YAHWEH JESUS THE LAMB OPENS THE SEVEN SEALS (PART 2)
Revelation 6:1 – 8:1
As taught by Dave Lindstrom
I. Reviewing the first two seals (Revelation 6:1-4).
A. The first seal of judgment is carried out by a rider on a white horse. The best explanation for this first judgment seems to be the false antichrists or Antichrist that will have a deceptive righteousness and start to conquer in peace. This ties in well with the “beginning of birth pains” (Matt. 24:8) that marks the beginning of seven years of tribulation on this earth before Christ’s second coming (verses 1, 2; Dan. 9:27; Matt. 24:5, 24; Mark 13:6; Luke 21:8).
B. The second seal of judgment is carried out by a rider on a fiery red horse. This second judgment brings great bloodshed due to civil unrest and war. The rider “was given” the ability to take away a certain amount of peace out of the earth and the ability to execute judgment (verses 3, 4; Matt. 24:6, 7; Mark 13:7, 8; Luke 21:9, 10).
II. The third seal of judgment (Revelation 6:5, 6).
A. John saw the Lamb open the third seal and a third living creature (angel from the throne) calls forth the third horse and horseman of the Apocalypse (Revelation 6:5a).
B. The horse’s color was black signifying sorrow, mourning, and hardship due to the ravages of the wars of the second seal (Isaiah 50:3; Jeremiah 4:27-29; Lam. 4:8 – 5:10). One of the ravages of war is famine due to the destruction of crops and the depletion of the work force. During famine, food is scarce and costly. Therefore it needs to be weighed and rationed out (on a scale, Revelation 6: 5b; Prov. 16:11; Ezek. 4:16, 17; Matt. 24:7b).
C. John next hears something like a voice probably coming from Yahweh Father or Yahweh Jesus. He says that a choinix (a little less than a quart) of wheat will cost a denarius (an average days wage) or you can get three choinix of the cheaper, less nutritious barley. These amounts have been calculated to sustain an average person’s apetite for about one day and were about ten to twelve times the rate of regular times. He also says that olive oil and wine (which are considered luxury items) would not be harmed. This probably means that at this stage in the tribulation (first 3 ½ years), there are more poor people being directly effected than the wealthy elite. Another possibility is that the oil and wine represents Yahweh’s special protection over the things and people of His Spirit since the oil and wine are used in the Jewish Temple (anointing, sacrifices) as well as the church (anointing, communion) (verse 6).
III. The fourth seal of judgment (Revelation 6:7, 8).
A. John saw the Lamb open the fourth seal and a fourth living creature (angel from the throne) calls forth the fourth horse and horseman of the Apocalypse (Rev. 6:7).
B. The horse’s color was yellowish green (chloros – Greek) which is the color of vegetation and most sickly and dead people. For the first time we are given the rider’s name which is Death. Another by the name of Hades (the Greek word for the place of the departed dead which is Sheol in Hebrew) followed him in some way. They “were given” at this time a power to kill a fourth of the earth’s population (over a billion and a half people today) through the use of the sword (human wars or violence), intensified famines, various forms of death probably by sickness, plagues, and by causing animals to turn on humans (Rev. 6:8; Ezek. 14:12-23).
C. Some premillennialists believe the middle of the seven year tribulation period occurs during the time of the fourth horseman due to its severity, because it is the last of the horsemen that precedes the next events of judgment, and how Christ’s words in Matthew 24:15, Mark 13:14, and Luke 21:20 line up timing wise. Therefore, this is one place where the Antichrist could break his covenant with Israel and set up an idol in the Jewish Temple (Dan. 9:27). Others see the middle before the seventh seal (Rev. 8:1) or somewhere in the days of the seventh trumpet (Rev. 10:7 – 14:20).
IV. The fifth seal of judgment (Revelation 6:9-11).
A. John saw the Lamb open the fifth seal and instead of seeing any more horsemen, he now sees a scene in heaven where people that have been killed for their faith cry out for Yahweh to execute His plan of justice. People that have studied Yahweh’s word in all different generations have realized that He has been delaying His justice until the time of the end or the Day of Yahweh. This is where He will make everything right by judging this earth and setting up a true Kingdom of righteousness forever and ever (Deut. 32:35; Rom. 12:9). John sees these people crying out either underneath the altar of incense (the usual place for prayer and petition) or the altar of sacrifice in heaven (verse 9, see also Rev. 8:3-5, 14:18, 16:7).
B. As servants who are owned by Yahweh the Most High God, they call Him their holy and true Master (despotas – Greek). They recognize that He alone controls the time of His judgment and His ultimate kingdom rule and cry out the prophetic prayer of “how long!” (Psalms 13:1, 2; Psalms 35:17). Their ultimate hope is in the truth of His word and character, the holiness of His being which demands perfect and impartial justice that can only be delayed or forgiven by His mercy (verse 10; Luke 18:7, 8).
C. Rather than getting immediate justice, the martyred saints are told by Yahweh to rest and wait in a special white robe (symbolic of righteousness and victory) which they “were given.” There are still more believers which will suffer and be killed for their faith during the fifth, sixth, and seventh seals (including the trumpets and bowls) before all will be completed (verse 11).
THOUGHT: “Wait for Yahweh and keep His way, and He will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.” Psalms 37:34
