrors prophetic descriptions of the Day of the Lord:

Joel 2:10, 30–31 — sun darkened, moon turned to blood

Isaiah 13:9–10 — cosmic signs accompanying judgment

Nahum 1:5–6 — mountains quake and earth trembles at God’s presence

Haggai 2:6–7 — God shakes heavens and earth to establish His glory

These are not subtle events. They communicate the full unveiling of God’s glory in judgment. Creation itself becomes a witness against human rebellion.

2. Humanity’s Response

What follows is perhaps the most sobering moment in the chapter. Every category of human society responds with overwhelming terror:

kings

great men

commanders

rich and powerful

slaves and free

The point is unmistakable: Status cannot shield anyone from the judgment of God. Every social, economic, and political barrier collapses in the presence of divine wrath.

3. The Cry of the Unrepentant

In stark contrast to the martyrs’ plea, the world cries to the mountains: “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb.”

Two truths emerge:

Humanity recognizes God’s wrath is real.

They would rather die than repent.

Even in terror, their hearts remain hardened. Their fear is not worship; it is rejection.

4. The Climactic Question

The chapter closes with one haunting line:

Revelation 6:17 LSB

17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

III. Theological Reflections

Revelation 6:9–17 presses us to consider how God views suffering, justice, judgment, and the end of all things. The fifth and sixth seals give us a theological framework that helps believers understand the story God is writing in the world.

1. God Honors the Faithfulness of His People Even When the World Rejects Them

The martyrs beneath the altar remind us that not one act of obedience is wasted. Their death is not defeat—it is devotion. Their suffering becomes part of the worship that rises before the throne.

Scripture repeatedly affirms this truth:

Psalm 116:15 — “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.”

Matthew 10:28–32 — Christ promises to confess before the Father those who remain faithful.

2 Timothy 4:6–8 — Paul speaks of his death as being “poured out as a drink offering.”

In a world where faithfulness may be costly, heaven shows us what God values.

2. The Cry “How Long?” Is Not Doubt — It Is Faith Refusing to Be Silent

The martyrs’ plea is not faithlessness; it is faith demanding the fulfillment of God’s promises. Throughout Scripture, the faithful cry out for God to act:

Psalm 13

Psalm 74

Habakkuk 1

Luke 18:7–8 (“Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night?”)

The cry “How long?” is the sound of believers who know God is righteous and are longing to see His righteousness revealed.

3. God’s Timing Is Purposeful, Not Passive

To the martyrs, the command to “rest a little while longer” may seem like delay, but it is not. It is God unfolding His plan with absolute precision.

Two theological truths come into focus:

God does not rush His purposes.

God does not forget His promises.

Just as God waited for “the fullness of time” to send Christ (Gal 4:4), He waits for the fullness of His redemptive and judicial purposes to be completed before pouring out final judgment.

4. The Wrath of God Is Not a Character Flaw — It Is a Revelation of His Holiness

The sixth seal confronts modern assumptions about God’s character. Many want a God of love without a God of wrath, but Scripture does not permit the separation.

God’s wrath:

is His holy response to sin

is His righteous opposition to evil

flows from His uncompromising holiness

vindicates His name and His people

reveals His justice in a world of injustice

Isaiah 13, Nahum 1, and Romans 1–3 all affirm that God’s nature requires that He confront sin, not ignore it. A God who never judges would not be holy, loving, or just.

5. Human Power Cannot Shield Anyone From Divine Judgment

When the sixth seal is opened, kings and commanders respond the same way slaves and common people do—terror and helplessness.

Theological implications:

Human authority collapses in the presence of divine glory.

Wealth cannot buy security from God’s judgment.

Social status is irrelevant before the throne.

Revelation continually strips humanity of false confidence. Every earthly kingdom becomes dust in the presence of the King of kings.

6. Sinful Humanity Fears Judgment but Does Not Repent

Perhaps the darkest truth of the passage is this: People beg for mountains to crush them rather than turn to God.

This reveals:

judgment alone cannot produce repentance

fear is not the same as faith

sin hardens the heart even when judgment is obvious

people love darkness rather than light (John 3:19–20)

Hell is not populated by people who wanted God but couldn’t find Him. It is populated by those who wanted their sin more than God’s mercy.

7. The Question of the Chapter: “Who Is Able to Stand?”

This question is not rhetorical. It demands an answer.

Theologically, it prepares us for:

God’s sealing of the saints in chapter 7

the vision of the redeemed standing in white robes

the truth that only those covered by the Lamb can endure the day of wrath

No one stands before God on their own righteousness. Only those united to Christ by faith stand secure.

8. The Lamb Who Saves Is Also the Lamb Who Judges

Revelation resists any attempt to divide Christ into categories:

gentle Savior here

fearful Judge there

The Lamb whose blood redeems (Rev 5) is the Lamb whose wrath terrifies (Rev 6). Both are necessary to understand the fullness of Christ’s glory.

Christ is both:

Shepherd and Warrior

Comforter and Judge

Redeemer and King

The cross and the throne are inseparable in Revelation.

IV. Eschatological Views Compared

Revelation 6:9–17—especially the imagery of the martyrs (fifth seal) and the cosmic upheaval of the Day of the Lord (sixth seal)—is interpreted differently across the four major eschatological frameworks. What follows is a faithful, charitable presentation of each view, highlighting how each school understands both seals and the timing/significance of the events.

Eschatological Views table

1. Dispensational Premillennialism (DP)

The Fifth Seal

The martyrs represent believers who will be killed during a future, literal 7-year Tribulation (Daniel’s 70th week).

These are not symbolic of all martyrs across history but of a specific group during the end times.

Their cry “How long?” anticipates the coming judgments on the wicked during the Tribulation.

The “white robes” affirm their salvation and reward, but their request for vengeance will be fulfilled when Christ returns at the end of the Tribulation.

The Sixth Seal

The cosmic disturbances are understood literally:

a real earthquake

literal darkening of the sun

literal blood-red moon

meteoric or cosmic objects falling to earth

These events occur near the midpoint or early phase of the Tribulation.

The “Day of the Lord” in this view is the period of divine wrath poured out during Daniel’s final week.

“Who can stand?” points forward to the sealing of the 144,000 in chapter 7—literal Israelites whom God protects.

Summary: DP sees these seals as chronological future events that occur during a defined Great Tribulation, with precise timelines and literal fulfillments.

2. Historic Premillennialism (HP)

The Fifth Seal

The martyrs represent Christians who have been killed for their faith throughout church history, but this also anticipates an intensified persecution immediately before Christ’s return.

The seal is not limited to the future seven-year period but includes the entire age between Christ’s ascension and His return.

Their cry for justice reflects the longing of all persecuted believers, culminating in a final generation of martyrs.

The Sixth Seal

HP sees the sixth seal as literal but tied to events immediately preceding the Second Coming.

The cosmic signs are real indicators that the end has arrived, consistent with Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:29–31.

This seal portrays the dawning of the “Great Day of the Lord,” which climaxes when Christ returns bodily to establish His kingdom.

There is no pre-tribulation rapture; believers endure this period but are ultimately delivered at Christ’s appearing.

Summary: HP views the seals as unfolding throughout history but culminating in literal end-time events leading directly into Christ’s visible return and millennial reign.

3. Amillennialism (A)

The Fifth Seal

The martyrs symbolize all faithful believers who have suffered for Christ throughout the entire church age.

The altar scene is timeless—an ever-present heavenly reality.

Their cry “How long?” reflects the ongoing tension between the suffering of God’s people and God’s promise to vindicate them at the final judgment.

The “rest a little while longer” points to God’s sovereign plan throughout all church history until the very end.

The Sixth Seal

The cosmic imagery is symbolic of the final judgment at the Second Coming.

The sixth seal does not depict events before the end but the end itself—the final collapse of the world order under the wrath of God.

