BEREAN.AI ← Ask a Question

Voices From the Altar in Revelation 6

In Revelation 6:9, John sees "underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the Word of God, and for the testimony of the Lamb which they had" [3]. These souls then cry out with a loud voice, asking God how long it will be until He judges and avenges their blood on those who dwell on the earth [Revelation 6:10]. This passage introduces the fifth seal, one of seven seals opened by the Lamb, which reveal divine judgments and events leading to the end times [7, 13].

The book of Revelation is an apocalyptic prophecy given to John, likely on the island of Patmos, during a time of significant persecution for early Christians [12]. The visions in Revelation are often highly symbolic, and understanding them requires careful attention to their literary and historical context. The opening of the seals, described in Revelation 6, marks a progression of divine judgments and events that unfold throughout history until the final consummation [7, 13]. The first four seals introduce four horsemen, symbolizing conquest, war, famine, and death [Revelation 6:1-8; 9, 10]. The fifth seal, however, shifts focus from earthly events to the heavenly realm, specifically addressing the plight of martyrs [9].

The "altar" mentioned in Revelation 6:9 is understood by some commentators to be the altar of incense in heaven, which stands before God [1]. This heavenly altar is a significant symbol throughout Revelation. For instance, in Revelation 9:13, a voice is heard from the horns of the golden altar before God [1]. Another interpretation suggests that the altar here represents a place of sacrifice, where the lives of the martyrs are offered to God [9]. The imagery of souls "underneath the altar" evokes the idea of their sacrifice being precious in God's sight, much like the blood of sacrificial animals was poured out at the base of the altar in Old Testament rituals.

The souls under the altar are identified as those "who had been killed for the Word of God, and for the testimony of the Lamb which they had" [3]. This description clearly points to Christian martyrs who suffered death because of their faith and their witness to Jesus Christ. Their cry, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" [Revelation 6:10], is a plea for divine justice. This cry echoes similar sentiments found in the Old Testament, where God is called upon to avenge the blood of the innocent [4, 5]. For example, Isaiah 66:6 speaks of "the voice of the LORD who is rendering recompense to His enemies" [2]. The martyrs' plea is not a cry for personal revenge, but for God's righteous judgment to be executed against those who have persecuted His people [8].

The response to their cry is significant: "Then a white robe was given to each of them; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also" [Revelation 6:11]. The white robes symbolize purity, righteousness, and victory, indicating their vindication and acceptance by God [Revelation 3:5, 4:4, 7:9]. The instruction to "rest for a little while longer" suggests that divine judgment, though certain, is not immediate. It awaits the fulfillment of God's sovereign plan, specifically the completion of the full number of martyrs [9]. This implies a period of continued persecution and martyrdom for believers on earth.

The concept of a voice coming from the altar or temple is not unique to Revelation 6. In Revelation 9:13, a voice from the golden altar commands the release of the four angels bound at the great river Euphrates [1]. Similarly, in Revelation 16:7, an angel from the altar declares the righteousness of God's judgments [10]. The "Treasury of Scripture Knowledge" cross-references Revelation 16:6, which speaks of God's righteous judgments, with Revelation 6:10, further linking the martyrs' cry for justice with God's eventual recompense [5]. John Gill, a Baptist/Reformed commentator, notes that the angel speaking from the altar in Revelation 16:7 represents the souls under the altar, whose blood had been shed [10]. This connection reinforces the idea that the voices from the altar in Revelation often represent the prayers and pleas of God's people, particularly those who have suffered for their faith.

The phrase "voice of the Lord" (Kolariah in Hitchcock's Bible Names [6]) is also found in other biblical contexts, such as Isaiah 6:8, where Isaiah hears the voice of the Lord asking, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" [11]. This demonstrates a broader biblical motif of divine communication originating from sacred spaces.

The fifth seal, therefore, serves as a powerful reminder of God's justice and His remembrance of those who suffer for His name. It assures believers that their sacrifices are not in vain and that God will ultimately bring about righteous judgment. The delay in judgment is not a sign of indifference but part of God's larger redemptive plan, which includes the gathering of all His elect, even through suffering and martyrdom. The scene under the altar provides comfort and hope to persecuted Christians, affirming that their suffering is seen by God and will be vindicated in His perfect timing.

