The Seven Seals
Introduction to the Seals
We would like to mention what the seals are not. Popular beliefs and teachings would like us to believe the seals happen over a long period of time stretching back into the past, some say up to 2000 years. And some even say we are in the 6th seal now. Some teach the seals are also the Plagues. The seals do not represent the Plagues.
The seals are about what the Antichrist does to the Christians during the last 3 1/2 years, not what God does to the people. God is allowing Satan his time so God’s graciousness will be manifest.
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death
The event which starts the great tribulation is the rider on the white horse. He comes out to conquer the Jews and the Antichrist goes into Jerusalem and claim to be God. He will set up the abomination of desolation and will trample the city for 42 months (3 1/2 years). The Jews in Judea will flee into the wilderness and the Antichrist will go after the Christians who keep the commandments of God. By the 5th seal most Christians are dead and a few more to be killed, just like how Daniel and Revelation shows. Here are a few passages which talk about the death of the Christians during the great tribulation.
Daniel 7:20-22 20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. 21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; 22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
Daniel 7:25-26 25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. 26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
Daniel 8:24 His power shall be great–but not by his own power; and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints.
The First Seal
The seals represent what will happen to the Christians during the last 3 1/2 years before Christ returns. This will be a terrible time for the Christians. The seals explain famine, disease, killing, and finally the death of the Christians at the hand of the Antichrist.
Jesus the Great StoryTeller explains what will happen during the time of the seals in Matthew 24. Now lets look at what Revelation has to say about the seals in chapter 6.
Revelation 6:1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
Some teachings say this passage is talking about Jesus, but it is not, it is talking about the Antichrist. The only time Jesus is mentioned on a white horse is in Revelation 19:11, which is Armageddon. This is at the end of God’s wrath.
The Antichrist on the white horse is going forth to conquer and deceive the Christians. Jesus warned us about this in Matthew 24:4-5,11,23-25
Matthew24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many
Matthew24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before
The Second Seal
Revelation 6:3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. 4 And 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 unto him a great sword.
The Red Horse represents the Antichrist going out to kill the Christians. Jesus warned us about this in Matthew 24:9 and Revelation 13:10
Matthew 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
Revelation 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
The Third Seal
Revelation 6:5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast 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. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
This passage implies inflation and famine conditions. A quart of wheat could supply and average person with one day of substance. Barley was used by the poor to mix with the wheat. Food shortages cause inflation in food prices. And the higher prices makes the remaining food harder to afford. The mentioning of oil and wine here may indicate there will be some pockets of abundance in the midst of the famine. Christ said in Matthew 24 there will be famine in various places.
The Forth Seal
Revelation 6:7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
Notice in verse 8 Satan has stepped up the mass killing of the Christians. We are now getting closer to the end of the 3 1/2 years. Most people get confused by verse 8 because it says “Death and Hell followed with him”. The correct wording should be “death and the grave followed with him”. Hell is translated from the greek word hades which just means the grave.
Before we go on to the Fifth Seal, I want you to know the four horses are over. They represented a timeline from the beginning of Tribulation up to near the end of Tribulation.
- White = Antichrist/False Prophet
- Red = War on the Christians
- Black = Famine
- Pale = Death/Grave
The Fifth Seal
Revelation 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
Notice in verse 9 as we come to the end of the great tribulation all the pain in suffering has not been in vain. Remember Revelation 12:11
Revelation 12:11 And they ov
ercame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death
The Sixth Seal
The sixth seal is the gathering of the dead, this is the so called rapture. This is what the Bible prophets call the Day of the Lord.
Revelation 6:12 And 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; 13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
The is the same event as mentioned in Matthew 24:29-31
Matthew 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
The wicked on earth just witnessed the dead coming to life and sees the Lord in the air.
Revelation 6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Now they realize the wrath of God is coming. Now, this leads us into the Seventh Seal.
The Seventh Seal
Revelation 8:1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
This is the calm before the storm.
Now, remember, the seals are about what was happening to the Christians during the last 3 1/2 years before the second coming of the Lord. The Christians have all been taken away their time on earth is finished.
Today the churches are teaching Christians will have it easy and will not go through tribulation. They are told they will be taken away before anything bad starts to happen. But the Bible shows that God’s people are always persecuted and life will not always be easy.
We want to prepare you for what it going to happen, so your faith will stay strong and you will overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and the testimony of Jesus Christ, so, in the end you will wear that white robe.
