The Strand Study Bible

REVELATION 6:9  7:2

2155

Written From the Island of Patmos

The Fifth Seal (Tribulation saints to be martyred)

15 4 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, 7 hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; PF 16 4 And said to the mountains and rocks, 8 Fall on us, and hide us from the face of 9 HIM that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the LAMB : PF 17 For the 4 great day of 10 HIS wrath is come; and 11 who shall be able to stand? PF Revelation 7 Israel’s spiritual rebirth (Note - This event takes place during the middle of Daniel’s Seventieth Week when 144,000 Jews will be saved) Date Written - c. AD 96

1. or, “altar of incense in Heaven” - Exo 30:1- 10 & Rev 8:3 2. See - Dan 7:21,25 & 8:24 & 12:7 & Mt 10:21-23 & 24:9-10 & Mk 13:9,11-13 & Lk 21:12-17 & Rev 12:13-17 & 13:7 3. II Tim 1:8 4. See - Isa 13:10 & 34:4 & Joel 2:10,30- 31 & 3:15 & Mt 24:29 & Mk 13:24-25 & Lk 21:25-26 & Acts 2:19-20 7. Isa 2:19-21 8. Hosea 10:8 & Lk 23:29-30 9. or, “God the Father” - Rev 5:1,6-7 10. Psa 2: 5 ,12 & I Thess 1:10 & II Thess 1:7-10 11. Psa 76:7 12. Jere 49:36 & Dan 7:2 & Zech 6:5 & Mt 24:31 13. or, “Christ” - Rev 8:3-5 & 10:1,5,8-11 & 11:1-3 & 20:1 14. Rev 9:14 5. II Pet 3:10 6. Rev 16:20

9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the 1 altar the souls of them 2 that were slain for the word of God, and for 3 the testimony which they held: PF 10 And they cried with a loud voice, say- ing, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge 2 our blood on them that dwell on the earth? PF 11 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, 2 that should be killed as they were , should be fulfilled. PF The Sixth Seal (The sun, moon, and stars to be darkened) 12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the 4 sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; PF 13 And the 4 stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. PF 14 4 And the heaven 5 departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; 6 and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. PF

1 And after these things I saw four an- gels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the 12 four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 2 And I saw another 13 ANGEL ascend- ing from the east, having the seal of the liv- ing God: and he cried with a loud voice to the 14 four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 6:9-11 We can learn a great deal about the present Heaven from what John saw here concerning the people that are there. For example, the people that are now in Heaven: * are alive and awake ( I saw under the altar – vs 9) -Those in the present Heaven are not “soul sleeping;” they are alive and well and actively expressing themselves concerning the conditions on earth ( I Sam 28:15 ). * are the same people that were once on earth ( the souls of them that were slain – vs 9) -Those in Heaven are not different people; they are the same people… relocated (II Cor 12:1-5). What both Paul and John saw in Heaven were people who once lived on earth. This demonstrates a direct link between our identity on earth and our identity in Heaven. * are going to be remembered for what they did or did not do on earth ( and for the testimony which they held – vs 9)-Mark it down! We who are saved are going to be held responsible for what we did or did not do for Christ ( II Cor 5:10-11 ). * are unified ( And they cried with a loud voice – vs 10) - Heaven is a place of unity and shared perspective. * are still learning ( How long , O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood – vs 10) - " How long ” indicates that we won’t know everything just because we’re in Heaven. Thus, Heaven is going to be a place of learning ( Rev 2:17a ). * are going to experience God’s moral and natural attributes firsthand ( How long , O Lord, holy and true – vs 10) - “ How long ” also indicates that God alone knows, pointing to His omniscience. Holy and true , on the other hand, are two of the seven moral attributes of God. Thus, those in Heaven personally experience both the moral and natural attributes of God (Isa 6:1-5). Question: Want to experience pure reverence for who God is? Stand in His presence! * are to leave vengeance in the hands of God ( dost thou not judge and avenge our blood – vs 10) - Those in Heaven clearly remember their lives on earth. They even remember that they were murdered. Remember: Vengeance is a God thing (Deut 32:35, Psa 94:1, Rom 12:19 and Heb 10:30), not a good thing. * are keenly aware of what’s happening on earth ( on them that dwell on the earth – vs 10) - Those who have gone on before us are watching us ( I Sam 28: 15- 16 -19 and Heb 12:1) and cheering us on ( Lk 15:7 ,10 and Rev 18:20 & 19:1-5). Those on earth may be ignorant of what’s happening in Heaven, but those in Heaven are not ignorant of what’s happening on earth. * are rewarded for their stand ( And white robes were given unto every one of them – vs 11) - Heaven is a place of reward, but only for those who have stood. Mark it down! Heaven won’t be heavenly for everyone that goes there ( Mt 10: 32- 33 ). * are at rest ( and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season – vs 11) - Heaven is a place of rest. If Heaven is a place of rest (and it is) and we are headed there for all eternity (and we are), why are we resting here? (Rev 14:13) * are loved ( that should be killed as they were – vs 11) - The world is not supposed to “like you.” If you and I are what we’re supposed to be, we won't be liked by the world ( I Jn 2:15 -17).