- Seven sprinkles of blood, and the Seven Seals
- The Four Seals and the Four Horses
- The remaining three Seals
- The Seals and the Trumpets
- More Context
- The Seven Bowls of God’s wrath
- The Jewish Calendar and the Seven Seals
- The Seven letters
- More on the Four Horsemen
Seven sprinkles of blood, and Seven Seals
In Leviticus 16, the Lord warns Aaron against liberally entering into the most Holy space in the Temple behind the curtain. Access into the Holy of Holies was permitted only once annually, on the Day of Atonement. Aaron would enter under the express purpose of sprinkling the blood of a sin offering, seven times on the atonement cover (the cover of the Ark of the Covenant).
According to the author of Hebrews, the responsibilities of the High Priest on this day (as it occurred annually, performed by the High Priest of every generation) would serve as a prophetic rehearsal of what would ultimately happen with Christ. When Jesus became High Priest of heaven, he would pass through the “greater and more perfect” tabernacle of which the tabernacle of earth is but an imperfect copy. Jesus entered the Holy of Holies not with the blood of bulls, but with his own blood.
In Revelation 5, John’s attention is directed to a scroll with seven seals. An angel inquires “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” No one is worthy, except for the “Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David” – the Messiah. The scroll containing the seven seals that only the Messiah can open, is reminiscent of the sprinkling of blood that the High Priest would perform specifically seven times on the atonement cover.
The Holy of Holies of the terrestrial tabernacle contained the Ark of the Covenant, standing as a visible witness of the Old Covenant. In contrast, the act of Jesus entering into the Holy of Holies residing in Heaven would signify the ratification of something new. The opening of the scroll therefore, is synonymous with becoming mediator of the New Covenant.
The Four Seals and the four Horses
Each seal opened, leads to an expression of God’s wrath on earth. God is intending to use calamity and tribulation to lead the world to repentance. The succession of one seal after the other is a type of countdown, a reminder to choose a side. When the last seal opens, it will be too late for the wicked to escape their fate. The Lord will come to exact vengeance and mete out judgement on the deserving.
The 7,000 year “week” of man yields a pattern of the emphasis of the number 4 and 3. This is because the arrival of the Messiah on the fourth day (a period in-between four thousand years and five thousand years) breaks the week into two parts. Scripture emphasizes this pattern of 4 and 3 in many ways, and this same pattern also reveals itself in the seven seals.
To review, four Feast days occur in the spring. This is followed by a period of three months of waiting until the arrival of the three Feast days on the seventh month:
In the same way, the arrival of the Messiah on the fourth day of man, leads to three “world” days (three thousand years) of waiting until the conclusion of the 7,000 years and the arrival of the “New heavens and earth.”
Revelation chapter 6 describes four seals without pause. However, on the fifth seal, the martyrs who died for the testimony of Jesus are asking of God: “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” (Revelation 6:10). They are given white robes and they are told to wait.
Revelation chapter 6
The four Horses are first introduced in the book of the prophet Zechariah. However, Instead of four single horses, Zechariah beholds four chariots of many horses. Each chariot corresponds to a spirit of heaven:
The first chariot had red horses, the second black, the third white, and the fourth dappled—all of them powerful. I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these, my lord?” The angel answered me, “These are the four spirits of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world.” – Zechariah 6:2-5
Zechariah first planted the seed of the notion of four spirits moving throughout the earth. The prophecy of John provides further context. Using the book of Revelation, we now know they are released as a form of judgement corresponding to the breaking of four seals. In addition, each horse/spirit has a unique task to carry out.
The first seal: Rider riding a white horse
- Holds a bow, wears a crown, and moves forward as a conqueror
The Second seal: Rider riding a red horse
- He will take peace away from earth. Inspires people to kill. Wields a large sword.
The Third seal: Rider riding a black horse
- Holds a pair of scales. John hears a declaration, resembling a type of Wall Street report: “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six pounds of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!”
The fourth seal: Rider riding a “pale” horse
- Rider is “death.” Power is given to kill a fourth of the earth by sword, famine, and plague.
The remaining three Seals
Seal number four is a waiting period. The righteous martyrs await their vindication, when the Lord will avenge their blood.
Seal number six gives way to an earthquake, the darkening of the sun (sun is made black like “Sackcloth made of goat hair”), the moon is turned blood red and the “stars of the sky” fall like figs to earth. In addition, the 144,000 are sealed at this time.
