Chapter Four.

The First Six Seals.

In Revelation 6:1 to 8:1 we find the record of the opening of The Seven Seals. As we have seen in our previous chapter, our Lord Jesus Christ in His office of the sacrificial Lamb of God was the only One who was found to be worthy to open these seals, and by so doing, permit the operation and fulfilment of history as we know it from that time onwards. It is important for us to remember that if these seals had not been broken, then the future history of God's people Israel, and indeed the rest of the world, could not have taken place in accordance with the plans and purposes of Almighty God, and particularly with the covenants that He had made through our forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Here we have described, in very picturesque yet accurate terminology, the rise and decline of Imperial Rome, the rise of Papal Rome, together with the empires and systems which rose from them, right up to the time when `the times of the Gentiles' would come to completion. This was the time during which the Israel people were migrating westward under the guidance of God, and in fulfilment of His promises and covenants. As we study the events of this period in the light of this fact, we gain a completely new perspective of this period of history. We have here the account of the growth and progress of those forces which indelibly shaped the future national history and development of the people of Israel, as distinct from their religious development as we previously studied in the messages to the Seven Church Ages. But we must keep in mind the fact that although the period covered by the messages to the Seven Churches and the period covered by the Seven Seals applied to different aspects of Israel's history, they ran parallel to each other. This does not mean that each seal occurred at the same time as each message to the churches, but that they all fell within the same general overall time frame.

The successive time periods during which these Seven Seals occurred are as follows. The dates quoted are merely guides, as each period overlapped to some degree with its neighbouring period, and some authorities vary as to the actual event which marks a particular period.

Seal 1. 96 - 180 A.D. Rome Victorious.

Seal 2. 185 - 284. Civil War.

Seal 3. 200 - 250 Taxation & Depression.

Seal 4. 250 - 300 Decay and Death.

Seal 5. 303 - 313 Christian Martyrs.

Seal 6. 313 - 395 Fall of Paganism.

THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE

I'm sure that not one person reading this would not have heard the above expression at some time or other. Books have been written about them. Movies have been made about them. And in every case, they are used to portray alleged horrific end-time conditions which are supposed to happen just prior to the end of the world, or during what is referred to as 'The Great Tribulation'. This interpretation is a direct result of what is known as the 'futurist' interpretation of prophecy, which places the timing of the prophetic aspect of The Book of the Revelation at some unknown time in the future. This school of interpretation was invented a few hundred years ago by a Roman Catholic priest for the express purpose of diverting attention from the growing recognition among the Protestant churches of the Papal association with `The Man of Sin'. Up to that time, what is known as the `historical' school of prophecy was accepted and taught. This was simply that all history was the ongoing fulfilment of prophecy, without any breaks or parenthesis. On the other hand, the `futurist' theory proposed that at a certain time just after the first advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, the fulfilment of prophecy stopped for an unknown period of time, and would restart again at some future unknown time. This school of thought was gradually accepted by the churches as they came more and more under the influence of the teachings of the Church of Rome, and today, there is scarcely a denomination in the world that does not base its teachings of prophecy on this false premise. It has been the major factor in the mis-understanding and mis-application of prophecy, as well as the acceptance of the present Zionist State of Israel and the Jewish nation as the fulfilment of the promises made to Israel. This belief and teaching has totally confused peoples' understanding of the present Middle East, and indeed the world situation, and blinded them to the identity of the real enemies of God and their Satanic plans to destroy the Western Christian Israel Nations of the world, and with them, the very gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The timing of the operation of these `Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse' is not still in the future. It is already long passed, and was concluded by roughly A.D. 300. We recall that this Book of the Revelation is based on 'symbols'. Thus, the first thing for us to do is to ascertain what is symbolised by the `horses', and also by the colours applied to them, that of `white', `red', `black', and `pale'. There is only one source to which we can turn for this information, and that is to the Old Testament, or Scriptures. As to the `horse', we read:

"But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army."

(Exodus 14:9).

"The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord."

(Prov. 21:31).

"And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off."

(Zech. 9:10).

Thus we see that the `horse' symbolises warfare, or military might. As to the different colours, they are mentioned in Zechariah 6:2-7, and we will comment on their meaning as we proceed.

THE FIRST SEAL

The White Horse.

"And I saw, and 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."

(Rev. 6:2).

