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Revelation Lesson #7 Series
Contributed by Phillip Smith on Mar 20, 2024 (message contributor)
Summary: A thorough study of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show his servants things which must shortly come to pass. (Rev. 1:1) As we begin with chapter 6, the seven seals are going to be opened by the ‘Lamb that was slain’.
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Welcome to our study of the Revelation of Jesus Christ given unto Apostle John.
I am Phillip Smith, your host and fellow servant of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
As we continue our study in the Revelation of Jesus Christ, as given to John, we begin in chapter 6.
As we begin with chapter 6, the seven seals are going to be opened by the ‘Lamb that was slain’. We identify this to be Jesus following the ascension back to the Spiritual realm in Heaven. Mark, Luke, Steven, Apostle Paul and Peter spoke of Jesus being on the right hand of the throne of God. (Mark 16:19, Luke 22:69, Acts 7:55-56, Col. 3:1, Heb. 10:12, 1 Peter 3:22)
Jesus, on the right hand of the throne of God, the lamb that was slain, was the only one worthy to open the seven seals. Let us see the seven seals as they are opened.
Seal #1
Rev. 6:1-2. 6 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.
Once again symbolism is used in this spiritual literature. What are they and what do they mean?
A noise as thunder
When God speaks, as we have seen when He spoke to His children at Mt. Sinai, the sound was as thunder
Here the one speaking to John was one of the four beasts we know as one of the Spirits of God.
God owns the spirits and God tells them what to speak
This beast directs John to see the opening of the seven seals
These first seals show a rider on a horse. Who are they? They ‘are they whom the Lord hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth.’
We witness horses and riders in other places in scripture. It is there we identify the symbolic identity for our understanding.
Zechariah 1:7-10. 7 Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, 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.
First seal shown to John: a White horse
White represents purity, goodness
The rider is bringing goodness and purity to the world
He wears a crown
He has authority placed upon him
He has a bow
The bow is an instrument for offensive warfare
He is bent on an offensive battle to gain righteous souls
He went forth conquering and to conquer
Seal #2
Rev. 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.
Symbolisms in spiritual literature
A second beast tells John to see the opening of the second seal
A red horse appears
Red represents evil–Satan is represented in red with a pitchfork and horns
Power was given unto the rider of the red horse
Satan was given power
This rider was to take peace from the earth
He was to let people kill each other
This rider also was given an offensive weapon–a sword to kill and conquer
This was a ‘great’ sword
Mt. 7:18. 13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Many will go to destruction because the rider on the red horse with the ‘great’ sword will have conquered them.
With information of these first two seals now open, let us examine the situation which they influence upon humanity. Turn to Matthew 13:24-30. 24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.