Six of the Seven Seal Judgments (Revelation 6 and 7)

Chapter 4
In chapters 6 and 7 we see the opening of six of the seven seals. There are two possibilities as to the time of these seals. They are either pre-tribulation occurrences or they are the beginning of the first 3 ½ years of the tribulation. I will attempt to show they are both. The first four seals (prophecies) have already been fulfilled, but they will be fulfilled again in a 3 ½ year period we call the first half of the tribulation. Revelation 11 introduces the two witnesses who will prophesy for the first 3 ½ years of the tribulation, so they have to be inserted here with these events. After 3 ½ years of the witness of the two olive trees (1260 days), they will be killed by the beast. So it seems the seal judgments occur at the same time that these two prophets prophesy. Another point that has been overlooked by many is the fact that the events described in the first four seal judgments do not necessarily have to occur one right after another. By that I simply mean that the bubonic plague of the 1300s was reported to have killed one forth of the world’s population (Rev. 6:8).

1. Who broke the first seal? 6:1a

2. What did his voice sound like? 6:1b

3. What did this angel say? 6:1c

4. Upon what was “he who sat upon it” riding? 6:2

5. What did he have? 6:2b

6. What was given to him? 6:2b

7. Finally, what did he do? 6:2c



The first seal pictures a white horse upon which is mounted a king with authority to wage war (vv 1-2). This is clearly not a reference to Christ. I’m sorry if you missed it, but Saddam Hussein was videoed numerous times riding through the streets of Baghdad on a white horse. And he definitely went out conquering and to conquer. We must not ever confuse the fact that Jesus rode the white horse in Revelation 19:11-16 with the illusion Satan wishes to create. When Jesus is mentioned in scripture, there is no confusion about his authority or identity, accept, of course, for the lost. He is the King of kings, and since His resurrection He is always pictured as such. Even when called the Lamb, He is described as the one with great authority.

11. Who spoke when the second seal was broken? 6:3a

12. What did this creature say? 6:3b

13. What was the color of the second horse? 6:4a

14. What as granted to the rider of this horse? 6:4b

a.

b.

15. What was given to this rider? 6:4c

The second seal pictures a red horse upon which is mounted one who is granted the power to wage all out war on all that is peaceful. Notice a great sword was given to him. This is likely a reference to nuclear weapons. It was not just a sword, but a great sword that was given to him. It seems this seal was first fulfilled in 1945 when we dropped the two bombs on Hiroshima on August 6th, and Nagasaki on August 9th. The figures of how many were killed vary. Somewhere between 140,000 and 200,000 died from these bombings. The United States had the infamous privilege of fulfilling the prophecy of the second seal.

11. Who spoke when the third seal was broken? 6:5a

12. What did this creature say? 6:5b

13. What was the color of the second horse? 6:5c

14.What was the color of the second horse? 6:5d

15. What did the rider of his horse have in his hand? 6:5e

16. What did this voice say? 6:6a

The third seal pictures a black horse upon which is mounted one who has been given authority to cause famine throughout the earth. I suspect the phrase, “and do not damage the oil and the wine,” is a command not to harm the saints (represented by the oil, ie. the Holy Spirit, and the wine, ie., the word of God). This prophecy has been fulfilled numerous times already. Certainly, the price of grain was fulfilled in the U.S. alone in the seventies.

1. Who spoke at the breaking of the fourth seal? 6:7a

2. What did he say? 6:7b

3.

The fourth seal pictures an ashen horse (probably a grey) upon which sat one who had authority to kill a fourth of the earth with death, famine, pestilence, and wild animals gone berserk. I already addressed this seal on page 35 in reference to the bubonic plague and subsequent famine in Europe.

The fifth seal breaks the pattern. When it was broken, John saw underneath the altar (the souls of those slain for the word of God and the testimony they had maintained, 6:9). Each of these saints was given a white robe and told to “rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and of their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.” (6:11) All of you pre-tribulation rapturists please note, these are the souls of “those who had been slain because of the word of God and because of the Testimony of Jesus which they had maintained.” Mercy, mercy, how can anyone conclude the church has already been raptured after reading this verse. It’s absolutely, unequivocally, clear that those who have already died as a result of persecution are awaiting the rest who will die during the tribulation before they get their reward. Persecution of saints is a fact of history. Interestingly enough, historically, when countries allowed the freedom for Christians to worship without persecution, the church enters a state of catatonia. Historically there has always been somewhere in the world where Christianity is illegal. When the saints are persecuted, they stand strong because that is a time when they must depend on the indwelling power of Holy Spirit of God to guide and protect them. There is soon coming a time when world wide persecution of Christians will again prevail. It will be at that time when the Holy Spirit of God will so pour out His power on the church that great multitudes will come to the saving knowledge of Jesus and will be killed for professing Him as Savior and Lord (Rev. 12:17).

At the opening of the sixth seal, there will occur a great earthquake, the sun and the moon will wane, and stars will fall from the sky. The sky will be split apart like a scroll, and entire mountains and islands will be moved out of their places. This cataclysmic event will be so intense that the inhabitants of the earth will hide in caves among the rocks of the mountains and pray the caves will collapse upon them for fear of the wrath of God (6:15-17). It is clear this seal (prophecy) has not yet been fulfilled. However, I strongly suspect it will not be long before it is fulfilled.

Chapter 7 begins with John describing four angles standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds, so that not even an ever so soft wind will blow on the entire earth, sea, or on any tree. In other words, it will be hot and there will be no relief from the heat. Not even the slightest breeze will blow anywhere on planet earth. Another angel appears from the east (the rising of the sun), having the seal of God and cries out with a loud voice to the four angels saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God (the twelve tribes of Israel) on their foreheads.” I think it is important here to note that this event will be preceded by the cataclysmic event described in Revelation 6:15-17. I also suggest that the cataclysmic event described in 6:15-17 indicates the coming seal judgments will not take the number of years be fulfilled that the seal judgments took. These events are God’s way of saying, “Beloved, look up for your redemption draweth nigh.” (Luke 21:58) John heard someone say there would be 144,000 with 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes of Israel sealed. It’s interesting to note that Ephraim and Dan are missing. Joseph had two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Joseph is included and so is Manasseh. Isaiah 7:8 explains why Ephraim is missing. The only explanation I can find for Dan being absent is found in Judges 17 and 18 which deal with Micah’s idolatry. You can read those accounts if you are especially interested. Anyway, the sealing of the twelve tribes indicates that these 144,000 Jews will be divinely protected during the tribulation (12:13-16).

In chapter 7:9-17 John describes a great multitude who come out of the great tribulation (v. 14), standing before the throne of the Lamb, clothed in white robes. These will have a special place in the kingdom. They will be personal servants to the Lamb. They will not hunger, thirst, or get hot in the sun ever again. It is important to note that they are already in heaven before the end of the tribulation. Verses 14 and 15 (for this reason), make it clear they are before the throne because they came out of the tribulation. It is abundantly clear they were not raptured into heaven; they entered heaven immediately upon dying during the tribulation. Again, these verses do not indicate they were raptured before the tribulation; they indicate they come out of the tribulation.