Revelation

A SEALED BOOK OR SCROLL
5:1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
5:2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?


ONLY ONE IS WORTHY TO UNSEALED THE BOOK
5:5 the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
5:9 Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

FIRST SEAL -WHITE HORSE
: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.
6:2 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.

SECOND SEAL -RED HORSE
6:3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
6:4 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.

THIRD SEAL -BLACK HORSE
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.
6:6 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.
6:7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.

FOURTH SEAL - PALE HORSE
6:8 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.

FIFTH SEAL - HOPE OF THE MARTYRS
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:
6:10 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?
6:11 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 fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they [were], should be fulfilled.


SIXTH SEAL - LAST DAYS
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;
6:13 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.

Second Coming
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.

Two Groups
The Lost
6:15 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;
6:16 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:
6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

The Saved
7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred forty four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
7:15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

SEVENTH SEAL
8:1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.


When seeing the saved before God's throne -- there is much rejoicing!

But there is another scene --
When God created the earth the son's of God shouted for joy.
Now -- as the heavenly host view this world, that beautiful world God created in the beginning.
It is in total shambles, in complete destruction, millions dead, unsaved.
There is a moment of silence about the space of half an hour. Mourning! So many, so many who refused the gift of life.

Why is Jesus alone worthy to take the book and unseal it?

Rev. 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying,
Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for
thou wast slain, and
hast redeemed us to God
by thy blood
out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

The reason Jesus is worthy to take the book and unseal it is: that everything in that book is totally depended on His death on the cross, and the redemption which He won, with His shed blood, for all mankind.

The scroll is none other than the everlasting covenant.



That covenant had to be ratified (fulfilled) before it could be put into effect. It was ratified at the cross by Jesus Christ.
Now Jesus could take the scroll and administer all it's provisions!!!!

The aim of the heavenly trio is not to see how many they can shut out of heaven. No, no! The whole heavenly scene is engaged
to save as many as possible. As many as would come and give their allegiance to the One Who gave His life so He could save them.

John wept bitterly, because he understood finding someone who could administer that covenant meant salvation.

Phil. 2:6 Although from the beginning He had the nature of God He did not reckon His equality with God a treasure to be tightly grasped.
7 Nay, He stripped Himself of His glory, and took on Him the nature of a bondservant by becoming a man like other men.
8 And being recognized as truly human, He humbled Himself and even stooped to die; yes, to die on a cross.
9 It is in consequence of this that God has also so highly exalted Him, and has conferred on Him the Name which is supreme above every other,
10 in order that in the Name of JESUS every knee should bow, of beings in Heaven, of those on the earth, and of those in the underworld,
11 that every tongue should confess that JESUS CHRIST is LORD, to the glory of God the Father. WEY



"This love is past all language to describe. It is the mystery of God in the flesh, God in Christ, and divinity in humanity. Christ bowed down in unparalleled humility, that in his exaltation to the throne of God, he might also exalt those who believe in him, to a seat with him upon his throne. All who look upon Jesus in faith that the wounds and bruises that sin has made will be healed in him, shall be made whole. {CE 77.1}
"The blood drops of agony that from His wounded temples flowed down His face and beard were the pledge of His anointing with "the oil of gladness" (Hebrews 1:9.) as our great high priest. {DA 734.4}


Here is revealed the opening of the heavenly sanctuary ministry of the new covenant.

"Behold the Man whose name is The Branch; . . . He shall build the temple of the Lord;
and He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon His throne;
and He shall be a priest upon His throne." Zech. 6:12, 13.
"Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him,
seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." Heb. 7:25.

This is one of the most dramatic scenes descripted in the book of Revelation!

For thousands of years (four thousand in fact) the universe had looked forward to the time when God would ratify His covenant. Agreed upon before creation, promised to fallen mankind, anticipated, but not yet ratified.

God, seated on His throne holds the sealed book (scroll) in His hand. The mighty angel with a strong voice that reached to all of God's creation, asking the challenging question: "Who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof?"

There is a long pause. Is there no one worthy to open the sealed book? How about all of the would be gods, since man's fall into sin? Where are they now to prove their boastful claims?
John "wept much." He was sure that the book contained great secrets of the plan of salvation. At last "the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David had won the right to open the scroll and to break its seven seals".12 (NEB)

All eyes were fixed upon the Son of God as He stepped up to the Eternal One "and took the book". He was the only One in the entire universe that had "won the right" to open the scroll and to break its seven seals, He was of the right linage according to the plan and purpose of God to save all that was lost. "All the promises of God find their YES in Him" 2Cor. 1:20) No one could dispute His right. Even Satan, who claimed to be the "prince of this world" could find nothing against Christ (John 14:30) Satan had exerted all his power to destroy the Lamb at the cross, but what appeared to be a victory for the devil proved to be his eternal defeat, He was cast out of heaven, and dared not appear to bring accusations against the Redeemer of the world.

The triumph of the Lamb was complete. His right to rule in the kingdom usurped by the foe, was fully and forever established.

Worship the Lamb that was slain and has redeemed us !!! Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing!!!!

