Section 3: Seven Seals Introduction to the Seven Seals Introduction to the Seven Seals This scene of the breaking of the Seven Seals follows after the translation of the Bride, for the elders already have their crowns, (Rev. 4:10). Also this scene comes after the Rapture of the Church. We read of the rapture in type in Rev. 4:1. The Four Beasts or Four Living Creatures which represent "the Body of Christ" or the Church are at the Throne, also. The Similarities of the First Four Seals The Opener of the Seals. "The Lamb" vs. 1 In Chapter 5, it was dramatically shown that only the Lamb had the power to take the Book and the power and authority to open the book. The Seals Opened John saw something vs. 1. John saw something before the thunder. Like a flash of lightening before the storm. He heard something. He heard - "As it were the noise of thunder". The Command Given. "Come" The Command is Not to John. He is there in the Throne. The Command is A call into Action. A release of Judgment. The Command is Repeated. In regard to the first four seals. The Source of the Command. "One of the Four Beasts". The Elders are involved with things concerning heavenly subjects (ch. 5 & 7) and The living Creatures are directly involved with things that are Earthly. 1 Corinthians 6:2 -- Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? The Particulars of the Seven Seals The Number Seven There are Seven Seals in Number. This is indicative of the COMPLETENESS of this administration. The Seals are arranged in two distinct groups - first there are four and then there are three. A Worldly number that is followed by the heavenly number. These Seven Seals are a Divine judgment on a wicked world The First Four Seals are Distinguished by Horses and Horsemen. Horses are symbolic pictures of the Power of the Almighty. 2 Kings 6:17 -- And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. [Job 39:19-25; Zech. 1:8-10; Zech. 6:2-5] Four Spirits of the heavens from Zechariah 6: Zechariach 6:1-8 -- And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass. 2 In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses; 3 And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses. 4 Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord? 5 And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country. 7 And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth. 8 Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country. Opening of Seals 1, 2, 3, & 4 Opening of Seals 1, 2, 3, & 4 The Opening of the First Seal 6:1-2 The Releasing of Divine Judgment "A white horse" "White" Righteousness "Horse" Divine Power.A righteous judgment of God on the Earth. The Commission of The Rider "He that sat on him had a bow. "The "bow" is an instrument of war.Not of a destructive war-but of a moral war.Psa. 64:7-9; Hab. 3:8-9; Isa. 26:9. " And a crown was given un to him" "And he went forth conquering, and to conquer. "Psa. 110:3; Isa. 26:9; Dan 12:8-10; Joe12:28-32. The Opening of The Second Seal 6:3-4 The Releasing of Divine Vengeance "A Red Horse" "Red" the color of blood.Wars and Blood shed. "Horse" Divine Power.The wrath of God on the Earth. The Commission to the Rider. "Power was given to him.. .to take peace from the earth" II Chron. 15: 3,5 A type."They shall kill one another" "There was given unto him a great sword." "Rhomphaia " "Megas" -Sword —Large The Opening of The Third Seal. 6:5-6 The Commission of The Third Rider. vs. 5-6 A Black Horse - Black is the symbolic color of dearth and famine. Jer. 14:1-2; Lam.4:8-10 5:10. Notice verse nine — Famines are the scenes of violence and tragedy. II Kings 6:25-29; Luke 21:23; Matt. 24:19. "A Pair of Balances in His Hand." Balances are used for exact weighing Indicating that there is a scarcity of food. vs.6Bread by weight always implies scarcity. Lev.26:26; Eze.4:16.When corn is in abundances; it is sold by gross measures and no attention is paid to a few hundred grains. The Settling of Prices. vs. 6 This also adds to the fact of scarcity of food. "A Measure of Wheat."The word, measure, used here is the Greek word, choenix (which would be about a quart). Davis Dictionary of the Bible. A measure or quart of wheat would be the ordinary allowance of wheat to a man for one day's scanty subsistence. The Usual Price.The usual price of a "choenix" of wheat was one-eighth of a "penny" , or denarius. The price named in the text, being eight times this, indicating further the greatness of the famine. The Value of the Penny.In the A.S.R.V. the word "penny" is translated "shilling." A shillingin the Greek denotes a coin worth about eight pence, or nearly seventeen cents. Probably the Roman Denarias a coin worth about 17 cents. This was the amount a soldier received for a days pay. Also in Matt. 20:###The ordinary wage for a full days labor, would be (17 cents) a penny. All that a man can do is earn the bread that he will use himself. What if he has a family? The Barley By Price. Food of horses and cattle - And also the days subsistence of a slave."Hurt not the oil and the wine" A matter of grace. In judgment God remembers mercy. The Opening of The Fourth Seal 6:7-8 The Commission of The Fourth Rider