阅读经文 

揭开第五印的时候，神的故事领我们来到神的祭坛前，神在那里聚集了那些因信祂而被杀之门徒的灵魂。那仇敌尝试压制忠于神话语语的门徒为神作见证；尽管他们在地上被杀，然而神却保守他们的灵魂安息在天堂，事实上他们是无法被压制的！殉道者的灵魂，以古老而激昂的哀歌向万主的主发出呼喊。（参诗 13:1-2，74:10，94:3，119:84）

我们或许不知道神招聚在祂坛下的人的名字，然而，当耶稣说：“人若因我辱骂你们，逼迫你们，捏造各样坏话毁谤你们，你们就有福了。”（太 5:11）这时，我们确实知道，祂就是在向这些人致意的。

在神帮助我们藉着祂的话语过信心生活的计划中，这些殉道的圣徒扮演了一个特殊的角色。他们为我们提供了一个独特、神圣的见证，让我们看到跟随基督的样式。信心就是为了坚持对神的忠心而甘愿牺牲自己。

很多不为人知和无姓无名的圣徒，因着对神尽忠，已经或正在付上生命的代价，今天我们为他们感恩。感谢神，殉道者的声音是不能被压制的。“我们既有这许多的见证人，如同云彩围着我们，就当放下各样的重担……存心忍耐，奔那摆在我们前头的路程。”（来 12:1）

With the opening of the fifth seal, God’s story brings us to the altar where God gathers the souls of followers who have died for their faith in him. The enemy tries to silence believers who are faithful to God’s Word and to put an end to their testimony. Although they can be killed on earth, God keeps their souls safe in heaven. And they are not silent! The souls of the martyrs cry out with the passion of ancient laments to the Lord of all lords (see Psalm 13:1-2; 74:10; 94:3; 119:84).

We may not know the names of the people whom God gathers beneath his altar. But we do know they are the people Jesus acknowledged when he said, "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me" (Matthew 5:11).

These martyred saints have a special place in God’s design to help us live by faith in his Word. They provide us with a one-of-a-kind, holy witness to what following Christ looks like. Faith is willing to sacrifice to stay true to God.

Give thanks today for the little-known and often unnamed saints who paid and are paying with their lives for being faithful to God. Thank God that the voice of the martyrs is not silenced. "Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders…and run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Hebrews 12:1).