Chapter 6The Seals are Broken

Background information (in notes)

There are three sets of judgments in the book of Revelation

Seven Seals (chapters 6 and 8)Seven Trumpets (8:6-11:19)

Seven Bowls (16:1-21)

All three sets divided into two groupsFour in the first – three in the

second

24 Elders and 4 Living Creatures – vs. 8

Huge Choir of Angels – vs. 11

“Every” Creature – vs. 13

Parallel Prophecy found in Zechariah 6:1-8

Four sets of horses pulling chariots

Red – Black – White – Grizzled and Bay

In Zechariah colors don’t appear to be as significant as in Revelation – patrolling the earth rather than destroying it

The first four seals are commonly known as the “Four Horsemen of the

Apocalypse”

Jesus’ Eschatological DiscourseLuke 21, Mark 13 and Matthew

241. Nations will rise against nations (War)2. Great Earthquakes3. Famines and Pestilences 4. Fearful events and great signs from

heaven5. Persecution 6. Cosmic Disturbances

Each of these appear as the seven seals are opened.

Seal # 1 The ________ horseWhite

conquest The horse of ______________

Many possible interpretations

1. _______________________

2. _______________________

Jesus

Satan

Compare to Revelation 19:11ff – the passage the Jesus interpretation is based on.

a) Both ride on white horses

b) 6:2 wears a crown / 19:12 wears many crowns (see 4:10)

c) 6:2 given a bow / 19:11 has a sharp sword coming from his mouth (1:16)

d) 6:2 goes out to conquer / 19:11 rides out to administer justice and wage war and in 19:19 rulers gather to fight this this rider and His followers

e) 19:11ff gives a much more complete description of Christ

His Names

Faithful and True (3:14)Word of God (John 1:1)King of Kings and Lord of Lords

Eyes of blazing fire (1:14)

Dressed in a robe dipped in blood

Phrase: “was given power”

Used in Revelation to indicate: divine permission granted to

the forces of evil to do their deeds.

All this leads to the conclusion that Satan is the best interpretation of the rider on the white horse, not Jesus Christ.

Who/what is Satan conquering?

____________________________The saints of God

Eschatological discourse:

____________________________Wars and persecution

Seal # 2 The ________ horseRed

war The horse of ____________

“Was given power to…”

1. _______________________

2. _______________________

war

make people kill each other

Eschatological discourse:

__________________________

take peace from the earth

Seal # 3 The ________ horseBlack

famine and want The horse of __________________

Food prices 10 times normal

Staples effected but delicacies abundant

Compare to Leviticus 26:23-26

famine

Eschatological discourse:

__________________________

Seal # 4 The ________ horse

Hades

death The horse of __________________

Followed by _________________

“Given power to kill one-fourth of world’s population”

Note similarity to Ezekiel 14:21

Famine and war

Eschatological discourse:

__________________________

Pale

Seal # 5 The lament of the ________

heaven The scene shifts back to __________

John saw __________ of those who had been slain because of their

faith

persecution

Eschatological discourse:

__________________________

Martyrs’

the souls

Given white robes and told to wait until their full number had been killed

Seal # 6 __Earthquakes and cosmic disturbances____

Notice the things that are predicted:

1. Sun turned black

2. Moon turned blood red

3. Stars fell to earth

4. Heavens (sky) receded like a scroll

5. Mountains and Islands move

Mankind’s reaction: _Hide and Pray to die because they know they cannot stand in face of God’s wrath.Seven groups who will not repent (vs. 15)

1. Kings of the earth

2. The Princes

3. The generals

4. The mighty

5. The rich

6. The slaves

7. The free (everyone not serving God)

Eschatological discourse: __________________________ Earthquakes, cosmic

disturbances