The Book of Revelation – Part 4 the Seven Seals

The Book of Revelation – Part 4 the Seven Seals

A few important thoughts

The high point of the book is the Revelation or Second Coming of Christ. As we have already noted, the whole book is written for the whole Church, and it lays out before it the great triumph that it will enjoy when Jesus comes again in great power and glory. This visible, real return of Jesus to the Mt. Of Olives is the blessed hope set before it. This, indeed, is what the book of Revelation is all about. There is thus no word or hint, in the entire oracle, of a so called secret rapture that supposedly takes place before all the cataclysmic events spoken of in the book transpire. Jesus is in fact forearming His Church by giving it this book and thereby assuring it that, beyond the great trials ahead, is the glorious triumph of His Second Coming or Revelation. As I stated, this is the blessed hope of the Church!

According to the book then, the Day of the Lord or the Day of His wrath takes place on the day of Jesus’ physical and real second coming in great power and glory. This is also the day when the Church is raptured or “snatched away” to meet Him as He comes in flaming fire to wage war against the ungodly of the earth. Of this scripture plainly speaks:

“………since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those
who trouble you, and give you who are troubled rest with us when the
Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty Angels, in flaming fire
taking vengeance on those who do not know God………when He comes in
that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those
have believed, because our testimony among you was believed.”
2 Thessalonians 1:6-10

It is the Day when Jesus comes in flaming fire that the Church will first see Him and get rest from its trials on earth and be glorified. John’s Revelation agrees with this (Revelation 6:12-17; Revelation 19:11-16). It is thus important to note then, that the Day of God’s Wrath is not the Great tribulation but the Day of Jesus’ visible and real Second Coming. This takes place after the changing of the luminaries which actually takes place after the conclusion of the Great Tribulation according to scripture (Matthew 24:29; Acts 2:20). It is certainly inconceivable that Jesus should send a message of hope and encouragement to His Church in the world, which totally ignores, and says nothing about, His coming for it earlier by way of a so called secret rapture! The same is true of Jesus’ “Olivet Discourse” recorded in Matthew 24 and Mark 13. In these great eschatological passages there is not one word about a secret rapture from the Savior. In talking to His Disciples,the Savior’s focus is entirely upon His glorious, real and visible second coming!

Friends, there is only one Second Coming and the Bride must make herself ready. The great trials ahead will be a catalyst for this:

“Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in
white robes and where did they come from?” And I said to Him, “Sir, you
know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great
tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
Revelation 7:13-14

Nothing has brought into focus more the approaching days of great trial like that of all the events unfolding around the Corona Virus. We hear calls for global government and for a global religion, coupled with demands for increased surveillance of citizenry and the bodily implant of microchip technology; all in the name of increased protection, safety and well being. The Mayor of Chicago recently declared that citizens should be compelled to obey the new regulations imposed upon them and that in the end they must give allegiance to the coming New World Order. In addition, a well respected Italian politician recently said this on the floor of his nation’s Parliament:

“The real goal of all of this is total control. Absolute domination of human
beings, transformed into guinea pigs and slaves, violating sovereignty
and free will. All thanks to tricks disguised as political comprises.”

The Seven Seals (Revelation 6-8:1)

These give us a sweeping view of all the end time events much like Matthew 24 and Mark 13 and are very similar in content. As we have already noted in our previous study together, the Seven Seals constitute the Title Deed to earth and all that is in it, since it was purchased with Jesus’ blood. He paid the “Ransom Price” (Mark 10:45), and this then paves the way for Him to open the seals and finally take possession of that which is His, including the Church by her resurrection from the dead (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). With His feet on the Mt. Of Olives the final seal will be opened and the, “Kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of the Lord and of His Christ.”

1. The first seal
Alerts us to the fact that a great all conquering deception awaits the world in that an Antichrist global ruler, cloaked in the white robes of innocence, will arise, rule all nations and bring them into devilish bondage and destruction. His anger will particularly be aimed at the Church and the nation of Israel. We will say more about this later but we should note that the spirit of Antichrist is strongly present in the world today.

2. The second seal
This seal heralds the arrival of a fiery red horse, a symbol of blood, that rides out to foster war across the earth. The rider wields a great sword, and this confirms Jesus’ warning in Matthew 24 that the end time will be characterized by, “Wars and rumors of wars” especially at a time when leaders proclaim, peace, peace!

3. The third seal
This seal predicts a global economic meltdown leading to starvation and hyper inflation, all represented by a black horse. We should all take note of this and endeavor to be free from debt and financially secure and independent as possible. This financial meltdown is definitely coming and may have already started.

4. The fourth seal
Here a pale or grey horse is scene representing death and the place of the shadowy dead. This rider will bring global chaos to millions across the globe and thus two billion people will die from all manner of evils including hunger, plagues, wars and wild animals. These are the ungodly who have not yielded their lives to Christ.

5. The fifth seal
The final days leading up to Jesus’ Revelation will be characterized by a vicious persecution of the Church and so the souls of the martyred saints are seen in heaven beseeching their Lord to avenge their blood so spilt on the earth. They are told to be patient until all those appointed to martyrdom are gathered in. This terminology is interesting because it conveys the will and sovereignty of God in this persecution, since it no doubt purifies His Church. This is a picture of the Great Tribulation because after this the luminaries change constituting a warning that the great Day of God’s Wrath is about to befall the earth. We have here a biblical truth that not many in the wider Church are prepared to entertain!

6. The sixth seal
Here the sign of the coming of Christ appears, in that the moon turns blood red and the sun turns black like sackcloth. In addition, the stars of heaven fall and the sky rolls back like a scroll revealing the oncoming arrival of the Son of Mam. The small and the great, and the armies of the world, and the masses all together, recognize in this sign that the Day of Wrath is upon them and they call out to the mountains to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb. This is the Great Day of the Lord about which scripture everywhere speaks. This also harmonizes with that which Jesus said as recorded in Matthew 24 ( Matthew 24:29-31). It is to be noted that it is on this day that Jesus gathers His elect, that is His Church, from the four corners of the earth. This is the final saga of the present order of things. His Revelation has been accomplished.

7. The seventh seal
Heaven falls silent because all is accomplished. Christ has finally overcome the world and His people will rule and reign with Him forever, world without end. However, between the breaking of the sixth and seventh seal is an interlude wherein the triumph of the Church, of all ages is pictured. A multitude that cannot be counted, and built on a Jewish spiritual foundation, is seen in the presence of God giving Him glory and honor for the great redemptive work that He has wrought in Christ on their behalf. These we are told, “shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

So be it! Maranatha!

Malcolm Hedding

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