Thursday
Thursday
Six Seals Are Broken
I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals.
Revelation 6:1
Having celebrated the Lamb’s unique authority to open the scroll, and having seen him take it from the throne occupant, John now watches as the Lamb breaks the seals one by one. After each of the first four seals is broken, one of the living creatures shouts in a voice like thunder, “Come!” And, behold, a horse and its rider appears. These are the famous four horsemen of the Apocalypse, well known to Christian artists.
Many commentators argue that the first horse (being white, its rider wearing a crown and riding out “as a conqueror bent on conquest” [v. 2]) symbolizes military conflict. But in the book of Revelation white stands for righteousness, crowns and conquests belong to Christ, and in chapter 19 the rider on a white horse is definitely Christ. So before the other horsemen spread the horrors of war, famine, and death, Christ rides out first at the head of the cavalcade, resolved to win the nations by the gospel. And he succeeds, judging by the countless multitude of the redeemed in chapter 7. The second horse is fiery red and symbolizes bloodshed, the third is black and symbolizes famine, and the fourth is pale green (6:8 NRSV) and symbolizes death.
The breaking of the fifth seal reveals the souls of Christian martyrs “under the altar” (the place of sacrifice) who are appealing for justice (v. 9). Then after the breaking of the sixth seal there is a great earthquake, followed by the most appalling cosmic convulsions in the sun, moon, stars, sky, and mountains, which are probably not to be interpreted literally but as social and political upheavals described in familiar apocalyptic imagery. Judgment follows as people of every rank (from kings to slaves) cry to be hidden from the face of God and the wrath of the Lamb.
This opening drama of the first six seals gives us a general overview of history between the first and second comings of Christ. It will be a time of violent disturbance and suffering. But the eye of faith will look beyond it to Christ, who is both the crowned and conquering rider on the white horse and the Lamb who breaks the seals, controlling the course of history.
For further reading: Revelation 6:1–16