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THIRTEEN: SOULS UNDER THE ALTER

Revelation 6:9-11 identifies the souls of those who had been slain for the Word of God, and for their testimony as existing under the alter of God between the 5th and 6th seals of the tribulation who have been provided white robes. These souls cry out to God asking how long they must wait for God to avenge their blood on those who dwell on earth. For other doctrinal disputes regarding the state of those who have physically died there are teachers who assert that this vision is symbolic claiming that it represents the blood and or prayers of all saints from Abel to Stephen to those presently being martyred for their testimony.

They cite Genesis 4:10 in which Abel's blood cried from the ground to God equating Abel's blood to that of the Souls in Rev. 6:9-11. The problem with thIS interpretation is that God makes an explicit distinction between "blood" and the "Soul."

"For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." Lev. 17:11

God states that the life of all flesh is in the "blood" and that blood is given to us upon the alter to make atonement for our souls. If the blood of Abel was synonymous with the souls under the alter then Leviticus could say, "For the life of the flesh is in the 'soul': and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the 'soul' that maketh an atonement for the soul." Lev. 17:11
It is clear that "blood" and "soul" are two very different entities.

"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Genesis 2:7
In the very day that Adam ate of the tree of good and evil, the day that he sinned, Adam died, yet he physically continued to live on as a physical being and as a soul. Genesis 2:17 & 3:3-8.

Adam died spiritually in relation to God for eternity but his soul continued on. This is why Jesus was accurate in stating, "let the dead bury the dead," Luke 9:60. Though people were physically alive existing as living souls, spiritually they are dead existing without the Spirit of God.

Man was fully formed then the Spirit of God entered man and he came to life, he became a living soul.

The physical body and the soul are two very different entities.
The spirit of life, the Spirit of God, and the soul are two very different entities.

Jesus states:
"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell," Mathew 10:28.

We can deduce that the body can be killed by mortals but not the soul. Only God can kill the soul.

"For we know that if our earthly house, (body), of this tabernacle were dissolved, (destroyed), we have a building, (body), of God, an house, (body), not made with hands, eternal in the heavens....Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." 2 Corinthians 5:6 & 8

"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you." Philippians 1:21-24

Paul identifies that our existence as a soul is separate from the body and that to depart this earthly body means to enter a heavenly body. Obviously this heavenly body that Paul is referring to is not the glorified body because Paul knows that if he were to die he would do so prior to the rapture of the Church.

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." 1 John 3:2

"All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body." 1 Corinthians 15:39-44

The souls under the alter of God are not natural bodies nor are they glorified bodies but are spiritual bodies.

"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." 1 Thess. 4:13-14

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." 1 Cor. 15:50-53

The souls under the alter cannot be the blood of the saints for blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.

The physical body is buried but the soul go on living even for the believers in Jesus Christ and then when Christ comes the dead bodies of the saints will be resurrected mated to their souls and changed into a new spiritual body like that of Jesus' body.
Jesus told the thief on the cross, "Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." Luke 23:43

It is self-evident that neither the body of the thief nor that of Jesus went to paradise on that day; John 19:31-32, Luke 23:44-56 and John 19:33-42.

The soul of the thief continued to live on after his body was buried. The thief's physical body is awaiting the coming of Jesus to be resurrected and raptured.

"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: 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? 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 6:9-11

With all of that said, John saw what he saw under the alter of God. He saw that these souls were given white robes to wear. Blood does not wear a robe. John did not see the blood of the saints. John saw the souls of the saints separated from their bodies. Since these saints of God are members of the Church so too are those are to be killed during the tribulation just as they were. The saints of the tribulation in Rev. 6:11 are referred to as brethren of the saints who were killed prior to the tribulation. The saints of the tribulation are members of the Body and Bride of Christ and make up of the Church on earth. If they are the Church and members of the Body of Christ then the rapture cannot take place prior to initiation of the tribulation or for that matter a significant period of time into the tribulation.

"And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. Luke 23:43
He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, (He was not abandoned to Hades, the place of the dead), neither his flesh did see corruption." Acts 2:31

The spirit souls awaiting the resurrection.

"And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost." Luke 23:46
"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." Eccl. 12:7

The spirit returns to God the Father:

"for out of it, (the ground), wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." Genesis 3:19
"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." Eccl. 12:7
"But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water." John 19:34
"Then took they the body of Jesus,...Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre,...There laid they Jesus..." John 19:40-42

Both the body and the blood returned to earth, the dust.
The blood did not go to the alter of God.

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." 1 Cor. 15:50
"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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." 1 Cor. 15:51-52

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Mth. 10:28

Jesus explains the truth plainly. The body, "flesh" and "blood" means nothing for all bodies, the saved and unsaved alike, are doomed to returned to the earth. The bodies of the unsaved are raised and mated to to their soul to be cast into the lake of fire. The bodies of the saved are raised to be re-united to their soul and changed into a glorified body to reign with Christ for a 1,000 years and live for all eternity in the presence of Almighty God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." 1 John 3:2

"Christians Never Die They Just Regroup In Heaven."
The above is a play on words related to a military slogan:
"Rangers Never Die, They Just Regroup In Hell."
And that is true, for the military is not Jesus' military, Jesus' military is is heaven.

"Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?" Mth. 26:53

"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" 1 Thess. 5:23

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