THE SEVEN SEALS OF REVELATION

– The seven seals reveal the history of the Christian church from John the
Revelator’s time,
through to the second coming of Christ, and eternity beyond –

1st Seal (Revelation 6:1-2)

– White horse = purity of church
– Rider of horse = the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:11-16)
– Conquering and to conquer = victory then and continued victory until the
end comes

This 1st Seal shows the history of the majority of the followers of Jesus Christ
of the Apostolic church actively spreading the pure gospel truth around the
world which allowed the truth and Christ to conquer error and sin, and more
victories would continue occurring throughout all ages of earth’s history.  So
this period is seen covering about most of the first century AD, while the
gospel truth would continue to conquer hearts for Christ till the end of time.

2nd Seal (Revelation 6:3-4)

– Red horse = bloodshed and persecution to church
– Rider carries a great sword = much bloodshed, strife and warfare that would
take peace from earth

This 2nd Seal shows the history of the faithful followers of Jesus Christ
enduring persecution and suffering martyrdom for their faith.  This bloodshed
continued on for many years until the majority of the members of the Apostolic
church decided to compromise their faith in order to unite with half-converted
pagans (see Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 42-46), and this evil union eventually
brought an end to this persecution during the reign of Constantine.
Remember, Paul stated that even in his day the mystery of iniquity was
already at work.  So this period is seen extending from about the last part of
the first century through to about the time of Constantine in the 4 th century.

3rd Seal (Revelation 6:5-6)

– Black horse = darkness and apostasy of church
– Rider carries a pair of balances = religious and civil power under control of
one person
– Measures of wheat and barley for a penny = church members focused more
on making money and worldliness than upon the spreading of the gospel
– Hurt not the oil and wine = graces of the Spirit of faith and love were in
danger of being hurt under such worldliness and apostasy, yet protected by
God in hearts of the faithful few  

This 3rd Seal shows the history of the of the majority of the Christian church
compromising and apostatizing from the true faith because of their union with
paganism, thus allowing great darkness and error to corrupt the once pure
faith.  During this period the civil power was allowed to control the affairs of
the church beginning with Constantine in 323 AD, and thus one man balanced
and controlled both powers.  This one-man control of both state and church
power was then transferred from one civil ruler to another until Justinian
transferred this one-man control over to the Bishop of Rome or the Pope in
538 AD.  So this period is seen extending from about the time of Constantine
in 323 AD to about the beginning of papal control of church and state in 538
AD.

4th Seal (Revelation 6:7-8)

– Pale horse = sickly church ready to die
– Rider is death, and hell or the grave follows him
– 1/4 of earth’s territory suffers under the Rider’s murderous reign

This 4th Seal shows the history during the dark ages when the Pope had
unlimited and unrestrained power to use the civil power of the nations of
Europe to persecute and kill all her opponents of the then corrupted and
apostate Apostolic faith which had been adopted by the Roman Catholic
church.  This murderous killing spree continued on for 1260 days/years
(Daniel 7:25, 12:7 and Revelation 12:6, 14, 13:5) – commonly referred to as
the dark ages, and through the Reformation, until in 1798 the papacy suffered
a deadly wound (Revelation 13:1-3) when General Berthier of the French
Army under Napoleon took the Pope Pius VI prisoner and removed him to
France, where he died in exile in 1799.  So this period is seen extending from
about 538 AD through the time of the Reformation to about 1798.

5th Seal (Revelation 6:9-11)

