July 2023
Blood, guts, plague, war and death feature in this section, which is one of the most classic end-times passages. The descriptions here are what most people would think of when they think of the apocalypse. Why did God writes these down for second century Christians? And why for us two thousand years later? What in this picture of the future was He trying to tell us?
In reading Revelation, one immediately notices a lot of similarities between the seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls. There are a few theories as to why this is the case. (1) Equivalence theory suggests these are three ways of viewing the same judgments. John is just giving us multiple camera angles on the same events with increasing alarm as the picture becomes clear. (2) Consecutive theory states these events are similar but sequential. This is the plain reading of the text as John lays out each description one after another. (3) Progressive intensification theory offers these events are staggered throughout the tribulation period but the seventh judgment of each series all happen at the same time. The passages are difficult and all agree John uses observational language. John is not exaggerating or telling falsehoods. At the same time, it is not quite literal as he's saying what he sees in the terms available to him. How would we have described World War II if we knew nothing of planes, tanks, machine guns, or electricity? Whatever the temporal relationship of these judgments, they are certainly horrific and increasing in severity.
Read 6:1-8
Seal 1 - Conquest
The Lamb, who we know is Christ from previous chapters, is the only one with the authority to break the seals. For each of the first four seals, a creature says, "Come!" and a horseman is summoned to visit destruction on the earth. These are the infamous four horsemen of the apocalypse. The first, is a white conqueror who conquers. It seems redundant but the wording is for emphasis. This figure will dominate. Ironically, the two leading theories are this is either Christ or the anti-Christ. One shudders people could draw diametrically the opposite interpretations. However, the anti-Christ is a forged copy of Christ so they have certain similarities. Possibly, this starts as a bloodless takeover as the bow is mentioned but not arrows. I think it is clear this is not Christ, who is in heaven opening the seals when this happens and comes back to conquer in a more obvious way in chapter 19. Likely, this is the anti-Christ and marks the beginning of his reign.
Seal 2 - War
The red horse, war, welds an assassins sword (not the infantry man's sword of Ephesians 6). This language is a fulfillment of Matthew 24. Matthew 24:4-14 probably has this whole section in view. Precursors of conquest, war, famine, and death foreshadow this tribulation version.
Seal 3 - Famine
The black horse, famine, describes scarcity. Situations like these causes calm people to panic and become violent. We saw how scarcity and panic drove people wild during the pandemic. Imagine if it was food in shortage, rather than concrete and toilet paper. Things would get desperate and ugly.
Seal 4 - Death
The pale horse represents death. It is an ashen or yellow/green color. The color of sickness. Between the four horses, one-fourth of humanity is killed. At today's 7.8 billion (2021) population, this would be 1.95 billion people killed. A truly tragic number of lives lost. People quibble about Covid statistics but WHO put the total worldwide Covid deaths at 7 million, 1.1 million of which was in the USA. That level of death impacted our whole society. This level would upend it completely. While most people would still be alive, imagine one in four people on your street being gone... or in your family.
DQ. What strikes you about the first four seals?
Matthew 24:9 tell us, "They will hand you [disciples of Jesus] over to tribulation and to kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name." This unjust targeting of God's people with violence will be typically of the end-times. It is the topic of the next seal.
Seal 5 - Martyrs comforted
While one-fourth of the world perishes, Christians are also being murdered regularly. It is unjust and John gives us a scene in heaven of people crying out to God about it. God gives a curious, and seemingly cold-hearted answer. God is waiting for the number of people killed to be complete. This is a difficult tension, but one that exists today. Why does God hold off on justice? In the tribulation, the period of waiting will be short. We know that within seven years from the tribulation's beginning, Jesus comes back to right all wrongs.
Read 6:12-17
Seal 6 - Earthquake
This mighty earthquake probably changes global geography. If not an earthquake, something happens to set off an equivalent amount of seismic activity. Isaiah 34:4 uses similar language, the heavens rolling up like a scroll. The context there is God's wrath against the nations. The people's reaction is to hide in caves. No triumph of humanism near. No ascension of technology to solve all our ills. Charles Swindoll points out in his Revelation commentary, the question behind the text is, "who is able to stand?" During the fifth seal, we see God's people standing in heaven while everyone else cowers on earth. In chapter seven, we'll see God's people set aside and standing on earth. Being one of God's people may increase your suffering during the tribulation, but we see they are the only ones left standing. Later, the elect are also spared some of the judgment sufferings.
Of the first six seals, only the last one is active judgment from God. The first seal is passive, with God allowing the anti-Christ to rise to power. The next three follow logically from a world-wide conquest combined with our rebellious human nature. There is no way to tame all of humanity without bloodshed, and war leads to famine and death. Later, we'll note most the trumpet judgments are passive. It may be John saw the horrible consequences of the anti-Christ presiding over the devastation of the environment. In the end, the bowl judgments show a series of direct judgments by God on the anti-Christ's unrepentant followers.
DQ. Why would God shrae these details with us? What would the application be to the original audience? What's potential application to us?
The end-times raise the problem of evil in sharp contrast. What will you do God? When will you act? When the end-times comes, the answer is now. These previews allow us to know where to invest ourselves. They serve as a confirmation of the end when we see these things happen. 1 Peter 1:13 exhorts us, "your minds must be clear and ready for action. Place your confidence completely in what God's kindness will bring you when Jesus Christ appears again." We look to Jesus's return for our reward and our justice. Not to our leaders here or this life. We stay ready for action so we are not caught off guard.
In Revelation 7:1-8, we see 144,000 Jewish believers sealed in some sort of protective way. This is Israel redeemed and spiritual once again.
Read 7:9-17
John sees a multicultural church unlike any on earth. The Great Commission has been accomplished. The church will fulfill its duty. We see also the believers who go through the tribulation are taken care of.
DQ. How do we prepare ourselves and our children for events like these?
In light of these chapters, we want to talk about our priorities with our families. We know humanism will fail. All these projects promising human-centered utopia are not going to work. There is a tension between investing here and watching it all burn. All Christians must live with this tension. We invest in the eternal, in people, and do our best to steward the earth under our watch. But we don't bother to build kingdoms here or great physical works, which will surely rot and perish.
Read 8:1-2
After all that's happened, something so significant as to silence heaven for half an hour means something big. All of the seventh judgments of the seals, trumpets, and bowls are similar and seem to conclude at the same time. Either the seven seal is the seven trumpets and so on, or the seventh of each endures until Jesus's return.
To conclude, we occupy a weird middle ground in history. In the beginning of the church age, choosing for God meant significant personal risk. At the end it will be the same. Our lives, so far, are more comfortable. Passages like this remind us of what's important. Our situation is special. Rather than be bored by it, we should be grateful. God has given us an insight into the future. Let's be ready for action.
Rochford, James. "Revelation 6." Evidence Unseen. https://www.evidenceunseen.com/bible-difficulties-2/nt-difficulties/jude/introduction-to-revelation/#_Toc121483626. Accessed 08/23/2023
Swindoll, Charles. Insights on Revelation. Tyndale House Publishers. 2014.