John would have no trouble understanding the application of the WHITE horse, because it was the colour associated with the victorious and triumphant Imperial Roman Empire of his day. For example, the Roman Emperors and their conquering generals invariably rode white horses in their victory parades. That the colour `white' is associated with victory and triumph is born out in Rev. 19:11 where we read:

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called faithful and True, and in righteousness doth He judge and make war."

It is also of interest to note that this particular period was known as `the golden age' of the Roman Empire. Gibbons, in his "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire", describes this period in the following terms;

"If a man were called to fix in the history of the world the time during which the conditions of the human race was most happy and prosperous, he would without hesitation, name that which elapsed from the death of Domitian to the accession of Commodus (A.D. 96-180). The vast extent of the Roman Empire was governed by absolute power, under the guidance of virtue and wisdom. The armies were restrained by the firm but gentle hands of four successive Emperors, whose characters and authority commanded involuntary respect."

On numerous occasions in the past we have referred to the fact that the Bible, and especially the Book of the Revelation, is the history book of Israel. So with this in mind, it would be strange to say the least if this symbolism of the white horse had no connection with them. Normally, the horse is a docile domesticated animal, and very affectionate. Although it requires authoritative handling, it is usually a very faithful animal. Put a bit in its mouth, and you can virtually lead it anywhere. It is interesting that in Isaiah 63:13 we read that the Lord led His people

"as an horse in the wilderness, that they should not stumble."

And just as the `white horse' of the first seal "went forth conquering and to conquer", so by the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary, Israel was from that time able to likewise "go forth and conquer." She was now in a position to fulfil her great commission to take the blessings of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to all the families and nations of the earth. The symbol of that victory was indicated in the `crown' worn by the rider of the white horse, just as the `bow' in his hand represented the fulfilment of God's promise to Joseph as stated in Gen. 49:24;

"But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob."

So we see that in the symbolism of the white horse there was both a near fulfilment as it depicted the condition of the Imperial Roman Empire at that time, and the broader fulfilment in the growth and development of the Israel people throughout the Christian dispensation and up to the time of the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

THE SECOND SEAL.

The Red Horse.

"And when He had opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, Come and see.

And 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."

(Rev. 6:3-4).

As we see in our above list, the period of this seal was from A.D. 185 to 284. It was in marked contrast to the period of the white horse, the period of peace and prosperity, and represented a time of civil war and bloodshed throughout the Roman Empire. Thus we read that the rider of this horse was given power to take peace from the earth. Internal strife and the killing of one another became the order of the day. And thus began the decline of the Roman Empire.

But in both this and the fourth seal, we find the word `earth' used. It is important to a correct understanding of these prophecies that we identify what is referred to in the use of this word. For instance, we find recorded in Luke 2:1;

"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed."

Now it would be quite ridiculous to conclude that this meant that everyone on the whole planet had to pay taxes to Rome. Obviously, the phrase `the whole world' meant `the Roman world', that is, the areas or countries which were under the control of Rome. The word `earth' as used here has a similar application. It refers to events relating to the Roman world, not the entire inhabited globe. One can readily see what a difference this makes to our understanding and application of these prophetic statements, and the failure to recognise this distinction has led to very vast differences of opinion and conclusions as to their fulfilment.

But as for the period of the white horse, that covered by the red horse also had its application to the nation of Israel as it developed. We find this evidenced in two ways. Firstly, as a symbol of blood, it marked the covering of blood by which Israel was redeemed. She was now bought back from the curse of the law, and the Blood of the New Covenant could now commence to come into effect. But there is also a second application to Israel. As we read God's Word, we find that there was a race of people who began at the same time as Jacob, and were named Esau. His descendants became known as Edom, which means RED.

This people became the arch-enemy of Israel, and to this day, as Esau-Jewry, are doing everything in their power to destroy the people of God and to usurp the birthright which their forefather Esau so foolishly despised so long ago. Their end is certain. They have but a very short time left until they will be destroyed. We read in Obadiah, verse 18;

"And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the Lord hath spoken it."

This is supported in a very wonderful way in The Second Book of Esdras, 6:9;

"For Esau is the end of this world (age), and Jacob is the beginning of it that followeth."

THE THIRD SEAL.

The Black Horse.

"And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature 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.

And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine."

(Rev. 6:5-6).

The period of this third seal ran from A.D. 200 to 250, and as we see, overlapped the previous period. It coincided with a time of increasingly heavy taxation within the Roman world, brought about to a great extent by the civil war and internal troubles they were experiencing. This tax could be paid either in coin or in produce, and explains the reference to the wheat and barley, oil and wine. These things were not to be `hurt', or as the original Greek word implies, `treated unjustly'. Whilst the balances were used commonly by Rome as a symbol of justice and commerce, and were often used as badges by provincial governors, the taxation burden became so overpowering that the whole agricultural system of the country was brought to ruin. The people perished as a result of starvation.

