Southern Adventist University

School of Religion

REVELATION'S ANSWER TO THE MARTYRS CRY

A Class Paper

Presented in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for

RELG 556 Studies in Revelation

by

Myckal Morehouse

October 2009

Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Statement of Problem and Purpose . . . . . . . . 1

Significance of the Study . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Methodology and Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

The Seven Seals as a Background . . . . . . . . . . 3

The Suffering of the Martyrs . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Who is Responsible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

The Time period of Their Suffering . . . . . . . . 13

The Purpose of Righteous Suffering . . . . . . . 15

God's Act of Vindication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

The Partial Wrath of God . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Seeing God's Love in His Wrath . . . . . . . . . 18

The Full Wrath of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

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Introduction

Statement of Problem and Purpose

According to 1 John 4:8, God is love. Revelation

1:5 says that God’s love is directed towards humanity (us).

How then can this picture of a loving God be reconciled

with the picture of the suffering and torment of the

righteous we see in the book of Revelation? Can true love

allow torment and pain?

Since this problem, reconciling the love of God

with the suffering of the righteous, is such a prominent

issue both inside and outside christianity, it deserves a

careful study. The purpose of this careful study is to

provide a partial answer to this question of why the

righteous suffer, by looking directly at the question of

suffering as posed by the martyrs under the fifth seal. It

is also the purpose of this study to create a sense of

justice in the mind of the reader by viewing God’s own

method of vindicating the martyrs.

Significance of the Study

1

The topic of suffering is such a relevant and

immanent topic in our world, whole religions (Buddhism

being one) have been developed around this topic. This

means that the topic of human suffering has a universal

appeal, and therefore a study of suffering would carry a

high degree of significance.

Delimitation

I will be focusing mainly on the book of

Revelation, and plan to draw most of my conclusions based

upon the texts that answer the cry of the martyrs under the

sixth seal. Although my research may extend outside of

Revelation, it will serve as background information for the

texts within Revelation.

Methodology and Procedure

In this study I will specifically be looking at the

question posed in Revelation 6:10, “How long, O Lord, holy

and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who

dwell on the earth?” Within this question are different

areas of study. The area that covers why God allows the

righteous to suffer. The area that covers how long God will

allow the righteous to suffer. also, we will take a look at

how God can be just in allowing the righteous to suffer,

and His ultimate plan of vindication on their behalf. Since

2

this statement falls within the six seals, it will be

important to establish a background to this text, by

looking at the seven seals and their different

interpretations. This whole topic will be addressed from

the premise that God is love, and that in some way His

character of love can be seen, even in the suffering of the

Righteous. Although Revelation will be our primary focus,

the bible as a whole will be used as a support for the

conclusions drawn in this paper.

The Seven Seals as a Background

Suffering, persecution, and torment are all

prominent themes in the book of Revelation. As Joel

Musvosvi said in his book, Vengeance in the Apocalypse,

"The whole book of Revelation seems to revolve around the

suffering of God's people."1In some cases the suffering

comes from the wrath of the wicked, and in other cases from

the wrath of God. But one question that has been posed over

and over again, even within the book of Revelation, is the

question surrounding the suffering of the righteous. The

1 Joel Nobel Musvosvi, Vengeance in the Apocalypse, vol. 17 of Andrews University Seminary Doctoral Dissertation Series, (Berrien Springs, Michigan: Andrews University Press, 1993), 238.

3

question might be posed in modern circles as, why do good

people suffer? In Revelation the question is posed through

the symbolism of the 5th seal. here we read of martyrs for

the christian faith that cry out, "How long, O Lord, holy

and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them

that dwell on the earth?".1 It is a fair question. A

question that deserves a response. And it is the pivot

point in the book of Revelation when dealing with the

suffering of the righteous. Before we can tackle the

Martyrs question, and excavate the answer from the text, a

background needs to be set. After all, the cry of the

martyrs is part of a series of seals, and thus can only be

understood in its proper light, when understood from the

context of the rest of the seals.

In the vision of Revelation, the seven seals

represent a change in John's visions. Doukhan mentions in

his book, Secrets of Revelation, that from this point

onward, the rest of the book of Revelation is all

futuristic.2 Although the subsequent visions are futuristic,

1 Revelation 6:10, KJV.2 Jacques B Doukhan, Secrets of Revelation: The

Apocalypse Through Hebrew Eyes, (Hagerstown, MD: Review andHerald, 2002), 58.

