The First Six Seals

Introduction:

To better understand this apocalyptic, prophetic, epistle… we are going to need to study the Book of Daniel. Specifically note:

Daniel 9:24 NKJV

24 “Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy.

This speaks of sealing the vision. Now the vision, or seals are opened. Although there are seven seals, the seventh is different than the other six.

The interlude of chapters 4 and 5 now gives way to the middle portion of this epistle, which concentrates almost entirely on the events referenced as the great tribulation.

Matthew 24:21 NKJV

21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Revelation 7:14 NKJV

14 And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Another term used is, “The time of Jacob’s trouble”

Jeremiah 30:7 NKJV

7 Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, But he shall be saved out of it.

Zephaniah 1:15 NKJV

15 That day is a day of wrath, A day of trouble and distress, A day of devastation and desolation, A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness,

Daniel 12:1 NKJV

1 “At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book.

Both the OT and the NT talk about a time of indescribable judgement on a rebellious earth.

In Revelation there are four symbols which these judgments come:

The opening of the seven-sealed book

The sounding of the seven angelic trumpets

The reverberations of the seven thunders

The outpouring of seven bowls of divine wrath

Now there are some questions about these judgments that we need to tackle. Should they be understood as sequential, overlapping to some degree, or synonymous but employing diverse means of expression?

There is no doubt that there is to some extent some overlapping Revelation 8:1-2 shows us that the opening of the 7th seal ushers in the judgments of the seven trumpets.

Nevertheless, essentially two things may be clearly observed from the text.

First, strictly speaking, the judgments are not synonymous, and, and not surprisingly, the descriptions of the effects of the judgment are widely diversified.

Second, we are able to see that however devastating and general the seal judgments may be, the apparent intent of the author is to depict a worsening of the judgements in the progression from chapter 6 and the seals to chapter 15 and 16, where the bowls of God’s wrath reach the ultimate crescendo of the outpouring of God’s wrath.

You’ll notice that as we go through these judgments that God gradually gets more involved.

Seven seals: associated with God

Seven trumpets: actually ushered in, in heaven

Seven thunders: even more associated with God, though hidden from us

Seven bowls: specifically associated with the wrath of God

[6:1-8] The Four Horsemen

John see the Lam open the first of the seven seals.

This is where many peoples interpretations of Revelation start to go to different places. And for the most part it’s okay so long as it is understood that Jesus is victor. And that He will righteously judge those who are not His.

Each of the first four seals are associated with one of the living creatures.

“Come and see:” Some arguments on who this is meant for.

vv. 1-2 The First Seal: The White Horseman

What might the horses represent? And who is this rider?

The rider is described in three descriptive phrases. First, he holds a bow. Second, he has been given a στέφανος, a crown that is a victor’s crown. Thirdly, he rode out with the intention to conquer. I do like the way the NIV puts it, “Bent on conquest.”

Now the discussions regarding this riders identity are about as far as one could imagine. Most of the interpretations are not to get worked up about if they differ from yours.

Some believe this to be a picture of Jesus. After all in rabbinical literature a rider clothed in white is almost always has a good connotations, if not messianic ones.

Others believe that this is the exact opposite, that the rider is the Antichrist.

I think we can come to a reasonable conclusion just by looking contextually at this passage. Since the second, third, and fourth seals must be regarded as devastating judgements from God on the the tribulation earth, one can hardly imagine the significance of the appearing of the Messiah in this seal.

Also Christ does appear on a white horse in Revelation 19:11

Revelation 19:11 NKJV

11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.

And the picture in Chapter 19 is really different from the picture here in chapter 6. The rider of chapter 6 carries a bow and has a victor’s crown and tries to conquer wherever he can.

In chapter 19, the Lord is clearly presented with many crowns; and these are, as one would expect, διάδημα/diadems or kingly crowns, and He fights with with the sword of his mouth, which is the Word of God, not with a bow.

