The Seven Seals

The Release of the Riders (vv.1-8)

This chapter includes imagery familiar to chps.4-5, showing continuity to John’s vision. It is the worthy Lamb of chapter 5 that opens the seals, one-by-one. Every action of judgment that flows from the seal begins with the Lamb first opening it. Who is the One responsible for…who initiates the judgment? It is the Lamb.

The same living creatures that led in worship now call forth the executioners of the Lamb’s wrath. The first horse is called forth by the corresponding living creature, all stemming from the throne of God.

The living creature spoke with a voice like thunder, even more assurance that the command comes from God.

The unique nature of the first rider, riding a white horse and wearing a crown, has invited much commentary.

Some have viewed him as the Christ, but this is odd given the fact that the it is the Lamb who breaks the seal.

It could be symbolic (taking all four riders together) of the war, conquest, famine, and death cycles that occur throughout man’s history. The fact that he wear a crown could symbolize the removal of earthly kings.

Others see the appearance of the crown as symbolic of a false reign, the imposter rule of the anti-christ.

Some view this rider (and the ones to follow) as God’s judgment, while others see the riders symbolic of what mankind does to itself when God removes depravity’s restraints. Maybe it’s God’s judgment through the loosing of the restraints on man’s depravity?

What IS certain is that they are called forth by God’s servants, and the episode culminates with the sixth seal and mankind trying to hide from the terrifying wrath of God.

The rider of the red horse removes peace so that man will slay one another. The removal of peace during a time when Rome so valued the Pax Romana would further highlight God’s control over the nations. But notice also that the second rider is given a great sword, a possible allusion to the “right of the sword” which belonged to the Roman Emperor and his governors which allowed him/them to execute those who disrupted peace. Rome’s peace was enforced at the tip of the sword.

Some have argued that the removal of peace parallels the “man of lawlessness” from 2 Thes.2:6-7. Others, however, argue it is more in line with the wars and rumors of wars Jesus mentioned in His eschatological discourse, noting that these were simply the birth pangs. What the cycle of history (and the rebellion of man/DOTL cycle of Scripture) tells us is that humans have always had a propensity towards conquest -> violence -> civil war as they kill each other.

The third rider sits on a black horse, symbolic of sorrow and mourning caused by the famine and suffering that have come from the conquest and war of the previous riders. He carries a pair of scales, a sign often used to indicate famine. In essence, the times are so lean that the food has to be portioned on a scale.

There is a voice that comes from the midst of the…creatures, a subtle reminder that everything that is happening is part of God’s authoritative work. It is common in descriptions of God’s judgment to see near-starvation levels of food (see Lev.26:26; Deut.28:5; Ezk.4:10-16; Joel 1:10-12, etc.) Further, notice the inflation for the price of food:

A denarius was about a day’s wage.

A quart of wheat was about enough for a day for one person.

Three quarts of barley would be about enough to last a day for a small family.

The high cost of the first two judgments made it near impossible to provide anything other than basic food needs.

There are an abundance of explanations concerning the prohibition against harming the oil and wine. The best understanding may be that oil and wine are protected because the OT regards them as life staples, not luxuries (see Deut.7:13; 11:14; Neh.5:11; Joel 2:19). The commodities are to be preserved and used wisely (do not harm) because of their scarcity. If this is the case, which is where I lean, what amazing grace God has to protect these commodities still in the midst of calamity?!

The fourth horse comes, and most English translations call it a pale horse. In the Greek, the word is actually more akin to green like grass, but sometimes a pale green similar to the color of death and disease. The Complete Jewish Bible translates the phrase as “a pallid (which means a pale green due to poor health), sickly looking horse.” This description is appropriate because the rider ushers in death and Hades and famine.

God authorizes the part of Death and Hades in extensive judgment, covering a fourth of the earth. Some view this as a quarter of the population, while others understand this a one-fourth of the land. The extent of the judgments of the previous riders was not given, so this is likely meant to show extensive judgment. Death and Hades come as malignant cosmic forces.The Septuagint will often use the Greek word thanatos (“death”) to refer to “plague” or “pestilence.” The repetitious use of this idea (death…pestilence) seems to communicate the idea of “death by plague.”

It’s tempting to view the four riders of vv.1-8 as sequential and separate, but given their OT counterparts, context, and allusions, it may be best to understand them as parts of one overall judgment. Four-fold judgments are found in Lev.26:18-28; Deut.32:24-26; Jer.15:1-4; 16:4-5; Ezk.5:12; 6:11-12; Ezk.14 (particularly vv.12-23 in view of the scene here). The fourth seal is the culmination the four judgments, a representation of God’s full judgment against rebellious man.

That’s a lot to take in, and there’s plenty more that’s left on the floor in the editing room. If you were to ask me to boil it down and summarize what we’ve just read, I’d say that the depravity of man is loosed and used by God to bring trial and tribulation. For those who are believers, trials are meant to shape and encourage the faith. For those who are unbelievers, the wrath of God is fierce…more on that in a moment.

