THE SEVEN SEALS – Part 1

Revelation 6:1-11

The first four seals have to do with what is happening on earth until Jesus comes.

The First Seal: The White Horse 6:1-2

John is still looking into heaven at the throne of God where the Lamb is standing with the seven-sealed scroll in his hand. We are not told about the contents of the scroll in the hand of the Lamb; we are only shown pictures of what is taking place.

One of the living creatures does not necessarily mean the first one in importance. Each of the four utters the summons to come forth, even though the first one speaks with a voice like a thunderclap. The volume with which he speaks is meant to call everyone to pay attention to the command to come.

There are four good reasons for interpreting Christ as the conqueror:

1. The context favors it, because John is told, “Weep not; look, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has overcome (has conquered)” (5:5).

2. The symbolism of the color white in Revelation refers to that which is holy and pure; the crown refers to Christ, who is wearing a crown of gold (14:14); and the verb to conquer, with two exceptions, always points to either Christ or his followers.

3. The parallel (19:11) of Christ riding on a white horse is clear, so that Scripture is its own interpreter.

4. A messianic psalm (Ps. 45:3–5) describes the Christ as riding forth victoriously and with sharp arrows piercing the hearts of his enemies.

The white horse represents Christ and His gospel sent into the world to both save and judge; save those who turn from their sins and believe the gospel and judge those who do not.

Jesus said in Matthew 24:14 that the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a witness to all the nations and then the end shall come.

The Word of God (Christ and His gospel) goes forth conquering and to conquer (by the power of the Holy Spirit), as is evident from the Book of Acts and church history.

The next three horses and their riders symbolize waging war, causing famine, and effecting death.

Second Seal: The Red Horse 6:3-4

Jesus (the Lamb) opened the second seal. Another horse came out, a fiery red one. While white stands for holiness, purity, and justice, the color red signifies bloodshed and points to warfare. The Greek word pyr (fire) has a related word pyrros that means fiery red.

The conflict depicted in Revelation is that of God versus Satan, Christ versus the Antichrist, and the Holy Spirit versus the false prophet. Wherever the gospel is introduced in areas where it has not yet been preached, this conflict is real and often leads to bloodshed.

Jesus himself said, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matt. 10:34). And he said, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars.… Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom” (Matt. 24:6, 7).

Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other.

Translators generally insert the word authority or power to complete the concept of taking peace from the earth. The text literally reads, “It was granted to take peace from the earth”

The rider on this red-colored horse personifies evil that opposes God, his Word, and his people. Wherever this evil enters, peace vanishes. Opposition to the preaching and teaching of the gospel often results in serious conflict even in one’s own family: “A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household” (Matt. 10:36).

Evil by itself has no inherent authority, for God grants evil the authority to take away peace and uses it to accomplish His sovereign purposes. God is in control and sets the limits; in his hands “the control of human affairs remains.”

The rider on the red horse was given to a large sword so that they might slay one another.

Who are the people that take up arms and slay one another? Various interpretations could be mentioned: general warfare throughout the ages, civil war, Christians who are killed, and Christians killing the enemies of God.

Peace will be taken from the earth and wickedness, evil, and bloodshed will prevail as man wars against man bringing destruction and judgment upon the earth.

Third Seal: The Black Horse 6:5-6 

Jesus (the Lamb) opens the third seal. Another horse came out and it was blackfamine). The rider carried a pair of scales, unusual equipment for a horseman. It refers to the weighing of bread in famine (grain would be measured by volume). (symbolizing

John heard a voice coming from among the four living creatures signifying a divine voice. The voice was warning of a famine that will bring difficult times upon the earth. Jesus said in Matthew 24:7 that just before He returns there would be famines in various places.

The message from the midst of the four living creatures spoke volumes to its readers and hearers. The Christians residing in the cities of Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, and Philadelphia were forced to belong to guilds that required them to worship idols. When they refused and swore their allegiance to Christ, they would be unemployed and starve. They themselves experienced firsthand the effect of starvation.

Fourth Seal: The Pale Horse 6:7-8

In this judgment a fourth of the earth will be killed by deadly weapons of warfare, by starvation, by disease, and by wild beasts for sport as in the persecutions of Rome when Christians were place in arenas to be torn apart and killed by wild beasts.

Some interpreters call it pestilence on the basis of 2:23, where the Greek word thanatosDeath a much broader scope than merely pestilence, for its destructive methods include sword, famine, disease, and wild beasts. (death) can be translated “disease.” But here the context gives

Hades awaits those who die without the Lord. Hades is the place of the departed souls of the lost. On the other hand heaven (the place of departed souls of the saved) awaits those who die in the Lord.

We are reminded in John 10:10 that it is Satan (the thief) who comes to steal, kill and destroy. Christ came that we might have life (the duration of life: life eternal) and life more abundantly (the quality of life: life to its fullest on earth).

For the believer death has no victory and has no sting. Death for the unbeliever is the most horrible thing imagined for it ushers in an eternity everlasting darkness and torment where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.

For the opening of the fifth seal we are transported from earth to heaven.

Fifth Seal – The Martyred Saints 9-11

An altar was a place of sacrifice. Here it signifies that these Christian martyrs have offered up their lives as a sacrifice to God.

These Christian martyrs were killed for proclaiming and living God’s Word. They took a stand against unrighteousness and exposed deeds of darkness.

The apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:12 all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

It is not a question of whether but of when God will poor out His wrath upon those who persecute His church and rebel against His authority.

The martyrs have been given a white robe signifying their final victory in Jesus Christ. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

God has determined who are to be martyrs, and He waits until His plan for them is accomplished. God waits till the number of the martyrs is complete. At that time His wrath will be poured out with fury against all wickedness and evil.

At the present He is storing up wrath for the day of wrath and the revelation of His righteous judgment (Romans 2:5).