– Altar = altar of martyrdom or sacrifice, not the altar connected with the
heavenly Sanctuary
– Souls under the altar = all those faithful followers of Christ and Bible truth
who had been martyred and slain for their faith by the Roman Catholic church,
thus these are not souls in heaven but dead in their graves on earth
– These dead souls are allegorically shown crying out to the Lord about how
long until the Roman Catholic church is judged, and their spilt blood avenged
upon such a harlot murderous church.  They are told that they must rest in
grave for a little season longer as more persecution by the papacy was
prophesied to occur.  This indicates that as the persecuting power of the
papacy had been stopped, yet it would resume again after just a little season.
We know that in 1798 the papacy suffered its deadly wound which prevented
it from continuing to use the civil power to persecute all her opponents.  But
after a short time this deadly wound of the papacy would be healed and she
would regain her persecuting power.  And on February 11, 1929, the Lateran
Treaty was signed between the kingdom of Italy and the Pope, which
guaranteed international sovereignty to the Vatican State under the absolute
and sole jurisdiction of the Holy See.  This date then signaled the beginning of
the healing of this wound, and soon thereafter this papal wound will be
completely healed, and the papacy will again be able to use the power of the
state to persecute God’s faithful followers, which is just as predicted in
Revelation 13:3 when “all the world wondered after the beast”.
– But these dead faithful martyred souls were also all given pure white robes
= “righteousness of saints” (Revelation 19:8).  And what then does this
signify?
     “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment;  and I will
not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name
before my Father, and before His angels.” Revelation 3:5.
     "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: and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, Holy and
true, doest Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the
earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them [They were
pronounced pure and holy]; 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" [Revelation 6:9-11].”
Manuscript Releases, vol 20, p 197-198 [Brackets by sister White].

So these dead souls were pronounced pure and holy, and judged worthy to
be given to wear these white garments of righteousness, as well as to have
their names retained in the book of life.  Now before anyone that has already
died can be pronounced and judged pure and holy, given white robes and
have their names retained in the book of life, their character has to first be
investigated.  This means that an investigative judgement had to have begun
into the lives of these righteous dead during the short time when the papacy
no longer had power to persecute – so sometime after 1798 and before the
papal wound would be completely healed.  And we know from prophecy that
in fact the investigative judgement of the righteous dead did begin on October
22, 1844 when the 2300 d/y prophecy of Daniel 8:13-14 ended, our High
Priest Jesus Christ entered into the second apartment of the heavenly
sanctuary, and this sanctuary began to be cleansed.
This means that this fifth seal did not end by or before 1798 like many believe,
but continued on passed 1844!  And how long did it continue on?
     “When the fifth seal was opened, John the Revelator in vision saw beneath
the altar the company that were slain for the Word of God and the testimony
of Jesus Christ. After this came the scenes described in the eighteenth of
Revelation, when those who are faithful and true are called out from Babylon
[Revelation 18:1-5 quoted.]”.  Bible Commentary, vol 7, p 968.

So it was not the scenes of Revelation 14 and the first 3 angels’ messages
that were seen coming directly after the ending of the 5 th seal, but the scenes
connected with the fourth angel of Revelation 18!  So then, when are these
scenes of Revelation 18 to take place?  We already know that as early as
1888 the light of truth about the righteousness of Christ was being preached,
and this precious message was to be given in the loud cry of Revelation 18,
but was sadly being rejected by the SDA church.
     “An unwillingness to yield up preconceived opinions, and to accept this
truth, lay at the foundation of a large share of the opposition manifested at
Minneapolis [in 1888] against the Lord’s message through Brethren {E.J.}
Waggoner and {A.T.} Jones. By exciting that opposition Satan succeeded in
shutting away from our people, in a great measure, the special power of the
Holy Spirit that God longed to impart to them. The enemy prevented them
from obtaining that efficiency which might have been theirs in carrying the
truth to the world, as the apostles proclaimed it after the day of
Pentecost. The light [of Christ’s righteousness] that is to lighten the
whole earth with its glory was resisted, and by the action of our own
brethren has been in a great degree kept away from the world.” Selected
Messages, book 1, p 234-235.

And we already know that the loud cry of Revelation 18, based upon this
message of Christ’s righteousness, began sounding as early as 1892.
     “The third angel’s message is swelling into a loud cry...” Review and
Herald, March 22, 1892.

     “The time of test is just upon us, for the loud cry of the third angel has
already begun in the revelation of the righteousness of Christ, the sin
pardoning Redeemer. This is the beginning of the light of the angel
whose glory shall fill the whole earth.” Review and Herald, November 22,
1892.

