Day 121

“When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; ¹⁰ and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who live on the earth?” ¹¹ And a white robe was given to each of them; and they were told that they were to rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers and sisters who were to be killed even as they had been, was completed also.” Rev 6:9-11 (NASB) CF Deut32:43 and Ps 79:10 

In the 4th seal the world had been cut of from the light. Under rule of Papal power the Bible was taken away from the people. Pale is the colour before death (v8). One quarter of the earth affected by the pale horse was the territory over which the papacy held control and the millions and millions that were martyred for their faith. It was also the time of massive human epidemics like the plague, which knowledge from the Bible could have averted (quarantine, diet etc). This period had a massive impact on the social structure of Europe. Fields went unploughed and crops rotted in the fields as the men that usually harvested the fields lay dying of the disease. This caused massive starvation and more disease.

In vs9-11 the martyred saints were given white robes representing Christ’s righteousness, which leads to their vindication – His gift to those who accept His offer of grace (Rev.3:5, Rev.19:8). Then, they were told that they would have to rest until their brothers, who would go through a similar experience, are made complete. It is important to notice that the Greek text of Rev 6:11 does not have the word number.(The KJV got it right.) Revelation does not talk of a number of the martyred saints to be reached before Christ’s return, but of completeness regarding their character. God’s people are made complete by the robe of Christ’s righteousness, not their own merit (Rev.7:9,10). The martyred saints will not be resurrected and vindicated until the second coming of Christ (1Thess 4:16) and the beginning of the millennium (Rev.20:4). 
The scene of the fifth seal applies historically to the period leading up to, and following, the Reformation, during which millions were martyred because of their faithfulness (Matt24:21). It also brings to mind the experience of God’s suffering people throughout history, from the time of Abel (Gen4:10) until the time when God will finally avenge “the blood of His servants” (Rev19:2). 
“How long, O Lord?” has been the cry of God’s suffering people throughout history. Who has never struggled with the lack of justice in this life?