2. The Seals of Revelation 6
In introducing the prophecy of the seven seals it is helpful to review
chapters 4 and 5 of Revelation. These introduce the seven seals.
In Revelation four God is revealed as Creator upon the throne in supreme
control.
In Revelation five Jesus Christ is brought to view as the omnipotent
Lamb who has conquered Satan and paid the price for the world’s
redemption.
This means that the world’s destiny is decided.
The saints of God are guaranteed the kingdom and all rebels against God
are guaranteed destruction. In the seals, the church of God is revealed in
deadly conflict with the powers of darkness and though error and
apostasy appear to dominate, yet God is in control.
Christ has the title deeds of the kingdom, the church is assured of final
victory.
3. Comparison of 7 Churches and 7
Seals
Like the 7 Churches, God is trying to
show “his servants what must soon
take place” Rev. 1:1
However, the problems of the 7
churches aren’t exactly the same as
the 7 seals
4. Connection with Chapter 5
Everything in Rev. 6 & 7 - builds off
of Rev. 5
– Lamb is worthy to open the scroll
– Lamb is worthy of praise and honor
• Conquered death and was resurrected
– Lamb is on the right hand of God the
Almighty
5. Time Period of 7 Seals
Rev. 6, 7 covers ascension of Jesus
to 2nd coming
– Rev. 4-5 inauguration imagery
• Christ at the right hand of the Father
6:15-17 Jesus 2nd coming events
6. No Content of Seals
Chapter 6 does not describe the
content of the 7 seals
Describes results on earth of breaking
the seals
Contents of the scroll not revealed
Until all 7 seals are broken
Breaking of the 7 seals is preliminary to
the events of the end
7. Seals and Covenant Imagery
Deut. 28 Blessings and curses of
the covenant
– OT covenant, basis of relationship
with God
– Curses
• war, famine, pestilence, wild beasts
• 4 severe judgments or destroyers used by
God
8. Lev. 26:21-26
21 "Then if you walk contrary to me and will
not listen to me, I will continue striking you,
sevenfold for your sins. 22 And I will let loose
the wild beasts against you, which shall
bereave you of your children and destroy your
livestock and make you few in number, so that
your roads shall be deserted.
23 "And if by this discipline you are not turned
to me but walk contrary to me, 24 then I also
will walk contrary to you, and I myself will
strike you sevenfold for your sins.
9. Lev. 26
25 And I will bring a sword upon you,
that shall execute vengeance for the
covenant. And if you gather within your
cities, I will send pestilence among you,
and you shall be delivered into the hand
of the enemy. 26 When I break your
supply of bread, ten women shall bake
your bread in a single oven and shall
dole out your bread again by weight,
and you shall eat and not be satisfied.
10. Reason for Curses
If the people repented, returned to
the covenant
– Curses stopped, blessings come
The first four seals are the
consequence of the church
rejecting the gospel
– God’s purpose is for repentance and
return to Him
11. Synoptic Apocalypse
Seals in Rev. 6, 7 parallels Matt. 24,
Luke 21, and Mark 13
– Events in Synoptic apocalypse are historical
– In context of “the end is near”
– Seals 1-4 fits Matt. 24:5-14
– Seal 5 fits Matt. 24:15-22
– Seal 6 fits Matt. 24:23-31 second coming of
Christ
– Seal 7 is after 2nd coming
12. “Come”
“Come” in first four seals
– Imperative form, you must come
– Rev. 22:20 Come Lord Jesus
5th seal, How long?
– Urgency
6th seal, Jesus has come
– Current event taking place
7th seal, Silence
– Time indeed has come, arrived, for the end
13. The Horsemen: What they are
Do not represent Angelic
forces
A Horse represents spiritual
warfare- “I saw heaven opened and
behold a white horse and he that sat upon
him was called Faithful and True and in
righteousness he does judge and make war.”
Rev 19:11
14. The White Horse
“I saw when the lamb opened one of
the seals, and I heard as it were the
noise of thunder and one of the four
living creatures saying come and
see and I saw and behold a white
horse and he that sat on him had a
bow and a crown was given to him
and he went forth conquering and to
conquer.” Revelation 6:1-2
The white color denotes purity and
righteousness.
“Though your sins be as scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow.”
Isaiah 1:18.
This is a warfare of righteousness.
15. The war and the Church
When did Jesus Christ wage such a war with the Word of
God?