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especially from John's point of view, the seven seals are

part of the historical section of Revelation.1 Doukhan

would agree saying that "the Leitmotif that occurs in the

seven seals suggests a progression of time..."2 Since these

seals are historical, and since they represent a

progression of time, they must have a starting and end

point. According to Ranko Stefanovich the starting point of

the seals would be the day of pentecost, because this is

when Christ was enthroned in heaven, which matches the

enthronement scene pictured in Revelation 4 and 5. Because

the sixth seal pictures events just prior to and leading up

to the second coming of Jesus, the seals culminate with the

second coming of Jesus.3 Therefore the seven seals cover the

time period between Christ's ascension and His soon return,

and would place the context of the fifth seal and the cry

of the martyrs sometime between these two points.

Now that a general background has been set for the

seals, it woud be helpful to look at some specifics

1 C. Mervyn Maxwell, God Cares: The Message of Revelation for you and your family, (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press , 1981), 188.

2 Doukhan, 58.3 Ranko Stefanovich, Revelation of Jesus Christ:

Commentary on the Book of Revelation, (Berrien Springs, Michigan: Andrews University Press, 2002), 213.

5

regarding the seals, and how they progress and lead up to

the martyrs cry. The seals seem to be broken up into two

different sections. The first section is the scene

portrayed in the opening of the first four seals, and the

four horsemen. The next section is composed of the final

three seals.1

Regarding the first four seals, Stefanovich says

"The scenes portrayed in the opening of the first four

seals describes the consequences or preliminary judgments

intended to awaken God's people and lead them to repentance

and restoration."2 These seals mirror the covenant curses

that God made with the children of Israel in the OT.3 This

is significant seeing that God's blessings were contingent

to their faithfulness to His covenant.4 On the other hand if

Israel apostacized they would face the covenant curses

which included wild beasts, war, disease, and famine.5 This

list of curses is the same list mentioned with the breaking

of the first four seals and connects the curses issued by

1 David Aune, Word Biblical Commentary: Revelation 6-16, Vol. 52b, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1998), 389.

2 Stefanovich, 219.3 Stefanovich, 215.4 For covenant blessings see: Leviticus 26:3-135 For covenant curses see: Leviticus 26:21-26

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the four horsemen with the curses that result from

apostacy.

Many commentators understand the four horsemen to

be four different stages the christian church went through.1

Stefanovich suggests that the first horse represents the

victorious spread of the gospel.2 Although David Aune, finds

a remarkable parrellel between the white horse under the

first seal and the white horse of Revelation 19, whose

rider is assumed to be Christ, David Aune agrees that this

white horse rather than being symbolic for the Messiah, is

symoblic for the victorious spread of the gospel.3 Since the

seals are historically unfolded, Doukhan places the opening

of the first seal at the beginning spread of early

christianity.4

The second seal reveals a rider on a red horse,

which Stefanovich equates with persecution against the

church.5 Doukhan puts this period around the fourth century,

and equates it more with the churches fight against

1 Maxwell, 185.2 Stefanovich, 228.3 David Aune, 393-394.4 Doukhan, 59.5 Stefanovich, 229.

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arianism.1 What is interesting in this seal, as pointed out

by stefanovich, is "the word for 'slain' in Revelation 6:9

is the same as that used with reference to the mission of

the rider on the fiery-red horse in Revelation 6:4."2 This

could suggest that the martyr under the fifth seal, were

slain for their testimony under the second seal timeperiod.

The third seal brings a time of famine, according

to Stefanovich. But this isn't a famine simply for food, it

is symbolically a famine for God's word.3 This time period

was a time when the church was dieing spiritually, while

becoming more and more political and merterialistic. He

places the start of this period under Pope Gregory the

Great.4

Finally the fourth seal arrives on the scene.

According to David Aune, the fourth horse is simply a

culmination of all the judgments of the other three horses.

So the four horses describe a gradual culminating work of

judgment.5 Stefanovich pinpoints these judments as God's

1 Doukhan, 60.2 Stefanovich, 231.3 Stefanovich, 232.4 Doukhan, 62.5 David Aune, 389.

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judgements on His disobedient people to turn them to

repentance.1 Doukhan places this time period during the dark

ages.2 The persecuted had become the persecutors, and by the

end of the fourth seal you find a church that once had been

prosperous, now in a mess. Stefanovich mentions that "the

scene portrayed in the opening of the first four seals

describes the consequences or preliminary judgements

intended to awaken God's people and lead them to repentance

and restoration."3 The first four seals then, according to

Paulien, "represent a general description of the spread of

the gospel (white horse), the resulting persecution and

division (red horse), and the increasing consequences of

rejecting the gospel (black and pale horse)."4

Stefanovich makes a striking statement in regards

to the opening of the fifth seal. He says, "The scene of

the breaking of the fifth seal introduces what seems to be

a crucial theme of the book of Revelation, namely, the

1 Stefanovich, 234.2 Doukhan, 63.3 Stefanovich, 219.4 Jon Paulien, "The Seven Seals" in Symposium on

Revelation-Book 1, Daniel and Revelation Committee Series, vol. 6, (Silver Springs, MD: Biblical Research Institute, 1992), 233.

