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VI.
The Sure Word of
Prophecy
»
Chapter 63
:
The Seven Seals
1. WHAT did John see in the right hand of Him
who sat on the throne?
"And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on
the throne a book written within and on
the back side,
sealed with seven seals." Rev. 5:1.
2. What did the Lamb do with this book?
"And He came and took the book out of the right
hand of Him that sat upon the throne." Verse 7.
3.
Why was Christ declared worthy to open these seals?
"Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals
thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to
God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue,
and people, and nation." Verse 9.
4.
What was shown upon the opening of the first seal?
"And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, . . .
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." Rev. 6:1,2.
NOTE.-The number seven in the Scriptures
denotes completion or perfection. The seven seals
embrace the whole of a class of events in which is
narrated the history of the church from the
beginning of the Christian era to the second coming
of Christ. The white horse, with his rider going
forth to conquer, fitly represents the early
Christian church in its purity, going into all the
world with the gospel message of salvation.
5.
What appeared upon the opening of the second seal?
"And when He had opened the second seal. . . . 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" Verses 3,4.
NOTE.-As whiteness in the first horse denoted the
purity of the gospel which its rider propagated, so
the color of the second horse would show that
corruption had begun to creep in when this symbol
applies. It is true that such a state of things did
succeed the apostolic church. Speaking of the second
century, Wharey, in his "Church History," page 39,
says: "Christianity began already to wear the garb
of heathenism. The seeds of most of those errors
that afterwards so entirely overran the church,
marred its beauty, and tarnished its glory, were
already beginning to take root." Worldliness came
in. The church sought alliance with the secular
power, and trouble and commotion were the result.
This symbol extends from the dose of the first
century to the time of Constantine, when a complete
union of church and state was effected.
6.
What was the color of the symbol under the third seal?
"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." Verse 5.
NOTE.-The "black" horse fitly represents the
spiritual darkness that characterized the church
from the time of Constantine till the establishment
of papal supremacy in 538. A.D. Of the condition of
things in the fourth century, Wharey (page 54) says:
"Christianity had now become popular, and a large
proportion, perhaps a large majority, of those who
embraced it, only assumed the name, received the
rite of baptism, and conformed to some of the
external ceremonies of the church, while at heart
and in moral character they were as much heathen as
they were before. Error and corruption now came in
upon the church like a flood."
7.
What were the color and character of the fourth symbol?
"And when He had opened the fourth seal, . . . behold
a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was
Death, and Hell [Greek, Hades, the
grave] followed with him. And power was given
unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill
with sword, and with hunger, and with
death, and with the beasts of the earth."
Verses 7,8.
NOTE.-This is an unnatural color for a horse. The
original denotes the pale or yellowish
color seen in blighted plants. The symbol evidently
refers to the work of persecution and death carried
on by the Roman Church against the people of God
from the time of the beginning of papal supremacy in
538 A.D. to the time when the Reformers commenced
their work of exposing the true character of the
Papacy, and a check was placed upon this work of
death.
8. On
opening the fifth seal, what was seen under the altar?
"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 f or the testimony which they held."
Verse 9.
NOTE.-When the Reformers exposed the work of the
Papacy, it was then called to mind how many martyrs
had been slain for their faith.
9.
What were these martyrs represented as doing?
"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?" Verse
10.
NOTE.-The cruel treatment which they had received
cried for vengeance, just as Abel's blood cried to
God from the ground. Gen. 4:10. They were not in
heaven, but under the altar on which they had been
slain. On this point Dr. Adam Clarke says: "The
altar is upon earth, not in heaven." See note under
next question.
10.
What was given these martyrs?
"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 fellow servants also and
their brethren, that should be killed as they were,
should be fulfilled [have fulfilled their course, R.V.]."
Verse 11.
NOTE.-These had been slain during the hundreds of
years covered by the preceding seal. Their
persecutors, most of them, at least, had died. And
if they had at death passed to their punishment, as
is by some supposed, why should the martyred ones
still importune for their punishment? In this, as in
other parts of the Bible, the figure of
personification is used, in which inanimate objects
are represented as alive and speaking, and things
that are not as though they were. See Judges 9:8-15;
Heb. 2:11; Rom. 4:17. These martyrs had gone down as
heretics under the darkness and superstition of the
preceding seal, covered with ignominy and shame.
Now, in the light of the Reformation, their true
character appears, and they are seen to have been
righteous, and hence are given "white robes." "The
fine linen [white robes] is the righteousness of
saints." Rev. 19:8. Righteousness is ascribed to
them; and when they have rested a little longer
where they are,-under the altar,-till all others who
are to fall for their faith have followed them, then
together they will be raised to life and
immortality.
11.
What was first seen on the opening of the sixth seal?
