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From the Rapture to the Second Coming

Revelation 6: "First Six Seals"

Topical Index

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In Chapter 6, the scene shifts from future events in heaven to future events on earth. We have looked at what will happen in heaven between the Rapture and the Tribulation Period. Now we turn our attention to what will happen on earth during this same period of time. There is much debate about how long this period will last, but three years is a good possibility.

Something to Ponder:

• The Seven Jewish Feast Days
• God gave the Jews seven feast days (Leviticus 23) to observe forever (see Time Line #4). It can be shown that:
• Jesus was crucified on Passover (the first feast day)
• Jesus was in the grave on Unleavened Bread (the second feast day)
• Jesus arose from the dead on First Fruits (the third feast day)
• the church began on Pentecost (the fourth feast day)
• there is reason to believe the Church will be raptured on Trumpets (the fifth feast day)
• there is reason to believe the Second Coming will occur and the Tribulation Period will end on Atonement (the sixth feast day)
• there is reason to believe the Millennium will begin on Tabernacles (the seventh feast day)
• Interestingly enough, between Trumpets (the Rapture) and Atonement (the Second Coming and the end of the Tribulation Period) there is a ten-day period called the "ten days of awe," "the awesome days," or the "ten days of repentance." Since the seventieth week (or the Tribulation Period, Revelation 6:17) corresponds to seven years (one day of the seventieth week = one year of the Tribulation Period), it is reasonable to assume that the ten days of awe will correspond to ten years. This period of time will give people, Gentiles and Jews, an opportunity to grieve, mourn, repent and accept Jesus as Messiah before the Second Coming occurs and their fate is sealed forever. It will also allow three years for the Antichrist to come on the scene and rise to power before the Tribulation Period begins.

Something to Ponder:

• The Number Seven
• During the tribulation Period Jesus will start to deal with the Satanic trinity and man's rebellion on earth. His course of discipline will be directed from heaven, but the terrible events will take place on earth. The Holy Spirit has divided these events into three sets of seven: seven seal judgments, seven trumpet judgments, and seven bowl judgments. It would be easy to say that twenty-one judgments will occur, but that is not the case. The first six seals will be broken one at a time and each seal will produce a judgment for a total of six judgments. The seventh seal will not produce a seventh judgment. Instead it will produce the seven trumpets. The first six trumpets each produce a judgment for a total of six. But the seventh trumpet will produce seven bowls. When the seventh bowl is poured out, the Tribulation Period will come to an end.
• A small number of prophecy experts suggest that these judgments will occur simultaneously. This can't be. The seven trumpets do not begin until the seventh seal is opened, and the seven bowls do not begin until the seventh trumpet is blown.
• Over the centuries people have always tried to figure out the Antichrist's identity, since he will probably be alive when the Church is raptured. But the problem with this is he will be restrained (2 Thessalonians 2:6-8)and will not be revealed until the proper time. When the true Church is raptured, it will be time to start watching for the Antichrist. He will not stand out at first, so the best thing to look for will be a popular and powerful person. When he signs a seven-year treaty to protect Israel, his identity will be known.

Key Symbols:

Seven Seal Judgments Seven Trumpet Judgments Seven Bowl Judgments Seal 1–Judgment Trumpet 1–Judgment Bowl 1–Judgment Seal 2–Judgment Trumpet 2–Judgment Bowl 2–Judgment Seal 3–Judgment Trumpet 3–Judgment Bowl 3–Judgment Seal 4–Judgment Trumpet 4–Judgment Bowl 4–Judgment Seal 5–Judgment Trumpet 5–Judgment Bowl 5–Judgment Seal 6–Judgment Trumpet 6–Judgment Bowl 6–Judgment Seal 7–Seven Trumpet Judgments Trumpet 7–Seven Bowl Judgments Bowl 7–Judgment End of Tribulation

What Others are Saying:

John Hagee: The Antichrist will be a man who makes his debut upon the stage of world history with hypnotic charm and charisma. He will probably come from the European Union or a country or confederation that was once part of the Roman Empire, which stretched from Ireland to Egypt and included Turkey, Iran, and Iraq. ^6-1
Noah Hutchings: The consistent interpretation by pre-millennial scholars of eschatology in reference to Daniel 9:27 and Matthew 24:15–21 is that a dictator will rise up out of the Revived Roman Empire and confirm, or add the prestige and power of his empire, to a peace treaty that will involve Israel. This same dictator is thought by the same scholars to become the Antichrist… On page 11 of… The European (Nov. 15, 1995), Israel is hailed by the European Union (E.U.) as a new ally. Therefore, the assassination of Prime Minister Rabin actually hastened a comprehensive peace agreement in the Middle East, and now the E.U. states that within a few months this final peace process instrument will be confirmed by (its member) nations. ^6-2

Like A Tiny Snowball Rolling Down A Hill

Revelation 6:1 I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!"