Before he ascended to heaven Jesus Christ
commissioned his church to battle with Satan and the
powers of hell.
“Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” 2
Timothy 2:3
It is a spiritual warfare 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
16. Fulfilled in the Apostolic Church
Did the church of Christ after His ascension go forth conquering and to
conquer as Christ commissioned it?
“Under the fiercest persecution these witnesses for Jesus kept their faith
unsullied-they uttered no complaint-the great controversy in which the
disciples of Jesus yielded up their lives did not cease when these faithful
bearers fell at their post. By defeat they conquered. God’s workmen were
slain, but his work went rapidly forward. The gospel continued to spread
and the number of its adherents to increase. It penetrated into regions
inaccessible even to the eagles of Rome. The subjects of Satan were
leaving his service and enlisting under the banner of Christ.” Great
Controversy, page 41-42.
“The words of the apostles were as sharp arrows of the Almighty,
convicting men of their terrible guilt in rejecting and crucifying the Lord of
glory.” Acts Apostles, page 45.
17. The White Horse
Like church of
Ephesus, Jesus
knew that the
church would start
out well – preaching
in the all the world –
Acts 1:8
White –
righteousness and
character of Christ
18. Bow and a Crown
Bow and a crown
– Hab. 3:8-9 God on a horse with a bow
– Bow, the gospel brings judgment,
division
• Matt 10:34-39
– Crown of victory
• Winner of the contest
19. The Red Horse
“There went out another horse that
was red and power was given to him
that sat thereon to take peace from the
earth, and that they should kill one
another, and there was given to him a
great sword.” Revelation 6:3-4
1. Took peace from the earth
2. Gave permission to kill each other
3. Had a great sword
20. 2nd Seal, Rev. 6:3-4
Persecution in the Roman Empire
Consequences of preaching the gospel
– Wherever the gospel is preached and
accepted, persecution follows
– Matt. 24:9-10 tribulation, death, you will be
hated
Fiery-red horse
– Red is color of blood and persecution
– Rev. 17 Prostitute rides a red beast
• Drunk with the blood of the saints
21. The Red Horse: A different form
of attack
After 313 AD – the
Christian church
began not to be
persecuted, but to
persecute
Wars between
Christians lasted
from the time of
Constantine to
World War I
22. A representation of sinfulness
“Satan therefore laid his plans to war (notice, it involves warfare) -more
successfully against the government of God. The great adversary now
endeavored to gain by artifice what he had failed to secure by force.
Persecution ceased and in its stead was substituted the dangerous
allurements of temporal prosperity and worldly honor. Now the church
was in fearful peril. Most of the Christians at last consented to lower their
standard and a union was formed between Christianity and paganism ...
(notice that, “most of the Christians” - the great majority of the church
went astray) ... the foul leaven of idolatry thus brought into the church,
continued it s baleful work. Unsound doctrines, superstitious rites and
idolatrous ceremonies were incorporated into her faith and worship. As
the followers of Christ united with idol worshippers the Christian religion
became corrupted and the church lost her purity and power.” Great
Controversy, page 42- 43.
“Though your sins be as scarlet” Isaiah 1:18
23. The Great Sword
“There was given to him a great
sword.”
1. It denotes authoritarianism or civil
power - the magistrate, the state etc.
2. It denotes division and separation.
24. The Black Horse
“When he had opened the third seal I
heard the third living creature say
Come and see and I beheld, and lo, a
black horse and he that sat on him
had a pair of balances in his hand.”
Revelation 6:5
1. Pair of scales
2. Prices for wheat, barley, oil and wine
25. 3rd Seal, Rev. 6:5-6
Middle Ages, spiritual decline and
compromise
Beginning of Papal Rome
By year 600 most false teachings of
Christian church in place
Conversion of Constantine
Black horse
Black, color of darkness
Absence of gospel, Matt 4:16, John 1:5, 3:19
26. Balances
“He had a pair of balances in his
hands.”
1. They denote commerce.
2. They denote corrupt dealing.
3. They denote judgment
27. Balances: Commercialization of
Religion
The Papal church now began to engage in the commercialization of
religion.
People were led to believe that it was essential to pay for the benefits
of salvation.
If you were baptized you had to pay.
If you were confirmed in the faith you had to pay.
If you married, you had to pay.
If you received forgiveness from the priest you had to pay.
When you buried your loved one you had to pay.
When masses were said, to get him out of purgatory you had to pay.
