Verse 1. “Then I saw
when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the
four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, ‘Come.’
The Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, is opening the
first seal of the scroll revealed in Revelation 5:1 & forward, an act
only He is worthy to perform. We have been shown that NO ONE can open
that scroll except the Lamb of God. As He breaks the first seal,
understand that because He is deemed worthy to open this “scroll,” He
is also worthy to break the stony seals of your heart and He is
reaching out to you right now. He is worthy to break apart that which
imprisons you – NOW is the time to welcome the Lamb of God your
heart and life.
It’s interesting that ONE of the four creatures
before the throne is acting independently of the other three by saying
in a voice like thunder, “Come” or
“Come and see,” and we are drawn with the Apostle John deeper into
eternity as these verses unfold. The four creatures normally act
utterly in concert with one another (see Ezekiel Chapter 1). We are
to be in concert with one another in the church, except that you must
also be willing to act when He calls for independent action.
Verse 2. “I looked, and
behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was
given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.”
A lot has been written and said as to who this
rider is. 100 years ago, theologians held that it is the Lord, riding
in strength to rescue His people. A current idea is that the horseman
is the “antichrist” (against the Christ), riding forth to do much
harm. It has been said that the scroll is a title deed to planet
Earth, but it’s really a statement of charges against the human race.
Every time a seal is removed, we will see a little more of ourselves,
presented in pictorial form. The white horse and rider reveals our
tendency toward gluttony in the area of POWER. How many become petty
dictators in homes or jobs? What if the restraints are taken away?
At the time of the end, people will increasingly
turn against each other, leading to war (as in verse 4), with
increased marital discord, gang fights, hostile corporate takeovers,
and the trouble we see in our daily newspapers. As Jesus said about
the time of the end, “because lawlessness will
abound, the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12).
All of these problems and more have ridden forth
into our lives since God’s judgment in Genesis Chapter 3, but under
tight controls, SEALED until this Day of Tribulation and Judgment.
All this and worse will be released as restraints are taken away.
People will be seen as they really are, and none will like what is
seen. Society, culture, the love of one person for another; it will
all fall apart, as this supernatural symbolic being rides forth. The
crown and the bow represent the authority given by God to unleash this
force into the world. The purpose in this glimpse is to wake us up;
to reveal unmistakably our need for the Lord.
Verse 3. “When He broke
the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, ‘Come.’”
The Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the
only One in history, past or future, who is worthy to open the scroll
(rolled-up book) shown in these verses. He now breaks the second wax
seal impression on the scroll, as another of the four great creatures
before the throne of God says: “Come”
forth. And we will “see” what John saw. We’re literally being taken
out of the normal limitations of space and time, and are witnessing 1)
the place of God and 2) the end of this age. We should have a holy
fear, understanding that the end is near and NOW is the time to REALLY
trust in the Lord.
The human race has been like a people that lives
in the desert and yet refuses water when it is offered. At the point
in history of this verse, we see the judgment of God, and once it
starts there will be no turning back. Presently, we live in a time of
mercy, but then, judgment. Don’t lose hope, though – He loves you,
and even if you find yourself in the circumstances described in these
verses, you can still turn to the Lord. Trust in Him and He will look
to you – in love.
Verse 4. “And another,
a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to
take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a
great sword was given to him.”
This fiery red horse and rider continues the
indictment of God against humanity: How people like to slay one
another! We have said insulting things! We have gossiped and damaged
reputations! We have worked hard to elevate ourselves at the expense
of others! As people we are murderers of the heart. Note that God
believes in “battlefield conversions” – people who will not turn to
Him in peace may yet cry out to Him in war. So peace is being removed
from this world. But you are not yet in a wartime situation of the
scale described in these verses. We now live in a time of mercy when
we should reasonably repent before Him, for there is a time when it
will be - too late!
Whether or not the “rider” in verse two IS the
“antichrist” (against the Christ), love will disappear from the heart
of mankind, as godliness is replaced with fear and anger. The “rider”
in this verse will take our thoughts of war and put them into action.
He “rides” because of the judgment of God on the selfishness of
humanity. All this trouble is allowed with the intention that we will
turn to God initially in desperation, but then in love. It’s time to
have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, because great trouble will soon
come.
Verse 5. “When He broke
the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, ‘Come.’ I
looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of
scales in his hand.”
The previous two riders were given a bow and a
sword, whereas this one is allowed a crooked scale, as one more of the
great creatures before God’s throne summons another horror, this one
riding a “black horse.” Some have thought “black” represents
mourning, because black is typically worn at funerals in the Western
world. But that is not true of all cultures, for there are parts of
the world where white is worn at such times. “Black” in Scripture
often refers to the hearts of men, who choose darkness rather than
light in their dealings with God and with one another; denying they
are evil when they really are.
