The Seven Seals

Revelation 5:1

And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.

Revelation 4 describes the awe-inspiring vision given to the Apostle John, in which he sees the throne of God surrounded by the four beasts, the elders, and angels. The vision continues in Chapter 5, where God is seen holding a book with writing on both the inside and outside. However, the book is sealed shut with seven seals. Only Jesus, the Lamb of God, is found worthy to break the seals; and to open the book. The book in God's hand holds great significance. Its contents outline the events detailed in the rest of the Book of Revelation. It is a book of judgments and prophecies concerning the coming of the Lord. These revelations contain crucial information for the Body of Christ, which is why the Holy Lamb opens each seal, unveiling what is written both inside and outside the book.

As mentioned in the previous chapter, these seven seals have caused many theologians to stumble. However, the concept of the seals is quite simple once understood. The book is sealed with seven seals, each covering a portion of the information written on the outside of the book. When a seal is broken and removed, it reveals the content it was covering, allowing it to be read or announced. However, the information revealed at the breaking of each seal does not represent an actual event. Instead, it serves as a foreshadowing or reference to the contents, elements, and themes within the book—much like a Table of Contents with descriptions. Once the book is fully opened, its contents reveal the Seven Trumpet Judgments and the Seven Vials of Wrath. Therefore, the actual events referenced and summarized in the seals begin with the Seven Trumpet Judgments, continue into the Vials of Wrath, and ultimately lead to the establishment of Christ’s Kingdom on the Earth.

Another prophet, Ezekiel, also had a vision of the same book. And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein; And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe (Ezekiel 2:9-10). However, we cannot read those judgments until the seals are opened. Thus, the opening of the seals does NOT unleash events on Earth, but rather, they are previews of the elements, themes, and occurrences within the book they bind. Below is a list of the seven seals and the judgements to be unleashed when the book is opened. Here are the details of each of the seven seals:

THE FIRST SEAL: THE WHITE HORSE

• The significance or effect of the first seal spans all the trumpet judgments and the vials of wrath all the way to the establishing of the Kingdom of Christ.

Revelation 6:1-2

1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.

2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

Key Points:

1. White Horse Rider: A conqueror– the Spirit of Christ
2. Rider with a Bow and Crown: Depicts a conquering figure—the bow indicates conflict or warfare, while the crown indicates authority.
3. Global Impact: This conqueror “went forth conquering, and to conquer,” indicating extensive influence. Such influence is manifested through the preaching of the Gospel in all the nations of the world. Thus, the white horse conqueror destroys both his natural and spiritual enemies.

THE SECOND SEAL: THE RED HORSE

Revelation 6:3-4

3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.

4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

Key Points:

1. Red Horse Rider: An Angel
2. Removal of Peace: The rider is granted power to disrupt peace, stirring violence and war.
3. Great Sword: Symbolizes the capability for extensive conflict, war, and destruction.

THE THIRD SEAL: THE BLACK HORSE

Revelation 6:5-6

5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.

6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

Key Points:

1. Black Horse Rider: Commonly symbolizes famine, scarcity, or economic hardship.
2. Balances in Hand: Reflects measurement or rationing of food.
3. High Prices: “A measure of wheat for a penny” indicates inflated food costs.
4. Protection of Oil and Wine: Suggests certain resources remain unaffected amidst the scarcity.

THE FOURTH SEAL: THE PALE HORSE: DEATH AND HELL

Revelation 6:7-8

7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.

8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

Key Points:

1. Pale Horse: The color often corresponds to sickness, decay, or a corpse-like pallor.
2. Death and Hell: The rider is named Death, followed by Hades (Hell), indicating mortality and the grave.
3. Scope of Authority: Affects a “fourth part of the earth,” suggesting widespread mortality by multiple means (sword, famine, pestilence, wild beasts).

The Keys of Hell and Death

Revelation 1:18

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Jesus has the keys that unlock or lock hell and death. The Pale Horse Rider is given the authority to release death and hell upon the earth. We see this with the Stinging Locusts and the 200,000,000 army (Revelation 9).

THE REVELATION OF THE FOUR HORSEMEN:

The first four seals announce the events that are brought upon the earth with the sounding of the first six Trumpet Judgments. The first six trumpets bring forth:

• a hail storm that destroys livestock, vegetation, and human life.
• ⅓ of the sea turns to blood, ⅓ of the ships are destroyed; causing more food and supply shortages.
• ⅓ of the fresh water poisoned.
• ⅓ of the day and night are dark, causing disruption to most industries.
• the stinging locusts from the pit of hell; showing the power of the pale horsemen.
• the 200,000,000 horsemen army killing ⅓ of mankind.

At the opening of the first four seals, four horses and their riders are revealed, each assigned a specific role. The first horse is white, the second red, the third black, and the fourth pale. This is where many theologians go astray. Most tend to focus on the colors of the horses, assigning symbolic meanings to them—some even claiming they represent present-day nations. However, the focus should not be on the color of the horse, but on the power and authority of the rider. The only significance of the horse's color is that it indicates where on the earth the rider was sent. This understanding is detailed in the book of Zechariah.

