Seven Seals

Jesus had stated in Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”

That’s the whole law, including the law of kinsman-redeemer, which is given in Leviticus 25:25 and Jeremiah 32. It was to protect property, keeping it in the family of original ownership. The kinsman-redeemer had to be 1-blood related 2-able to pay 3-able to take possession (even if by force) 4-able to restore the property to its original purpose. The Lamb of God meets all these criteria.

Chapters 6-18 of Revelation give us the prophecy of the great tribulation. Chapter 6 is a panorama of the entire tribulation period, told in synopses, like movie trailers. There have always been periods of tribulation on the earth, to various peoples and in various places. The Great Tribulation is unique. It will be worldwide, universal despair among the population of the earth. Here is our preview of the successive periods of those seven years of human history.

The Lamb has received the legal document and opens the First Seal, Revelation 6:1-2: Cold War.

Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.

The horse’s rider is the Antichrist. The Church and the Holy Spirit are now gone from the earth, and the evil that thrives in the world has free reign. This bold, charismatic leader is given authority to conquer and rule nations. It could be almost anyone, at this stage. John defined the spirit of antichrist as anyone who does not confess Jesus as Lord (I John 4:3).

Second Seal, Revelation 6:3-4: Open War

When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.

This war-mongering demon heats up the hatred and killing in the world. The people will be under strong delusion. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. I Thessalonians 5:3

Third Seal, Revelation 6:5-6: Famine

When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!”

War creates hardships and shortages of supplies. Divine discipline brings drought, crop failures and exorbitant prices. Now the people are deluded, they are fighting for their lives and they are starving.

Fourth Seal, Revelation 6:7-8: Death

When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth.

This horse was pale green, a good color for the personification of the wages of sin. His rider is physical death, and spiritual death, named Hades, follows with him. They wipe out one fourth of the earth’s population with murder, war, famine, disease and violent animals.

Fifth Seal, Revelation 6:9-11: Martyrdom

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

The souls of martyrs are waiting under the altar of God for their blood to be avenged. The promise: just wait and rest. There will be more like you. You have not been forgotten.

Sixth Seal, Revelation 6:12-17: Cosmic Chaos

When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood,  and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

Isaiah 34:4, Joel 2:30-31and Matthew 24:29 all tell of this cosmic disturbance. Verse 15 lists seven categories of unbelievers: kings, great men, commanders, rich, strong, slaves and free men. All alike. Terrified! Afraid of the One on the throne and of the Lamb. They had opportunity to believe and they rejected Him. They are lost and scared, but not stupid. They know Who He is.

The great day of His wrath has come.

Chapter 7 will be an interlude, when the Lord pauses the action to harvest the remnant of the Jews. It will be a fascinating thing to behold. Our Lord is gracious and always fair. He knows which ones are His, and they will always be protected from the evil. There will be evangelism in the great tribulation, and these Jews who are about to be chosen will be the evangelists. It is not over for Israel.