Seal number seven brings a silence in heaven. Seven angels appeared before God, and they were handed seven Trumpets. This kicks off the second count of seven: seven trumpets. The seven trumpets however, are not placed chronologically after the seven seals. The whole point of all this upheaval is to open the scroll. Once the seven seals are broken and the scroll is open, God wins. The battle is over. Satan is imprisoned, all of Israel is saved, and Jesus reigns as king in the Temple in Jerusalem. After the seventh seal, there is no time left for a struggle.
While John is in heaven, the process appears in linear fashion: first the seven seals, and then the seven trumpets. But on earth, the judgements are cyclical. The seven seals cover the entire period starting from the resurrection of Jesus to the very dawn of the seventh day of man (the “day of the Lord” when the tribulation ends). The four seals provide a broad and large scale look into two thousand years of history. The remaining three seals cover the tail end of the two thousand years (the last seven years of the tribulation).
We return to the pattern of four and three:
- Four seals take place over thousands of years as build up and preparation for the seven year tribulation.
- Three seals mark the beginning [fifth seal], middle [sixth seal], and end of the seven year tribulation [the seventh seal].
When the first of the seven trumpets is sounded, it’s as if time reverses. John is taken back in time, but this time he is given a much closer look. The seven trumpets will focus on the events surrounding a smaller chunk of time within the two thousand years, specifically taking place between the fifth seal and the seventh seal: the seven year tribulation.
The Seals and the Trumpets
When the seven seals are over, John’s vision goes back in time to the very first year of the tribulation. This takes place on seal number five. The tribulation week begins when the Antichrist “confirms a covenant with many” (Daniel 9:27). Common interpretation is that the Antichrist makes a peace agreement with the Nation of Israel. It will be done under the pretence of “Peace and security” (1 Thessalonians 5) but the Covenant will be broken in the middle of the seven years. Sacrifice will cease, and an “abomination” will be set up in the Temple (Daniel 9:27).
Again, the four and three pattern makes an appearance:
Four trumpets are sounded:
- Hail and fire mixed with blood. A third of the earth is burned up.
- A huge mountain is thrown into the sea. A third of living creatures in the sea dies.
- A great star fell from the sky to make a third of all water bitter.
- A third of the sun, moon, and stars turn dark.
After the four trumpets, an angel laments the severity of the last three trumpets:
“Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!” – Revelation 8:13
Trumpet 5
Trumpet five takes place on seal six. Remember that seal six gives only a brief description of the darkening of the sun, the moon turning red, and “stars falling like figs.” This is because the seals only gave John general, big picture information. This time, since the Trumpets represent a much closer look, more information into the conditions of seal six is provided. One of the “stars” (symbolic of angelic hosts) that fall from heaven is given a key to open “the abyss.” The opening of this abyss results in smoke rising and completely covering the sky. The smoke obscures light from the sun, and makes the light reflected from the moon appear red. Out of the abyss, Locusts emerge (also described as scorpions) to harm the earth. They were “prepared for battle” and moved as soldiers under the command of a king (the angel of the Abyss).
The Locusts represent the Antichrist army rushing to invade Jerusalem. The first Chapter of the book of Joel is a prophetic glimpse into this attack, and the devastation involved. The vision likens the invading hordes of the Antichrist to a swarm of locusts, bringing swift destruction and leaving nothing in its wake:
“A nation has invaded my land, a mighty army without number; it has the teeth of a lion, the fangs of a lioness. It has laid waste to my vines and ruined my fig trees. It has stripped off their bark and thrown it away, leaving their branches white.” – Joel 1:6,7
When Jerusalem is taken captive, the people of Judah will be sent into a world wide exile for the second time:
“…They scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.They cast lots for my people and traded boys for prostitutes; they sold girls for wine to drink.” – Joel 3:2-3
“For you took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples. You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, that you might send them far from their homeland.” – Joel 3:5-6
This attack is precipitated by an event known as the “abomination that causes desolation”:
In Mark 13, Jesus gives stern warning to flee without hesitation to the mountains when the abomination is sighted:
“When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ standing where it does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. 16 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 17 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! – Mark 13:14-17
Trumpet 6
Trumpet 6 is sounded on seal seven; the end of the tribulation. The Antichrist and his allies exercise authority with tyrannical aggression. Jewish captives are held as slaves and prisoners throughout the Empire. Territories provincial to the Beast system have been dismantled, abandoned and left without leadership as former kings and men of power seek shelter in caves and under rocks (Revelation 6:15). The earth is absolutely ravaged and the sky is perpetually black with smoke. These are the conditions that characterise what scripture calls “the day of the Lord.” On this day, the Lord gives full vent to his anger and righteous indignation.
