SEPTEMBER 3 = REVELATION 6
THE SEALS
And now we arrive at the long-anticipated opening of the seven seals on the scroll, in order to unfold the future history of the world. As we will discover through the book of Revelation, it is never quite so simple. The seventh seal leads to another series of seven, which in turn leads to another. That’s how it is in life, though, isn’t it? When we arrive at the other side of the big event we had anticipated, we find it brings with it a new series of what we might think is ...
SEPTEMBER 3 = REVELATION 6
THE SEALS
And now we arrive at the long-anticipated opening of the seven seals on the scroll, in order to unfold the future history of the world. As we will discover through the book of Revelation, it is never quite so simple. The seventh seal leads to another series of seven, which in turn leads to another. That’s how it is in life, though, isn’t it? When we arrive at the other side of the big event we had anticipated, we find it brings with it a new series of what we might think is unfinished business. In any case, John sees the Lamb open the first six seals, and in this chapter we find out what was about to happen.
“I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.”
Perhaps you have heard of the Four Horsemen. This is one of the places where they are seen in the Bible. They are men on horses, but they are symbolic of something else.
The first horse is white, which would seem to symbolize holiness. Later, we will see Jesus riding on a white horse. But this rider is bent on conquest. Could this be a political figure who seems religious, but who is actually a controller? (Such as the Nicolaitans.)
“When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.”
The second horse is fiery red, and its rider had power to take peace from the earth and make people kill each other. Civil war? World war? Peace on earth is a central theme of the Gospel, but somehow hatred is permitted by God here.
“When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six pounds of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!””
With the third seal comes a black horse, whose rider announces economic collapse. Whether it is terrible inflation, or a recession, depression or perhaps a famine that brings low crop production, it is a devastating time to be living on earth. We have not been given a reason for any of this, but we know from plenty of examples in the Bible that a physical problem is often based in a deeper spiritual problem.
“When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades 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.”
The fourth seal brings a pale horse, whose rider is Death. A fourth of the earth’s population is killed by war, by famine, by plague, or even by wild beasts. Think of how we reacted to COVID-19, arguing over masks, trusting in science, and in general not repenting.
And then comes what might be the center of the book.
“When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.”
The martyrs themselves are crying out for vengeance, based on the spilling of their own blood for the Master. They see this conqueror on a white horse, warfare on a red horse, economic collapse on a black horse and death on a pale horse. And yet the inhabitants of the earth do not repent. This is the story of human history from a heavenly perspective, isn’t it? We long to see Jesus come and claim his place, and put the devil in his.
And so we wait. We wait for the full number of martyrs to be completed.
And then comes the sixth seal. And with it, the entire earthly planet is being shaken. Everyone is afraid. Afraid of death. But also afraid of the wrath of the Lamb!
“They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?””
The answer, I think, is that no one can withstand judgment from God! Even in this chapter, God is only toying with the inhabitants of earth. Soon. Very soon. The judgment is coming! Repent and believe the good news! It was the message of John the Baptist, the message of Jesus Christ, and the message of Peter and the other apostles.
May we all hear the voice of the shepherd as he calls to us in the midst of the noise. He who has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches! Amen.