9

situation of God's people in the hostile world."1 Under this

seal we have a group of martyrs, that have been slain for

their testimony of Jesus, that cry out underneath an altar.

The cry of the Martyrs is for God's vengeance and justice

on their behalf. But this cry for vengeance is a holy cry

for God to vindicate His own name.2 It is a cry for legal

justice to be done.3 Almost all the commentators I read,

made a reference to the blood of abel which cried out for

vengeance against his brother in Genesis 4:10. Obviously

blood has no hate, but the evidence of blood demands an

investigation, and justice. Therefore the focus is on the

fact that God's people suffer in this world, and He has an

answer for their cry.

The Suffering of the Martyrs

Who is Responsible

It is important to note at the outset that God is

not the author of suffering. For, as Musvosvi points out,

He is a holy God, and therefore can not be responsible for

unholy suffering.4 The reality that God is not the author of

1 Stefanovich, 248.2 Stefanovich, 240.3 Stefanovich, 238.4 Musvosvi, 220.

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the Martyrs suffering can also be seen within the book of

Job, a book that clearly deals with the subject of

righteous suffering. Within the first two chapters of Job,

there is a clear picture of who instigates suffering, and

it is shown that suffering does not originate with God.1 God

is the author of life. Jesus said, "I am come that they

might have life, and that they might have it more

abundantly."2

The real author of suffering begins to be revealed

as we listen to the martyrs own words: "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?"3 The Martyrs identify that the ones who are

guilty of their blood, and thus are the target of their

vindication, are "them that dwell on the earth". In

reference to Babylon the Great, in Revelation 18:24, it

says that "in her was found the blood of prophets, and of

saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth." We find

then that God is not responsible for the suffering of the

righteous, as Musvosvi mentions, it is the wicked who have

1 see Job 2:3-72 John 10:103 Revelation 6:10

11

been responsible for not only the death of God's people,

but also God's own Son. 1 Those that dwell upon the earth,

as well as the harlot named Babylon the Great, must

represent those who are in rebellion against God and His

people, and it is this group that is responsible for the

martyrs blood.

There is still someone else who bears ultimate

responsibility for the suffering of the righteous.

Musvosvi says that the "ultimate enemy of the people of God

is the devil."2 In Revelation 12, Satan is portrayed as a

raging dragon with seven heades, who seeks the destruction

of Christ and His people, and makes war with God's last day

church. The most striking point concerning Satan's

persecutions is found in Revelation 12:10.3 Here we see that

Satan is seeking to make a legal case against God's people,

and rises up as the prosecuter, and persecutor. But the

verse clearly shows that His claims are false, because in

verse 11 it says of the martyrs, "And they overcame him by

the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony;

and they loved not their lives unto the death." The martyrs

1 Musvosvi, 195.2 Ibid., 200.3 Ibid.

12

death, is the very event that reveals that Satan's claims

against them are false.

Further evidence that Satan is the true source of

righteous suffering can be drawn by looking at Revelation

13 and 17. In Revelation 13, the picture of two persecuting

powers comes to view: The beast which rises out the sea,

and the beast which rises out of the earth. Both of these

powers seek to harm and destroy God's people. It is

interesting to note though, that these powers are

controlled by the same satanic dragon of Revelation 12.

Revelation 12:2 says "the dragon gave him his power, and

his seat, and great authority." The devil may use different

avenues at different times in earth's history to accomplish

his purpose, but ultimately, he is the one to blame for the

suffering of the righteous. It is no coincidence that the

harlot of Revelation 17, whom the bible says "in her was

found the blood ... of all that were slain upon the earth,"1

is being carried along by the same satanic dragon. It is

clear who is ultimately responsible for the suffering of

the righteous martyrs under the fifth seal.