The Antichrist and his allied nations are led to direct their attention to Jerusalem once again. God’s will is to gather them into Jerusalem. The sixth angel holding the sixth Trumpet announces: “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates” (Revelation 9:14). They are released to kill a third of mankind through inspiring one last military siege. The Apostle John overhears that their number: “ten thousand times ten thousand” (Revelation 9:16).
Trumpet 7
Soon after the sounding of the seventh Trumpet, loud voices announce the annexation of earth into the “Kingdom of our Lord” under the authority of the Messiah (Revelation 11:15).
Putting it all together:
The Nation of Israel brokers a Covenant with the Antichrist in order to secure peace. This kick starts the tribulation week. After three and a half years the promise of peace between the Nation of Israel and the Antichrist is broken without warning, and with sudden destruction. According to Jesus in Matthew 24, the appearance of the abomination would provide little precious time to escape Jerusalem before it is destroyed. The situation is so dire, Jesus remarks that one should not return home even to grab a coat!
- Seal Five/Trumpets 1- 4: Martyrs who perished during Seal Four are told to wait until the conclusion of the tribulation. Various natural disasters take place to signal warning of the impending calamity of Seal six.
- Seal Six/Trumpet 5: The opening of the sixth seal triggers the falling of “stars” like figs, representing angels allied with Satan falling to the earth. Trumpet five reveals that soon after the stars fall, one “star” or angel in particular, is granted a key to open the “abyss”. Whatever it is, it releases copious amounts of smoke into the atmosphere. This darkens the sun, and makes the moon appear red. After the abyss is opened, the Antichrist hordes rush like monstrous Locusts to devour the land of Israel, and to set up the abomination. Many Jews resident to the land are taken captive as slaves and subjected to cruelty, and exile.
- Seal Seven/Trumpet 6: Four angels are released from the river Euphrates to gather the Antichrist and his allies for a second attack against Jerusalem.
- Seal Seven/Trumpet 7: The tribulation has ended, the Messiah now reigns in an official capacity as King on earth.
More Context
Even with Seals five through six, and the full gamut of the Trumpet blasts, we are left with more questions than answers. The prophetic elements convey a blurry image; a form is discernible, but definition and clarity is lacking. This is why John’s vision at times will seem to depart from the general flow of the vision to address specific details. Revelation chapters 11-14 will resolve the following questions:
- What is the significance of the falling of “stars” like figs? What causes it?
- What happens during the waiting period between Seal five and Six?
- What is the Kingdom of the Antichrist like? How does it rule? What type of persecution does it subject the world to?
- Who are the 144,00?
- What happens during the final battle of the Seventh seal?
What is the significance of the falling of “stars” like figs? What causes it?
In Revelation 12, John provides a cryptic description of a woman suffering through the agony of labor. After John writes of the male child she gives birth to, it’s clear the woman represents the Nation of Israel and the son: Jesus. The child is quickly removed from harm’s way, placed into God’s care and “his [God’s] throne” (meaning Jesus inherits the throne).
A war between angel Michael and the devil rages in heaven (Revelation 12:7-8). The devil and his angels lose the battle and are thrown down to earth. This leads to the event of Seal Six: “The stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind” (Revelation 6:13). This description is typical of prophecy, conveying in symbolic language the event of Satan and his angelic hosts rapidly descending to earth after a hostile eviction from heaven.
The dragon, as a symbol of the malevolent forces of the Devil, proceeds to attack the woman (The Nation of Israel). Although the attack is largely successful, a small minority is allowed to escape by “flying away” to a place of refuge (Revelation 12:14). The dragon then turns his attention to the Christian world “those who keep God’s commandments and hold fast to their testimony about Jesus.” This marks the beginning of a targeted campaign to persecute and kill Christians worldwide.
What happens during the waiting period between Seal five and Six?
