“And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see,” Revelation 6:1.
The word ‘see’ features large in this chapter.
When this ‘seeing’ takes place is at the ‘opening of the book’ mentioned in the previous chapter.
“And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon,” Revelation 5:1-3.
The “book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals” is the full record of God’s purpose for His covenant people Israel and also of the fate of their enemies who are confederate against them in the ages past, but who will band together as never before in the closing years of this age. Its fulfilment has long been anticipated by the people of God for it has been the subject of the visions of all the prophets which they shared with God’s people.
It is “written within and on the backside” for it is the ‘full’ details of God’s eternally determined intention for His people and His land.
The Lord has fully resolved that there will be an overthrowing of man’s evil rebellion against Him and an enthroning of His Son as KING, even as it is stated in Psalm 2.
“Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel,” verses 6-9.
The future vain attempt by depraved and foolish men is set forth in the opening of the Psalm 2.
“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us,” verses 1-3.
I believe that we see the beginnings of that final rebellion against the Lord in the universal abandoning of the old moral views and standards that were accepted by almost all throughout the ‘civilised’ world. Now that world is taking on an ever increasing likeness to Sodom!
However, the rebellion will just not succeed!
I. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SEVEN SEALS
The significance of the ‘opening of the seals’ is explained by an incident recorded in the book of Jeremiah.
“And Jeremiah said, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee, saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth: for the right of redemption is thine to buy it. So Hanameel mine uncle’s son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the LORD, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine; buy it for thyself. Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD. And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle’s son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver. And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances. So I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open: And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison. And I charged Baruch before them, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days. For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land,” Jeremiah 32:6-15.
The narrative continues with God’s explanation to Jeremiah of the significance of his purchasing this field from his uncle.
“And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: and I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: and I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul. For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them. And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans. Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the LORD,” Jeremiah 32:36-44.
The purchase of the field was a symbol of the promised land and the people of Israel being purchased by God and sealed unto Him by an everlasting covenant. Though they would be captured by their enemies they would be brought back from captivity to their own land again and restored after seventy years. “For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place,”Jeremiah 29:10.
That captivity was a prophetic picture of the captivity the Jewish people entered into by their rejection of the Lord Jesus as their Messiah some 2000 years ago and which will end only at the return of Christ to claim that which is His property and those who are his people.
FUTURE
Some elements of the terms of their promised return as stated in Jeremiah 32:36-44, are such that it can be seen that they were not fulfilled by their restoration after the Babylonian captivity, in and around BC 538.
God does not leave ‘unfulfilled’ any part of His promises. Therefore we may expect to see a future fulfilling to the uttermost of that which was not fulfilled back in the days the Persian conqueror of Babylonia, Cyrus the Great. In 538 BC, he gave the Jews permission to return to Israel.
“Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up,” 2 Chronicles 36:22-23.
But the subsequent records of that return indicate that all that the Lord said would take place did not at that time. The reason for that is, as is often the case with prophecy, the Lord intermingled information of events that did take place in 538 BC with details of a future and final deliverance of Israel.
Just consider: “Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely,” Jeremiah 32:37.
Here is one element of the promise of God to Israel which has not yet been fulfilled. “And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me,” Jeremiah 32:40.
Israel does not presently fear the Lord and they most certainly have departed from Him.
Again the Lord said, “I will cause them to dwell safely”. Israel has never known ‘safety’ since that time until now, as today’s news daily testifies!
Again note: “And they shall be my people, and I will be their God,” Jeremiah 32:38. The Jewish people today do not own the Lord as their God. They may in word but not in deed. They utterly refuse to own Christ as their Messiah and would persecute any of their own who do.
Notice also: “And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: and I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul,” Jeremiah 32:39-41.
That spoken of in these verses is a spiritual regeneration of the nation. Ezekiel the prophet speaks of this future event in these words.
“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God,” Ezekiel 36:26-28.
So that which was but partially fulfilled back in the 6th century BC, will be fully and finally fulfilled at the time of the return of Christ in power and glory, following the opening of ‘the book’ of the promised deliverance of God’s ancient people.