(Message of Revelation , Henry Rudy)

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.
6:2 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.

Christ has taken the scroll in that awesome scene in the courts of heaven.
The covenant has been ratified, the One worthy to offer the gift of salvation to all mankind has taken His place in the heavenly sanctuary and together with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, heaven focuses on bringing the gospel to fallen humanity, seeking to save the lost.

We won't see what's in the scroll until all the seals are opened. Seven seals symbolize that scroll is perfectly sealed. The scroll has writing on both sides. A scroll with writing on both sides pictures a complete message. Therefore, the complete message relating to God's dealings with sin and salvation is in that scroll.


Jesus, the Lamb, opens the first seal.and there was, as it were the noise of thunder.

Revelation 4:5: "From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God."
The voice of God is depicted as thunderous rumblings that display the power, majesty and glory of our mighty Lord.

A white horse appears -- the gospel in the pureness of apostolic times is going forth.
The Holy Spirit , (the seven flaming lamps blazing before the throne of God) descend upon the small group of believers on earth. Pentecost, marking the beginning of the Christian church.

Tongues which appeared like fire rested upon each praying disciple in the upper room and they were filled with the Holy Spirit.(Acts 2) Three thousand were baptized that day as these Holy Spirit empowered men preached the gospel to the crowd in Jerusalem. And that was just the beginning!
The fire of the Holy Spirit was started, and it went forth to conquer, the arrows of truth bringing home to the hearts of people that Jesus was indeed the Savior and Redeemer and would give all who come to Him a crown of life!

Then another horse went out, a fiery red one, and its rider was allowed to take peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another. And a large sword was given to him

A fiery red horse follows the white horse. Red tends to symbolize blood.
People are killing each other.

The Gospel of Christ offers peace on earth, but when people fail to receive the truth, it brings the sword and bloodshed. What a sad picture after seeing the glorious revelation of a horse going forth with the gospel of deliverance, we see following it, a horse of bloodshed.

But Jesus foretold this:
Matthew 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
10:36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

It's a paradox, but sadly it is the truth.
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

This corresponds with the second church in which the suffering believers are comforted with the message:
Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which you shall suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, and try your faith... be faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
2:11 He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches; He that overcomes shall not be hurt of the second death.


The Prince of Peace, He who came to give us peace, was yet the cause of division. He who came to proclaim glad tidings and to create hope and joy in the hearts of the children of men, opened a controversy that burns deep and arouses intense passion in the human heart.

This prophecy has been fulfilled in a marked manner. Every indignity, reproach, and cruelty that Satan could instigate human hearts to devise, has been visited upon the followers of Jesus all through the Christian era. And it will again be fulfilled in a marked manner; for the carnal heart is still at enmity with the law of God, and will not be subject to its commands. The world is no more in harmony with the principles of Christ today than it was in the days of the apostles. The same hatred that prompted the cry, "Crucify Him! crucify Him!" the same hatred that led to the persecution of the disciples, still works in the children of disobedience.

But Christ's promises will sustain all who trust in Him. For He promised He will never leave His trusting people, and in the end will give them white robes, a crown of life, and eternal life with Him.

(Hebrews 13:5-6, Matthew 28:20, Rev. 6:11, 7:14-16 Psalm 125:1-3; 72:14). {See also AA 85-86}

Revelation 6:5-6 And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, Come. And I saw, and behold, a black horse; and he that sat thereon had a balance in his hand.
And I heard as it were a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, A measure of wheat for a shilling, and three measures of barley for a shilling; and the oil and the wine hurt thou not.

The gospel of Christ had gone forth into the world, pure and white, bringing the good news of salvation and freedom from sin.

It didn't take long for the counter attacks to be launched. The first attack by the enemy of truth was to persecute and kill the bearers of the good news.
But persecution tended to increase the devotion of the believers and surprisingly added many new converts who wanted the truth and peace these martyrs had even in the face of persecution.

So the red horse (though still out there) was reined back, and a black horse appears.

The rider on the black horse holds a scale and from the context it appears he is weighing food? A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius?
Back in John's day, wheat, barley, oil, and wine were the basic necessities of life. The price of the grain denoted great scarcity or famine. A denarius was a full day's wage.


The white horse represents the preaching of the gospel But now the black horse denotes a famine of the gospel.
Grain in the Bible symbolizes the Word of God (Luke 8:11).
Now the Word of God was being rationed.

A weigh scale also symbolizes judging. When people loose the Spirit of God, they tend to become self appointed judges over other people. Gods' Word admonishes us to treat others as equals, with love and respect. But the church was drifting into a caste system in which some exalt self above the Lawgiver and begin to seat themselves as judges over the members.

In 312 AD Constantine became emperor, and persecution of Christians basically ended. (The red horse was reined in, though persecution never really stopped for those resisting the infiltration of pagan ideas.)

The Christian church finds itself in a time of transition as they unite with the very power that once persecuted them. They transitioned from a relatively poor, struggling existence to one that was pampered and supported by the government.
Pagan Rome was being "Christianized" but the church was being infiltrated with paganism, and secularization.