Two remarkable individuals (known as the “two witnesses”) will emerge at the advent of the tribulation. In a fashion similar to John the Baptist, they will preach repentance and warn of coming calamity. John’s vision seems to suggest their proximity to the Temple, as if their ministry would be specific to Jerusalem. They will be opposed and hated, but for the first half of the tribulation they will move forward with impunity. They’ll have the power to strike their foe with plague, fire and drought if necessary. It seems likely that the disasters that correspond to the first four Trumpets will arrive under their command.
At the conclusion of their testimony, the “beast that comes from the abyss” will kill them. The mention of the “abyss” ties their deaths to the events of Seal six:
- The opening of the “abyss”
- The “abomination of desolation”
- The release of “Locusts” to destroy Jerusalem
- The death of the two witnesses
What is the Kingdom of the Antichrist like? How does it rule? What type of persecution does it subject the world to?
The Antichrist kingdom will have two phases
John watches as Satan calls forth a “Beast” from the sea. The Beast from the sea is empowered by Satan to accomplish his will. John observes that before this Beast rises to power, it must heal from a “fatal head wound.” It therefore has a period of prominence, followed by what appears to be a complete defeat. Eventually it recovers from the “fatal head wound” more powerful than before.
A second Beast emerges, coming from the earth. The Beast from the earth is responsible for heralding the First Beast’s return to the world stage. It will function much like a prophet, performing great signs to evoke awe and convince the world to worship the first Beast. Ultimately, it will force the world to take on a “mark” – and without it, buying and selling will not be possible.
When the Beast from the sea returns to power, it is given authority to conquer God’s people. The whole earth is made subject to the rule of the first Beast.
Who are the 144,000
The event of the sealing of the 144,000 happens during Seal six. It’s important to note that the 144,000 who are sealed, are among the living. Just after mention of the 144,000 – John’s vision takes him to a celebration in heaven. John beholds a multitude without number, from every tribe and nation, wearing white robes and waving palm branches. These two groups (the 144,000 and the great multitude in heaven) are participating in the same one event. The difference however, is that one is taking place on earth and the other is taking place in heaven.
Evidently, there are only two designated places for the Christian after seal six takes place. Christians are either dead, or sealed as members of the 144,000. Although the 144,000 are mentioned first in Revelation 6 (during seal six), the 144,000 make a second appearance in Revelation 14 right after the description of the mark of the Beast. This is because the mark of the Beast is Satan’s counterfeit of the “Seal” that takes place among the 144,000.
According to John’s vision, the 144,000 are purchased:
Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads… They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. – Revelation 14:1,4
The analogy of a business transaction serves to emphasise the point of ownership. God now owns and/or possesses the 144,000. There is no question, no struggle between God and Satan for these people. The matter has been settled.
Likewise, those who receive the Mark of the Beast will have offered the ownership of their soul to Satan.
The time of the implementation of this mark will force all of humanity to choose a side. Either they will die for God, or they will forfeit their eternal soul out of fear of death.
The three angels
Revelation 11 – 14 addresses four topics:
- The Two Witnesses
- The Woman and the Dragon
- The two Beasts
- The 144,000
After these four subjects are expounded upon by the vision, three angels appear before John offering three statements of woe:
- The first woe is a statement of warning: “Fear God and give him glory because the hour of judgement has come.” – Revelation `4:7
- The Second woe brings up a subject that until this point, has not been discussed: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great.” – Revelation 14:8
- The Third woe reveals the eternal consequences for receiving the mark: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name. This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.” – Revelation 14:9
Statement two provides an essential piece of information necessary for understanding the chronological order of events. According to the three woes, the event of the fall of Babylon (which has not yet been covered by John’s vision) precedes the receiving of the Mark. At this point, we know that the fall of Babylon happens sometime after the recovery of the Beast from the sea (from its wound) and before the Mark of the Beast.
What happens during the final battle of the Seventh seal?
John is offered a glimpse of the second coming of Jesus. Jesus is wearing a crown of gold and holding a sickle in his hand. An angel steps out of the Temple in heaven and shouts: “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe” (Revelation 14:15). Jesus swung the sickle in his hand to harvest the earth. This is the harvest of the righteous, the calling of saints in the Resurrection.
Another angel shouts: “Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.” This time an angel swung a sickle, and gathered grapes to be thrown in the winepress of God. They were trampled and crushed, so that the blood would rise as high as a horse’s bridle. This is the end result of the final battle. The four angels released in Seal seven/Trumpet six gather the armies of the Antichrist for what will become an absolute slaughter.