Sources

  1. Revelation “The sixth angel sounded. I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God, -- Revelation 9:13”
  2. Isaiah “Isaiah 66:6 (NASB) — "A voice of uproar from the city, a voice from the temple, The voice of the LORD who is rendering recompense to His enemies.”
  3. Revelation “When he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the Word of God, and for the testimony of the Lamb which they had. -- Revelation 6:9”
  4. Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “2 Thessalonians 1:6 cross-references: Exodus 23:22, Deuteronomy 32:41, Psalms 74:22, Psalms 79:10, Psalms 94:20, Isaiah 49:26, Zechariah 2:8, Colossians 3:25, Revelation 6:10, Revelation 11:18, Revelation 15:4, Revelation 16:5, Revelation 18:20, Revelation 18:24, Revelation 19:2”
  5. Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Revelation 16:6 cross-references: Exodus 21:24, Deuteronomy 32:42, 2 Kings 24:4, Isaiah 49:26, Isaiah 51:22, Jeremiah 2:30, Jeremiah 26:11, Jeremiah 26:16, Lamentations 4:13, Ezekiel 32:6, Matthew 7:2, Matthew 21:35, Matthew 23:30, Luke 11:49, Luke 12:48, Hebrews 10:29, Revelation 6:10, Revelation 11:18, Revelation 13:10, Revelation 13:15, Revelation 17:6, Revelation 18:20, Revelation 18:24, Revelation 19:2”
  6. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Kolariah — voice of the Lord”
  7. Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Revelation 6 (introduction): INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 6 This chapter contains the vision of the opening six of the seals of the sealed book, by the Lamb, and of the events following thereupon. The preparation to the vision of the first seal is in Rev 6:1; the Lamb opens it, John hears a noise like thunder, and one of the living creatures bids him come and see; upon which he saw a horse, of a white colour, and a rider on it, who is described by a bow and crown given him, and by the victory he obtained, Rev 6:2; at the opening of the second seal, the second living creature invit”
  8. Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 9:13: a voice--literally, "one voice." from--Greek, "out of." the four horns--A, Vulgate (Amiatinus manuscript), Coptic, and Syriac omit "four." B and CYPRIAN support it. The four horns together gave forth their voice, not diverse, but one. God's revelation (for example, the Gospel), though in its aspects fourfold (four expressing world-wide extension: whence four is the number of the Evangelists), still has but one and the same voice. However, from the parallelism of this sixth trumpet to the fifth seal (Rev 6:9-10), the martyrs' cry for the avengin”
  9. Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 6:9: 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 spirit. For souls are not naturally visible. under the alta”
  10. Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Revelation 16:6: And I heard another out of the altar say,.... That is, another angel that came out of the altar; see Rev 14:18 and who represents the souls under the altar, whose blood had been shed by the above persons; compare with this Rev 6:9 though, there, such whose blood had been shed by Rome Pagan are described; the Ethiopic version calls this angel as before, "the angel of the fountains of water"; and the Alexandrian copy, and Syriac and Arabic versions, read, "I heard the altar saying": as follows, even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments; the ”
  11. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 6: Gregory Thaumaturgus, Dionysius, Julius Africanus, Methodius, Arnobius — ON THE DAY THAT THEY MET IN THE TEMPLE.(1) (part 3): unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. And one of the seraphim was sent unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar. And he touched my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, anti thy sin is purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I strict, and who will go unto this people? Then said I, Here am I; send me. And He said”
  12. Revelation (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Revelation 6 (introduction): The book of the divine counsels being thus lodged in the hand of Christ, he loses no time, but immediately enters upon the work of opening the seals and publishing the contents; but this is done in such a manner as still leaves the predictions very abstruse and difficult to be understood. Hitherto the waters of the sanctuary have been as those in Ezekiel's vision, only to the ankles, or to the knees, or to the loins at least; but here they begin to be a river that cannot be passed over. The visions which John saw, the epistles to the churches, the ”
  13. Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 6 (introduction): THE OPENING OF THE FIRST SIX OF THE SEVEN SEALS. (Rev. 6:1-17) one of the seals--The oldest manuscripts, A, B, C, Vulgate, and Syriac read, "one of the seven seals." noise--The three oldest manuscripts read this in the nominative or dative, not the genitive, as English Version, "I heard one from among the four living creatures saying, as (it were) the voice (or, 'as with the voice') of thunder." The first living creature was like a lion (Rev 4:7): his voice is in consonance. Implying the lion-like boldness with which, in the successi”
Ask Your Own Question
About Terms Privacy Contact

© 2026 BEREAN.AI. All rights reserved.