Though there was already some leaning toward Sunday worship earlier to distance themselves from the Jews, once this union with Rome was made,
adopting the Sun-day, the day of worship of the sun, moved forward. The first Sunday law was passed by Constantine and not long after Roman popes gradually fully replaced God's Sabbath with the pagan festival, Sunday.

Many other pagan ideas, coated with a Christian cloak, took hold in the church in the centuries following. Also we have the emergence of the Roman bishop as "pope" ..
The pure gospel became scares. The horse of Christianity was blackened. The word of God was mixed with traditions and infiltrated with pagan ideas. A famine for the word of God was in the land.

Hurt not the oil and the wine.
The oil of the Holy Spirit, and the pure unfermented wine of truth.
It was still there, for those looking and holding fast to the word of God and the gospel of Christ. It was still shining in the darkness.



A dark horse represents darkness.
Darkness was beclouding the gospel so many people could not comprehend it.
But Christ is the light.

John 1:4-5
In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

And He is also the righteous judge with the perfect scales weighing His sacrifice against our sin! "Let no man judge you" (Col 2:160
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ
(2Cor.5:10)

COMPARISONS

Zechariah also describes four horses in Zechariah chapter six.

Black, Red, White, and grizzled.

He asked, "What are these? "What do they represent?"

The angel answers: "

These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth....that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth.

The horses represent God's people who are directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit to carry God's message to and fro all over the earth

.

In Revelation 6 we find four horses of these same colors. Again they represent God's people sent forth to carry the gospel to the world. How did they do? How well did they accept the guidance of the Holy Spirit? How in tune were they with the Holy spirit which was the power that would have enabled them to give the message with power.

.

The four horses in Revelation 6 seem to parallel with the seven churches in many ways. Christ Himself gives the messages to the seven churches. While the seals, representing the Holy Spirits work and reveals how in tune with the Holy Spirit these churches were..

You were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance (Ephesians 1:13?14)

/

CHURCHES	...	SEALS
Ephesus, apostalic church Well grounded, giving gospel, but beginning to lose their first love.	...	White Horse, giving gospel with arrows to pierce through selfishnes, and pride, conquering
Smyrna, persecuted church be faithful unto death I will give you a crown of life.	...	Red Horse, the church is giving gospel but suffering a lot of persecution..
Pergamos Church, false doctrine creeping in They have a pagan throne in their midst, but still have those holding to the truth.	...	Black horse, God's Word getting scares and false practices creep in, but there is still some "oil and wine"

6:8 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.

A horse that still professes to be Christ's people, but who no longer follow the Holy Spirit.
Babylon has replaced her ideals and purposes and she is Babylon! She has "become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird". (Rev. 18:2)

The church state union begun with Constantine's reign, though at first celebrated as a victory for Christianity, was actually the cause of the main church's descent into the "beast power" of Roman/Babylon.

Now move two hundred years forward and consider Justinian (527-565) emperor of the eastern Roman Empire with head quarters in Constantinople. Religious tolerance was not part of his method of governing. He felt it his duty to control religion.



The reign of Justinian, according to Bruce Shelley, in "Church History in Plain Language" p. 146 ,147

Archibald Bower in History of the Popes, tells us;



Gibbon's also tells us in chapter 41 that as the conquest of the west progressed Justinian was
This recognition, that made the papacy THE HEAD OF ALL CHURCHES, was incorporated into the Justinian Code. Thus the Catholic faith was official recognized by law, as the only orthodox religion of the empire and the two mighty forces of state and religion were legally united under the papacy.

W.E.H Lecky in "History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe" wrote about the result of this union:


Indeed, the rider of the pale horse brought "death and hell"

So we've looked at the first four seals as they relate to Christian church responding to God's new covenant in Christ.

1. Starting out with enthusiasm for the gospel, going out to all the world to proclaim the good news to all who will listen.

2. Facing resistance and persecution but still riding on witnessing for the truth.

3. Slipping into compromise, letting the gospel be diluted with falsehoods.

4. Resulting in a gospel that is no longer "good news" for it has lost it's life giving power, and itself becomes the source of death.

But the horses, once they have ridden forth continue to ride. The white horse, still rides, though more hidden, oppressed, persecuted. It can be found in the remote places where the Bible and its truths are treasured. All the horses are still riding.

The sad part is the pattern keeps repeating itself.

The Holy Spirit brings a great Reformation:

The white horse is allowed to come again into prominence in the Reformation, the gospel truths are uncovered and proclaimed with enthusiasm.
But again the red horse rides with heavy persecution.
Then the black reappears to dilute, and dampen and compromise the truth being proclaimed.
And again the gospel loses it's life giving power and slips back to finally ride again as a pale horse of deadly error and death.

The sequence happens in churches, that arise with eagerness to find and hold truth,
but as generations come and go, they too slip into compromise and lose their life giving strength.

Indeed the cry goes forth -- WHO WILL BE ABLE TO STAND.

Where do we see our own church in this pattern?