The
Seven Seals are Religious Events
that started with the Christian
church 2000 years ago with Seal
#1 and will end at
Christ's Return with Seal #7.
Revelation 6:1-2, "And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. (2) And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer."
SEAL #1 = 31-100AD (WHITE HORSE)
This
seal is to proclaim the start of
Christianity at the fall of
Judaism in accordance with that
which was prophesied in Matthew 20:3-4.
For more detail on this
prophetic statement of Jesus
Christ, click
here.
"The opening of the first seal reveals a white horse, whose rider had a bow and a crown as he went forth conquering and to conquer. This is a fit emblem of the triumphs of the gospel in the first centuries of this dispensation, the whiteness of the horse denoting the purity of faith in that age" {1865? JW, ST186x 18.2}
Revelation
6:3-4, "And when he had opened
the second seal, I heard
the second beast say, Come and
see. (4) And there
went out another horse that
was red: and power was
given to him that sat thereon to
take peace from the earth, and
that they should kill one
another: and there was given
unto him a great sword."
SEAL #2 = 100-323AD (RED HORSE)
During
the years 100-323 A.D. obedient
Christians came under heavy
persecution both physically and
spiritually by the Romans. It is
now an apostate church begins to
emerge seeking aid of the state
(instead of God) which makes it
even more sinful, heretical and
political. (2
Thessalonians 2:7)
Therefore, it wasn't just war in
general that took peace from the
people; it was Christian
persecution as well. Secular and
spiritual peace was gone at this
time.
"At the opening of the second seal, there appeared a red horse. If the whiteness of the first horse denoted the purity of the gospel in the first period, the redness of the second horse may denote that in the second period the original purity of the church began to be corrupted. The mystery of iniquity was at work in Paul's day. Errors began to arise, and the love of the world came in at an early date, which ripened into a state of things in Constantine's time, A. D. 323, described by Dr. Rice thus: "It represents a secular period, or union of church and State. Constantine aided the clergy, and put them under obligations to him. Mosheim says of this period, 'There was continual war and trouble.'" {1865? JW, ST186x 18.3}
NOTE:
"The time of this seal extended
to the conversion of
Constantine." -Bible Readings
for the Home Circle - page 406.
(1889)
Revelation
6:5-6, "And when he had opened the
third seal, I heard the
third beast say, Come and see.
And I beheld, and lo a black
horse; and he that sat on
him had a pair of balances in
his hand. (6) And I
heard a voice in the midst of
the four beasts say, A measure
of wheat for a penny, and three
measures of barley for a penny;
and see thou hurt not the oil
and the wine."
SEAL #3 = 323-538AD (BLACK HORSE)
Both
a spiritual and physical famine
comes upon the people after the
Bishop of Rome locks the Bible
away from the common man by
translating it to Latin. Without
the Bible, the people
experienced a spiritual famine
while at the same time a
physical famine due a lack of
wisdom regarding God's will when
it comes to planting, caring and
harvesting crops. Hence the
reason for the next seal.
It is also during this time the union of church and state that started during "seal #2" finds more political power by widespread acceptance to it which allowed the Bishop of Rome to gain absolute power over church & state affairs. The "pair of balances" declare this union solidified.
NOTE:
This is the time the
priests begin their claims of
celibacy (to hide
homosexuality) as well as
worshiping
statues and relics.
Catholic dogma with all it's pagan
theology commences at this
time as well.
"The opening of the third seal presented a black horse, and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. The work of corruption in the church progressed rapidly. The black horse, the very opposite of the first, represents a period of great darkness and moral corruption. By the events of the second seal, the way was fully opened for that state of things to be brought about which is here presented. The time that intervened between the reign of Constantine and the establishment of the papacy in A. D. 538, may be justly noted as the time when the darkest errors and grossest superstitions sprung up in the church. {1865? JW, ST186x 18.4}
"The balances denoted that religion and civil power would be united in the person who would administer the executive power in the government, and that he would claim the judicial authority both in church and State. This was true among the Roman emperors from the days of Constantine until the reign of Justinian, when he gave the same judicial power to the bishop of Rome." - Miller's Lectures, p. 181. {1865? JW, ST186x 19.1}
SEAL #4 = 538-1517AD (PALE HORSE)
Rome
goes forth to torture and
kill Christians via the
hand of her church &
state power under a civil
/ military authority as well as
death by starvation (famine due
to lack of crops) and disease.
