BREAKING THE SEVEN SEALS
REVELATION 6:1 – 8:1
SEALS
1 – 4: THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE; 6:1-8
Keep in mind that the historical event of the Lamb slain precedes
the opening of the seven seals.
Most interpreters would agree that in chronological
time the seals begin following the cross/resurrection event.
Can we determine where the seals end?
Revelation 6:12-17 is typical of Old Testament passages describing
final judgment.
For example Is. 2:2-19; Hosea 10:1-8; Is.34:1-4; Joel 2:28-
3:3; Mal. 3:2.
My own interpretation is that the sixth seal represents final
judgment.
Chapter seven can be seen as an interlude showing the saints
in heaven during and/or after judgment on Earth.
The Seventh seal, Revelation 8:1 is silence in
Heaven, or THE END!
Further: Chapter 6:17
says, “For the great day of their wrath HAS COME.”
Chapter 7:17 says, “And God will wipe away all
tears…”
This relates to Rev. 21:4,6.
NO teacher of Revelation suggests that God will wipe
away all tears before the end of the age.
So, the seals represent a panoramic view of life on Earth during
the end time, the church age, the age of grace, the time of
the gentiles, or the parenthesis.
All of these terms are synonymous for the period of
time from the ascension of Christ into heaven until His
return.
Yes, I am suggesting that the seals begin with the
cross/resurrection event and end with final judgment as
Christ assumes His rightful place as King of Kings and Lord
of Lords upon the Earth.
Further, I am suggesting from scriptural evidence that the Trumpets
parallel the seals rather than following them.
The seals represent an overview of life for the followers of the
Lamb while the trumpets represent an overview of partial
judgment that comes during that same period of time but
relates to those who have rejected the Lamb of God and are
followers of the Dragon.
1.
The first seal opened
– a white horse; 6:1-2
2.
The second seal
opened – a red horse; 6:3-4
3.
The third seal opened
– a black horse; 6:5-6
4.
The fourth seal
opened – a pale horse; 6:7-8
SEALS
5 – 6:
CONTRASTING VIEWS IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH; 6:9-17
5.
The fifth seal opened
– martyred souls; 6:9-11
6.
The sixth seal opened
– judgments; 6:12-17
a.
A crashing universe;
6:12-14
b.
A frightened human
race; 6:15-17
THE
SEALING OF THE SAINTS: 7:1-16
7
The first interlude:
Care of the faithful; 7:1-17
a.
The church militant,
safe in midst of judgment; 7:1-6
b.
The church
triumphant, save above judgment; 7:9-17
i.
The redeemed in
heaven; 7:9-10
ii.
The angels, elders,
and living creatures join; 7:11-12
iii.
The glorious state of
the redeemed; 7:13-17
THE END:
8:1
7.
The seventh seal
opened – silence in heaven; 8:1
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
-
Keeping in mind that
scripturally the seals broken begin sometime after the
historical event of the ‘lamb slain’; can we determine
where the seals end?
(Consider these O.T. passages:
Isaiah 2:2-19; Hosea 10:1-8; Isaiah 34:1-4; Joel
2:28-3:3; Malachi 3:2)
2.
Will God ‘wipe away tears’
more than once?
Compare the language of
Revelation
Chapter 7:13 ff. and the language of Rev. 21:4, 6.
see 7:17
3. Where do the
events described in Chapter 7 occur?
4.
What is the significance of the 7th seal;
8:1?
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