The time period of Their Suffering

1 Revelation 18:24

13

The fifth seal, according to Paulien, represents

two time periods. The first time period is the martyrs cry

for vengeance. This is bviously before judgement has fallen

and therefore represents the timeperiod that is before the

pre-advent judgement.1 Maxwell mentions this specific

timeperiod, as the timeperiod of papal persecution, during

the 1,260 year reign of the papacy.2 The second portion of

the fifth seal relates directly with the martyrs being

given white robes, which Paulien identifies as the

timeperiod of the judgement.3 Maxwell pinpoints that date as

being the close of the 2,300 year prophecy of Daniel 8:14,

in the year 1844.4 The timeperiod of their actual suffering

must then be before the pre-advent judgment as well.

Paulien places the fifth seal "between the great

persecutions of the Middle Ages and the conclusion of the

investigative judgement."5 But it must be noted that in

response to the Martyrs cry, the Lord answers that the

number of martyrs is not yet complete. So the cry of the

1 Paulien, 236.2 Maxwell, 188.3 Paulien, 236.4 Maxwell, 188.5 Paulien, 236.

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martyrs represents the cry of God's suffering people for

justice, from the timeperiod when Cain murdered Abel, down

until the last martyr is sacrificed.1

The Purpose of Righteous Suffering

The purpose of righteous suffering does not have

one answer, but many. As has been mentioned before, The

curses brought on by the first four seals, which lead up to

the martyrs cry, are representative of the curses

pronounced on God's people for covenant unfaithfulness.

These curses were allowed by God to bring about true

repentance and lead God's people out of apostacy.2 As the

church began to historically follow the unfolding of the

seals, we see a progression of apostacy which eventually

led to the protestant reformation. So one of the reasons

for God to allow His church to suffer was to lead to a

reformation of His people.

But the purpose of Righteous suffering goes even

deeper. Musvosvi points out that the Martyrs were killed

under a legal process.3 This is seen clearly when we look at

the legal way in which Satan sought to bring false charges

1 Musvosvi, 197.2 Stefanovich, 216.3 Musvosvi, 199.

15

against God's elect in Revelation 12. Maxwell brings out

that these people were sacrificed, which is why the martyrs

are presented as crying out under the altar. And it was not

the actual martyrs that cried for vengeance but the crimes

committed against them that cried out for vengeance.1 The

martyrs have made their choice, in the face of false

charges, to be faithful even unto death.2 It is this

faithfulness even to death that has proven that Satan's

claims against them are false. As Musvosvi has said, "By

the decision that the saints have made in relation to the

cross, they have been judged by the gospel and found worthy

of eternal life."3 It is God who can now be glorified in His

act of vengeance, and judgement against the wicked,4 because

it has been shown that their accusations against the

righteous have been proven false.

God's Act of Vindication

The Partial Wrath of God

1 Maxwell, 217, 218.2 Musvosvi, 196.3 Ibid., 205.4 Ibid., 213.

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Maxwell sees that God's immediate response the

martyrs cry is to give them white robes.1 As has been noted

earlier, these white robes and the cry to hold on, points

to the time of the preadvent judgement.2 Musvosvi points out

the the Martyrs were persecuted in a public way, and

therefore must be vindicated in a public way.3 God

therefore, conducts a public investigative judgement, as

mentioned in Daniel 7, for all the heavenly realms to

witness.4 White robes are given symbolically, at this time,

symbolizing the righteousness of Jesus.5 This cloak of

righteousness, covers their mistakes, that they might

forever be saved from the second death.6 This is God's first

respons to the martyrs cry.

But white robes are not the end of God's answer.

Being a holy God, He will not let the martyrs blood go

unvindicated.7 This vengeance from God comes in the form of

the covenant curses, which Stefanovich says "when exercised

1 Maxwell, 192.2 Paulien, 236.3 Musvosvi, 236.4 Ibid., 237.5 Maxwell, 187.6 Ibid., 190.7 Musvosvi, 220.

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upon the nations who have shed the blood of His people,

they are judgements of vengeance."1 These judgements are

initial administered in the plagues released by the seven

trumpets.2 The connection between the seven trumpets and the

martyrs prayers, is seen in Revelation 8:3. Here an angel

offers up the prayers of the saints to God, and in response

to these prayers, the seven angels with the seven trumpets

prepare to sound. These trumpets bring a group of plagues,

but even in these partial plagues can be seen the mercy and

love of God.