II. CONSIDER WHAT JOHN WAS INVITED TO SEE!
“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,” Revelation 6:2.
This is the first thing seen. I believe that here is the second coming of Christ set forth, but as an event that was yettp be in the future for John and the believers of the 1st century.
1. First of all the One sitting on the white horse is Christ. In chapter 19, a fuller setting forth of the second coming of Christ takes place. “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war . . . And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God,” Revelation 19:11, 15.
2. The same white horse is seen in both portions, and the same purpose and intent is revealed. “He went forth conquering, and to conquer . . . he doth judge and make war . . . and out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron.”
The difference is the weapon in His hand — the bow and the sword. One a weapon used at a distance and the other in close combat.
What is signified is that the opening of the seals depicts the time approaching the return of Christ, but He is yet at a distance – hence the bow. The sword in Revelation 19 indicates that He is returned and coming into close combat with His enemy.
3. It is significant that the first matter revealed to John is the return of Christ. It will initiate the culmination of ‘all things’ regarding the regeneration and restoration of Israel and the resurrection and glorification of the redeemed. The Lord would have His people focus on this supreme and triumphant event. Yes, the opening of the other seals will see peace taken from the earth, slaughter amongst the nations, famine, persecution of the saints of God and the culmination in the seven trumpets heralding the wrath of God visited upon a rebellious earth. BUT the Lord would have us SEE and ever keep before us the victorious Christ returning to vanquish all His enemies and to claim the earth as His. “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever,” Revelation 11:15.
The Lord would have us ever remember that this how it will all end! Such a realisation ends fear and dread and fills the hearts of believers with joyous peace and assurance. Please recall how Paul spoke of his approaching martyrdom. “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand,” 2 Timothy 4:6. Whence this calmness and peace? It sprang from his assurance of how things would eternal conclude for him.
“Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing,” 2 Timothy 4:8.
Those who ‘see’ the revelation of the victorious return of Christ and His vanquishment of all His enemies, will in calm peacefulness likewise face the convulsions that are coming upon mankind.
III. THERE ARE GOING TO BE TURBULENT MORAL AND PHYSICAL CALAMITIES AMONG THE NATIONS AS THIS AGE COMES TO A CLOSE
Paul calls them ‘perilous times’, 2 Timothy 3:1-5. They are times generated as a result of God acting in judgment upon wicked men, ‘opening the bottomless pit’ and and allowing the evil powers, formerly held in check, freedom to work havoc amongst the men who reject God and His ways, Revelation 9:1-12.
The world has seen a little of that which is to come during the brief period of God’s visitation in wrath of the wicked nations in former times such as the world in the days of Noah, Egypt at the time of the deliverance of Israel from captivity, the judgments that befell the Canaanite nations at the hands of Israel, the downfall of Babylon, of the Medo-Persian empire and those of Greece and Rome. All these were foreshadowings and foretastes of God’s smiting of the territories of the ten kingdoms (Daniel 7:24 and Revelation 17:12) which shall yet arise in support of the Antichrist of Revelation 13.
God’s deliverance of His people has ever been accompanied by His destruction of their enemies! I refer to the events mentioned in the previous paragraph. Was not the glorious deliverance wrought by Christ at the cross followed by the terrible visitation of wrath upon those who “by wicked hands . . . crucified” the Saviour?
That deliverance which is to come when ”the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord,” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) will be marked by wrath upon those who have sided with Antichrist against the people of God.
As the trial of the Hebrews slaves ended with “a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead,” Exodus 12:30 so, to an infinitely greater degree, a night of horror and weeping will follow the defiance of God that we see rising all around us today.
Christian the Lord would have you SEE His plan and purpose and the outcome of the storm that is breaking upon the world. If we read and see and believe God’s revelation then we will not be like the disciples in the storm on Galilee, who were rebuked by the Saviour in those well known words: “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm,” Matthew 8:26.
Rather, we will rejoice in the ways of God that are causing extreme consternation and fear in the ungodly all around!
Rev Ivan Foster (Rtd)
1st July 2024