The Seven Bowls of God’s wrath
After the seventh Trumpet, prophecy takes the Apostle John backwards in time once more. The first Bowl caused festering sores to break out on the people who received the Mark of the Beast. We know that the Mark is enforced only after the Beast from the sea has achieved the full measure of its power. We therefore know one thing for sure, The wrath of the first Bowl cannot land on Seal five. Seal five is a time of calm before the storm. The Beast of the Sea withholds its violence until the middle of the week.
The middle of the week is a big reveal. The Beast exposes itself for what it is, and the reckless ambition it holds to achieve absolute power and even receive worship. As Revelation 12 reveals, the first move is to destroy Jerusalem. After, it sets its fury on Christians worldwide.
I place the first Bowl of wrath on Seal six. Later, when John indulges more, this will make complete sense.
- First Bowl: festering sores on those who received the Mark of the Beast.
- Second Bowl: Sea turned to blood.
- Third Bowl: rivers and springs turn to blood.
- Fourth Bowl: sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. People refused to repent.
- Fifth Bowl: The Kingdom was plunged into darkness. People refused to repent.
The sixth Bowl is the most notable: “The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East” (Revelation 16:12). Again, the river of the Euphrates is mentioned. While Trumpet six only divulged that four angels were released to gather the Nations for battle, Bowl six reveals that the water in the river also dries to provide an open path for the gathering. In addition three “impure spirits” are released to essentially accomplish the same job. They “perform signs” to convince the Kings of the world to gather for battle.
The sixth Bowl therefore lands on the Seventh Seal.
The Seventh Bowl causes an earthquake of such magnitude that the “great city” (most likely a reference to Jerusalem) split into three parts, and the Nations of the earth collapsed. In Revelation 16, something interesting happens to the text. It’s as if John reverses in time again, but right in the middle of a thought. Two scenes merge together as one. The city of Jerusalem is merged with a reference to the fall of Babylon:
The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible. – Revelation 16:19-21
Satan is a copy-cat
Revelation 16 is hoping to capture the reader’s attention. It’s bringing to light a principle that is all throughout the entire book of Revelation. Satan’s ambition is to be God. He therefore does as God does, but in a way that benefits him:
- The Messiah dies and comes back
- The Beast from the Sea “dies” (suffers a ‘fatal head wound’) and comes back to life.
- The 144,000 are “sealed”
- The devil seals those who receive the “Mark of the Beast”
- Jesus had a ministry of three and a half years
- The Antichrist rules with authority for three and a half years
- Jesus is the revealed image of God. We direct worship to God by worshipping Jesus.
- The Beast of the Sea receives worship by creating an “image” and forcing the Nations to worship the image (Revelation 13:14-15)
God has a Holy land. This Holy land provides a home and shelter for the theocratic Nation of Israel, which is founded upon spiritual law (the Torah).
The “Whore” of Babylon (AKA Mystery Babylon) is Satan’s version of the Holy land. Mystery Babylon is a real city, also residing in the wilderness (desert). It is a centre of spiritual “adultery” (idiom for Idolatry) and yet it is also political – the Kings of the earth commit “adultery” with her.
The Holy land is a gathering place for Israel and those who revere the God of Abraham. Mystery Babylon is also a gathering place for the nations, and for many peoples: “The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.” – Revelation 17:15
A plot twist of sorts occurs. God places it in the heart of the Beast to destroy Mystery Babylon: “They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire” (Revelation 17:16). The roar of a great multitude in heaven shouts: “Hallelujah!
The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” This is a big reveal. The smoke of Seal six (which darkens the sky and obscures the sun) described as coming from the “abyss” results from a Nuke directed at Mystery Babylon.
The Destruction opens the “abyss” – releasing the Beast from earth (Revelation 13:11). He is the “angel of the abyss” the king of the Locusts (Revelation 9:11).
The destruction of ‘Mystery Babylon’ jump starts all the essential events of the tribulation. We now have a complete timeline:
- Beast from the sea rises and falls (fatal head wound).
- The Beast rises again [Seal Four].
- A Covenant of peace is made the Nation of Israel [Seal five].
- Satan and his angels fall from heaven [Seal Six].
- Mystery Babylon is destroyed.
- Beast of the earth emerges from the “abyss” with his Locusts
- The “Abomination Desolation”
- Locusts are released to destroy Jerusalem.
