Tuesday: The Scene of the Fourth Seal
Read Revelation 6:7-8. What scene is portrayed here? How is this scene related to the previous one?
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The color of the horse in the fourth seal is expressed with the Greek word chloros, which is the ashen-gray color of a decomposing corpse. The rider’s name is Death; meanwhile, Hades, the place of the dead, accompanies him. These two are allowed to destroy people by sword, hunger, death, and wild beasts over one fourth of the earth (Matt. 24:7-8).
The good news is that the power of Death and Hades is very limited; they are given authority only over a part (one fourth) of the earth. Jesus assures us that He has the keys of Hades and Death (Rev. 1:18, NKJV).
Review once again in Revelation chapter 2, the contents of the messages to the churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, and Thyatira. Compare the situation in those churches with the scenes of the opening of the first four seals. What parallels do you observe between them?
The scenes of the seven seals portray the future of the church. As was the case with the seven churches, the seals correlate to the different periods in Christian history. During the apostolic times, the gospel rapidly spread throughout the world. This expansion was followed by the period of persecution in the Roman Empire, from the end of the first century to the beginning of the fourth century, as portrayed in the scene of the second seal. The third seal points to the period of compromise of the fourth and fifth centuries, which was characterized by a spiritual famine caused by a lack of the Bible and its truths, leading to the “Dark Ages”. The fourth seal aptly describes the spiritual death that characterized Christianity for nearly a thousand years.
| Revelation 6:6 states that “the oil and the wine” will not be affected by the famine of the third seal’s plague. Oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit (1 Sam. 16:13, Acts 10:38), and new wine salvation in Jesus Christ (Mark 2:22). What do the meanings of these symbols tell us about the fact that, even when the Word of God is scarce, the Holy Spirit is still at work and that salvation is still available to all who seek truth? |
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The transition from personal spirituality to political coercion and control is one of the most challenging issues of the history of the Christian Church. One interpretation of the four-horse scenario is that it prophesies that decline. We like to match this view with the history of the papacy because it justifies our historicist view of prophecy. But, perhaps we should also look at ourselves and asking does this have an application for us.
How many of us have replaced personal spirituality with corporate religion? The current debate on church institutional conformity overshadows the fact that we have come to rely on corporate definitions of belief rather than developing our own spiritual relationship with Jesus.
An example: Sabbath-keeping: do we keep Sabbath because our religion tells us to, or because we love God. I am not saying we do not need a church body, but the church body is only alive if the individuals in the church are spiritually alive.
The pale horse scenario is a scary one because it depicts Christianity that has become coercive, more interested in maintaining the structure than the spirituality.
Hi Maurice, thanks for your everyday contributions, always looking forward to your comments. indeed Christianity is about maintaining the structure than spirituality. Had a discussion with one of my sisters last Sabbath after church on our way home, to my surprise while conversing she said.... Indeed God rested on the sabbath day and hallowed it but no where in the scripture did He say we must worship/go to church on that day. It kept me thinking and studying this weeks lesson, God help us.
Thank you, Sarah. It's true that the command was to rest and keep the Sabbath holy. That does not preclude church attendance. However, it is worth thinking about Sabbath-keeping as a holistic experience. When I explain church attendance to my unchurched friends, I do it in terms of a shared spiritual experience. Good friends getting together with a common spiritual interest. They understand that because they go down to the local pub to talk with their mates and share their common interests. We should foster the "community of believers" by gathering together - and that should always be something more than three hymns, a prayer, an offering, and a sermon.
And while Paul doesn't specifically tie his comment to Sabbath, he urges: "do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together", and similar comments.
Divine Passives, Jews were very careful not to use God's name in vain so we see places where it is understood and are called divine passives. We see them in the seals:
1) crown given him
2) granted to take away peace
3) heard a voice
4) power was given them
5) white robe given
What do these divine passives tell us about divine involvement in the seals?
His name is death and Hades accompany him.
When he came into power,he completely destroyed those who were against his false doctrines. Heruli, vandals and astrogoths.
Saint Bartholomew day in 1572AD, they killed ten thousand Huguenots in France.
Goa, India. Here they killed more heretics than they killed in the whole of Europe.
During Crusades they used the cross symbol and attacked many countries and killed many.
1252AD a decree was issued to burn all heretics alive.
1487AD a decree was issued to kill like poisonous snakes the waldenses. This were people who kept the Apostolic faith.
John Wycliffe The Star of England was really troubled and weakened by them.
John Huss was burnt alive by them.
Jerome, a friend of Huss, was killed by them.
The hussites in Bohemian were persecuted and killed by them.
Martin Luther was really disturbed and weakened by them.
During the dark ages they killed over fifty thousand Christians.
13 March 2000." The infallible one" made a sweeping apology for over 2000 years of violence, persecution and blunders. He asked for forgiveness for sins committed against jews, heretics, women, gypsies and native speakers. Dan 7:23-25.
We need to study and keep the "lamp" with oil, because when darkness happens in our lives, the Holy Spirit can be vivid enough to comfort us. God prepares everyone who accepts Him! We all have "blind spots" that need cleansing! It may be hard for us to recognize these! But God knows. We need to keep the faith so the work that God has started in our lives may get finished! And the praise is solely to Him Who died for all!
What does Matthew 24 have to do with the SEALS?
Mat 24:1 temple – SANCTUARY
Mat 24:3 signs - SYMBOLIC
Mat 24:7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places. SEAL 2 & 6
Mat 24:9 Then they will deliver you up to be afflicted and will kill you. SEAL 2 & 5
Mat 24:10 And then many will be offended, and will betray one another, and will hate one another. SEAL 2
Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many will become cold. SEAL 4
Mat 24:13 But he who endures to the end, the same shall be kept safe. SEAL 1 – ENDURE – CONQUER - OVERCOME
Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world as a witness to all nations. And then the end shall come. SEAL 1 & 7
Mat 24:21 for then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world to this time; no, nor ever shall be. SEAL 6
Mat 24:25 Behold, I have told you beforehand. PURPOSE OF SEALS
Mat 24:27 For as the lightning comes out of the east and shines even to the west, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man. SEAL 7
Mat 24:28 For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered. SEAL 4, 4TH creature has face of eagle/vulture
Mat 24:29 And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from the heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. SEAL 6
Mat 24:30 And then the sign of the Son of Man shall appear in the heavens. And then all the tribes of the earth shall mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of the heaven with power and great glory. SEAL 6, also Rev 1:7
Mat 24:31 And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. Rev 7 & 8
Mat 24:32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree. When its branch is still tender and puts out leaves, you know that summer is near. SEAL 6
Mat 24:37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall be the coming of the Son of Man. – EVEN JESUS USES OT EVENTS TO DESCRIBE HIS COMING
Mat 24:42 Therefore watch; for you do not know what hour your Lord comes. WHOLE PURPOSE OF SEALS – WATCH, REPENT
Jesus told several parables in Matt 24 & 25 to show what he meant by “watching”
thank you to the 7th Day Adventist Scholars who prepared this study on the Book of Revelation. The truth sets you free.
The focus must be on developing and keeping in relationship with Jesus. We r living in the end of earths history and for so many believers its business as usual. Many are completely oblivious to the time.