The blackness of the heart of mankind is
suggested by the scales held in the hand of the “rider” in this
verse. We are commanded to use “just
balances” (scales) – we are not to cheat one another (Leviticus
19:35-36). As we shall see in the next verse, the Great Tribulation
of the future will be a time of scarcity on earth, but those who have
much will share little, and what they “share” will be priced very high
indeed. The prophet Daniel read the handwriting on the wall,
observing that the king of Babylon had been weighed in God’s scales
and found wanting. We have all been found wanting in the sight of
God. Only the Lamb of God can save you and me.
Verse 6. “And I heard
something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures
saying, ‘A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley
for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine.’”
The Greek word for “quart” is “choinix,” which
was the amount of food allotted to one man for a day of work. Barley
was primarily the food of the poor and was less expensive. The
“denarius” was a Roman coin which was the pay of a soldier or common
laborer for one day. Jesus referred to this economic fact of the time
during the parable of the “Laborers” in Matthew 20:2. It was an
acceptable wage, but in the time of the Great Tribulation to come, the
price of food and everything else will become restrictively high.
Wheat and barley were necessities when these
verses were written, whereas oil and wine, which were used for
medicinal purposes as well as for pleasure, were considered luxuries
of the day. This picture of the future is very bleak, denoting a time
when people will be cold toward one another, and at least much of the
world will have very little! In far too many places in this world,
those conditions are present right now. We are always on the edge of
disaster, which should show us our need of God.
Verse 7. “When the Lamb
broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature
saying, ‘Come.’
The Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, was now seen again
by John the Apostle, as He opened the fourth seal on the scroll. Keep
in mind that John was an eyewitness to all these events. Yes, this is
a vision revealed to us through John, but it is also more – it reveals
the heart and future of mankind. These are events that WILL occur, as
seen from God’s perspective. “Center stage” in these verses is the
place of God – but reflections of these events will occur on earth.
Also note that NO ONE, in heaven or on the earth, could take the
scroll or open its seals except the Lord Himself (Revelation 4:5), who
is now opening the fourth seal.
I remember a “Comparative Religions” class in
college, where the various religions were compared with one another.
All of them were judged by the professor and the textbooks to be
pretty much the same. The teacher and the books had a point – all
religions are to a great extent man made, tending to focus on what we
do, rather than considering what God has already done. Jesus Christ,
who died for you and me, is greater than religion and He is worthy of
your trust in Him. A hand is reaching out to you, saying “Come”
to the Son of God.
Verse 8. “I looked, and
behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and
Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a
fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with
pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.”
A “pale” or “ashen” horse now bursts into John’s
view, as the fourth seal is opened by the Lamb of God. This “rider”
will be allowed to KILL nearly one quarter of humanity. That’s
billions of people! Under this “seal” we find “death” and “hell”
personified. Not unlike the various devastating stock market crashes
of the 1800’s and early 1900’s, everything may seem like all is well
for the moment, but then, EVERYTHING goes wrong! Wars break out,
serial murderers run rampant, the food supply dwindles, disease
spreads throughout populations, wild beasts become ferocious and
people – die!
For two thousand years, God’s offer of mercy has
been presented to the world. Jesus Christ died in your place to save
you. Whether or not you fully understand what He has done, is
irrelevant. The doctor prescribes medicine for you – Take it and
live; or reject it and die. Most people do not understand the
medicine; they just say “yes” to the doctor. In the last two
millennia, Christ has been presented gently to us (by God – men are
not always gentle), but all that will change. Suddenly, the Offer
will be withdrawn – The time to receive Him is now, for we do not know
when this “rider” will go forth.
Verse 9. “When the Lamb
broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those
who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the
testimony which they had maintained;”
God’s pictorial indictment of the human race
continues. In this fifth seal, we are shown the historically poor
treatment of God’s beloved children. Pompous “leaders” in much of the
world have outlawed true Christianity many times, and this tendency
will increase at the time of the end. God has been gently persuading
us for millennia that we must turn to His Son. That’s what we learn
in Romans 2:4 – “The goodness of God leads
you to repentance.” The Day of His Gentleness is now over, as
expressed in the context of these verses, for the time of His Judgment
has come.
God SUFFERS when we sin. God is “not
willing that ANY should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance”
(2 Peter 3:9). He loves every person who has ever lived, and He is
especially concerned for those who trust in Him. Note in these verses
(9, 10 and 11) that in His time of Judgment on all human history, He
takes a “time out” to comfort those
“who had been slain because of the word of God…” He really
loves and is caring for those who TRUST in Him.