- The two witnesses are killed
- The Beast of the earth makes the world worship the Beast from the sea
- The Mark of the Beast is enforced
- 144,000 are sealed
- The two Beasts are granted power for three and a half years
- At the end of three and a half years the Antichrist and his allies are gathered into Jerusalem one more time. This time, the Antichrist will lose [Seal Seven].
Satan Defeated
John is granted a vision of Christ coming in the clouds once again. Interestingly, Jesus is riding a white horse. This is reminiscent of the first Seal. However, contrary to the rider of the first seal, Jesus is “Faithful and true” (Revelation 19:11). Jesus advances against the Nations with his own army: the resurrected saints wearing white linen who through Jesus, are made pure and clean. An angel shouts to the birds: “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small” (Revelation 19:17-18). John’s vision concludes the matter rapidly. After all, this scene has already been described many times:
“But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshipped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh” Rev 19:
The Jewish Calendar and the Seven Seals
The seven seals and the Jewish calendar adhere to the same pattern (broken into two pieces: 4 and 3). When the calendar is superimposed over the seven seals, the “Day of Trumpets” (“Yom Teruah” in Hebrew) aligns with the fifth seal, the “Day of atonement” aligns with the sixth, and “Feast of Tabernacles” aligns with the seventh seal. This will provide further meaning and context to the events that correspond to the last three seals:
Day of Trumpets
The fifth seal is a period of warning; a gracious gift of three and a half years for those who have not turned to God, to finally repent and escape a fate with eternal consequences. The four Trumpet judgements are released at this time.
The sounding of the trumpet in Israel was employed like an alarm; the thundering trumpet call is unsettling, and attention grabbing. It was as a sign of warning, and a call to repentance. The natural disasters associated with each Trumpet will signal warning of the impending calamity of Seal six.
In addition, the “two witnesses” will also announce the urgency of the times.
The fifth letter to the church of Sardis seems to be an exact match with the fifth seal. The letter communicates absolute urgency:
Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. – Revelation 2:2-3
The subject moves to address a few in the church of Sardis who “have not soiled their clothes.” It says “They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.” This seems to point to the 144,000 who are protected from the torment of the Locusts, and who remain living throughout the seven years. The privilege of becoming sealed is therefore connected to those with unsoiled clothes, who were “awake” at the right time, relative to the others who needed the wake up call.
The letter makes a distinction between “them” and those who are receiving the rebuke to wake up. If those who have been found with an incomplete faith and unfinished deeds take to heart the instruction to wake up, they too will be dressed in white:
“The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white.” – Revelation 3:5
This reinforces what Revelation will seem to imply, later in the description of seal six. There are two groups: the 144,000 and the tribulation martyrs who gather in heaven without number. The tribulation martyrs are victorious in the sense that they remained faithful to resist the Antichrist, and they were indeed dressed in white as John’s vision shows, albeit in heaven.
Day of Atonement
On the Day of Atonement, the High Priest would wear special garb unique to the occasion, made of white linen. The High Priest would wear a linen tunic, undergarments, a linen sash and turban. After donning the attire, the High Priest would enter into the Holy of Holies and perform the sprinkling of the blood to atone for himself, and his “household.”
For repentant Israel, and the “household” of the High Priest, the Day of Atonement will yield forgiveness. Sacrifice is performed to atone for sin, and as the High Priest performs his duties he does so in faith that God will respond by offering mercy.
However, this day is a double edged sword. It is also a day of judgement. One goat is sacrificed to mediate atonement for Israel. The effect of a ceremonial slaughter is that the animal is made “sanctified” and spiritually elevated. The other goat, in contrast, will suffer the indignity of the fate designated to the “scapegoat”. This goat, known as the “scapegoat” takes upon himself the Avon (intentional sins) of Israel, and along with it, the shame and depravity. It is taken to the wilderness and thrown off a cliff to explode upon impact as it lands.
The Day of Atonement is associated with Seal six. Seal six is also characterized in a dual manner: Seal six is triggered by the event of the destruction of the Mystery Babylon. This releases the angel from the abyss and the Locus army to attack and destroy Jerusalem. However, for the “household” of our High Priest, and all those who believe in Jesus, a celebration takes place. The tribulation martyrs are granted white robes:
“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands…These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” – Revelation 7:9,14
In Revelation 19, a multitude in heaven shouts in jubilee over the destruction of Babylon. In quick succession, just after mentioning the endless billows of smoke rising from the abyss, mention is made of the “wedding of the lamb”:
Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thundering’s, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigned. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. – Revelation 19:6-9.
