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.
Souls that are in prison now
63-1110M §177
This was a very hard thing to speak to you people. I'm so thankful to see the people up from everywhere. And you ... I don't know that this thing is true, but it's got to be that way sometime. It's got to come to that, and it could be now. In every way, the world will carry right on. People will still come to the altar; they'll still cry out, but it won't do no good. It'll be gone. It'll be over. There won't be no mercy. Remember that. "And the sanctuary become smoky." "He that's filthy is filthy still, he that's r...
Demonology
53-1112 §46
Now, when a believer dies now, he goes straight to the presence of God. John on the Isle of Patmos said, "The souls under the altar cried, 'How long, Lord, how long?'" "Just a little longer, until they call some more 'holy rollers,' and fix them all up down there, and they suffer the same thing you did." Then he looked over there, and he saw them coming. A great number which no man can ... a multitude which no man could number. White-robed saints, palms in their hands, waving. Said, "Who are these?" He said, "They...
The Seven Church Ages
54-0512 §37
...is great, glorious presence shall strike the earth. "He cometh in clouds." Oh, I love that! "Clouds!" There will be wave after wave of His glory will come across the earth, and the resurrection of the saints shall come. When that blessed Holy Spirit that's lived in their hearts, and they died, with their corpse laying there, and the tear stains over their cheeks, and things like that, they're placed out here in a graveyard. A great wave of that same Spirit, and a "whoossh," wave after wave! "He that was last will b...
Israel and the Church: Israel at the Red Sea, part 1
53-0326 §46
Along came Jesus, the promised One. They done to Him what they said they would, and on they killed Him. He died. His soul descended into hell. Preached to the souls that are in prison. Taken the keys of death and hell away from the Devil. Returned back on Easter morning. And as He come through Paradise, He knocked at the door. Hallelujah! I can hear Him say, "Children!" Abraham say, "Who is that?" "I'm your seed, the seed of Abraham." Daniel said, "Who is that?" "I'm the Stone that was cut out of the mountain." The...
Church Ages, part 9: The ten virgins, and the 144,000
60-1211M §156
Now do you understand what the remnant of the Jews is, the 144,000? Where they're sitting, waiting? Right at the hour? Can you see now that the foolish virgin that won't take the ... wouldn't take the oil, and will have to rise and be separated---the rights and wrongs---at the day of the judgment? Do you understand that when the foolish virgin began to receive (just like now) that she needed this, she went after it, it was that very minute that the bridegroom came? Then how close are we? Right now. We have just a s...