Verse 10. “and they
cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true,
will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who
dwell on the earth?’”
This is a great question: “How
long, O Lord…?” Most people have not yet been physically
injured (or killed) because of trusting in the Name of Jesus Christ,
but we long in our hearts for His return, not only because we love
Him, but also because of the deception and suffering in this place.
Those kept in His protection under the throne of God cry out for
judgment upon the murderous attitudes of people. All who cry out were
badly treated for their faith, and they are personal witnesses to the
coldness that exists within the heart of mankind.
It is astonishing that our holy God has waited so
long to judge this earth. You have to wonder why He didn’t ring down
the curtain when our earliest ancestors sinned. The answer is –
love! He loves us. If the Lord had returned 100 years ago, it would
have been merciful for those who preceded us, but not for you and me,
and He has had us in mind since before the beginning. He is LONG in
patience, but there will come a time when His patience will be at an
end – the time to trust in Him is now.
Verse 11. “And there
was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they
should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their
fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they
had been, would be completed also.”
Evidence of the inhumanity of those who are upon
this earth is continuing. The ones who have been killed because they
were willing to speak of the Lord are being comforted by Him who loves
them. We learn that MORE will be killed because of trusting in Him,
but there is a time when the murders will end. People ask, “How was
it that the Lord commanded Israel to destroy the nations they
displaced in the Holy Land?” The answer is that God knew the hearts
of those who were displaced. They would never turn to Him, and God
replaced them with a people that included some who would. Faith in
God is the key to eternal life.
Note that the people under the throne of God
aren’t crying out because THEY are in any personal danger. They are
concerned because they hunger for the righteousness of God to be done
in the lives of men. They are outraged at the inhumanity they’ve seen
and experienced, which continues to this day. But they are comforted
by the Lord, and the righteousness given in Christ is reflected in the
white robes they receive. More will die, but all of man’s inhumanity
to man will soon be over. Note that those dressed in white are dead
to this world, but they are ALIVE in another – because they have
trusted in Jesus Christ.
Verse 12. “I looked
when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and
the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon
became like blood;”
Time as we know it, is nearly over. The Lamb of
God (Jesus Christ) now opens the sixth seal on the scroll and a great
earthquake occurs. The sun becomes black as “sackcloth” (a garment of
mourning) made from brunette hair, and the moon will darken, becoming
maroon or blood-like in color. From an earthly perspective, this is
precisely what would happen as the result of an earthquake accompanied
by volcanism. A huge amount of dust and smoke would fill the air,
darkening the sun and moon. In very smoggy cities, I have noticed
that the moon often appears to be the color of blood, especially when
it is near the horizon.
But these verses are not from an earthly
perspective. We are looking out from the Throne of God. Light is
God’s gift to the people of earth. Jesus gave us the source of all
light, when He said, “I am the light of the
world” (John 8:12). As a race, we have rejected Him, causing
our understanding to be darkened. The moon reflects the glory of the
sun, not unlike the church is supposed to reflect the glory of Christ,
but the “church” has often been more interested in “programs” than in
living for the Son of God, and blood-guiltiness fills this land.
Verse 13. “and the
stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe
figs when shaken by a great wind.”
“The stars of the sky
fell.” It is important to let Scripture teach Scripture, and
we must look at other verses that speak of “stars,” especially those
which “fall.” In Isaiah Chapter 14, a prophesy is given “against
the king of Babylon” (verse 4), but very soon the Lord reaches
through that king and addresses the power behind the throne, Satan
himself. The prophet cries out in verse 12, “How
you are fallen from heaven O Lucifer (Day Star),
son of the morning…” an event that has
already occurred. We have already seen that “the
seven stars are the angels of the seven churches” (Revelation
1:20).
Jesus referred to a further occurrence of the
fall of Satan and his angels in the future, when he said, “immediately
after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the
moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the
powers of the heavens will be shaken” (Matthew 24:29). The
sections in the Book of Revelation seem to be concurrent in nature.
That is, the sixth seal in these verses appears to refer to the end of
time, but then, so do other places in this Book, as though the same
events are presented in more than one form, repeated for
understanding, just as Jesus told multiple parables about the same
subject matter so that we might understand.
The “unripe figs”
are reminiscent of the “works
(fruit) of
the flesh” in Galatians 5:19-21, which include “adultery,
fornication, uncleanness…” and so on. Those who do not trust
in the Son of God are like unripe fruit, useless, as though blown off
the tree by a strong wind.
