Revelation 6:11

And there was given them to each one a white robe; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little time, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, who should be killed even as they were, should have fulfilled their course.

The prayers of martyred saints for God's vengeance to be executed upon the wicked could not be answered at once, but in God's own time. In the meanwhile, the bestowal of white robes upon the deceased saints symbolized their absolute assurance of eternal life with God.

That they should rest for a little while ... This is a very interesting clause, for it gives a glimpse of John's use of time references. What is "this little while"? It is all the time between the First and Second Advents of Jesus Christ; but with God this is only a little while. Later, John would call this same expanse of time "a thousand years."

Their fellow servants also ... is an extension of the meaning to include others than those actually martyred.

And their brethren who should be killed ... In the times during which Revelation was written, and throughout history, there were to be many more martyrs who would take their place along with those already slain, and all would be rewarded together "on that day" (2 Timothy 4:8).

Should have fulfilled their course ... The alternative reading of this clause in the ASV is, "should be fulfilled in number," a thought that harmonizes with sentiments expressed a number of times in the New Testament. The historical church has taken note of these, and as Barclay noted, "The Anglican Prayer Book has this in the burial prayer, "That it may please Thee shortly to accomplish the number of thine elect.'"[41] Back of such a conception is the view that God will keep on saving people until the total number of the redeemed, predetermined by the will of God, shall have been accomplished. An exposition of this thought has been attempted by this writer in The Mystery of Redemption. Hendriksen stated the proposition thus:

"For a little time" means until every elect has been brought into the fold ... God knows the exact number. It has been fixed from eternity in his decree. Until that number has been realized on earth the day of final judgment cannot come.[42]

They shall rest ... Russell cautioned that:

Care should be taken not to reason from this passage, that all shall sleep unconsciously in an intermediate world. Sleep is a symbol of rest, but it belongs to life (2 Thessalonians 1:7; Hebrews 4:3; Revelation 14:13).[43]

Hinds also pointed out in this connection that:

This passage shows that the death of the body does not end the soul's existence; consciousness between death and the resurrection must be a fact. Such passages are a deathblow to the soul-sleeping doctrine of materialism.[44]

[42] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 129.

[43] James William Russell, Compact Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1964), p. 630.

[44] John T. Hinds, A Commentary on the Book of Revelation (Nashville: The Gospel Advocate Company, 1962), p. 104.