How aptly did the `BLACK horse' represent this period of gloom and depression. And how aptly it previewed the future condition of Israel. The Emperors introduced and exacted a capital gains tax, land tax and duty taxes. Shades of today. The same characteristics of the Edomites are still in evidence, with underpayment for labour, and exhorbitant prices and ruinous taxation, coupled with iniquitous rates of interest. Just as now, the time then was one well represented by a black horse.

THE FOURTH SEAL.

The Pale Horse.

"And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, Come and see.

And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell 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."

(Rev. 6:7-8).

Time for Imperial Rome was fast running out. The ravages of insurrection, immorality, and depression soon gave way to famine, decay and death for the once great empire. It has been estimated that ONE FOURTH of the population of the Roman Empire, (the Roman earth), perished of famine at this time. This final period was truly represented by the Pale Horse. Rev. W.G. Finlay, in his excellent book "The Patmos Story", comments;

"Edward Gibbon, (an infidel), whose `Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire' could have been a commentary on the first four seals of Revelation had he been predisposed to accept the Christian faith, sums up the situation in the following words: `During that calamitous period (250 A.D. to 300 A.D. - Ed.), every instant of time was marked, every province of the Roman world was afflicted by barbarous invaders and military tyrants, and the ruined empire seemed to approach the last and final moments of its dissolution. This gloomy period of history has been decorated with inundations and earthquakes, of more than natural darkness . . . . But a long and general famine was a calamity of a more serious kind. It was the inevitable consequence of oppression which extirpated the produce of the present and the hope of future harvests. Famine is almost always followed by epidemical diseases, the effect of scanty and unwholesome food. Other causes contributed to the famous plague which raged without interruption in every province, every city, and almost every family of the Roman Empire. During this time, five thousand persons daily died in Rome; and many towns that had escaped the barbarians, were entirely depopulated.' "

The entire Babylonian system, of which Rome was the final earthly national manifestation, as depicted in the image of Nebuchadnezza, is now in its final death throes. The symbol of the Pale Horse is now in evidence as we see the corruption and evil all around us which will bring about the final collapse and destruction of this evil Satanic system which has to this day bound the people of God in a slavery far in excess of anything that our forefathers in Egypt ever experienced. But praise God, the great day of deliverance, under the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ is about to dawn in all its glory.

THE FIFTH SEAL.

"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, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

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."

(Rev. 6:9-11).

The four stages of the history of the Roman Empire covered by the first four seals, and illustrated by the four horses and horsemen, had now passed into history. We now arrive at the time of Diocletian which began in 285 A.D. when he was elected Emperor. The use of horses as a symbolism ceases from this point of time, and this is most appropriate. The Roman Empire to this time had been ruled over by military men who became national heroes. So the horse, being associated with military exploits, was a fitting symbol for this period. But Diocletian was not a military man. He was what we would call today, a statesman, and governed the disintegrating Empire by diplomacy rather than military might. Although his parents had been slaves to a Roman senator, he distinguished himself in the field of diplomacy and was promoted to the position of consul during the period of the Roman wars with Persia. On subsequently being elected Emperor, he set about trying to overcome the decay which had set in within his crumbling empire. He divided the empire into four sections and placed over each section an associate who also carried the title of Emperor. But his efforts at reform were useless. The rot had set in too deeply, and the prophetic symbolism of the last of the four horses, that of `death', could not be diverted in any way. Things became so bad, that under the pressure and influence of his pagan wife, he turned the full force of his venom against the Christians. This intense period of persecution began in 303 A.D., and ran parallel with the events depicted by the message to the `church' or congregation of Israel at Smyrna with which we dealt in a previous chapter. One of the statements made of this `church' period was;

"Ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."

(Rev. 2:10).

This period of `ten days' in prophetic terms indicated a period of ten years, using the Biblical basis of `one day = one year', as stated in Ezekiel 4:6. So it is not without significance that the period of this terrible persecution by the Emperor Diocletian lasted from 303 A.D. to 313 A.D., exactly ten years. The twofold fulfilment relating to this `ten day' period should not be overlooked, because whilst the period covered by the Smyrna `church' consisted of ten distinct tribulations under successive emperors, as we previously studied, we now have a secondary fulfilment in this final ten year period of persecution when untold numbers of Christians perished for their undying faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Christians were not only fed to the lions as sport, but others of their brethren were tied to posts all around the arena, soaked in oil, and set on fire to provide further light to the proceedings. So if you ever think you are having a rough time being a Christian, give a thought to what these brave and fearless souls went through for their faith. I wonder how many Christians today would stand a test such as this.