Verse 14. “The sky was
split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and
island were moved out of their places.”
Isaiah the Prophet spoke of these events: “All
the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled
up like a scroll; all their host shall fall down as the leaf falls
from the vine, and as fruit falling from a fig tree” (Isaiah
34:4). The context of that verse is a call for the nations to
repent. Isaiah also said, “The eyes of the
blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing”
(Isaiah 35:5-6). He continues, “A highway
shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of
Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for
others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray”
(Isaiah 35:8). Our “highway”, our “road”,
is Jesus Christ.
Yes, these verses in Revelation do refer to
violent seismological events that will occur during the “Tribulation”
at the end of this age, but in addition, we are reminded of the tender
love of God for you and me. He has reached out to us (mankind) for
thousands of years. We thought highly of ourselves, when we should
have bowed low before Him. We are like the “unripe
figs” of verse 13, but He will bring us to the harvest of God.
The scroll of indictment against us has been revealed as the preceding
“seals” were opened, but now with the seventh seal about to be broken,
it is rolled up; finished. He would move us out of our sin and into
His love. NOW is the time to receive Him – Now is the day of
salvation.
Verse 15. “Then the
kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich
and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the
caves and among the rocks of the mountains;”
It has been said that from a human perspective,
this verse names the “seven classes” of mankind: 1) Those who are
politically in power, 2) the great among us, 3) military commanders,
4) the rich, 5) those who are “strong” in one manner or another, 6)
those out of power (slaves), and 7) everybody else (“free” but not in
power). Those who “hid themselves” as
this verse foretells, reveal that they all have one thing in common:
They have rejected God and His Lamb.
The real truth is that there are only TWO kinds
of people in this world: 1) Those who place their trust in the Lord,
and 2) those who reject Him. Representatives of both groups have been
found within all of the seven “classes” named in this verse. Note in
verse 16 that those who reject the Lord know that He is true.
Underneath it all, everyone on earth understands that God is real,
that He loves us, and we can be His, if only we place our trust in
Him. The reason they “hid” in this
verse is for one simple, sad reason: They do not WANT Him and
therefore hide themselves from the Son of God.
Verse 16. “and they
said to the mountains and to the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from
the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the
Lamb;’”
Scripture often has an immediate context and a
future fulfillment, as in Hosea 10:8, where we see the prophesy
against Samaria and Israel: “They shall say
to the mountains, ‘Cover us!’ and to the hills, ‘fall on us!’”
There is a further realization of that prophesy in Luke 23:30, where
Jesus said about the imminent fall of Jerusalem in 71 AD: “Then
they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the
hills, ‘Cover us!’” The people of Samaria, Israel, the
Kingdom of Judea, and those at the end of this age are much the same.
It is clear to all that judgment WILL come. Those who are to be
judged know it will happen, but hope to stay in denial as long as
possible. When it is here, they will be ashamed and try to hide from
Him.
It is so utterly clear in places like Romans 1:20
and context, that you KNOW God is real, that His Lamb was sent to die
in your place, and that He, the Lamb of God, is your only hope. And
yet people hide within and behind mere created things, as in this
example of “mountains” and “rocks,” which carry the suggestion of a
military fortress of some kind under a mountain. But none of the
plans of humanity will work, and we all know it! It’s time now to
trust in the Lamb of God, before His wrath does come.
Verse 17. “for the
great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
This verse is that it reveals something crucial
about the sins of mankind. You can easily find authors and speakers
that will lead you away from the simple truth of our need for faith in
Jesus Christ. Atheists and those of various religions abound, who
will state that somehow you “discriminate” against others by publicly
(or even privately) praying in His name. The “righteousness
of God” expressed “through faith in
Jesus Christ” is open to all (Romans 3:22), but “all
have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)
and many reject Him. Sinners want to remain in their sin and that is
why they don’t want Jesus Christ.
But there will come a time when such men and
women will no longer be able to stand. Deep in our hearts we all know
the Lord is true though “every man
(is) a liar” (Romans 3:4). His wrath
will come and you will fall before Him, either in love or simply
because you are knocked off your feet by His glory. Are you ready?
Have you received the Lord? Let’s do it now:
Father, we come to You as sinners, unable to
stand in Your sight. We repent of our sins. We are willing to change
our ways and we trust in You. Thank You for the Gift of Your Son, who
died for our sins; in our place. We receive Him. We trust in Jesus
Christ, the Son, the Lamb of God. Thank You, Lord. We trust in You
now. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
P.O. Box 92131
Long Beach, CA
90809-2131 USA
www.fridaystudy.org
Ron@fridaystudy.org