vs. 8 "A Pale Horse" "Chloros" It is translated "Green" Rev. 8:7,9:4; Mark 6:39. Its Rider -"Death" Personified Death, and Hell followed him. Its Power - Power over a fourth part of the earth . Of the total population of the earth one forth will die. Its Manner of Death. Kill with sword With hunger With Death (Pestilence) Jer. 38:2; Eze.6:11; Matt. 24:7; Luke 21:10-11 With Beasts Ezek. 14:21 Opening of Seals 5 and 6 Opening of Seals 5 and 6 The Opening of The Fifth Seal 6:9-11 The manifestations under the breaking of this seal differ, in some respects, from the four preceding. There is no expression from the Living ones. There are no 'horsemen or horses. And the burden of the description is exhibited in the results rather than in the processes. Yet, everything belongs to the same general category of trial and suffering. Under this fifth seal, we have added, bloody persecution of those who hold and testify to the truth. The good as well as the bad suffer the hour of trial. Hence, this fifth seal is the picture of Persecution and Martyrdom. There are no voices of command from Heaven under this seal, and no messengers despatched from the throne; the reason, bloody persecutions of God's servants come from beneath -not from above. It is the devil who is the murderer. It is Dragon that makes war with the saints. These are martyrs of this particular period of time. Martyrs of the Judgment. The Cause of Their Martyrdom. vs. 9 It is not death, but the cause of death, which constitutes a martyr. Millions upon millions perish under the preceding seals, but they are not called marytrs. The cause for which these were slain makes them martyrs. "Slain for the Word of God" What they may have rejected in the past, now hold to be the very Word of God . "And for the testimony which they held. " (Steadfast adherence to the faith) Probably the testimony of all that was happening. Plagues, disorders, and horrors around them. It will be more than the hardened hearts of scorning unbelievers can bear. Their Estate at That Time vs.9 They are "Soul s" Their slaying is not the end. They can be seen. "Saw" Invisible to men in the flesh, seen in the spirit. They can speak. vs. 10 "They cried with a loud voice." It is wrong to say the dead is in a state of non-existence, unconsciousness, or oblivion. Matt. 10:28; kill body - not soul Luke 20:38; Not the God of the dead. Luke 16:19-31 Rich man and Lazarus. Luke 23: 43 "To-day" Consider the experiences of dying believers,and their testimonies. The Message They Convey. vs. 10 (last part) It is a cry addressed to the throne. "0 Lord, holy and true" It is a cry for fulfillment. It has started why the delay. The Response To Their Message. vs. 11 They were given White Robes. They were approved and precious They were to rest awhile They were to rest in Him The reason for their rest. There were others God wanted to make it. "Until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. " The Opening of The Sixth Seal. 6:12-17 Fearful Physical Events "A great earthquake" A great shaking -applied to the shaking of a fig tree- everything will be shaken. "Sun became black " "As sackcloth of hair" "The moon became as blood " Joe12:31; Matt 24:29; Mark 13:24-26; Luke 21:25; Acts 2:19-21 "The Stars Fall " The Effect on Earth of These. Starts vs. 14 The Effects of these Events on Humanity. vs. 15-17 The General Condition of Society Kings -great men -rich men - chief captains etc. The Security is Gone. "hid themselves" They realized the source of these events. vs. 16 Hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. The Sealing of the 144,000 The Sealing of the 144,000. 7:1-8 The judgment has begun, and has progressed through a number of its most important stages, but grace has not entirely departed. The sealing must take place before the judgment can continue. vs. 1-3 Who The 144,000 Are vs. 4 "Of all the tribes of the children of Israel. " They are Jews- not the Church. The sealed ones are one company, complete in itself; and the Elders and Living ones are another company complete in themselves. John sees them all at the same time, the one in the presence of the other. 12 thousand from each tribe: Judah -confession or praise of God Reuben- behold a Son or viewing the Son Gad -a company or a troupe Asher- blessed or happy Naphtali- obtained by wrestling Manasseh -making to forget Simeon -hearing or obeying Levi -adhesion or cleaving to Issachar -a reward Zebulon- habitation or dwelling Joseph -added or addition Benjamin- Son of the right hand Look at them all together. Confessors or praises of God, looking upon the Son, a company of blessed ones, wrestling or fighting for what is ahead, forgetting these things that are behind, hearing and obeying the word, cleaving unto the reward of a heavenly habitation, an addition to what has already happened, sons of the day of God's hand, or the day of His Power, begotten in the extremity of the age. One reason the names of Dan and Ephraim is left out. Dan means a judge. These 144,000 are not judges, and never become judges. Ephraim -double fruitfulness, or increase, or growth by multiplication. These are a fixed number 144,000. These are Israelites, living