The Fifth Seal of Revelation: The Martyrs, the Antichrist, and the Coming Rapture

Mary Banks
May 26
4 min read

Updated: May 30

And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held. Revelation 6:9

A Heavenly Cry for Justice

As the Lamb opens the fifth seal in Revelation 6, a powerful and sobering image appears: the souls of martyrs crying out from beneath the altar. These faithful believers gave their lives for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Their cry? A passionate plea for justice: "How long, O Lord...?"

And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? Revelation 6:10

Key Points from the Fifth Seal of Revelation

• The Souls Under the Altar These are not symbolic figures—they are real souls who were slain for their faith. Their position under the altar represents their sacrifice, likened to offerings made on the altar of God.

• A Cry for Vengeance These martyrs ask God when He will avenge their blood. This prayer reveals something crucial: God's final judgment is yet to come, and justice will not be delayed forever.

• A Heavenly Response White robes are given to each of them, signifying righteousness and honor. They are told to "rest yet for a little season" until others—"their fellowservants and brethren"—are also killed as they were (Revelation 6:11).

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, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. Revelation 6:11

Martyrs

A dramatic depiction of ancient Roman soldiers surrounding the lifeless body of a martyred figure, lying on the ground in blood-stained robes. One soldier stands solemnly over the fallen martyr, while a fiery, apocalyptic sky blazes above, suggesting divine judgment or heavenly intervention.

The Church Is Still on Earth

This fifth seal clearly shows that faithful believers are still on earth during this time of persecution. If the Church had already been raptured in Revelation 4, why would the Lord speak of others who are yet to be killed for their faith?

This reveals a vital truth:

The Church, not Israel, holds the testimony of Jesus Christ during this period.
There is no indication of two separate raptures for the Body of Christ.
The events of the fifth seal align with the 6th Trumpet judgment—a time of severe persecution and the rise of the Antichrist.

A Foreshadowing of What Is to Come

The fifth seal is a divine foreshadowing of the following:

Persecution of the Church by the Antichrist
The political and military overthrow of nations
The desolation of Israel and destruction of their Temple

These unfolding events prepare the way for the seventh trumpet—the rapture. The faithful

are refined through tribulation and prepared for their final redemption.

The Bible Teacher app explains the Rapture:

The rapture of the Church is described in 1 Corinthians 15:51-54:

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."

This passage describes a mystery that will take place - believers who are alive will be "changed" or "raptured" in the twinkling of an eye, at the sounding of the "last trump." This will happen when the dead in Christ are raised incorruptible, and the living believers put on immortality.

The timing of this rapture event is further clarified in Revelation 10:7, which states: "But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets."

So the biblical texts indicate that the rapture of the Church will occur at the sounding of the seventh trumpet, when the "mystery of God" is finished, as declared by the prophets. This rapture event will precede the outpouring of God's wrath, as 1 Thessalonians 5:9 states: "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ."

Mary Banks will be teaching more on Bible Prophecy at our upcoming World conference—a powerful opportunity to go deeper into these truths.

Prefer to watch? Here’s the full video.

Encouragement for Believers Today

The fifth seal reminds us that God sees every act of faith, every sacrifice, and every prayer for justice. Though persecution may increase, our hope and reward are secure.

Revelation 6:11 assures us that white robes await those who remain faithful, and justice is on its way.

Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Revelation 2:10

A Call to Action

Watch the full teaching and explore our Revelation study series on theIn pursuit of understanding Bible Prophecy, consider these activities:

Watch the full teaching and explore our Revelation study series-“Understanding the book of Revelation”
Read the following study guides to gain deeper understanding on Bible Prophecy.
- Introduction to Bible Prophecy
- When will the Church be raptured?
Use the Bible Teacher App to understand key biblical terminologies and scripture.
Visit our link : Marybanks.net/bibleprophecy