"And when lie 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:and they cried with a lead voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And 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 fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled" (Rev. 6:9-11).

Slain for their faithful testimony, the conscious souls of these martyrs cry to God for vindication-before their body's resurrection, which is mentioned in Rev. 20 :4.