The Cry of the Martyrs (vv.9-11)

Notice the location of the martyrs who’d been slain for the word of God and their witness: under the altar, the place where blood was used in worship. They’re near God, and their martyrdom can be understood as a costly act of complete devotion to God. These saints seem to be symbolic of those who gave everything to Christ. Revelation 12:11 gives added insight — they didn’t love their life even to death.

Though the church is heavily persecuted throughout Revelation, it’s important to note that they do NOT forsake their call to be faithful witnesses. Rather than fleeing for their lives, the true church opts to maintain a bold witness. These martyrs were killed for their unyielding allegiance to the word of God and their witness. The fact that these martyrs appear just after the “four horsemen of the apocalypse” could indicate that they were killed during these judgments/tribulation.

The Martyrs cry how long before you…avenge our blood. They pray what’s called an imprecatory prayer. Imprecatory prayers, appeals for judgment against the wicked, have a long OT history (Ps.79:5-7; Zech.1:12; Ezra 4:33-37). Their imprecatory prayer deals with justice for martyrdom, a key in the book of Revelation.

The martyrs are each given a white robe. White is symbolic of purity and glory, and note that these robes are given (as opposed to earned), a subtle reminder of grace. It seems then to be a picture of the assurance of salvation and the immaculate purity of Christ’s bride through His gracious provision and perfect righteousness.

But perhaps the most sobering truth in this passage is that God does not give an eschatological timeline in response to the martyrs’ prayer, only a reminder that He has an eternal purpose. The patience of the martyrs is only needed until His plan is complete. This seems to anticipate an actual end to history. With all that said, however, the sad reality is that martyrdom was not yet coming to an end.

The fact of the matter is that the world has not nor will be short on martyrs. Theological historians name the past century as the most bloody and brutal for Christians period. They deserve our prayers as well.

The Terror of Man (vv.12-17)

The sixth seal unveils what God’s answer of vengeance, the DOTL, will look like — terrifying beyond human recognition. The created order is rocked as John uses images common for DOTL events, especially those used by Jesus in His discourses. This seal appears to be the beginning of the end. The cumulative effect of all of the signs taken together is meant to be a terrifying event. The intended outcome is realized in man’s response in vv.15-17.

Passages like this, with great physical phenomena, invite spirited debates in Revelation. Some say these catastrophic occurrences could be nothing but literal, and others take a more symbolic approach, noting that the first five seals dealt with common social and political upheavals that happen in the natural ebb and flow (under God’s sovereignty) of human history. As believers, we can spin our wheels in contested debates that often shed more heat than light, or we can at least embrace one undeniable reality — whatever is taking place, it paves the way for the end of the world as we know it.

Seal six begins a time of God’s great day of wrath. The shaking of Sinai, a theophany in Ex.19:16-19 (like an earthquake), became an important part of judgment typology, especially as it was associated with God’s judgment on Egypt through the Ten Plagues.

The moon becoming like blood mirrors Joel 2:30-31 almost exactly.

The imagery of vv.13-14 points to Isa.34:4. In Isaiah, the passages refers to the judgment of the nations, but here, final judgment seems to be in view.

The fact that the sky vanished like a scroll paints the picture of a scroll being rolled up after it is finished.

And then, notice this: there are seven aspects of physical creation mentioned: earth (earthquake), sun, moon, stars, sky, mountain, and island. Remember that the number seven shows completeness.

Then you get to the response of man. Just as seven structures of the created world are mentioned, so seven states of man are also recorded: kings, great ones, generals, rich, powerful, slave, and free. It points to the universal experience of all the created order. All of man sees what happens and knows God’s fierce anger against sin. Rightfully so, it is terrifying. John’s account shows that these signs have a universal impact on the world. There will be utter desperation, and man will know and fear the wrath of God toward sin.

Escaping to the mountains draws on DOTL images from Isa.2:10-21. There, it is the proud and lofty that are brought low on the DOTL. IF one is proudly opposed to God, he will be brought low.

Calling for the mountains and rocks to fall and hid us draws near verbatim from the Septuagint of Hosea 10:8. This passaged is quoted by Jesus in Luke 23:30 in reference to AD 70. It initially referred to Samaria’s desperation when facing Assyrian invasion, and the repeated historical usage proves it to be a typology of DOTL terror. There are patterns of judgment that come upon man that foreshadow the final DOTL event.

But, perhaps the thing I find most fascinating about this passage is that there seems to be an Exodus motif involved.

Exodus 33:17–23 ESV

And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”

Moses longed to see God’s glory. God allowed His goodness to pass before Moses, but YHWH hid Moses form the HIS face. If Moses wasn’t hidden from God’s face, he would have died. Here, man seeks the help of creation, and they only see the wrath and face of God, not His goodness. This is the anti-Moses event!

The passage culminates in this final question: who can stand? Is it even possible? The answer is yes, but we won’t find out how until next week. As for today, remember that the coming DOTL called for rejoicing in the previous two chapters. Literally, the throne room rejoiced when the Lamb stepped forward, worthy to open the scrolls. The prayer for justice, voiced by the martyrs, reminds us that we are safe through the gracious righteousness of the Lamb, and we should plead for His final victory. However, as long as He tarries, we must faithfully serve Him, remembering that He has a plan…that He sovereignly rules…and that He will bring everything to its intended end.