Scripture Notes Old Testament
page 6

Comprised from.Barnes Notes.on:
Revelation 6:9-11 "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. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, do you not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the Earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled."

"I saw under the altar.".This seal pertains to martyrs, to discord and bloodshed, to oppressive taxation, war, famine and pestilence. Here we have here a striking representation of the martyrs crying to God to interpose in their behalf and to avenge their blood. The points which require elucidation are

Their position was."under the altar". We are to remember, however, that the ancient temple and the altar were both destroyed before the time when this book was written and this should, therefore, be regarded merely as a vision. John saw these souls as if they were collected under the altar at the place where burnt offerings were made in these Old Testament times.

The altar was the place where sin was expiated and it was natural to represent these redeemed martyrs as seeking refuge there. It was usual to offer prayers and supplications at the altar, in connection with the sacrifice made at the altar for sin and at the ground of that sacrifice. The idea is, that they who were suffering persecution would naturally seek a refuge in the place where expiation was made for sin and where prayer was appropriately offered. The language here is such as a Hebrew would naturally use. The reference in the language is to the altar of burnt sacrifice. 

"The souls of them that were slain.".pleaded that God would interpose.

"On them that dwell on the Earth.".Those who are still on the Earth. This shows that the scene here is laid in the invisible realm and that the souls of the martyrs are represented as there. We are not to suppose that this literally occurred and that John actually saw the souls of the martyrs beneath the altars, for the whole representation is symbolical. It may be fairly inferred from this that there will be as real a remembrance of the wrongs of the persecuted, the injured and the oppressed, as if such prayer were offered there and that the oppressor has as much to dread from the Divine vengeance as if those whom he has injured should cry to God who hears prayer. 

The wrongs done to the children of God; to the orphan, the widow, the downtrodden; to the slave and the outcast, are remembered, for every act of injustice and oppression pleads for vengeance. Every persecutor should dread the death of the persecuted because of the law of right and wrong, the reap what you sow law. And so."How long, O Lord, holy and true, do you not judge and avenge our blood?"

"And white robes were given to every one of them.".The white robes signify purity or innocence.

"That they should rest yet for a little season.".And it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season. That is, that they must wait for a little season before they could be avenged. They had pleaded that their cause might be at once vindicated and had asked how long it would be before it should be done. The reply is, that the desired vindication would not at once occur, but that they must wait until other events were accomplished. 

Nothing definite is determined by the phrase."a little season",.meaning a short time. It is simply an intimation that this would not immediately occur, that it was not soon to take place. 

"Until their fellow servants also".refers to those who were then suffering persecution or those who should afterwards suffer persecution, grouping all together.

"And their brethren that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.".Refers to those then living or those who would live afterwards and pass through similar scenes. During persecutions, which this verse covers, many had been put to death. But, there were others who would yet come along and end up being persecuted, such as what happened in the Inquisition. We shall not be much in danger of erring in supposing that this refers to the persecution under Diocletian, who ascended the throne in 284 A.D. and left it in 304. It was during this period and chiefly at the instigation of Galerius, a regional ruling Roman emperor, that the tenth persecution of the Christians occurred, which was the last under Roman power.

"The first decree against the Christians, at the instigation of Galerius, will show the general nature of this fiery trial of the church. That decree was to the following effect: "All assembling of the Christians for the purposes of religious worship was forbidden; the Christian churches were to be demolished to their foundations; all manuscripts of the Bible should be burned; those who held places of honour or rank must either renounce their faith or be degraded; in judicial proceedings the torture might be used against all Christians, of whatever rank; those belonging to the lower walks of private life were to be divested of their rights as citizens and as freemen; Christian slaves were to be incapable of receiving their freedom, so long as they remained Christians." ...Neander, History of the Church, Torrey's Translation i. 148. 

It was the result of a determined effort to blot out the Christians. "In the year 311".says Neander, (i. 156,)."the remarkable edict appeared which put an end to the last sanguinary.(bloody).conflict of the Christian church and the Roman empire.".This decree was issued by the author and instigator of the persecution, Galerius, who."softened by a severe and painful disease, the consequence of his excesses, had been led to think that the God of the Christians might, after all, be a powerful being, whose anger punished him and whose favour he must endeavour to conciliate.".This man suspended the persecution and gave the Christians permission."once more to hold their assemblies, provided they did nothing contrary to the good order of the Roman state." "Ita ut ne quid contra disciplinam agant."....Neander, ibid.

.