But exactly at the end of the ten year period foretold, Constantine succeeded Diocletian in 313 A.D., and the persecution came to an end.

But before going on to the following events represented by the sixth seal, we should comment on the souls described as being under the altar, crying out to God. The first thing we notice is that in the symbolic language used in this wonderful Revelation, these martyrs are described as being `under' the altar, not `on' it. The altar of course was the place where the sacrifice for sin was made. But these martyrs, although they made the supreme sacrifice themselves, are not shown here as being personal sacrifices to God. They are shown as being `under', or covered by, the sacrifice already made on their behalf by the Lord Jesus Christ, here represented by the altar. And it is quite understandable that in their extremity they should cry out to the Lord as to how long this terrible persecution was to continue before God avenged them on their persecutors. You see, these people knew a fact which many Christians today refuse to even consider, that God is not only a God of love, but that He is also a God of vengeance. He has no intention of allowing those who persecute His people to get away with what they have done and to escape their rightful punishment. And I assure you that this doesn't only apply to non-Christians who persecute us, but also to the Christians who persecute other Christians simply because they don't fit into the pattern to which they want them to conform. An interesting analogy of these souls crying out for vengeance on their own behalf is found in the account of the murder of Abel by his brother Cain. We are told that the Lord said unto Cain that "the blood of Abel cried out to Him from the ground". And such has been the ongoing plea from that time right down to the present day. The blood of those who have been persecuted for their faith both righteously and rightfully cries out for vengeance, whether we have suffered either physical or character assassination. And the reply of the Lord to our cries remains the same. He says, "BE PATIENT!" The "Robe of Righteousness" will be the reward for all those who give their life for, or in the service of, their Lord and Saviour. At the end of the day, at the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, when the wages are paid, we shall each receive the eternal reward, whether we qualified late or early.

THE SIXTH SEAL

"And I beheld when He had opened the sixth seal, and lo, there was a great earthquake. And the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood.

And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken by a mighty wind.

And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

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 free man, 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 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."

(Rev. 6:12-17).

As we see from our list above, the period of this sixth seal commenced in 313 A.D. when Constantine came to power, and lasted until 395 A.D. But it should in fairness be stated at this point, that this period covered by the sixth seal also had a larger, or more long-term fulfilment which extended up to about the end of the eighteenth century. This short-term and long-term fulfilment of prophecy is an important factor to remember when we are studying this all-important subject, and occurs several times throughout Bible prophecy. Our present study is an excellent example of this principle, as we shall see.

We also need to reiterate the fact that the Book of the Revelation is primarily one of symbolism. As we discussed in our first chapter, the Lord revealed His message to John "by signs and symbols", this being the meaning of the word "signified" in Rev. 1:1. This is a most important factor to keep in mind as we study this particular seal, as to try to understand its message by other means will only lead to utter confusion. So for the sake of clarity, let us tabulate the various symbols used.

1. There was a great earthquake.
2. The sun became as black as sackcloth.
3. The moon became as blood.
4. The heavens rolled away, and the mountains and islands were moved out of their places.
5. The kings of the earth etc. hid themselves from the judgment that was falling upon them.
6. The wrath of God came upon them.

Now remember, the setting of this scene is the Roman Empire. It is not some terrible judgment to fall upon the earth at some unknown time in the future. The word "earthquake" as used here denotes, in its prophetic application, political upheaval and revolution. The "sun" and the "moon" represent the leaders who ruled over the particular "earth" referred to, in this case, the Roman "earth" or world. The account in Genesis 37 of Joseph's dream of the sun, moon and stars making obeisance to him is a well known illustration of this principle. The "heavens" referred to is not the literal heaven we see when we look up at the sky, but refers to the position occupied by the rulers, symbolised by the "sun" and the "moon". Here we have forecast by our Lord, the total overthrowing of the pagan Roman world with its succession of pagan rulers by the use of terminology which would not be recognised for what it was by the Romans themselves, but would certainly be recognised by His people because of their knowledge of the Scriptures.

