REVELATION SURVEY 3 | OPENING OF SEVEN SEALS

1. Survey

a) This section gives a brief survey of each section of Revelation and interpretation based on the best mainstream reference materials available.

2. Opening of the Seven Seals (Revelation 6:1 - 8:5)

a) The Lamb opens the seven seals of the scroll. As each is opened, it reveals one aspect of human suffering or human destiny: 

i) First seal (Revelation 6:1-2): A white horse. Its rider has a bow and a crown and comes to conquer. 

ii) Second seal (Revelation 6:3-4): A red horse. Its rider has a sword and takes peace away from the earth. 

iii) Third seal (Revelation 6:5-6): A black horse. Its rider holds scales to weigh out grain.

iv) Fourth seal (Revelation 6:7-8): A pale green horse. Its rider is Death, and Hades follows with him. 

@1. Interpretation: These are known as "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse." The white horse represents nationalistic pride and the urge to conquer. The red horse is the bloodshed of war. The black horse is famine, which often follows war. The pale green horse is death, which follows famine. This tragic cycle has plagued mankind throughout history.

v) Fifth seal (Revelation 6:9-11): The souls of Christian martyrs crying out.

vi) Sixth seal (Revelation 6:12-17): Destruction in the heavens and on earth.

vii) Interlude (Revelation 7:1-17): 144,000 faithful sealed by an angel.

@1. Interpretation: There is a lot of uncertainty about the meaning of this. Most agree that 144,000 is symbolic for a "perfect" large number. The Bible mentions 12,000 sealed from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. However, one common opinion is that, taken in the context of the whole book, "Israel" is a symbol for the Church, and the 144,000 represent all the faithful Christians who will be martyred for their faith (Revelation 14:1-5). The seal protects them from the tribulations that will beset nonbelievers, but not from death.

viii) Seventh seal (Revelation 8:1-5): Seven angels are given seven trumpets.