Seeing God's Love in His Wrath

One thing that must be noted is that these plagues

are partial in their reach. Doukahn mentions that these

trumpets function as an announcement to those that dwell on

the earth that God's judgements are going to fall.3 Doukahn

connects the trumpets with a warning call to the

inhabitants of the earth to repentant.4 The plagues fall in

succession, but as is seen in Revelation 9:20 "the rest of

mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not

1 Stefanovich, 218.2 Ibid., 219.3 Doukhan, 79.4 Ibid., 80.

18

repent of the works of their hands..." It is now being

shown in a public way, that even when given an opportunity

to turn from wickedness those who have persecuted and

killed God's faithful are set in their ways, and refuse to

repent. Paulien mentions that "it is the rejection of the

cross that brings down the wrath of God."1

2 Peter 3:9 says "The Lord...[is] not willing that

any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

Even the His act of vindication God works for the salvation

of the wicked. In the end, God's judgements upon them are

shown to be true based on the fact that the wicked refuse

to repent. These partial judgements fall upon the wicked

during the timeperiod between the cross and the 2nd coming

of Christ.2

The full wrath of God

God's character is now cleared, and the way has

been fully prepared for God to fully avenge His people on

their persecuters. Musvosvi mentions that the the seven

1 Jon Paulien, Decoding Revelation's Trumpets, vol. 11 of Andrews University Seminary Doctoral Dissertation Series, (Berrien Springs, Michigan: Andrews University Press, 1987), 323.

2 Ibid., 353.

19

last plagues of Revelation 16, are also an answer to the

Martyrs cry for vengeance.1

Unlike the seven trumpets, These are not partial

plagues, but complete plagues.2 The plagues function in a

destructive capacity, that permanantly liberates God's

people from those who had oppressed them.3 Specifically, the

plagues bring about the final demise of the one institution

responsible for the death of all the martyrs from the

beginning of time, Babylon the Great.4 This is why Musvosvi

mentions that the downfall of Babylon pictured in

Revelation 18:20 is also in answer to the Martyrs cry.5 He

continues by saying, "The judgements of Babylon are symply

a reversal of what she has done to the saints."6

Conclusion

Revelation reveals that we are caught in the middle

of a Great Controversy. Satan is seeking to bring in false

1 Musvosvi, 238.2 Hans K. LaRondelle,"Contextual Approach to the

Seven Last Plagues" in Symposium on Revelation-Book 2, Daniel and Revelation Committee Series, vol. 7, (Silver Springs, MD: Biblical Research Institute, 1992), 134.

3 Ibid.4 Ibid.5 Musvosvi, 241.6 Ibid., 245.

20

accusations against God's people in an attempt to show that

their fidelity is false. God on the other hand is seeking

to save His people, and legally can do this by allowing all

to see that His faithful martyrs are willing to be

sacrificed even under the false charges of Satan. God's act

of vendication not only clears His own name along with the

Martyrs, but reveals in a public way that Satan's claims

are false, and that the wicked really are deserving of the

wrath to come. In a climactic work, God avenges His people

by pouring His wrath double upon those who created such

sorrow for God's people on earth. God's final act on behalf

of the suffering of the Righteous is a promise, "...there

shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither

shall there be any more pain: for the former things are

passed away."1 The way that God deals with the suffering of

His people is not only complete, but in the end will be

seen as fair.

1 Revelation 21:4

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aune, David. Word Biblical Commentary: Revelation 6-16. Vol. 52b. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1998.

Doukhan, Jacques B. Secrets of Revelation: The Apocalypse Through Hebrew Eyes. Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 2002.

Holbrook, Frank B., ed. Symposium on Revelation-Book 1: Introductory and Exegetical Studies. Daniel and Revelation Committee Series, vo. 6. Silver Springs, MD: Biblical Research Institute, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 1992.

________, ed. Symposium on Revelation-Book 2: Exegetical and General Studies. Daniel and Revelation Committee Series, vo. 7. Silver Springs, MD: Biblical Research Institute, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 1992.

Maxwell, C. Mervyn. God Cares: The Message of Revelation for you and your family. Nampa, ID: Pacific Press , 1981.

Musvosvi, Joel Nobel. Vengeance in the Apocalypse. vol. 17 of Andrews University Seminary Doctoral Dissertation Series. Berrien Springs, Michigan: Andrews University Press, 1993.

Paulien, Jon. Decoding Revelation's Trumpets. vol. 11 of Andrews University Seminary Doctoral Dissertation Series. Berrien Springs, Michigan: Andrews University Press, 1987.

Stefanovich, Ranko. Revelation of Jesus Christ: Commentary on the Book of Revelation. Berrien Springs, Michigan: Andrews University Press, 2002.

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