Zechariah 6:2-8

2 In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;

3 And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.

4 Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord?

5 And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.

6 The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country.

7 And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth.

8 Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.

Zechariah 1:8-10

8 I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.

9 Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be.

10 And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth.

The true meaning of these horsemen is clear. They are not nations or any other symbolic entities. Scripture explicitly states that they are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.These horsemen are angelic beings dispatched by the Lord to move throughout the earth, ensuring that His will is accomplished in every region. I hope this helps you to understand even more the positioning of the seals as a sort of forecasting or Table of Contents regarding the Trumpet and Vial Judgements.

THE FIFTH SEAL – THE MARTYRS

• (a foreshadowing of the acts of the antichrist and the 7th Trumpet Judgement - the Rapture)

Revelation 6:9-11

9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

(The 5th Seal is revealed in the days of the 6th Trumpet)

Key Points:

1. Souls of the Martyrs are seen under the altar, indicating the sacrifice of their lives for the faith.
2. Cry for Justice: They ask how long until judgment is executed on their persecutors.
3. Response: They receive white robes and are told to wait until their brethren on the earth are killed the way they were.

This tells us that there will be extreme persecution of the Church before the return of our Lord. If the Church has been raptured back in the 4th Chapter as some suppose, then why do we see here the Lord declaring there are others on Earth who will endure great persecution for their faith in Jesus? Before we proceed any further, we must consider the significance of the souls of the martyrs asking about vengeance. The answer to this question informs us assuredly that the Church is still on the Earth at this time. It is the Church, not Israel, that has the testimony and faith of Jesus Christ. For the Church to have been raptured in the 4th chapter of this book, implies that there will be two raptures of the Body of Christ. That is the forced error this 5th Seal reveals. As I have said earlier, we must believe as the Scriptures have said.

In addition to these facts, in your study, consider that the 5th Seal introduces persecution on the Earth. It forecasts the persecution and killing that is manifested in the days of the 7 Trumpet Judgments:

• of the Church by the Antichrist
• The overthrowing of nations by the Antichrist
• The destruction and desolation of Israel and their Temple

THE SIXTH SEAL

When studying the Sixth Seal, you’ll find it to be quite unique compared to the others. While the earlier seals are associated with individual entities or specific events, the Sixth Seal presents a summary of all that is contained within the book. It offers an overview of the Trumpet and Vial Judgments and provides insight into events during the Millennial Reign of Christ and beyond.

Revelation 6:12-17

12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Revelation 7:1

1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

I want you to pay attention to the 16th and 17th verses of Revelation 6. The people of the Earth are asking to be hidden from the Lamb, whom they are now able to see as the heavens open up like the opening of a book. They go on to say that the Great Day of His Wrath has come. They only acknowledge that the Day of the Lord’s Wrath is at hand. The wrath itself is not yet poured out. In other words, they know by the earthquake, the falling stars, and the opening of Heaven that the Wrath of God is about to overtake them. However, take note of the fact that two other most important events must take place before the Wrath can be poured out on the Earth.

• First of all, the Church is still here and as stated by Paul, the Church is not appointed to the Wrath of God.
• Secondarily, the 144,000 young male virgins who are innocent and serve the Lord are still here.
• Thus, we see in Rev. 7:3, the angels are instructed not to hurt the Earth until the 144,000 are sealed.

Consider the following passages:

THE SEALING OF THE 144,000

Revelation 7:2-4

2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

Now we come to the next event that must take place before the Wrath of God:

THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH

Revelation 7:9-14

9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

• The Church is in Heaven.
• It came out of great tribulation.
• That is the Word of Truth. The Body of Christ must either accept or continue to reject it.

Revelation 7:15

15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

This is a lesson in rightly dividing the Word when studying prophecy. In the 15th, 16th, and 17th verses of Revelation 7, we have two dispensations. The 15th verse points to the Millennium where Christ will sit on the throne of God and dwell among the people as King of the entire planet Earth. We also know that He is served day and night in the temple. This is our clue. It reveals this servitude is done in the Millennium, because there is no temple on the New Earth.

Revelation 21:2 & 22

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

…

22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

But now I want you to read the next two verses carefully.

Revelation 7:16-17

16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

The verses above point us to the saints inhabiting the New Heaven and the New Earth. The throne of God is here, He dwells among His people, and we see some other key elements of these verses that serve to validate this assertion.

• There is no temple on the New Earth.
• There is no sun that shines on the New Earth.

Revelation 21:1, 4, 23

1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

…

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

…

23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

THE SEVENTH SEAL

Revelation 8:1-6

1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and therewere voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

1. The Book is open.All the seals are broken. Now that which is in the book can manifest on the earth.
2. Within the book are the judgments and wrath of God which have been forecasted by the writings underneath each of the seals.

From this point to the end of the book of Revelation, are the detailed events forecasted by the Seven Seals. So from here you start over; beginning with the Trumpet Judgments and then the Vials of Wrath. Now, you are reading the actual experiences that will take place on the Earth.