The terrible judgments will not begin like a nuclear explosion, but rather like a tiny snowball rolling down a long hill. They will not appear that bad at first but they will gain strength and momentum with each roll. Things will eventually get out of control and become so bad that mankind would destroy the earth were it not for the Second Coming of Jesus.

Notice who opens the seals. Jesus! He is in charge of the judgments and their timing. He once said, Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father (John 5:22, 23). When he opens the first seal, one of the four living creatures will speak in a voice like thunder.

In each of the first four seals a horse and rider are released by one of the four living creatures of Chapter 4. Each horse is waiting in its stall ready to charge, as if in a race, when the command is given. They will not, however, all race out at once. Each horse must wait for its command, and its command will be given by a different living creature when Jesus breaks a seal. When all four living creatures have commanded their horses to come forth, all four horses will have been released. Each living creature summons its horse by speaking just one word, Come!

Key Symbols:

• First Four Seal Judgments
• the Four Living Creatures
• four horses and riders

Remember This…

• As long as Noah (Genesis 6, 7) was on the earth, God did not send the flood, but when Noah entered the ark, God did send the flood and judged the world. As long as Lot and his family were in Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:16–19:29), God did not send fire and brimstone to destroy the cities. But likewise, when Lot and his family were safely out of Sodom and Gomorrah, God did not hesitate to judge these cities. Today, as long as the Church is in the world, God will not send these terrible judgments. But as soon as the Church is taken to heaven, God will not hesitate to pour out his wrath.

A White Horse

Revelation 6:2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

Chapter 19 also speaks of a rider on a white horse, Jesus. For this reason, a few experts suggest that this rider will also be Jesus. But most experts disagree, believing this rider to be none other than the counterfeit Christ, or Antichrist.

He will come forth with a bow. A bow was an effective weapon in John's day; a symbol of military power. However, nothing is said about arrows, so many think this rider will come forth as a man of peace.

Crowns were worn by heads of state. Those who wore them usually earned or inherited the right to wear their crown. But this man will receive his crown as a gift (Revelation 13:2, 4, 5, 14, 15), meaning he will not earn or inherit it.

The world will be looking for such a ruler who can put an end to nuclear weapons, environmental and economic problems, poverty, etc. He will go forth as a conqueror bent on conquest, thereby abandoning his peace program in an attempt to dominate the world. But his use of force to attain his goal of world domination will be a disaster, resulting in the persecution and death of all those who oppose him. The earth will have a charismatic leader negotiating peace treaties (Daniel 9:27) that are a fake.

Key Symbols:

• First Seal
• the First Horse (white)
• Antichrist

What Others are Saying:

John Hagee: In the surge of advocates for peace, voices of dissent will be shouted down or ignored. The peace process will cease to become a political action; it will become a spiritual mandate for a nation. Based on the words of the prophets of Israel (2 Chronicles 36:15, 16), I believe this peace process will lead to the most devastating war Israel has ever known. ^6-3
Grant R. Jeffrey: When the inner circle of five European nations expands to include ten states, the white horseman of the Apocalypse (as prophesied by John in Revelation) will arise to seize power over this alliance. This horseman, the Antichrist, will make a seven-year treaty with Israel as part of his strategy to destroy the mighty, and also the holy people (Daniel 8:24 nkjv). Daniel's prophecy that the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary (Daniel 9:26 nkjv) spoke of two distinct destructions of Jerusalem within this single prophecy. The first destruction occurred in 70 ad. when the Roman Empire and its armies burned Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple. Daniel's prophecy also foretold a final attack on Jerusalem at the end of the seven-year treaty in the last days. The people of the prince who is to come reveals that the future prince who is to come will come out of the revived Roman Empire. This future Roman emperor will rule the ten-nation European confederacy of the last days. ^6-4
John Hagee: He (the Antichrist) is going to turn the streets of the world into a blood-bath. According to the prophets, one-third of all humanity is going to be massacred under this monster who is going to make Adolf Hitler look like a choir boy. ^6-5
John Hagee: Israel has yet to endure her darkest night. I believe the peace process now under way will prove alas to be a Trojan horse. Instead of bringing the long-sought-for peace, it will bring the Antichrist and the most horrible war the Holy Land has ever known. ^6-6

Related Current Events:

• Israel and the PLO signed Phase I of the Oslo Peace Accords, called the Declaration of Principles, at the White House on September 13, 1993. Less than three years later, Israel accused the PLO of violating the accords by:

• What kind of peace can there be when only one side is sincere and forthright. When both parties do not negotiate in good faith, the end result is disaster. This is the kind of peace the Antichrist will negotiate.