This seal lasts until the time
the reformers started exposing
the demonic
character of the papacy,
but the killings continue on to
1798.
NOTE:
the "pale horse" appears
in an unnatural; color, and even
"yellowish" just like a
sickly plant that is soon to die
appears so as to depict the
coming famine.
A
lack of food as well as other
issues brought on deadly
disease. Especially after Rome
removed the Bible by translating
it into Latin. In so doing,
disease flourished, for the
Bible has instructions on how to
deal with ways to avoid sickness
by the means of proper methods
of housing, sewage and even the
removal of rats (pestilence) was
never properly understood.
"When the fourth seal was opened, there appeared a pale horse, and his name that sat on him was called Death, and Hell followed with him. The color of this horse, which is pale or yellowish, like that seen in blighted or sickly plants, denotes the condition of things in the church when the papacy bore its unrestrained and persecuting rule, commencing about A. D. 538, and extending to the time when the reformers had exposed the corruptions of the papal system. During that period fifty millions of martyrs lost their lives by the very instrumentalities named in the prophetic description of that period. {1865? JW, ST186x 19.2}
Revelation
6:9-11, "And when he had opened
the fifth seal, I saw under
the altar the souls of them
that were slain for the
word of God, and for the
testimony which they held:
(10) And they cried with a
loud voice, saying, How long, O
Lord, holy and true, dost thou
not judge and avenge our blood
on them that dwell on the
earth? (11) And white
robes were given unto
every one of them; and it was
said unto them, that they should
rest yet for a little season,
until their fellowservants also
and their brethren, that should
be killed as they were, should
be fulfilled.
SEAL
#5 = 1517-1755AD (SOULS UNDER
ALTAR)
The cries of the saints regarding those that had been martyred previously as well as those that have been spiritually martyred by being lured into the paganism of Rome are now coming forth unto God, who after the current number of martyrs comes to the perfect number, is about to declare the final warnings of judgment.
NOTE: due to the many cries of the reformers for the martyrs and those that have been lured into Catholic paganism reaching the ear of the Lord via their prayers, it is now that the reformers are moved by the Lord to go forth exposing the papacy in a big way.
The reason the saints are "under the altar" is because the "altar" here represents the altar of God that the obedient people of God come to when in need of His love, truth, guidance and forgiveness. We are to place ALL on the altar as declared in Psalm 43:4 & Matthew 5:23.
When studying the Sanctuary we understand the "courtyard" is where the "altar" of burnt offering was located. As we also know, the courtyard represents the earth, and it was at the base of the "altar" where the priests would spill the blood of the offerings. (Leviticus 4:7) This was a prophetic statement that speaks of all the blood of the martyrs being spilled on earth. In fact, Jesus stated in John 15:18, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you." And so just as Christ's blood was spilled on earth, so where all of His obedient followers. (Also see Matthew 25:40)
These martyrs were given the "white robes" because they were obedient unto death. As stated in Revelation 19:8, they received those "white robes" due to the righteousness of Jesus Christ being perfectly upon them.
"The events to transpire under the fifth seal are, the crying of the martyrs for vengeance, and giving to them white robes. This represents the work of the reformers, and covers the period of the great reformation. In reference to the souls under the altar, Dr. Clarke says: "A symbolical vision was exhibited in which he saw an altar. And under it the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God - martyred for their attachment to Christianity - are represented as being newly slain, as victims to idolatry and superstition. The altar is upon earth, not in Heaven." {1865? JW, ST186x 20.1}
Revelation
6:12-14, "And I beheld when he
had opened the sixth seal,
and, lo, there was a great
earthquake; and the sun became
black as sackcloth of hair,
and the moon became as blood;
(13) And the stars of
heaven fell unto the
earth, even as a fig tree
casteth her untimely figs, when
she is shaken of a mighty
wind. (14) And the
heaven departed as a scroll when
it is rolled together; and every
mountain and island were moved
out of their places.
SEAL #6 = 1755-Christ's return (EARTHQUAKE, BLACK SUN, RED MOON, STARS)
The
final warnings from on High are
now commencing to warn all that
the final judgment is soon to
begin. The great Lisbon "earthquake"
of November 01, 1755, the
dark day when the "sun
became black as sackcloth of
hair" & the "moon
became as blood" on May
19, 1780 as well as the
stars falling on November
13th, 1833 were all fulfilled
during this time. (See more info
here)
Not only did these events occur,
they hold a prophetic
whisper unto our day.