This then means that as early as 1888, and especially by 1892, the scenes of
Revelation 18 began to take place, showing that the 5 th seal had ended by
that point.

So then this 5th Seal shows the history from about the time when the Papacy
received its deadly wound and could no longer use the civil power to
persecute, through the beginning of the investigative judgement of the
righteous dead, until some time around or before the beginning of the loud cry
message of Revelation 18.  So this period is seen extending from about the
time of 1798 until around 1888.

6th Seal (Revelation 6:12-17, 7:1-17)

– Great earthquake = Lisbon earthquake of November 1, 1755, which was felt
from Portugal to Greenland, Africa and America, covering some 4 million
square miles.
– Sun became black as sackcloth = Dark Day of May 19, 1780, when from
about 10:00 am till midnight, people could not see a plain white piece of paper
held out in front of them without the help of a candle or fire.
– Moon became as blood = The dark red moon of the night of May 19-20,
1780 which was seen after the black sackcloth darkness had cleared up.
– Stars of heaven fell = The spectacular Leonid meteor shower of the night of
November 12-13, 1833, when for several hours some 100,000 - 200,000
meteors/hour lighted up the night sky to the point that one could read a
newspaper without the help of other forms of light.
– The four winds held back from fully blowing on earth and sea = winds of
great strife and severe bloodshed occurring during the time of the 7 last
plagues (Revelation 16:1-21).
– Winds not fully allowed to blow until after 144,000 saints are sealed = these
144,000 saints will be sealed while still alive and without seeing or tasting of
death (Desire of Ages, p 421-422; Early Writings, p 164; Prophets and Kings,
p 227; Review and Herald, April 29, 1875).
– 144,000 saints are made up of 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes in last days
= not from literal Israelite tribes under the old dispensation, but from spiritual
Israel under the gospel dispensation, and thus represents those in the last
days of earth’s history who had the same characteristics and weaknesses of
these 12 listed tribes, but who were able to overcame these same
weaknesses through the strength and grace of Christ.
– All 12 tribes are mentioned except Dan and Ephraim = the last offspring of
the tribe of Dan and Ephraim were lost without salvation.  The tribe of Dan
was caught up in the traffic and merchandise of Babylon, and the tribe of
Ephraim was joined to his idols (Hosea 4:17).  Thus those living in these last
days of earth’s history who retain these same weaknesses and evil
characteristics of Dan and Ephraim will also be lost as they were and not
saved.
– 144,000 in number = John heard a literal number of the amount of saints
that were sealed, and sister White agreed stating that these “living saints”
were “144,000 in number” (Early Writings, p 15).  After the last saint is sealed,
then probation closes (Revelation 22:11-12), the 4 winds over all the earth are
loosed, and the 7 last plagues fall (Revelation 16:1-21).
– Heavens departed as a scroll, and every mountain and island moved out of
their places = occurs after the 7th plague begins, when God the Father parts
the heavens as a scroll from which His voice coming directly from His throne
in the temple of heaven is heard declaring that “It is done” (Revelation 16:17).
A stupendous earthquake occurs that moves every mountain and island out of
their places.  The saints are then delivered from their captivity, they are given
the covenant of peace (Selected Messages, book 3, p 388), and then God the
Father tells these patient waiting saints the exact day and hour of Christ’s
return (See Revelation 16:17-21; Early Writings, p 41).
     “It is at midnight that God manifests His power for the deliverance of His
people. The sun appears, shining in its strength. Signs and wonders follow in
quick succession. The wicked look with terror and amazement upon the
scene, while the righteous behold with solemn joy the tokens  of their
deliverance. Everything in nature seems turned out of its course. The streams
cease to flow. Dark, heavy clouds come up and clash against each other. In
the midst of the angry heavens is one clear space of indescribable glory,
whence comes the voice of God like the sound of many waters, saying: ‘It is
done.’ Revelation 16:17.
     “The powers of heaven will be shaken at the voice of God. Then the sun,
moon, and stars will be moved out of their places. They will not pass away,
but be shaken by the voice of God.
     “Dark, heavy clouds came up and clashed against each other. The
atmosphere parted and rolled back; then we could look up through the open
space in Orion, whence came the voice of God.
     “Now in regard to the coming of the Son of man, this will not take place
until after the mighty earthquake shakes the earth after the people have heard
the voice of God.”  Maranatha, p 279.

