1 Session 5: “The Seven Seals” Revelation 6 & 8:1.

1

Session 5: “The Seven Seals” Session 5: “The Seven Seals” Revelation Revelation 6 & 8:16 & 8:1

2

1. The Four Horsemen of the 1. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Seals 1-4)Apocalypse (Seals 1-4)

3

1. The Four Horsemen of the 1. The Four Horsemen of the ApocalypseApocalypse

Most of Revelation’s

Imagery, comes from Old

Testament scenes, that

have been changed

slightly, to give a new

message.

4

1. The Four Horsemen of the 1. The Four Horsemen of the ApocalypseApocalypse

CompareRevelation 6:8 & Ezekiel 14:21

“For this is what the

Sovereign Lord says: How

much worse will it be when I

send against Jerusalem my

four dreadful judgments —

sword and famine and wild

beasts and plague —to kill its

men and their animals!”

“They were given power

over a fourth of the

earth to kill by sword,

famine and plague, and

by the wild beasts of the

earth.”

5

1. The Four Horsemen of the 1. The Four Horsemen of the ApocalypseApocalypse

1. God used the Old Testament “Four Dreadful

Judgments” to bring His people into a loving

relationship with Him.

2. The “Four Dreadful Judgments” were a consequence

of disobeying God and His laws, and were intended to

bring His people into a correct relationship with Him.

“The Four Dreadful Judgments”

6

1. The Four Horsemen of the 1. The Four Horsemen of the ApocalypseApocalypse

The White Horse (Revelation 6:1-2)

1. The rider is on a white horse = Christian “Conquest”

The colour white in Revelation is always used in reference to

Christ and His people who overcome

(see Rev 19:11-12 - the kingly Christ riding a white horse)

2. The rider wears a “Stephanos” Crown

= Victory to those who overcome.

7

1. The Four Horsemen of the 1. The Four Horsemen of the ApocalypseApocalypse

3. The rider carries a bow = God

God is portrayed in the Old Testament as carrying a bow

(see Habakuk 3:8-9, Psalm 43:3-15, Zechariah 9:13)

Key Word =

The White Horse (Revelation 6:1-2)

Conquering

8

1. The Four Horsemen of the 1. The Four Horsemen of the ApocalypseApocalypse

1. The rider is on a red horse = Blood

(see 2 Kings 3:22-23, Isaiah 1:15-23, Revelation 17:6)

The Red Horse (Revelation 6:3-4)

2. The rider “takes peace from the earth” = Rejection of the gospel

Accepting the Gospel brings peace (see Revelation 1:4, John 14:27 &

16:33). Rejecting the Gospel brings a loss of peace (see Isaiah

57:20-21, Matthew 24:9-10).

9

1. The Four Horsemen of the 1. The Four Horsemen of the ApocalypseApocalypse

3. The rider carries a sword = Division and Persecution

(e.g. Matthew 10:21, & v34-36, Luke 12:51-53)

Key Word =

The Red Horse (Revelation 6:3-4)

Persecuti

on

10

1. The Four Horsemen of the 1. The Four Horsemen of the ApocalypseApocalypse

1. The rider is on a black horse = Absence of God’s

presence

(e.g. Matthew 4:16, Luke 1:79, John 1:5, 3:19)

The Black Horse (Revelation 6:5-6)

3. Note that food is scarce and expensive (Revelation 6:6) - but there

is still some “oil and wine” available.

2. The rider carries a “pair of scales” = Spiritual Famine

(Leviticus 26:26, Ezekiel 4:16, Amos 8:11-13)4

11

1. The Four Horsemen of the 1. The Four Horsemen of the ApocalypseApocalypse

Key Word =

The Black Horse (Revelation 6:5-6)“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it.”Amos 8:11,12

Famine

12

1. The Four Horsemen of the 1. The Four Horsemen of the ApocalypseApocalypse

Key word =

The Pale Horse (Revelation 6:7-8)

3. The rider has power over a fourth of the earth

= Death’s power is limited

2. The rider’s name = Death

1. The rider is on a pale horse = The colour of death

Death (of course!!)

