Where and When Do the Souls Under the Altar -jews Who Died in Pogroms of the Ages Resurrect? Will They Be in the Millenium?
1) Direct answer
They will not rise in the first resurrection to reign in the Millennium. The souls under the altar (the Jewish martyrs of the ages) remain at rest until the great tribulation is finished, and they come up after the thousand years, at the general resurrection, to receive their portion among the saved. They are not the Bride and do not reign in the Millennium.
2) Scriptural explanation
- Identity and timing: Revelation 6:9-11 shows them “under the altar,” crying for justice, and they are told to “rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren… should be killed as they were.” That “little season” reaches its fulfillment when God finishes dealing with Israel in the tribulation, when their “brethren” (the sealed of Israel and those martyred under that final persecution—see Revelation 7:1-8; 11) complete the number.
- Who reigns in the Millennium: Revelation 20:4-6 shows the first resurrection—those who “lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” That reigning company is the Bride (Revelation 7:9-17; Revelation 20:4). Notice the description in Revelation 20:4 centers on those with the witness of Jesus and who refused the beast. The souls under the altar in Revelation 6 are not identified as having the witness of Jesus; they were blinded in part (Romans 11:25), yet given white robes by grace and told to wait.
- When they rise: Scripture states, “the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished” (Revelation 20:5). Those not in the first resurrection rise after the Millennium to stand at the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11-13). From there, the “nations of the saved” walk in the light of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:24). That is where the white-robed, non-Bride redeemed have their portion—saved, but not the ruling Bride in the City.
3) Simple clarifying logic
- They are told to wait until their brethren are also killed—so their case is not finished until after the tribulation.
- The Bible clearly limits the Millennial reign to those in the first resurrection (Revelation 20:4-6). Since Revelation 6 does not place those souls in that reigning company, they do not rise to reign then.
- Therefore, they remain at rest through the tribulation and the Millennium, and they rise after the thousand years to their place among the saved, while the Bride (Revelation 7:9-17; 20:4) reigns with Christ during the Millennium.
4) Reinforcing statement
So, the souls under the altar will not be in the Millennium as rulers. They are preserved by grace, awaiting vindication, and they come forth after the thousand years to their eternal portion among the redeemed nations, while the Bride alone reigns with Christ during the Millennial Kingdom.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 6:E-20
The Salutation Revelation 2:18, "These things saith the Son of God, Who hath His eyes like unto a flame of fire, and His feet are like fine brass." The revelation of Godhead to the Thyatirean Age is that Jesus is the Son of God. Once in the days of His flesh He was known as the Son of Man. But henceforth we know Him no more after the flesh. He is no longer the Son of Man, the Great Prophet, Who in Himself gathered together all prophecies. The Only Begotten is back in the bosom of the Father. Now we know Him after t...
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 9:E-4
...tice the name, Laodicea, 'the people's rights', or 'justice of the peoples.' Was there ever an age like the twentieth century church age that has seen ALL nations rising up and demanding equality, socially and financially? This is the age of the communists where all men are supposedly equal, though it is only so in theory. This is the age of political parties who call themselves Christian Democrats, and Christian Socialists, Christian Commonwealth Federation, etc. According to our liberal theologians Jesus was a so...
Souls that are in prison now
63-1110M §55
I thought then as I noticed them cankered looking eyes on them women. There were the Spanish, the French, Indian, and White, and all together, but their great big heads, you know, bushed up, with that combs, the way they comb it back, way big, and then comes out. You know how they do it, fix it like they do it. And then, them cankered looking eyes and the eyes with the paint, they run back like a cat's eyes; and them talking, and there I was again, standing there in J.C. Penny's store, back in hell again! I got so...
Everlasting Life and how to receive it
54-1231 §48
...me. Everybody else is singing. I'm going to try. I'm hoarse as I can be, because I got a bad cold, something in my head, but I want you to help me sing this good old song. And give me the key of something. I don't know what it is. I don't know what it is. Just give me some kind of note, 'cause I want to sing, "Dripping in blood," with you all. For this Gospel that I preach, it's dripping in blood. Don't you believe it? All right, everybody together. The first one to die for this Holy Ghost plan, Was John the Bapti...
The resurrection of Lazarus
51-0729A §38
Now, before this Redeemer could come in the days of our text, when Jesus had become very popular. Although He was born with an awful scorn, He came in by the way of a stable door and went out the way of capital punishment (Did you know that?), considered a fanatic, laughed at, spit upon, made fun of, and the very God of Glory. He came in by a stable door. Why was Jesus born in a stable or a manger? Did you ever think of that? He had to be. He was a Lamb. Lambs are not born in houses. Lambs are born in the barns and...