Opening the Seven Seals of Revelation

“I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard as it were the noise of thunder, one of the beasts saying, Come and see (Revelations 6:1).” Could it be possible that God could have hidden end time truths before the eyes of his people, and somehow they could not see them or find them out? Are people oblivious to the challenges of sealed prophesy? Ask the Rabbis of Christ’s day and see whether or not religion can blind the eyes of its leaders, and know if religion can cause even the most faithful of believers to unwittingly come against the truths of the Lord. Christians need to stay alert to the truths which are written in the book of Daniel, truths which testify that God has sealed portions of his word for the last days (Daniel 12:4). The book of Revelation is a book of scripture which contains impressively sealed prophecies, Come and see.

The seven seals begin their unveiling with the appearance of four horsemen (Revelation chapter six). Notice how these four horsemen gallop forward like unmistakable messengers, proclaiming God’s prophesied end times. When believer's begin to see these events unfolding are they to take note, and increase their readiness?

“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 (Revelation 6:2).” Tracing, as in this case, the Greek words back to their original text, then pondering the various ways in which those words were translated and used, unveils a sense of God’s intended way of preserving truth for the latter days. God has precisely placed words in scripture in ways which preserved a deeper meaning. The words “conquering” and to “conquer” are one and the same Greek word: nikao. This word was also translated “overcome” and “overcometh,” and it was used in the sentences, “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life,” “He that overcometh shall not be hurt in the second death.” So the white horse and its rider represent overcomers, as well as conquerers. This is the very same white horse and rider that are depicted in the nineteenth chapter of the Book of Revelation, where they are referred to as: The word of God, Faithful and True, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords! So you see how God used this word "nikao," to discreetly announce that white horse represents believers who have overcome their religious mistakes: “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son (Revelation 21:7).” The white horse is galloping forth as a messenger for Christ, sent forth to conquer religious inaccuracies. Knowledge is his crown (Proverbs 14:18; Revelation 6:2). The messenger quickly becomes many men, as depicted by those many crowns (Revelation 19:12). God looks upon the white horse and its rider, as one body of messengers.

“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 to him a great sword (Revelation 6:4).” The prominent clue, “red,” pertains to Edom, which is Esau (Genesis 25:25); therefore it is a reference to the Islamic faith, because the descendants of Esau birthed the Islamic faith. The prophet Isaiah helped further the association of red with Islamic faith through an exchange he prophesied between the Lord, and Edom. In the exchange the Lord questioned why Islam was traveling in his red apparel, whereas the Lord verified that he trod the winepress alone (Isaiah 63:1-4). In the new testament there were two Greek words which were translated into the word “sword.” The word which was used in this verse, “machaira,” constitutes the weapon, whereas an altogether separate word “rhomphaia” constitutes the sword of the spirit. Consequently, this sword depicts physical battle and struggle. The Greek word in this verse which was translated into the word “kill” was translated “wounded” in the verse “I saw one of his heads wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed (Revelation 13:3).” Put these clues together and it causes believers to perceive that even through battles which cause physical pain and death, God will bring forth health and cure. Witness the message of the Arab spring springing up and racing forward like a horse, taking peace from earth, and marking God’s appointed times.

“I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand (Revelation 6:5).” Be astonished as you discover the black horse galloping out with the message entitled “Occupy Wall Street.” How fair and balanced are the ninety nine percent being treated? This movement is seeking to expose the truth that corruption and financial greed are robbing mankind. Is God marking the appointed times?

“I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed him (Revelation 6:8).” The Greek word for “pale” is “chloros.” Every other time that this word was translated in scripture, it was translated into the word “green.” It was the very word that was used to describe the color of grass (Mark 6:39; Revelation 8:7). In the book of Revelation God commands the pestilence of locusts not to hurt any green thing (Revelation 9:4). Does “pale” or “green” constitute the color of our faces when the counsel of end times is discovered? Could the pale horse represent end time truths in the mouths of the confused? Interestingly, the words "death and hell" as pertaining to the pale horse, are eventually cast into the Lake of fire (Revelation 20:14).

According to scripture the pale horse has power to kill: “Power was given unto them over the forth part of earth, to kill with the sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth (Revelation 6:8).” The Greek word which was translated into the word “kill,” is associated with death, but the word which was translated “sword” is only used in conjunction with an instrument of the mouth (examples: Revelation 1:16; 19:21). Put these clues together and conclude that it is the message which is coming from the mouths of these messengers that is producing these dire consequences. “Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that you may know there is judgment (Job 19:29).”

The fifth seal conveys a different message. “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 in 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? And white robes were given to every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled (Revelation 6:9-11).”

The first helpful clue concerning the fifth seal is found in the Greek word which was translated into the word “under.” God strategically placed this word in ways which conclude that those who are under the altar are religiously deceived and confused persons who are waiting for God to rise up and verify the truths of end times. Two examples of ways in which this word was used, include, “Now you see not yet all things put under him (Hebrews 2:8),” and again, “There appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet (Revelation 12:1).” Another interesting clue is discovered by analyzing the way that the Greek word “sphazo” was used. In the verse concerning the fifth seal, the word "sphazo" was translated into the word “slain.” This word was used to describe the sacrifices of Christ, for instance, “worthy is the lamb that was slain.” This word was also used to represent the ultimate sacrifice of God’s people, saying, the blood of the prophets and of all the saints slain, is found in Babylon (Revelation 18:24); And finally, this word was translated into the word “kill” and was used in connection with the red horse, “they should kill one another” (Revelation 5:12; 6:4; 18:24). If these clues are studied collectively, the evidence suggests that the people that are under the altar are believers who have given their lives for the word of God: and more concisely, they are the faithful believers, even confused and deceived believers, who are ready, and anxiously waiting for God to confirm the truth of his word.

Has God hidden faithful Muslims under the altar? Are they waiting to be avenged, and to receive their white robes? When the sixth seal is broken, an earthquake moment ensues, and all of heaven will find out God's answer to this question. “Yet once more I shake not earth only, but also heaven (Hebrews 12:26).”

“Write the vision, and make it plain… for the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak (Habakkuk 2:2-3).”