Revelation 6 is a dark chapter. It describes the period of time known as the Tribulation. It is a time that is characterized by a lack of peace (vs4), great famine (vs6) and death (vs8). In the midst of this description, verses 9-11 describe something incredible. The souls of those who have been martyred call out to God for justice. After giving them a white robe (I believe this stands for the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ), they are told to rest until the rest of their fellow believers who were to be killed would be killed! What an amazing thought! God here waits. He withholds His execution of justice in the earth until all of the martyrs have been martyred! In other words, God could stop the martyrdom of His people at any moment (He is the Sovereign Lord - vs10), yet He allows it to happen. Why? I don't know all of the particulars, but I do know that when people give their lives for someone, it magnifies that person. So, when people give their lives for God it brings Him glory. It is when considering statements like these that we must rest in the sovereign wisdom of our good God.
The next chapter has quite a different tone. Here the 144,000 witnesses of the nation of Israel are sealed and with them a great multitude of Gentiles enter into exuberant praise to God for His salvation. This group as well is clothed with the white robes of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ. This gives them the right and the confidence to stand before the throne of God with boldness.
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