– The lost wicked call for mountains and rocks to fall and hide them = occurs
at the second coming of Christ as they see Him coming in all His glory, and in
His Father’s glory and in all the glory of the angels (Matthew 16:27, 25:31;
Desire of Ages, p 739).  These wicked cannot stand to remain in sight of all
this glory of Christ, and then try to hide.
     “The sight of the inexpressible glory of the Son of God will
be intensely painful to those whose characters are stained with sin. The
pure light and glory emanating from Christ will awaken remorse, shame, and
terror. They will send forth wails of anguish to the rocks and mountains, ‘Fall
on us, and hide us from the face of Him who sitteth on the throne, and from
the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall
be able to stand?’” Review and Herald, April 1, 1875.

     “When Christ comes in the clouds of heaven only two classes, the
obedient and the disobedient, will meet him. And only those who, having had
the light upon God's requirements, have been obedient to him, can meet him
with joy. Those who have persisted in a course of disobedience, will flee in
terror, hiding in the dens of the mountains, and saying to the rocks and the
mountains, ‘Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the
throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.’ But those who have honored God by
their obedience, will look up, and say, ‘Lo, this is our God; we have waited
for him, and he will save us; this is the Lord, we have waited for him; we will
be glad and rejoice in his salvation.’” Signs of the Times, February 11, 1897.
– Hide us from him on the throne and from wrath of lamb = as Christ comes
arrayed not just in His own glory but also in the glory of all the angels and also
in the glory of His Father, and as God the Father has exalted God His Son to
sit and rule with Him on His throne (Revelation 3:21, 22:3; Hebrews 8:1, 12:2),
then it is not just Christ and all His angels who come in the clouds of heaven,
but God the Father is there as well!  And even though inspiration does not
directly mention it, I know that God the Holy Spirit will be there as well,
because it was only through His constant and untiring working upon human
hearts that they were enabled to be saved in the first place (Genesis 6:3; John
14:26, 16:13-14; Romans 8:26; Ephesians 4:30; Matthew 12:31-32).  As this
is true, then why wouldn't the Holy Spirit also be there as well to witness the
gathering of all those whom He spent so much time and effort to save?

As the brightness of Christ destroys all the wicked (2 Thessalonians 2:8), He

sounds the last trump raising the righteous dead, and together with the
144,000 living saints, both are changed from mortality to immortality and are
then caught up to meet their Lord in the air never to part again (1
Thessalonians 4:16-17; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; Early Writings, p 285-288).  

This 6th Seal shows the history from the great Lisbon earthquake, the sun
becoming black, the moon becoming blood, and the stars falling; through the
time when the living saints are being sealed, the winds of strife being loosed,
the plagues falling, the heavens departing as a scroll and the great
earthquake that moves all mountains and islands out of their places, and God
the Father delivering the saints from captivity and declaring to them the day
and hour of Christ’s return; Christ then being seen coming in the clouds of
heaven, the lost calling for the rocks and mountains to hide them from Christ
and then being destroyed by His brightness, and the resurrection and
gathering of all the righteous saints off the earth to be with Christ in the air.
So this period is seen extending from 1755 to all that the second coming of
Christ accomplishes.

