The Seals
With the book in his hands, Jesus immediately sets about opening the seals and revealing the mysteries that are contained in the prophesies. However, it is done in a way that still leaves the predictions difficult to understand. This has been done so that nothing will be completely revealed until the proper time. The visions that John saw earlier had been to the churches, and although they had some things that were dark and hard to understand, the majority was for them to understand and hear. The prophesies in this book are divided into seven seals to be opened, seven trumpets sounding, and seven vials poured out
1 I watched as the Lamb(A) opened the first of the seven seals.(B) Then I heard one of the four living creatures(C) say in a voice like thunder,(D) “Come!” 2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse!(E) Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown,(F) and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.(G)
Jesus now begins to do the work of opening the seals. One of the four creatures calls John to observe what is happening. A white horse was usually not used in battle because it made the rider a target for the enemy. Only one certain of a victory already won would ride a white horse into battle. Because of this, it is believed to be Jesus riding on the white horse because the crown represents a king. Jesus went forth to conquer the enemy and he was certain of his conquest. However, in the perspective of the other three horsemen that follow and the nature of the coming events that are being prophesied – it would seem more probable that this horseman is the anti-Christ, or satan himself as the ruler of this world. This would be in keeping with the fact that the enemy is the father of lies, he would likely cast the illusion of a ruler that brings peace (the white horse and the crown) but actually usher in the destruction that is described in the following passages.
3 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature(H) say, “Come!” 4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one.(I) Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth(J) and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.
The second seal reveals a less friendly prophesy. This horse’s rider is given the power to take peace from the earth – usually signifying war. This is confirmed by the power to make people kill each other. It is not clear who the rider of this horse is but it is certain that the sword of war is a terrible judgement. Peace is one of the greatest blessings, to love one another as ourselves is the second command from God – so to be at war, killing one another is a terrible thing, especially to those who have not accepted the gospel of Jesus.
5 When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature(K) say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse!(L) Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6 Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures,(M) saying, “Two pounds[a] of wheat for a day’s wages,[b] and six pounds[c] of barley for a day’s wages,[d](N) and do not damage(O) the oil and the wine!”
The third seal reveals another horse and rider. This one is black, and this judgement is famine. Famine is something that usually follows wars, considering that much destruction takes place and food is either destroyed or plundered by the enemy. It also seems that the famine will affect the poor more severely than the rich given that “food staples” such as wheat and barley are in short supply, but “luxuries” such as oil and wine are not.
7 When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature(P) say, “Come!” 8 I looked, and there before me was a pale horse!(Q) Its rider was named Death, and Hades(R) was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.(S)
The forth rider is death. This is again, something that follows war and famine as we see time and again in history. Those who die from wounds sustained in battle, those who expire of starvation, and those who die from malnutrition and other sicknesses brought on by a lack of food, clean water, shelter from the elements and from wild animals. A quarter of the population of the earth is taken by this fearsome rider.
Each time a seal was opened, one of the four creatures called “Come” to John so he could observe. This is significant of something of great importance that must be witnessed. However, the remaining seals receive no such announcement, although the apostle still pays close attention to each of the revelations.
9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under(T) the altar(U) the souls of those who had been slain(V) because of the word of God(W) and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long,(X) Sovereign Lord,(Y) holy and true,(Z) until you judge the inhabitants of the earth(AA) and avenge our blood?”(AB) 11 Then each of them was given a white robe,(AC) and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,[e] were killed just as they had been.(AD)
The fifth seal reveals the martyrs, those who have died for their testimony of the gospel. They were under the altar, at the foot of the altar of incense, in the most holy place. They were in heaven, at the foot of Christ. Persecutors can only kill the body – after that they can do nothing else, but the soul lives on. These martyrs knew this – they knew that death would only release them to be with Christ and considered the spread of the Kingdom of God to be worth the sacrifice of their earthly flesh. But it was not their own death that got them to heaven, it was the death of Jesus. They held onto the word of God and their testimony and therefore were washed by the redeeming blood of Jesus. They also knew that their God would take vengeance on those who had mistreated his children on the earth. But they are told to wait, for there are more who will be added to their numbers under the altar before their deaths are avenged.