I believe that the identity of this rider is the Antichrist. If it isn’t it is a satanic dictator who imitates Jesus. The implications are that this ruler will rule over men as a false messiah, and lead men in organized rebellion against God, in the pattern of Nimrod in Genesis 10. Nimrod was a mighty hunter before the Lord. This has the sense that he was a might hunter of men, and that this was offensive to the face of God.

What is the bow and crown represent?

The bow poses the threat of war, but there is no mention of an arrow.

Perhaps there is even the suggestion of missile warfare since the bow is a weapon of distant combat. This rider does not actually cause warfare; it is not until the second seal that peace is taken from the earth.

What is important to note is that this first seal beings a dictator to prominence.

Many wonder if these four horsemen are connected with the seventieth week of Daniel and the great tribulation itself, or with the course of history up until that time. This initial emergence of the antichrist, connected with what we know about this leader from Danial 9 shows that these horsemen are connected with Daniel’s seventieth week and the great tribulation.

vv. 3-4 The Second Seal: The Red Horseman

The Lamb opens the second seal, and the second living creature issues his mandate, “Come!”

The second horse is fiery red, and the rider of that horse is given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay one another. As symbolic of that assignment, he is given a large sword.

This rider didn’t need to bring war and destruction. All he needed to do was take peace from the earth. Once peace—God’s gift to man—was taken, men quickly rush in with war and destruction.

Peace between men and among nations is a gift from God. it is not the natural state of relations between men.

And it was granted: This authority was granted to the horseman. This is, directly or indirectly, the judgment of God.

Our modern age is marked by war and conflict. Since WWII, there have been more than 150 wars of some kind in the world, and at any given time there may be some three dozen armed conflicts taking thousands of lives yearly. The nations of the world often spend more than $1 trillion dollars on military expenditures a year.

vv. 5-6 The Third Seal: The Black Horseman

The Lamb opens the third seal, and the third living creature said, “Come.”

The rider of this steed holds a pair of scales in his hand, such as would be found in any Roman market place and throughout the Near Eastern cities of this period.

Another voice then comes to John’s ears, and he is apparently unable to make out the source of this voice. Not sure if it is a 5th voice or one of the living creatures. But the point is clear:

The scales in the hand of the black horseman need an interpretation, which is now provided by saying that a quart of wheat would be all that could be purchased on the basis of a whole day’s wage and the that three quarts of barley could be bought for the same money.

Barley bread of the poor…

We often see great famine in the world today, yet fewer people suffer from hunger today than 100 years ago. However, understanding the world’s precarious ecological balance, it would not take much to plunge many into the king of scarcity and inequity mentioned here.

What about the oil and the wine, what could this mean?

The expression do not harm the oil and the wine is difficult. Some say that these were the food of the poor. If they were staple items, then they must be protected in order to preserve life. It seems more likely though, that the luxury items of the rich are contemplated here: historically, even in famine the rich can get some luxuries.

What is remarkable is that there are limitations placed on this rider. Not allowed to hurt olive trees and vineyards.

vv. 7-8 The Fourth Seal: The Pale Horseman

The Lamb opens the fourth seal, and the fourth living creature proclaims, “come.” This rider is the circumstances flowing as a natural result from the opening of the first three seals.

The pale horse gallops to light, and the rider on the horse is identified as Death, and Hades is destribed as following close behind him.

The pale horse gallops to light, and the rider on the horse is identified as Death, and Hades is described as following close behind him.

ᾅδης: a place of the dead.

Western mind: the grave

OG audience: refers to the shadowy world of those who had passed from the visible, earthly, and biological existence, which is known at the moment. Hades is the unseen and partially unknown and unknowable world to which the dead have departed.

This rider shows that there will be a tremendous death tool from the dictatorship, war, famine and other calamities described by the previous horsemen.

Matthew 24:21 NKJV

21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Power was given to the horseman, and given by God. Though all hell breaks loose on the earth, God is very much in control. He holds the scroll and opens its seals.

[6:9-11] The Martyr (Fifth) Seal

[6:12-17] The Sixth Seal: Cosmic Disturbances

Application: