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

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

3 1. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse 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 Apocalypse Compare Revelation 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 Apocalypse 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 Apocalypse 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: 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 Apocalypse 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 Apocalypse 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 Apocalypse 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) Persecution

10 1. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse 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 Apocalypse 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 Apocalypse 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 PeriodThe Christian ExperienceHorse AD Spiritual ‘Passion’ & Growth Conquering AD Persecuted by Roman Empire Persecution AD Church Compromised by Rome Spiritual Famine Onwards Dark Ages Spiritual Death 1. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

14 1. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse 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: Overcoming Persecution

16 1. Altar = The altar of sacrifice in the Sanctuary (see Leviticus 4:7, v18, v25). 2. The Fifth Seal: Overcoming 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 , Matthew 24:1-14) 2. The Fifth Seal: Overcoming Persecution

18 3. The Sixth & Seventh Seal: The 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: The Return of Christ The Resurrection of the Righteous The Destruction of the Wicked The “Millennium” of Judgement The Final Destruction of Satan The Re-Creation of Earth The “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 )

20 3. The Sixth & Seventh Seal: The 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: The 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: The 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 )

23 3. The Sixth & Seventh Seal: The Return of Christ Conclusions from Revelation 6 1. 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... 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