12 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake.(AE) The sun turned black(AF) like sackcloth(AG) made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth,(AH) as figs drop from a fig tree(AI) when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up,(AJ) and every mountain and island was removed from its place.(AK)
There are those scholars who believe that the seven seals prophesies have already happened and use the metaphors for things that happened during the shaking of the Jewish church and the reign of Constantine. However, these prophesies are not written in a metaphorical design. (It doesn’t say there was a great shaking as if a great earthquake – it says there was a great earthquake…etc.) The rest we are just going to take for face value.
15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free,(AL) hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains.(AM) 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us(AN) and hide us[f] from the face of him who sits on the throne(AO) and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day(AP) of their[g] wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”(AQ)
This great and awful day will bring an equality that is rarely seen except in times of great devastation. The rich and the poor alike will be hiding wherever they can find and trying to escape the wrath of God. They will finally realize that there is no escape from the Almighty God whom they have denied for so long.
Footnotes:
a Revelation 6:6 Or about 1 kilogram
b Revelation 6:6 Greek a denarius
c Revelation 6:6 Or about 3 kilograms
d Revelation 6:6 Greek a denarius
e Revelation 6:11 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 12:10; 19:10.
f Revelation 6:16 See Hosea 10:8.
g Revelation 6:17 Some manuscripts his
A Revelation 6:1 : S Rev 5:6
B Revelation 6:1 : Rev 5:1
C Revelation 6:1 : S Rev 4:6, 7
D Revelation 6:1 : Rev 14:2; 19:6
E Revelation 6:2 : Zec 1:8; 6:3; Rev 19:11
F Revelation 6:2 : Zec 6:11; Rev 14:14; 19:12
G Revelation 6:2 : Ps 45:4
H Revelation 6:3 : Rev 4:7
I Revelation 6:4 : Zec 1:8; 6:2
J Revelation 6:4 : Mt 10:34
K Revelation 6:5 : Rev 4:7
L Revelation 6:5 : Zec 6:2
M Revelation 6:6 : S Rev 4:6, 7
N Revelation 6:6 : Eze 4:16
O Revelation 6:6 : Rev 7:1, 3; 9:4
P Revelation 6:7 : Rev 4:7
Q Revelation 6:8 : Zec 6:3
R Revelation 6:8 : Hos 13:14; Rev 1:18; 20:13, 14
S Revelation 6:8 : Jer 15:2, 3; 24:10; Eze 5:12, 17
T Revelation 6:9 : Ex 29:12; Lev 4:7
U Revelation 6:9 : Rev 14:18; 16:7
V Revelation 6:9 : Rev 20:4
W Revelation 6:9 : Ro 1:2; S Heb 4:12
X Revelation 6:10 : Ps 119:84; Zec 1:12
Y Revelation 6:10 : Lk 2:29; 2Pe 2:1
Z Revelation 6:10 : S Rev 3:7
A Revelation 6:10 : S Rev 3:10
B Revelation 6:10 : Dt 32:43; 2Ki 9:7; Ps 79:10; Rev 16:6; 18:20; 19:2
C Revelation 6:11 : S Rev 3:4
D Revelation 6:11 : Heb 11:40
E Revelation 6:12 : Ps 97:4; Isa 29:6; Eze 38:19; Rev 8:5; 11:13; 16:18
F Revelation 6:12 : S Mt 24:29
G Revelation 6:12 : Isa 50:3
H Revelation 6:13 : S Mt 24:29; Rev 8:10; 9:1
I Revelation 6:13 : Isa 34:4
J Revelation 6:14 : S 2Pe 3:10; Rev 20:11; 21:1
K Revelation 6:14 : Ps 46:2; Isa 54:10; Jer 4:24; Eze 38:20; Na 1:5; Rev 16:20; 21:1
L Revelation 6:15 : Rev 19:18
M Revelation 6:15 : Isa 2:10, 19, 21
N Revelation 6:16 : Hos 10:8; Lk 23:30
O Revelation 6:16 : S Rev 5:1
P Revelation 6:17 : Joel 1:15; 2:1, 2, 11, 31; Zep 1:14, 15; Rev 16:14
Q Revelation 6:17 : Ps 76:7; Na 1:6; Mal 3:2
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