in the period of the judgment, who confess and look to Christ as their Messiah. The Time of Their Sealing It takes place on earth. After the opening of the Sixth Seal Chpt. 7:1 Before the opening of the Seventh Seal vs. 3 The Nature of Their Sealing It is a mark Of some sort. The impression or mark of a seal or signet. Conspicuous and observable. In the Old Testament the Mark of Circumcision In Egypt the Mark of the Blood Rahab the Mark of the scarlet thread . Anti-christ puts a mark on his followers. In their foreheads -vs. 3 Similar to Eze. 9:4 It is something Supernatural. vs. 2 "The seal of the living God" As all believers are sealed by the Lord. Eph. 1:13; Eph. 4:30; II Cor. 1:22 The Agent of Their Sealing By an angel vs. 2 "I saw another angel" Coming from the East - The rising of the Sun. "Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise." The Basis of Their Sealing - They are "The Servants of God" vs. 4. The Palm-Bearing Multitude The Palm–Bearing Multitude 7:9–17 It was from heaven that John beheld the shaking and the sealing;. and from the same point of view he sees this company. The question of the Elder is what we want to deal with first. vs. 9 "Who are they? and whence came they?" Some believe they are the early Christians victorious over the sorrows and persecutions. Some believe they are the Christians under Constantine. To decide who they are look at: Who They Are Not They are not the highest class of the redeemed. The Elders "Sit" –these "Stand" vs. 9 "Stood before the Throne". The Elders have Crowns and Thrones – These have neither. The Elders appear in their places – And have received their reward before judgment. These came to the throne after judgment has started. The Elders were "counted worthy to escape all these things" [Luke 21:36]. These were in the Judgment. "Out of the great tribulation. " vs. 14 They are not the Church The Four Living creatures make up the Church. The Rapture of the Church takes place before the Great Tribulation. These are taken out of the Great Tribulation. They are not the sealed ones – The sealed ones were a definite number. These are uncounted and numberless. vs.9 The sealed ones were of Israel. "These are out of every nation, and kindreds, and people, and tongues." Who They Are They are redeemed people. They were once sinners. They are now saved. Vs. 10 "Salvation to Our God, " " And to the Lamb." They are people living on the Earth during the Judgment vs. 14 "Come out of Great Tribulation. " Some believe because of the number that they are from all ages– Come out of Great Tribulation. They are people who were unprepared, and were "left" when the Rapture took place. There were ten virgins in Matthew 25. Five were wise and five were foolish. The five foolish were left outside the marriage door. Matthew 25:11-13 — Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. There are no crowns or thrones, but only palms. They did not hear the gentle voice of the Spirit, and therefore were not rewarded in the same way those that overcame and escaped the great tribulation. But they did learn their lesson through great trial and are given great promises of blessing. Isaiah 26:9,10 —…for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. 10 Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD. Some will learn righteousness, but not all will turn to God even in such terrible judgment. Daniel 12:10 —Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. Their Eternal State They are in heaven. Lazarus –The Richman Where God is etc. They are "before" the throne. vs. 9 They're not in the throne but; They are before it. "Serve in the temple" vs. 15 They are "clothed in white robes." The garments of saints. They have "palm branches in their hands" the ancient people –the feast of Tabernacles. Palms are Symbolic of Victory. Also– vs. 10 They shall hunger no more, vs 16 "neither thirst any more." They shall not be burnt "neither…sun… nor… heat" vs. 16 They shall be Fed. vs. 17 Opening of The Seventh Seal Opening of The Seventh Seal (8:1) Details of the Silence The Lamb is "He" Who breaks or opens the seal. In response to the breaking of the seal there is silence. This silence appears to be a "calm before the storm". This silence takes place "In Heaven" and lasts for half an hour ("Hemioron" "Hemi": Half plus "Hora": Hour). Meaning of the Silence This seal and the resulting silence are quite mysterious. We can consider the definitions of the words used, but any other suggestings to their meaning is speculation. In Revelation 8:1, "Silence" (siqe) means hush, voluntary stillness or refusal to speak. It is a silence of intense interest and awful expectancy with reference to the results of the breaking of the seventh seal. As the following section of Revelation makes several strong allusions to the different parts of temple worship. For example: Altar and incense in 8:3. Four horns of the altar in 9:13. Temple of God in 11:1. Adam Clarke makes a comparison of this silence and the prayerful silence of the people who waited while the priest went in to burn incense in the holy place. Luke 1:10 -- And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.