This commerce became a source of tremendous income for the
apostate church
28. The balances: Corrupt Dealing
The scales also represent corrupt dealing. The most striking evidence of this
corruption through the dark or middle ages was the sale of relics - the bones etc, of
so-called dead saints. These were employed to draw people to the churches. The
most outrageous claims were made in regard to these relics. Today in catholic
centers you may see the relics on display. In Milan cathedral are 12 vials containing
the fingers of the 12 apostles preserved in spirits. In St. Marks in Venice there are 8
pieces of the cross, 2 thorns from Christ’s thorny crown, some blood of Christ in a
vial, a nail from the cross, a lock of the virgin Mary’s hair, a bone of St. Paul’s leg, a
bone of St. Matthew’s leg, a bone of St. Phillip’s leg, a bone of St. Peter’s leg, the
finger and tooth of Mark, a piece of St. John the Baptist’s head and a piece of St.
Stephen’s backbone.
The second thing that was fraudulent, were the promises that the church made to
their people if they looked upon the relics. They were promised remission from
purgatory of lengthy periods of time, even to thousands of years. How people have
been misled through the years!
29. Balances: Judgement
“Thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting.” Daniel 5:27
in this period of the black horse - the church was judged and found wanting
and was rejected by God. After long patience with the apostasy, after many
warnings, the apostate church was finally rejected.
“Popery had become the world’s despot, but the noon of the papacy was
the midnight of the world. The condition of the world under the Roman
power presented a fearful and striking fulfillment of the words of the
prophet Hosea. Because thou has rejected knowledge, I will also reject
thee.” Great Controversy, 60.
In the period of the black horse the cup of the Roman church’s apostasy
was filled to the full and it was rejected by God.
30. Spiritual Famine
Wheat, barley, oil and wine were
staple foods in those times
Barley was cheaper than wheat
usually, important for the poor
Oil – essential for cooking
Wine (juice) – a solution for drinking
water from old wells
31. Quart of Wheat
Quart of wheat, 3 quarts of barley
– Scarcity, time of famine
– A denarius – a days wage
– Ordinary times a denarius bought 12-15xs as much
food
Word of God is bread of life, Matt. 4:4
– Jesus himself, John 6:35-38
– Famine of the truth of the Bible
– The apostate church created such a famine. The Bible
was taken away from the people
32. No Harm to Oil and Wine
“See thou hurt not the oil and the wine.” Verse 6
Do no harm to oil and wine
– Oil is symbolic of Holy Spirit
– Wine is symbolic of blood of Jesus and true
doctrine
God is still working
– Bible preserved
• Faithfully copied
– Attempts at reformation
33. The Pale Horse
“I looked and behold a pale horse
and his name that sat on him was
death and hell (or the grave)
followed with him. And power was
given to then over the fourth part of
the earth to kill with sword and with
hunger and with death and with the
beasts of the earth.” Revelation 6:8
This is how Heaven describes the
established church in the fourth
period of the Christian era. It
denotes decomposition. It indicates
corruption. It denotes revulsion. This
was how the official orthodox
church of the period appeared in the
sight of heaven.
34. Fourth Seal – Pale Horse
After war and a
leaving of God’s
commands, and
scarcity and famine,
it is no surprise that
Death follows
Historians – “Dark
Ages” – 500-1500
35. 4th Seal, Rev. 6:7-8
Christian church in Medieval period
– False teachings, superstition, loss of
knowing salvation by grace
– Death rides a pale horse, Hades follows
– Ashen- grey color of a corpse
– Rev. 1:18 Christ has keys of death and
Hades
• Rev. 20:14 Death is destroyed
– Ultimate consequence of the famine of the
Word of God
36. Given Authority
Given authority over ¼ of the
earth
– Under Christ’s control
– ¼ of the earth
• One of the four winds, directions of the
earth
– Kill with sword, famine, pestilence
and beasts
• 4 judgments of God against apostasy
• Meant to bring reformation
37. Emphasis of Seals
The emphasis of
the seals is
clearly on the
moral decline of
the church
Famine, plague,
scarcity, death,
war
38. Famine of Word of God
Amos 8:11 – The days are
coming when I will send a
famine through the land –
not a famine of food or a
thirst for water, but a
famine of hearing the
words of the Lord.