"Between the fifth and sixth seals there seems to be a sudden and entire change in the language, from the highly figurative to the strictly literal. Whatever may be the cause of this change, the change itself cannot well be denied. By no principle of interpretation can the language of the preceding seals be made to be literal; nor can the language of this any more easily be made to be figurative. {1865? JW, ST186x 22.1}
NOTE: See an in-depth historic record on the "literal" fulfillment of the prophecy regarding the "earthquake, sun, moon & stars" here.
SEAL #7
= soon (SILENCE IN HEAVEN)
There
is silence in the city of Heaven
because all are in awe
of what just ended when it comes
to seeking lost souls, as well
as the fact all the rulers and
residents of Heaven are now on
their way to Earth with Jesus at
the prophesied time of the
second coming leaving Heaven
empty.
(Matthew 25:31)
"God's dwelling place is the center of life and the scene of constant activity. Music ever echoes from the vaults of heaven, and choruses composed of ten thousand times ten thousand of angel voices, sing the praises of the Lamb and of Him who sitteth on the throne. When the little company on earth are prepared, the sealing angel speeds back to heaven with the message that the work is done. Christ in the sanctuary above, lays aside His priestly robes, and the Lamb appears as the King of kings. Angel leaders marshal the hosts of heaven. The throne of Omnipotence is moved. God accompanies His Son to earth. Attended by myriads of angels, the Rulers of heaven and earth leave heaven empty, drawn earthward by the faithful ones whose hearts have become the abiding place of His eternal Spirit. The time for the fulfillment of the promise of the Saviour, has come. He said, "It is expedient for you that I go away." "I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." Never before has there been such a scene." {1905 SNH, SSP 142.1}
Notice
that this "silence in
heaven" will be felt on
earth as well. (Habbakkuk 2:20)
When the plagues begin to fall
we no longer need preach to save
souls. The prophesied SILENCE
has begun.
"But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him!" From these passages I should infer, that when God arises up to the prey, when his great white throne is set in the heavens, and when the Son of Man shall come in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory, then will all flesh be silent before him. And it is reasonable to suppose that the whole universe of rational beings who may be permitted to witness that grand scene, will be so filled with wonder and awe at the sight of the glory of God, that they will be silent. Then, too, will the redeemed souls, while the great Judge is separating them from the wicked, while they are rising to meet their Lord in the air, be silent. They will, like the children of Israel, stand still, (be silent,) and see the salvation of God. And the wicked world, who have scoffed at the idea of Christ's second coming, who have said, "Where is the promise of his coming?" and laughed and ridiculed the servants of Christ, who have cried to them, in their midnight revels, "Behold, the bridegroom cometh," will be silent. Then will those servants who have "said in their hearts, My Lord delayeth his coming," and "begin to beat and bruise their fellow-servants," who have proclaimed his coming, "and to eat and drink with the drunken," be silent. Then, too, will all the false prophets, who have cried Peace, peace, when there was no peace, be silent, when they see the frowns of an angry judge whom they have disregarded. Then shall those who have promised the wicked life, though he should not turn from his wickedness, be silent. Then, every one found in that great assembly, when the Son of Man shall come in the clouds, and all the holy angels with him, and all the saints who have slept, and all nations then shall be gathered before him, and every eye shall see him; then, I say, will everyone found in this vast multitude, not having on the wedding garment, be silent; for the Scripture says, "He was speechless." {1842 WiM, MWV2 188.2}
AMEN! All the wicked will be "speechless" just as Christ prophesied in Matthew 22:12.
"half an hour" = 7.5 days.
An "hour" is a unit of time in calculating prophetic dates. In both Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6 the Lord has declared He has appointed "each day for a year." Since we know there are 24 hours in a day and 12 months in a year; that means there are 2 hours for every month in prophecy. That means an hour in prophetic time would be 15 days. Therefore 'half an hour" would equate to 7.5 days.
NOTE: to lock this calculation of time down, one has to understand that a biblical month = 30 days. We find by looking in Genesis 7:11, we see the Bible says the rains of Noah started on the 17 day of the 2nd month. In Genesis 8:3-4 we find the water receded at the end of exactly 150 days. Then we find the ark rested on the 17th day of the 7th month. That's exactly 5 months to the very day. If we divide the 150 days, by the 5 months, we will get 30 days per month.