5: The Seven Seals – Discussion starters
- The seals. Not sea creatures, but symbols of what? What does “opening of the seals” mean to Christians today? Who only is able to open the seals in the proclaiming of God’s final message to the world? What comes to an end with the opening of the seventh and last seal?
- The first seal is opened. Why does John call the first four seals “God’s severe judgment”? What powerful event took place at the opening of the first seal? Christ is described as riding on a white horse. What does the color “white” represent? What does the crown worn by the rider symbolize? Has the gospel spread rapidly through the world as predicted? What is left to accomplish? What is the message for the church at Ephesus? True or not: We’ve met all the
requirements of the first seal. Explain. How can we always be sure we’re on the winning side? - The second and third seals. Throughout Scripture, what does the color red symbolize? What did that symbol mean to early Christians? One of the two horse riders in the second seal is carrying a red sword. Is there equal meaning between the sword and its color? If so, what is the meaning? The other horse with the third seal is riding a black horse and holding a food scale. Does the rider weigh in pounds? If not, what is he using to weigh food for his family? Could you feed a family of four if you had nothing to offer them except three quarts of barley for the whole day? What if the grain represents the Bible and its teachings? Are you giving your family enough of the word of God?
- The fourth seal. Now we see a horse the color of a dead person. What is the name of the person riding this horse? What is the name of the person accompanying death? What do you think it means that Death and Hades have authority over only one-fourth of the earth? How encouraged are you that they limited in carrying out their authority? Our lesson states that the fourth seal symbolizes Christianity in its spiritually dead state that lasted for nearly a thousand years. Revelation 6:6 assures us that the Holy Spirit (oil) and Jesus Christ (new wine) will never run out for a certain group of people. What is the main characteristic of those people who are never denied access to Jesus and the Holy Spirit? Can you and I have that access? How?
- The opening of the fifth seal. What is the word we use to describe a person destroyed because of his or her faith? Is that something you’d like to be? How many martyrs must there be before God avenges their blood? Are there any cases of martyrdom for religious reasons going on now? When will the martyred children of God be recognized, or vindicate)? How many Christians have been martyred to date: (A) hundreds; (B) thousands; (C) millions; (D) a number no one can count. Once we’re on the “other shore,” how do you think we will deal with people who have given their lives as martyrs for their love of Jesus?
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The author of the sabbath school states that the white horse in Rev 6:2 refers to the gospel proclaimed in the first century. This white horse is also similar to the white horse in Rev 19:11-16 which is related to the Second Coming of Christ and the war of Armageddon. He further implies that the four horses in Ezekiel´s vision Ezek 14:21 are used for God´s severe punishment. Now there is not one text in the Bible that supports the view that the white horse in Rev 6:2 is used for proclaiming the gospel. Therefore this white horse maybe the same as the white horse in Rev 19:11-16 referring to Gods judgments at Armageddon, however it takes on another role.
Tony, to me the horse in the first seal cannot represent the second coming or Armageddon, as it is not in that time frame. To me the time frame for proclaiming the gospel meets the time frame perfectly and aligns with the church of Ephesus.
William, prove what you saying is from the Bible and Bible only.
The text Rev 6:2 does not state a time frame.
Tony, it seems to me that William's view is at least as biblical as yours. When we interpret Revelation, we need to do so in the context of the bigger picture. It would be more helpful if you would explain your statement a bit further, recognizing that it has to fit the context of the rest of the seals:
When we do a word study on horses with a rider using weapons in the Bible, they are all related to wars, battles and fighting. There is not text in the Bible to support the view that the white horse in Rev 6:2 refers to the proclamation of the gospel in the first century. It is a myth that comes from cupid shooting arrows of love in G>reek mythology.
The rider in Rev 6:2 has a crown on his head which is a stefanos in Greek. This crown was used by Roman military leaders coming home to Rome from a military victory over their enemies. He went out conquering to conquer which is 100% military activity in war. Ellen G White confirms this quote "conquering to conquer" in relation to the final battle of Armageddon in P & K, page 725 and Christian Experience and Teachings, page 228.The bow was used by soldiers to shoot arrows at their enemies from a long distance. If the arrows did not kill the enemy, then he got out his sword to finish the job off. Christ is the rider on both horses in Rev 6:2 and Rev 19:11-16. In riding into Armageddon he shoots his arrows and then in the middle of the war he uses his sword to finish the job off, exterminating all unbelievers. For more info see my website www.ayin.dk
Tony, context is everything. The rest of this act does not deal with the Battle of Armageddon. And even Armageddon is the culmination of a *spiritual* battle, not a physical battle. So when the gospel is preached by the power of Christ, the arrows of conviction and the sword of the Spirit do their work to conquer human hearts for the Kingdom of God. This is, indeed, a conquest of love, but it has nothing whatsoever to do with the "Cupid" of Greek mythology.
Inge, All horses in the Bible are related to wars, battles and the military. Even in Ezekiel´s vision of the four horses seeking out the whole earth were on a scouting military mission. Again there is not one text in the Bible to imply that a white horse with bow and arrow refers to the gospel. Can you please just find one?
I would point out that The white horseman in Rev 19 is associated with Armageddon. Since that is a spiritual battle, then the horseman is symbolic. The same could be said for Revelation 6. Little in Revelation is literal to that extent. I'm not weighing in on either perspective here, but the similarity between Rev 6 and 19 is worthy of consideration, and the fact that Rev 19 is symbolic of a spiritual warfare does not inherently place it in a different category than the symbolism of ch. 6.
Maybe one could review what Dr. Ranko Stefanovic wrote on this topic since his work was original basis for this quarter's Sabbath School Lesson?
Many have used this passage in Revelation to verify the belief that our “souls” go immediately to heaven after death. But upon recalling how God approached Cain with the murder of his brother Abel (“The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.” Genesis 4:10 NKJV), we can easily see that the blood mentioned under the altar is also used metaphorically, not literally