"And I beheld when He had opened the sixth seal, and,
lo, there was a great earthquake." Verse 12,
first part.
NOTE.-This doubtless refers to the great earthquake
of November 1, 1755, commonly known as the Lisbon
earthquake, the effects of which were felt over an
area of 4,000,000 square miles. Lisbon, Portugal, a
city containing 150,000 inhabitants, was almost
entirely destroyed. The shock of the earthquake,
says Mr. Sears, in his of the World," page 200, "was
instantly followed by the fall of every church and
convent, almost all the large public buildings, and
one-fourth of the houses. In about two hours
afterward, fires broke out in different quarters,
and raged with such violence for the space of nearly
three days that the city was completely desolated.
The earthquake happened on a holy day, when the
churches and convents were full of people, very few
of whom escaped. . . . The terror of the people was
beyond description. Nobody wept: it was beyond
tears. They ran hither and thither, delirious with
horror and astonishment, beating their faces and
breasts, crying, 'Misericordia! the world's at an
end!'. Mothers forgot their children, and ran
about loaded with crucifixed images. Unfortunately,
many ran to the churches for protection; but in vain
was the sacrament exposed; in vain did the poor
creatures embrace the altars; images, priests, and
people were buried in one common ruin. . . . Ninety
thousand persons are supposed to have been lost on
that fatal day."
12.
What was to follow the great earthquake?
"And the sun became black as sackcloth of hair,
and the moon became as blood." Same verse, latter
part.
NOTE.-This refers to the dark day and night of May
19, 1780, when the darkness and gloom were such as
to give the general impression that the day of
judgment was at hand.
13.
What other event is mentioned under this seal?
"And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth,
even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she is
shaken of a mighty wind." Verse 13.
NOTES.-This was fulfilled in the wonderful meteoric
shower of November 13, 1833. Describing the scene in
the vicinity of Niagara Falls, one writer says: "No
spectacle so terribly grand and sublime was ever
before beheld by man as that of the firmament
descending in fiery torrents over the dark and
roaring cataract."-"Our First Century," Page 330;
also The American Cyclopedia, edition 1881, article
"Meteor." See readings just referred to.
A contributor, writing for the Journal of
Commerce of November 14, 1833, in regard to the
falling stars of November 13, 1833, said: "Were I to
hunt through nature for a simile, I could not find
one so apt to illustrate the appearance of the
heavens as that which St. John uses in the prophecy.
The falling stars did not come as if from several
trees shaken, but as from one; those which
appeared in the east, fell toward the east; those
which appeared in the west, fell toward the west;
and those which appeared in the south, fell toward
the south. And they fell not as the ripe
fruit falls-far from it-but they flew, they were
cast, like the unripe fruit which at first
refuses to leave the branch; and when, under a
violent pressure, it does break its hold, it flies
swiftly, straight off, descending; and in the
multitude falling, some cross the track of others,
as they are thrown with more or less force; but each
one falls on its own side of the tree." See
reading in Chapter 69. of this book.
14.
What is the next event mentioned in the prophecy?
"And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is
rolled together; and every mountain and island were
moved out of their places" Verse 14.
NOTE.-This event is still future, and will take
place in connection with Christ's second coming. We
are now standing between the two events-the last of
the signs in the heavens, and the parting of the
heavens and removal of earthly things out of their
places. The great signs here mentioned which mark
the approach of Christ's second coming and the
dissolution of all earthly things, are all in the
past, and the world awaits the sound of the last
trump as the closing scene in earth's drama.
15.
How will this great event affect the world?
"And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the
rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men,
and every bondman, and every freeman, hid themselves in
the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to
the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from
the face of Him that sits 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?" Verses 15-17.
16. After the sealing work brought to view in Revelation
7, which takes place under the sixth seal, how is the
seventh seal introduced?
"And when He had opened the seventh seal, there was
silence in heaven about the space of half an hour." Rev.
8:1.
NOTE.-The sixth seal introduced the events connected
with the second coming of Christ. The seventh seal
most naturally, therefore, would refer to that
event, or to some accompanying result of it. When
Christ comes, all the holy angels will accompany Him
(Matt. 25:31); and it follows that silence will
necessarily, therefore, reign in heaven during their
absence. A half hour of prophetic time would be
about seven days. The seven seals, therefore, bring
us down to the second coming of Christ.
It
may be at morn, when the day is awaking,
When sunlight through darkness and shadow is breaking,
That Jesus will come in the fulness of glory
To receive from the world His own.
It
may be at midday, it may be at twilight,
It may be, perchance, that the blackness of midnight
Will burst into light in the blaze of His glory,
When Jesus receives His own.
O
joy! O delight! should we go without dying
No sickness, no sadness, no dread, and no crying,
Caught up through the clouds with our Lord into glory,
When Jesus receives His own.
H. L. TURNER.
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