7th Seal (Revelation 8:1)

– Silence in heaven = since God the Father and God the Holy Spirit and all
the heavenly host of angels accompany God the Son Jesus Christ in traveling
to get all the redeemed saints, then no one is left in heaven to make any
noise.
– Space of ½ hour in prophetic time (day for year) is 7 ½ literal days = the
amount of time it actually takes for all this heavenly throng to travel from
heaven to the earth to get the redeemed after God the Father’s voice had
delivered the saints and declared the day and hour of Christ’s return.  It will be
during these 7 days, that the lost who make up the synagogue of Satan will
bow and worship at the feet of these now delivered and glorious saints,
hoping that this act of humility and honor will somehow prevent them from
being destroyed when Christ arrives (Revelation 2:9, 3:9-11; Testimonies, vol
2, p 41-42): but it is a vain hope as their probation has already closed.
     “You think, that those who worship before the saint's feet, (Revelation 3:9),
will at last be saved. Here I must differ with you; for God shew me that this
class were professed Adventists, who had fallen away, and ‘crucified to
themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.’ And in the
‘hour of temptation,’ which is yet to come, to show out every one's true
character, they will know that they are forever lost; and overwhelmed with
anguish of spirit, they will bow at the saint's feet.” Word to the Little Flock, p
12.  

Now since it took 7 literal days for Christ -- who is also human as we are -- to
travel from heaven to earth, then after the redeemed saints meet Jesus in the
air and join Him in the cloud, it will take these saved human beings another 7
literal days to travel from the earth to heaven and arrive on the sea of glass.
     “We all entered the cloud together, and were seven days ascending to
the sea of glass...” Early Writings p 16.
Once on the sea of glass, Jesus will individually place crowns of gold upon
each of the heads of the redeemed.  Afterwards we will travel to the gates of
the city of God, where “We see a retinue of angels on either side of the gate”
(Selected Messages, p 316).  Christ Himself then opens up the entrance gate
into the city of heaven bidding His faithful and obedient ransomed people to
enter in (Sermons and Talks, vol 1, p 248; Review and Herald, October 28,
1909).
     “We all entered the cloud together, and were seven days ascending to the
sea of glass, when Jesus brought the crowns, and with His own right
hand placed them on our heads. He gave us harps of gold and palms of
victory. Here on the sea of glass the 144,000 stood in a perfect square. Some
of them had very bright crowns, others not so bright. Some crowns appeared
heavy with stars, while others had but few. All were perfectly satisfied with
their crowns. And they were all clothed with a glorious white mantle from their
shoulders to their feet. Angels were all about us as we marched over the sea
of glass to the gate of the city. Jesus raised His mighty, glorious arm, laid
hold of the pearly gate, swung it back on its glittering hinges, and said to
us, ‘You have washed your robes in My blood, stood stiffly for My truth, enter
in.’” Early Writings, p 16-17.

After Christ opens up the gate and bids all to enter into the city, who do you
think will be the very first Person that all these redeemed saints will see
standing in this opened entrance gate?  It will be God the Father Himself who
eagerly waits to personally welcome each and every redeemed child of His
into the city!
     “Jesus will welcome you, and with His own hand place the crown upon the
brow of all those who enter there. Then they sing the song of Moses and the
Lamb in the kingdom of glory. Well, now, is there not inducement enough that
God has set before us so that we should think upon heavenly things? And the
best of it is, we do not enter the city as convicts, but as sons and daughters of
the Most High God.  The Father stands at the gate and welcomes
everyone to His bosom. There we shall show forth the matchless charms of
our Redeemer. And the song will echo and re-echo through the courts of
heaven, ‘Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth
upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.’" Sermons and Talks,
vol 1, p 45-46 (see also Great Controversy, p 645-647).  

This 7th Seal shows the history from the time that God the Father, God the
Holy Spirit and God the Son Jesus Christ and all the angelic host leave
heaven for their 7 day journey to get the redeemed saints, the redeemed
saints then entering the cloud to be forever with their Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ, their 7 days of traveling to the sea of glass, the reception of their
crowns, and the welcoming into the city of God by the Father Himself.  So this
period is seen extending from the time the Godhead and heavenly throng
leave heaven to bring the redeemed saints home, to the beginning of eternity
in sweet and loving fellowship with each one of the Godhead, the heavenly
angels, and with the rest of the unfallen beings in God’s universe for ever.