13

Period The Christian Experience Horse

31 - 100AD Spiritual ‘Passion’ & Growth Conquering

100 - 313AD Persecuted by Roman Empire Persecution

313 - 538AD Church Compromised by Rome Spiritual Famine

538 - Onwards Dark Ages Spiritual Death

1. The Four Horsemen of the 1. The Four Horsemen of the ApocalypseApocalypse

14

1. The Four Horsemen of the 1. The Four Horsemen of the ApocalypseApocalypse

The message of the four

horsemen is: don’t ignore God

any longer.

“Today, if you hear His voice, do not

harden your hearts” Hebrews 3:15

15

2. The Fifth Seal: 2. The Fifth Seal: Overcoming PersecutionOvercoming Persecution

16

1. Altar = The altar of sacrifice in the Sanctuary

(see Leviticus 4:7, v18, v25).

2. The Fifth Seal: 2. The Fifth Seal: Overcoming PersecutionOvercoming Persecution

3. “The inhabitants of the earth” = The Wicked

That is, those who reject the Gospel and persecute God’s

people (see Revelation 3:10; 8:13; 11:10; 13:8, 14; 17:2).

2. “How long?” = God’s people know that one day He will

act decisively, but they still ask Him “How long?”

(see Psalm 79:1-10; Habakuk 1:1-4; Daniel 8:13; 12:6-7).

17

4. White robe = The robe of righteousness given to

the spiritually victorious. (see Revelation 3:4-5; 7:9).

Key Point: An increase in persecution &

suffering are part of the ‘signs’ of Christ’s

return (see Revelation chapters 16 - 18, Matthew 24:1-14)

2. The Fifth Seal: 2. The Fifth Seal: Overcoming PersecutionOvercoming Persecution

18

3. The Sixth & Seventh Seal: 3. The Sixth & Seventh Seal: The Return of ChristThe Return of Christ

19

In the sixth and seventh seals, we see a summary of

the events that bring an end to our planet as we know

it.

3. The Sixth & Seventh Seal: 3. The Sixth & Seventh Seal: The Return of ChristThe Return of Christ

The Return of ChristThe Resurrection of the RighteousThe Destruction of the WickedThe “Millennium” of JudgementThe Final Destruction of SatanThe Re-Creation of EarthThe “New Jerusalem”Eternal Life with God

Key Point: The Sixth & Seventh Seals summarise the return of Christ and the

events that follow (the details of these events are explained more fully in

Revelation chapters 19 - 22)

20

3. The Sixth & Seventh Seal: 3. The Sixth & Seventh Seal: The Return of ChristThe Return of Christ

The Sixth Seal (Revelation 6:12-14)

i. Sixth Seal = The second coming of Jesus Christ.

21

3. The Sixth & Seventh Seal: 3. The Sixth & Seventh Seal: The Return of ChristThe Return of Christ

The Seventh Seal (Revelation 8:1)

The Seventh Seal is symbolic of The events that follow the second coming of Jesus Christ.

“Half an hour” = God’s final judgment takes a relatively short period

of time when compared to eternity.

Silence = The universe’s reverence for God’s final judgement

(see Habakuk 2:20; Zephaniah 1:7; Zechariah 2:13)

22

3. The Sixth & Seventh Seal: 3. The Sixth & Seventh Seal: The Return of ChristThe Return of Christ

Key Point: The Sixth & Seventh Seals summarise the return of Christ and the

events that follow (the details of these events are explained more fully in Revelation

chapters 19 - 22)

23

3. The Sixth & Seventh Seal: 3. The Sixth & Seventh Seal: The Return of ChristThe Return of Christ

Conclusions from Revelation 61. God uses whatever means necessary to bring us back into a health relationship with Him.

3. History is moving from the death of Christ, towards a definite climactic event - His return!

2. We are in a spiritual battle between good and evil.

24

Next session...Next session...

Session 6“The 144,000 & the Great Multitude” (Revelation 7)

Topics include:1. The Sealing of the “144,000”

2. The Link between the “144,000” and the “Great Multitude”

3. Introducing “The Great Tribulation” at the End of Time

4. A Look Ahead in Revelation