A wedding procession is happening in heaven, while on earth the “abyss” is soon to open, releasing the Beast from the earth. The abyss is opened with a key. The sixth letter addressed to the church in Philadelphia also matches with Seal six. Remarkably, it mentions a key and door:
“These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.” – Revelation 3:7-8
The Seven letters
I’ve already shown two examples that the seven letters, just like the Feast days, correspond to the seven seals. I still have yet to conduct an in depth study. However, I suspect that an abundance of insight/connections can be made by comparing each letter with it’s corresponding “world” day, Feast Day, and Seal. Here are a few of the most obvious parallels:
- Adam and Eve sin on day one, causing a “fall from grace”. The first letter addressed to the church of Ephesus gives the following rebuke: “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen!”
- After the sin, Adam and Eve lose access to the Tree of life. The first letter also mentions the tree of life: “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”
- The fifth Seal lands on the Feast of Trumpets. The time of the fifth Seal represents a time of urgency and warning. The fifth letter also stresses a sense of urgency: “ Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God.”
- The Sixth Seal causes the “abyss” to open. It is opened by an angel with a key. The sixth letter also mentions a key: “These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.”
More on the Four Horsemen
The prophet Zechariah gives vital information for informing our speculation regarding what world event can be attributed to each horse/seal. Unfortunately the vision only divulges on three of the four horses:
The chariot with black horses travel North:
“The one with the black horses is going toward the north country”
The chariot with the white horses:
“The one with the white horses toward the west”
The chariot with “dappled” (spotted) horses:
“and the one with the dappled horses toward the south.”
Although the text does not say, since three out of four of the cardinal directions are covered, it’s fair to assume that the red horses would be travelling East.
Matthew 24
In Matthew 24, Jesus expounds on the conditions and signs that will be present at the time of his second coming and at “the end of the age”. Jesus’ response is essentially a condensed version of the seven seals.
The first thing Jesus mentions is the report of false Messiahs:
Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.
Second is war:
You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
Jesus combines Seal three and four into one:
There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
A best guess
Using our resources (Zechariah, Revelation, and Matthew 24) we can piece together a decent “best guess” at what is being communicated, what seals have already happened, and what we can expect to happen in the future.
We know that the first seal/horse is white. It goes forth with resolute purpose to conquer. It moves westward in its expansion (according to Zechariah’s vision) and it is somehow associated with the report of false Messiahs (Matthew 24). Although many Christians worldwide would not appreciate my conjecture, my best guess is that the white horse is responsible for the rise of the Catholic church. The Catholic church was and is bent on conquering the world. Catholic/Christian presence is strongest in the West compared to other areas of the world. In addition, the Catholic church is engaged in a false presentation of the identity of the Messiah, and a false presentation of the gospel (a gospel of works).
The second seal/horse is red. It takes peace from the earth, and inspires bloodshed and war. The rider wields a sword. Presumably, it moves Eastward (as already discussed earlier). This is obvious. What political movement is associated with dissent, disruption and violence, the color red, and is primarily located in the East? My best guess is that the rise and move of Communism has been inspired by the red horse.
The seal/third horse is black. It holds a pair of scales. The declaration heard from John resembles a Wall Street stock exchange report. The report paints a bleak picture of poverty, and hard economic times. The black horse expands Northward relative to Israel. My best guess is that the black horse represents the rise of banking and capitalism. The end result of predatory economic practices is poverty, and scarcity of resources. This fits with the economic report heard by John.
The fourth seal/horse is spotted and “pale”. Actually, the greek word indicates a pale green. It is associated with Death personified, and the spirit of Hades. It goes forth intent on eradicating a fourth of humanity through war, famine, and plague. It expands south of Israel. The religion of Islam is most dominant in the South. Interestingly, it is most often associated with a light green color. It promotes “Jihad” – expansion of its religion through martyrdom. Islamic expansion is always followed with aggression, violence and death. My best guess is that the fourth seal/horse is responsible bringing about a worldwide revival of Islam.
If this is true, this places us just after the third seal (arguably, we have passed the peak of what capitalism can offer) and right before the fourth seal. Islam, although steadily rising, has not yet made a full recovery worldwide. If I have peaked your interest regarding this subject (Islam and the end times) I recommend the Joel Richardson, his youtube channel and his books.
