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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Revelation 6:9-17

In the remaining part of this chapter we have the opening of the fifth and the sixth seals. I. The fifth seal. Here is no mention made of any one who called the apostle to make his observation, probably because the decorum of the vision was to be observed, and each of the four living creatures had discharged its duty of a monitor before, or because the events here opened lay out of the sight, and beyond the time, of the present ministers of the church; or because it does not contain a new... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 6:9-11

6:9-11 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw beneath the altar the souls of those who had been stain for the sake of the word of God and because of the witness which they bore. And they cried with a loud voice: "How long, Lord, Holy and True, will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell upon the earth?" And to each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to rest for still a little while, until there should be completed the number of their fellow-servants... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 6:9-11

There are three things in this section which we must note. (i) We have the eternal cry of the suffering righteous--"How long?" This was the cry of the Psalmist. How long were the heathen to be allowed to afflict God's righteous people? How long were they to be allowed to taunt his people by asking where God was and what he was doing? ( Psalms 79:5-10 ). The thing to remember is that when the saints of God uttered this cry, they were bewildered by God's seeming inactivity but they never... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 6:11

And white robes were given to everyone of them ,.... The Alexandrian copy, and some others, read in the singular number, "a white robe", and so does the Syriac version; as a token of their innocence, that they did not suffer, or were slain, for any capital crime or immorality they were guilty of; and of their purity and perfection they now enjoyed; as also of that spiritual delight and pleasure, which was unspeakable and full of glory, they now had in the presence of God and Christ; and in... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 6:11

White robes - The emblems of purity, innocence, and triumph. They should rest yet for a little season - This is a declaration that, when the cup of the iniquity of the Jews should be full, they should then be punished in a mass. They were determined to proceed farther, and God permits them so to do; reserving the fullness of their punishment till they had filled up the measure of their iniquity. If this book was written before the destruction of Jerusalem, as is most likely, then this... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 6:1-17

Six seals opened. The ground thought of this book is "The Lord is coming." Concerning this Professor Godet remarks, "L'histoire du monde dans son essence se resume dans ces trois roots: Il vient; il est venu; il revient. C'est sur cette idee que repose le plan du drame apocalyptique." £ Even the prophecies of the Old Testament, which dealt so largely with the first coming, shot far ahead and reached even to the second, e.g. Joel. Our Lord himself is very clear on this topic ( ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 6:1-17

The opening of the seals. The Book of Revelation may be said to consist—with the exception of Revelation 2:1-29 and Revelation 3:1-22 —of a vast picture gallery. And this not so much because of the number of the pictures, as their sublimity and extent. Revelation 1:1-20 . is the portraiture of "the Son of man." Then there is a vast canvas, stretching from Revelation 4:1-11 to 11, and representing the judgment and fall of Jerusalem. Then from Revelation 12:1-17 to 19 another... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 6:1-17

The seven seals; or, the development of good and evil in human history. "And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see," etc. In this chapter we have the breaking open of six of the seals of that mystic roll containing the Divine plan of the government of the world, and as held in the bands of Christ who is the great Expounder. The opening of these seals suggests to our notice and presses on... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 6:3-11

Scenes of suffering. No sooner has the vision of the Conqueror passed before the eye of the seer, than a darkening series in slow procession bring him from the contemplation of the source of the Church's comfort and hope to the scene of the Church's conflict, the earth. Herein is depicted the afflictions through which the Church should pass. Well was it that an assurance had been given of final triumph. Always from conditions of sorrow the Church could look back upon the great and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 6:11

And white robes were given unto every one of them; and there was given to each one a white robe. στολὴ λευκή , "a white robe," is supported by A, C, [P], N, B, etc. The white robe of righteousness, the wedding garment of Matthew 22:11 , Matthew 22:12 , is the sign of the blessedness of the saints. White is the colour of heavenly victory in the Apocalypse (see on Matthew 22:2 ). The vision has recalled the past sufferings of the martyrs and their present expectation of the... read more

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