I.        INTRODUCTION

A.      In chapter 5 of Revelation, only the Lamb (Christ) was found to be worthy to open the seals of the book of God and reveal its contents.

                                                             1.      The Lamb had been slain in order to redeem men from sin, and He overcame death and Satan through His resurrection.

                                                             2.      By virtue of these things, all of heaven and earth extolled His worthiness to open the book of God.

B.      Beginning in chapter 6, the opening of the seven seals reveals the contents of the book in symbols rather than in words.

                                                             1.      This is the first of three sets of sevens (seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls) that compose the main part of Revelation.

                                                             2.      The primary message conveyed by these signs is that God is in control and will be victorious.

II.      THE FIRST SIX SEALS

A.      The first four seals revealed riders on colored horses that represented increasingly severe happenings on earth to punish the Roman Empire (Rev. 6:1-8).

                                                             1.      The first seal revealed a symbol of Christ’s conquest.

a.       One of the four living creatures (see 1:6-8) called forth a rider with a bow (weapon for war) on a white (color for purity) horse, which went forth to conquer.

b.       This figure is symbolic of the conquering Christ who overcomes His enemies (see 1Cor. 15:25-26).

                                                             2.      The second seal revealed a symbol of war, persecution, and bloodshed.

a.       The second living creature called forth a rider on a red (symbolic of blood) horse who was given a great sword to take peace from the earth.

b.       War has often been God’s means of punishment against the nations (ref. Old Testament).

                                                             3.      The third seal revealed a symbol of famine.

a.       The third living creature called forth a rider on a black (symbolic of pain and grief) horse who was given a pair of scales, symbolically to measure out the earth’s supply of food.

b.       The voice in verse 6 indicates that a day’s wages would buy very little food.

                                                             4.      The fourth seal revealed a symbol of death.

a.       The fourth living creature called forth a rider on an ashen (sickly pale) horse, whose name was Death, and who was given authority to kill a fourth of the earth (indicative of a partial destruction).

b.       Notice that the implements of Death (sword, famine, pestilence, wild beasts) are similar to those that were prophesied in the judgment against Jerusalem (Ezek. 14:21).

                                                             5.      Notice that in each case, the horsemen were given the authority and power for their actions by heaven (implied).  The message is that God is in control and rules over the nations of the earth.

B.      The fifth seal revealed the symbolic call to God for vengeance (Rev. 6:9-11).

                                                             1.      The souls who cried for God’s vengeance had been slain “because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained” (v. 9).  They are depicted beneath the altar.

                                                             2.      They cried out for vengeance upon their murderers, who were the agents of the Roman Empire.  This will become more apparent in chapter 13.

                                                             3.      They were given white robes (promised to those who overcome, 3:5) and told to rest for a little while longer (vindication was soon to come) until the number of their fellow servants and brethren to be killed (for the cause of Christ) was complete (when the Roman persecution was finished).

C.      The sixth seal revealed symbols of God’s judgment upon Rome (Rev. 6:12-17).

                                                             1.      The symbols of the sixth seal describe the terror that would come upon the murders of God’s servants, the Roman Empire.

                                                             2.      These symbols are very similar to those described in the judgment of other nations and cities (Isa. 13:10; 34:4; 50:3; Nah. 1:6; Matt. 24:29).

III.   TWO VISIONS OF THE REDEEMED

A.      Before the seventh seal was revealed, John saw two visions of the Lord’s redeemed.

                                                             1.      This chapter is an interlude between the opening of the sixth and seventh seals.  These visions provided comfort for those Christians who would live in the Roman Empire during their persecution and Rome’s resulting punishment.

                                                             2.      Note that Jehovah’s Witnesses incorrectly interpret this chapter as descriptive of a fixed number (144,000) who will live in heaven with a separate, innumerable multitude that will dwell on earth.

B.      The first vision was of the church on earth (Rev. 7:1-8).

                                                             1.      Before four angels were released to do harm to the earth (presumably in accordance with the six seals), a fifth angel demands that the servants of God be sealed on their foreheads.

a.       This indicates that Christians in the Roman Empire were to be protected from the judgments coming upon the earth.  It does not mean that they would not suffer in the flesh, but their souls would be safe.

b.       We will notice these same servants in 14:1 and 22:4, and they will contrast with the persons who have the mark of the beast (see 13:16).

                                                             2.      Let us notice some points about the 144,000.

a.       They represented the Jewish aspect of the church, which is spiritual Israel (Rom. 9:6-8).

b.       They were on the earth, not in heaven.  Their sealing was for their protection.

c.        They were a limited number because they represented only the saints living on earth.

C.      The second vision was of all the redeemed in heaven for eternity (Rev. 7:9-17).

                                                             1.      John saw a great multitude from all nations in the midst of the same scene he had seen before (in the fourth and fifth chapters).

a.       The innumerable multitude corresponded to the Gentile aspect of the church.

b.       According to 4:1-2, the location of this scene with God’s throne, the Lamb, the angels, the elders, and the four living creatures was heaven, not earth (contrary to Jehovah’s Witnesses’ teaching).

c.        They all joined together to worship God (compare v. 12 to 4:8, 10-11; 5:8-14).

                                                             2.      One of the twenty four elders told John that these were “the ones who come out of the great tribulation” who had “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (v. 14).

a.       The saints clothed in white robes is a continual figure in Revelation (3:4, 5, 18; 4:4; 6:11; 7:9,13-14).  They were God’s faithful, obedient, and redeemed people.

b.       This scene was a preview of the vision John recorded in 21:1-4 and 22:1-5.

IV.    THE SEVENTH SEAL

A.      The seventh seal revealed seven angels with trumpets (Rev. 8:1-2).

                                                             1.      The silence that followed the breaking of the seventh seal was typical before declarations or judgments by God (see Zeph. 1:7; Zech. 2:13; Hab. 2:20).

                                                             2.      The trumpets represented warnings given by God to provoke His enemies to repentance (9:21; see Ezek. 33:1-20).

B.      John also saw an eighth angel who offered incense to God (Rev. 8:3-5).

                                                             1.      In 5:8, incense symbolized the prayers of the saints.  In this instance, the prayers of the saints are accompanied by more incense, which is probably the intercession of the Holy Spirit and Christ (Rom. 8:26-27, 34).

                                                             2.      When the smoke of the incense ascended before God, it was answered by the fire of the altar being thrown to earth with peals of thunder, sounds, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.  This represented that God heard the prayers of the saints and answered with judgment upon the earth (compare to Isa. 29:6)

V.      CONCLUSION

A.      The opening of the seven seals of the book of God revealed that God is in control over the affairs of men.

                                                             1.      Christians living in Roman persecution certainly identified with the question of 6:10, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, wilt Thou refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

                                                             2.      Through the revealing of the seals and the book of Revelation, God was answering their question.  His judgment of the Roman Empire was coming quickly.

B.      With the opening of the seventh seal, the scene is set for the sounding of the seven trumpets.

*** In the next lesson, we will study the first six trumpets (8:6-9:21).***