Revelation uses cycles of judgment (recapitulation), with each cycle ending in the final judgment.

The question “Who can stand?” anticipates chapter 7’s symbolic depiction of the redeemed—those sealed by God throughout the church age.

Summary: Amillennialism sees the seals as symbolic portrayals of realities across the entire church age, with the sixth seal depicting the final judgment, not a chronological phase before it.

4. Postmillennialism (P)

The Fifth Seal

The martyrs represent persecuted believers throughout history, especially during times when the gospel faced strong opposition.

Their cry for justice expresses the historic struggle between the church and the hostile world before the widespread triumph of the gospel.

Some postmillennialists see this seal as depicting the suffering that precedes the growth and flourishing of the kingdom of God in history.

The Sixth Seal

Two main postmillennial approaches exist:

Symbolic-Historical View

The cosmic language symbolizes major historical upheavals—often interpreted as God’s judgment on oppressive regimes (e.g., the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70, or other collapses of anti-Christian powers).

The imagery is typical prophetic “de-creation” language used to describe the fall of nations.

Final Judgment View

Others take this as the final end of the age, after the millennial period of gospel triumph.

The Day of the Lord comes after a long era of Christian influence and blessing.

In both interpretations, the emphasis is that:

God judges wicked nations

the gospel ultimately advances throughout history

Christ returns after the global flourishing of His kingdom

Summary: Postmillennialism often interprets the seals symbolically, seeing them as depicting both historical judgments and the eventual final judgment after the gospel’s triumph in the world.

V. Application & Encouragement

Revelation 6:9–17 is not merely a prophetic window into the future; it is pastoral fuel for faithful endurance today. The fifth and sixth seals speak directly into the Christian life—addressing suffering, justice, perseverance, worship, and our hope in Christ.

1. God Sees and Honors Every Act of Faithfulness

The martyrs’ presence under the altar assures believers that nothing done for Christ is wasted—not the private obedience, not the public stand for truth, not the quiet suffering that no one else sees.

Heaven notices what the world ignores.

God does not lose track of your faithfulness, even if the world mocks it, marginalizes it, or punishes it.

This truth strengthens weary saints today: Your labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Cor 15:58).

2. The Delay of Justice Is Not the Absence of Justice

The question “How long, O Lord?” confronts every believer who has ever been wronged or watched evil prosper. God’s answer is not silence—it is timing. He tells the martyrs to rest because He is not finished bringing His redemptive purposes to their fullness.

You can endure injustice today because God will bring perfect justice tomorrow. You do not need to take vengeance into your own hands (Rom 12:19).

God’s timing is not neglect—it is sovereignty.

3. Suffering Has Purpose When Seen From Heaven’s Perspective

The martyrs cry out for justice, but they cry out from the presence of God. They are not forgotten. They are not abandoned. They are not powerless.

In the Christian life:

Your suffering is not random.

Your tears are not wasted.

Your faithfulness is not unnoticed.

When you suffer, heaven sees and heaven records. God uses even your pain to advance His purposes (Rom 8:28–30).

4. The Wrath of God Should Humble Us and Strengthen Our Witness

The sixth seal reminds us that judgment is real and unavoidable. This should bring:

humility, because apart from Christ we too would face this wrath

urgency, because those without Christ remain under that wrath (John 3:36)

compassion, because fear alone cannot save—only the gospel can

If unbelievers tremble before the wrath of the Lamb, it is because they have refused the grace of the Lamb.

Let the reality of judgment deepen your devotion to evangelism.

5. Earthly Power Cannot Save — Only the Lamb Can

Revelation levels the playing field. Kings and slaves hide in the same caves. The powerful cry out with the same terror as the weak.

This is a sobering reminder:

status cannot protect

money cannot shield

influence cannot rescue

self-confidence cannot stand before God

The only safe place in the universe is under the blood of Jesus Christ.

This gives believers confidence: You do not need earthly power to have eternal security.