revelation-6:9-11:14-esv

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 6:9-10

Departed martyrs. "And when he had opened," etc. By common consent this is a sketch of departed martyrs, i.e. men "that were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held." If they bad been slain for anything else they would not have been martyrs. I. THEY LIVE IN SACRED SECURITY . "I saw under the altar the souls of them." The "souls," not the bodies; the bodies had been destroyed, their ashes were left Souls can exist apart from the body—a wonderful fact... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 6:9-11

And when he had opened the fifth seal - notes at Revelation 5:1; Revelation 6:1.I saw under the altar - The four living creatures are no longer heard as in the opening of the first four seals. No reason is given for the change in the manner of the representation; and none can be assigned, unless it be, that having represented each one of the four living creatures in their turn as calling attention to the remarkable events about to occur, there seemed to be no necessity or propriety in... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Revelation 6:9-10

Revelation 6:9-10. The following seals have nothing extrinsical, like the proclamation of the living creatures, but they are sufficiently distinguished by their internal marks and characters. When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under, or at the foot of, the altar Which was presented to my view; not the golden altar of incense, mentioned Revelation 9:13, but the altar of burnt-offering, spoken of also Revelation 8:5; Revelation 14:18; Revelation 16:7; the souls of them that were slain ... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Revelation 6:1-17

6:1-8:5 THE SEVEN SEALSMuch of the next part of the book records three series of judgment visions that John saw - the seven seals (6:1-8:5), the seven trumpets (8:6-11:19) and the seven bowls of wrath (15:1-16:21). John also saw another series of visions, the seven thunders, but God did not allow him to record them (10:3-4). This is a reminder that God has not given us all the information about what he is doing, and will yet do, as he brings his purposes in the world to fulfilment.In the... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Revelation 6:9

altar. Greek. thusiasterion. First of eight occurances. souls. See App-110 and App-170 Compare App-13 . were = had been. word. App-121 . God. App-98 . testimony. See John 1:7 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Revelation 6:9

And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of them that had been slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:The opening of this seal intimately concerns the fortunes of God's church, showing that, "God is not unmindful of the death of the martyrs."[34] "John is still in heaven, therefore the altar represents the altar of incense in heaven";[35] but, to be sure, there is no actual altar in heaven; the thing being symbolized is that of the saints... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Revelation 6:9-11

Revelation 6:9-11. When he had opened the fifth seal, &c.— This and the following seals have nothing extrinsical, like the proclamation of the living creatures, to determine from what quarter we should expect their completion; but they are sufficiently distinguished by their internal marks and characters. The fifth seal or period is remarkable for a dreadful persecution of Christians, who are represented, Rev 6:9 lying under the altar (for the scene is still in the tabernacle or temple) as... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Revelation 6:9

9. The three last seals relate to the invisible, as the first four to the visible world; the fifth, to the martyrs who have died as believers; the sixth, to those who have died, or who shall be found at Christ's coming, unbelievers, namely, "the kings . . . great men . . . bondman . . . freeman"; the seventh, to the silence in heaven. The scene changes from earth to heaven; so that interpretations which make these three last consecutive to the first four seals, are very doubtful. I saw—in... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Revelation 6:9

The altar John saw was evidently in heaven (cf. Revelation 8:3; Revelation 8:5; Revelation 14:18). Earlier John had seen a throne-room in heaven (chs. 4-5), but now he saw a temple. Probably the concepts of palace and temple communicate aspects of God’s magnificent dwelling-place in heaven (cf. Psalms 11:4; Psalms 18:6; Psalms 29:9-10; Isaiah 6:1: Habakkuk 2:20). This altar was evidently an altar of sacrifice rather than an incense altar (cf. Revelation 5:8; Revelation 8:3-5; Revelation... read more