Message #14661

[Believer]

Revelation 6:7-11
King James Version (KJV)
 7And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.

 8And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

 9And 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:

 10And 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?

 11And 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.

I would have to ask those who believe in soul sleep how the above scripture is so.  We could justify that these are either any and all martyrs throughout the history of the world, (as they await the deaths of their “fellow servants…to…be killed as they were), or they are the Tribulation saints who have been martyred; either way (as who they are is not what I am debating)…they are not asleep in the grave, but are in heaven with God. 

It is also not at the end of time for we know that a new heaven and earth will be made and God will dwell with men at that time, there will be no more death and therefore no one waiting for anyone else to be martyred.  This is in heaven, before Christ's return and these are those who have been martyred...not in the grave sleeping, they are instead crying out to the Lord about 'avenging their blood' on those who 'dwell upon the earth'.