The history of the Roman Empire immediately following the reign of Diocletian and the rise of Constantine bears ample evidence of the exactness of our Lord's pronouncements. The following extract from "The Drama of the Lost Disciples" by George F. Jowett, (pages 93-94), reveals the historical facts of this period, facts which are scarcely heard of by Christians today.

"From the Claudian to the Diocletian persecution, extermination of Britain and all that was Christian was a Roman obsession. How satanic it was can be estimated in the brutal act which touched off the Diocletian campaign. The finest warrior battalions in the Roman army were the famed Gaulish Legions. On the order of Maximian, co-ruler with Diocletian, the Christian Gaulish veterans were slaughtered to a man in cold blood. His hatred of the Christian is stated to have exceeded that of Diocletian and to satiate it he butchered his finest soldiers.

"The martyrologies state that during the first two hundred years of Christianity over six million Christians were entombed within the catacombs of Rome - murdered. How many more were buried within the other unexplored catacombs is difficult to say. The total number would be appalling. It is claimed that if the passages of the catacombs of Rome were measured end to end they would extend to a length of 550 miles from the city of Rome into the Swiss Alps. It seems almost incredible that while only about one million Christians today walk the streets of Rome, under their feet are over six million mutilated bodies which have testified for Christ.

"Let free men and women wherever they may be today, take stock of the price their Christian ancestors paid to obtain and make secure the freedom which they now enjoy. The ancient Britons appear to have better realised than does the present-day shirking Christian that Christianity sets man free and freedom can only be maintained in preserving the Christian faith. The present democracies of the English-speaking world owe all they have, or ever will have, to their Christian ancestors.

"Let us remember that, when it seemed as though Christianity was crushed on the Continent by the murderous Diocletian persecution, it was a British king with an army of Christian British warriors who crossed the seas and smashed the Diocletian-Maximian armies with defeat so catastrophic they never rose again. That British victory ended for all time Roman Christian persecution. Following the victory, this British king marched his army of Christian warriors into Rome and there declared Rome Christian. From thence dates Roman national acceptance of Christianity.

"It was not Peter who nationally Christianised Rome, but Constantine, the great-grandson of Arviragus, and son of the famous Empress Helen, a British princess.

"Surely, we cannot afford to forget."

For three centuries the Roman Emperor was known as Pontifex Maximus, which was the head priest of heathen paganism. In 313 A.D. all that came to an end with the succession of the Christian Constantine. One of the first things which he did was to abandon the heathen standards of the Roman army and substitute in their place the sign of the cross. He immediately issued edicts giving complete tolerance to Christians, and elevated Christians to positions of high office in the land. The heathen sacrifices and practices, together with their temples and priests were destroyed, and any form of worship other than Christianity was banned. The people literally tried to hide themselves from the judgment which they foresaw from the new Christian leaders as a result of their former barbaric acts of persecution.

Thus the whole political structure of the Roman Empire was shattered in the "earthquake" of God's judgment, and the "sun" and the "moon", representing the rulers, ceased their normal functions. The whole "heavens" of the Roman Empire departed as a rolled up scroll, exactly as our Lord prophecied.

But before completing this study of the sixth seal, let us look at the factor which we previously mentioned about the short-term and long-term fulfilment of prophesy. The events of this sixth seal are not only an excellent example of this, but also of the twofold symbolic and literal fulfilment of some of the prophesies of our Lord's Revelation. The following information is taken from "Study in Revelation" by Howard B. Rand.

"On November 1, 1755, there occurred a remarkable earthquake centred in Lisbon, Portugal, which affected the entire territory of the former Roman Empire. It was felt as far away as the coast of America. It disturbed about four million square miles of territory, and was referred to by historians as "The Great Earthquake".

"Then on May 19, 1780, occurred the remarkable `dark day' when the sun did not shine, and the moon became the colour of blood. It is recorded that people became terrified, many thinking that the Day of Judgment had arrived.

"And on November 12 and 13, 1833, stars to an estimated number of 240,000 fell like snowflakes for about nine hours. They are reputed to have ranged in size from moving points of light to globes of similar size to our moon. Observers noted that they all seemed to proceed from the same quarter of the heavens, from the vicinity of the stars in the constellation of Leo."

Thus the history of the Roman Empire and its ultimate defeat was accurately portrayed by our Lord, and the fulfilment of His prophesies cleared the way for the onward march of His Israel people to their appointed place, and to their appointed destiny as God's Servant Nation and God's specific witness to His own wonderful and everlasting faithfulness.