Biggest problem of the
church of 300-1500 AD =
lack of knowledge of Bible
39. Fifth Seal – Souls Under the
Altar
“When he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the
altar the sound of them that were, slain for the word
of God and for the testimony which they held. And
they cried with a loud voice saying, How long O
Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge
our blood upon them that dwell on the earth? And
white robes were given to every one of them and it
was said to then that they should rest yet for a little
season until their fellow servants also and their
brethren that should be killed as they were should
be fulfilled.” Revelation 6:9-11.
Souls that had been slain for the word of God
They cried out to the Lord
Given white robes
Told to wait a while until the number of their brothers would
be completed
40. 5th Seal Rev. 6:9-11
God’s faithful who died for Him
– Martyrs in early church
– Post reformation 17th and 18th
centuries
• 100,000 killed in peasant’s war
– Counter reformation, inquisition by
the church
• Thousands persecuted, tortured, killed for
their faith
– People who die for Jesus today
41. Fifth Seal – Souls Under the
Altar
Daniel 7 told us that
there would be a 1260
year period that there
would be an anti-
Christian power ruling
From 538-1798 AD
nobody knows how
many martyrs died at
the hands of the
Christian church
42. Plea for Justice
Died because of the Word of God and
their testimony
– How long – before you judge - avenge our
blood?
– A plea asking for justice, not revenge
43. The White Robes
Each is given a white robe
– Assurance of their salvation
in Jesus
– God will not forget them
– God will judge – in their favor
– God will judge against their
(His) enemies
44. Completion?
Rest for a little while
– More to die for Jesus
– Those made complete
• Complete in number
• Complete in character – becoming like
Jesus
45. Fifth Seal – Souls Under the
Altar
However, God knew
that the close of the
1260 years wasn’t the
end of the world
The gospel still
needed to be
preached to all the
world – Matt. 24:14
46. Souls Under the Altar
Shift in focus
– First four seals begin with “Come”
5th seal, souls of all of the martyrs
– Beneath the altar
– OT sacrificial system
• Lev. 4:7 Blood of the sacrifice poured at the base
of the alter
• Blood symbolized life
• Lev. 17:11-14 Blood (life) belonged to God
47. Sixth Seal – Great Signs in the
Heavens
“I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal and lo there was a
great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair,
and the moon became as blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the
earth, even as a fig free casts her untimely figs when she is shaken
of a mighty wind.” Revelation 6:12-13.
Earthquake – Matt. 24:29
Sun turned black, moon – red
Stars fell from the sky
Sky rolled back – islands and mountains are removed
Everybody on the Earth mourns and wants to hide from the face of
God and Jesus
48. Earthquake
Nov. 1, 1755 – Lisbon, Portugal
Wealthy center of Catholic church, Inquisition had a
headquarters, 40 churches, Catholic holiday – All
Saints Day
2 minutes earthquake raged on, destroyed the city –
15,000 people died
Was felt in Strasbourg and Scandinavia – 1800-2600
km. Away
Earthquake encouraged much science and
philosophical speculation (Voltaire, Kant, Rousseau,
etc.) – world became pessimistic
49. Sun Darkened
May 19, 1780 – in 40,000 sq. km. In
New England, America – the sun
disappeared behind a dark cloud for
about 2-3 hours in the middle of the
day
People thought the end of the world
had come – spurred much Bible
study
50. Stars Falling from the Sky
November 13, 1833 – eastern
part of the USA – from 9 p.m
– 6 a.m. a record number of
meteors fell from the sky –
peak at 4 a.m.
Usually 10/hour – estimated
on this night 60,000/hour
Spurred the modern study of
meteors
51. Stars Falling from the Sky
Frederick Douglass
– famous diplomat
and journalist was
still a slave and
wrote that it was a
“gorgeous
spectacle” and a
“harbinger of the
Son of Man”.
52. Significance of these Events
Magnitude – Some of
the biggest recorded
Location – Europe
and America
Timing – Decline of
Catholic Church
Encouraged Bible
Study – Amos 8, Joel
2, Matt. 24
53. End of Sixth Seal
The Second
Coming of God
and Christ
Christ is the only
one that is worthy
to judge the
church for her
errors
54. Second Coming
Most people
according to this
prophecy won’t
heed the warnings
that the first 5 seals
gave
They didn’t become
friends with God –
they are just afraid
of His wrath
55. Question of the Sixth Seal
Who can stand
on the great day
of the wrath of
God?
Chapter 7
answers that
question
