And with the beasts of the earth.—The evil governments. “Kings and princes who trembled for the security of their crowns, if they to any extent incurred the pope's displeasure, were sworn to exterminate heresy, and those barons who neglected to aid in the work of persecution forfeited their estates. Kings and princes, therefore, were prompt to comply with the mandates of the Papacy, and the barons and their retainers were at their service, to aid in the work of destruction.”—B. 333.
6:9. And when He had opened the fifth seal.—Disclosing the Reformation in the days of Luther. See Rev. 3:7-13.
I saw under the altar.—Altars were originally made of earth. (Ex. 20:24.) To see under the altar is to see underground, in the tomb, the grave. At the bottom of the brazen altar all the blood of the victim was poured.—Lev. 4:7; 8:15; Heb. 8:5; 13:10; Phil. 2:17; 2 Tim. 4:6.
The souls.—The beings of those who had died. These souls were not in Heaven.
Of [them] MEN that were slain.—Spiritually beheaded (some of them literally, also).—Rev. 20:4.
For.—Dia, “through” or “by means of.”
The Word of God.—“Of His own will begat He us with the Word of Truth.” (James 1:18.) It is this Sword of the Spirit that cuts us off from the world.—Heb. 4:12.
And for the testimony.—“And through the testimony”; through the Word of God. The word dia is here used again. It is the Word that does the beheading.
Which they held.—As witnesses in their hearts (Rom. 8:16) and to which they adhered at any cost.
6:10. And they cried with a loud voice.—Not actually, but in the same way that the voice of Abel's blood cried from the ground.—Gen. 4:10.