Remember This…

• When Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem as a man of peace, he did not ride in on a conqueror's white horse, but on a donkey (Matthew 21:1-10). When he returns as a conqueror at the end of the Tribulation Period, he will ride on a white horse (Revelation 19:11). Notice that the Antichrist does not ride in on a donkey in peace, but rather on a horse in conquest.

A Fiery Red Horse

Revelation 6:3, 4 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword.

The Antichrist will barely have his peace program off the ground when Jesus breaks the second seal. This time it will be the second living creature who speaks the command, Come!

A fiery red horse will go forth and its rider will have an unusual power. He will take peace from the earth and cause men to slay each other. This rider will charge forth with a great sword in his hand, signifying that he will go forth with many powerful weapons of war.

Some experts associate this rider on a red horse with Communism. The prophet Ezekiel foretells the rise of a dictator from the far north (possibly Russia) who will go forth to attack Israel (Ezekiel 38, 39) in the last days. He will advance with a great army carrying swords and riding horses, but will meet defeat when many of his own troops slay each other because God will turn each man against his brother (Ezekiel 38:21-23) so that God's glory may be shown.

Key Symbols:

• Second Seal
• Second Horse (fiery red)
• sword

What Others are Saying:

Hal Lindsey: I believed that the peace process that Yitzhak Rabin (former Prime Minister of Israel) started would never bring peace, but would lead ultimately to nuclear holocaust in the Middle East, because they're giving away absolutely essential land assets that are indispensable for defending Israel in return for a treaty that doesn't remove the basic cause of war in the first place. ^6-8

Related Current Events:

• In spite of all the emphasis on peace, this century has given us WW-I, WW-II, the Vietnam War, the Korean War, the Persian Gulf War, etc. There were 84 armed conflicts in the world during the first three years of the nineties.

Remember This…

• The Prince of Peace - The Prince of War
• The Antichrist will be a false prince of peace. God will show the world he is a fake by causing his phony peace programs to fail. Jesus is the true Prince of Peace. When world leaders reject him, they reject the only solution to their problems.

A Black Horse

Revelation 6:5, 6 When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!"

Peace without the Prince of Peace is no peace. The end result can only be war. War will rule the whole world after the Rapture. The wars of foolish and deceitful men will kill farmers, destroy land and crops, and cause the collapse of social, physical, and political structures. These wicked men will destroy, confiscate, and hoard food supplies causing despair, misery, poverty, and death.

When Jesus opens the third seal, the third living creature will give the same command as the first two, Come! This horse will be black, the color of grief and mourning. Its rider will hold a pair of scales that symbolize economic disaster and famine. The scales will be used to weigh food which will sell for a ridiculously high price. A small quart of wheat will cost the equivalent of a day's wages, but many will not be able to survive on this, so they will be forced to buy barley, a cheaper food that is usually fed to animals. Three quarts of barley will still cost the equivalent of a day's wages, so no money will be left for clothes, housing, or automobiles. In spite of all this, the rich will still be able to afford luxury items such as oil and wine.

Key Symbols:

• Third Seal
• Third Horse (Black)
• scales

What Others are Saying:

Billy Graham: I have no doubt that a financial judgment day is coming for the United States before the end of this century unless our financial problems are addressed. ^6-10
Jack Van Impe: America, the world's sole remaining superpower, does not seem to play a significant role in the end-time scenario as described by the prophets. Why? Some scholars suggest America will be severely weakened, even neutralized, by the time the critical events, leading up to the Lord's return, occur.
Economic collapse? Moral decay? Poor leadership? Nuclear attack? All are possibilities.
The situation in Russia worsens with each passing day: a loaf of bread costs 1,500 rubles—about 8 percent of some monthly salaries. The average prices for rent, heat, and electricity often increase as much as 250 percent in one month. The fee for public transportation has increased 2,000 percent since 1994. And to make matters worse, workers are simply not being paid in some enterprises. ^6-11