For many years there have been a large number of ancient books within the eschatological – apocalyptic genre; yet none so popular enigmatic as John’s apocalypse. This book contained in all Christian Bibles today; it talks about a lot of important events that are about to happen. Among them the enigmatic opening of the Seals of the Apocalypse.
The seals of the apocalypse are seven. More specifically they are the seals placed on a scroll or rather a book written inside and out; this scroll seen by John is said to be the book of life; and he is mentioned for the first time in chapter 5 of apocalypse. The scene in which this scroll is presented is a moment of great expectation in heaven for what is to come.
The roll is found in the right hand of the one who is in the vision of John seated on a throne established in heaven (according to Revelation 5:1); surrounded by twenty-four thrones and on them twenty-four elders and thousands of heavenly hosts. And according to what chapter 4 narrates, this character is God himself; who receives adoration and praise from all creation at that very moment.
…the twenty-four elders prostrate themselves before the one who is seated on the throne and adore the one who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “Lord, you are worthy to receive the glory, the honor and power, because you created all things, and by your will they exist and were created. Revelation 4:10-11
Before this scene, there is no one in heaven or on earth who was worthy of opening the book and its seals; there is talk of a powerful angel who cries out with a loud voice in heaven “Who is worthy to open the book and loose its seals?” before whose question Juan laments and cries.
Immediately after this scene in the sky, a immolated lamb very singular; which represents Jesus Christ The son of God himself who by his merits on the cross takes the book, from the right hand of God with power and authority. For this reason, one of the elders comforts Juan saying “Don’t cry, because the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has won to open the book and loose its seven seals.”
These, the seals of the apocalypse, unleash the judgments of God; and each one of them opens a series of events in heaven that have their meaning and repercussions on the whole earth. There are those who call the seals of the apocalypse “the providential preparation of the divine government for the second coming of Jesus, as King and messiah with his church”.
God through these events will be intervening in his anger using human agents; With the opening of the seals of the apocalypse begins a period that tribulation has not yet occurred on the whole world. That after three and a half years it will become with the opening of the last seal in a period of “Great Tribulation” which has not been nor will be worse.
The Seals of the Apocalypse:
The First Seal
The first seal that is loosed (Revelation 6:2) shows the appearance of a White horse; whose rider has a bow and a crown was given to him; the biblical text indicates that he came out “conquering and to conquer”.
At the opening or breaking of the first seal, a voice of the cherub is heard saying: come… It is the voice of one of the cherubs calling the instrument of divine justice. The cherubs are still in executive relationship with the government of God. That government relates to the land, upon which God’s judgments they have to be executed.
The successive calamities that come as the seals are opened; they will thus be under the order and control of the divine administration. No instrument of judgment appears until required by the call of the cherubs.
There is quite a consensus in the theological field that the first seal refers to the manifestation to the world of the antichrist; also known as the man of sin Who will be a promoter of peace and claim to be adored. He will be a world leader who will be able to unify both the religious and governmental world under this banner and not only that. He will also do many mighty deeds, signs and false wonders just as he points out. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-9.
the second seal
The opening of the second seal according to Revelation 6:3 is also preceded by the cry of the cherub saying “come”. And what happens next is that he appears in John’s vision is a reddish horse; whose rider carries a very large sword “and power was given to him to take peace from the earth.”
This judgment will cause great mortality. The sacred scriptures say that it will make men kill each other. the horse is red in precise allusion to the war, and to the blood that he is spilling on the earth (Revelation 6: 4). Wars will be provoked all over the world and rumors of wars; which will be conducive to the appearance and redemptive action of the false messiah, the antichrist that will already be operating in the world.
The Third Seal
The third seal unleashed is likewise preceded by the voice of a cherub who says “come” (Revelation 6:5) and from its rupture or opening, what John sees is a black horse whose rider carries a scale in his hand. Juan besides seeing that today:
“”Two pounds of wheat for a denarius and six pounds of barley for a denarius, but do not harm the oil or the wine”” Revelation 6:6
The black horse is a symbol of hunger, and it is a consequence of the war. The balance in the hands of the horseman is to measure the grain, which will be scarce by then and rises in price because of the wars. The scarcity does not seem to affect the availability of wine or oil, also considered essential items in ancient times. However, the contingency situation warns, oil and wine “must not be wasted”.
The salary for a day at the time was one denarius; which will only be enough to buy a kilogram of wheat and no more, the scarcity will lead people to consume a very small variety of food products, and perhaps only one type per day.
The Fourth Seal
With the opening of the fourth seal, John sees the appearance of a yellow horse, and the rider who rode it is named “death”; the holy scriptures say that Hades followed him. and “power was given to them over a quarter of the earthto kill with the sword, with hunger, with mortality and with the beasts of the earth”
With the opening of the fourth seal, we see the appearance of three great traditional calamities for humanity: war (symbolized on the sword), hungerY Plague or disease (symbolized by the yellow color of the horse, as is the anemic pallor of a sick person).
The plague and famine are the weapons of this horseman called death that kills a quarter of humanity, hades (hell) always follows death, while the latter takes life, hades receives souls.
This is what the opening of the first 4 seals means; each of them bringing a rider and a particular type of judgement. Hence the expression also popularized: “the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse”
The Fifth Seal
With the opening of the fifth seal (Revelation 6:9); John observes the souls of all those who had died because of the word of God; and for bearing witness to it during the great tribulation. Who cry with a loud voice:
“How long, Lord, holy and true, will you delay in judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Revelation 6:10
These are comforted with white garments. And they are told to rest a little longer while the number is completed; of those who are yet to die testifying to the gospel during the tribulation and great tribulation; and that later they will be resurrected after the great tribulation.
The Sixth Seal
The opening of the sixth seal tells us about a global earthquake. youstill strong to wreak havoc like no other in history; There will be great volcanic eruptions and dust, ash, and smoke will cover the earth; in such a way that the sun will hardly shine and the moon will look red (revelation 6:12-17). “The heavens will be shaken” which means that there will be meteor showers falling on the earth; the islands will be removed, and the men of power will hide in caves.
When people suffer these calamities, they will know that it is God sending judgment on humanity, but surprising as it may seem at that time, many will not repent.
Between the sixth and seventh seals there is a gap of time (Revelation 7:1-8). Where the angels are ordered to stop the four winds on the earth; do no harm to the earth, nor to the sea, nor to the trees; until the 144,000 Jews were sealed of all the tribes of Israel. Who will preach the gospel without fear of death. They will preach without fear because God is powerful to save their lives until the end of the great tribulation.
the seventh seal
According to Revelation 8:1-2, the opening of the seventh seal precedes a silence in the skies “like half an hour“and John immediately sees how the seven angels who stand before the throne of God are given seven trumpets.
With the opening of this seal and the delivery of the trumpets, God is announcing the proximity of seven trials worse than the previous ones; that is the reason why there is a great silence in the heavens after its opening.
If the seals are an emphasis on God’s judgment on human beings. The first four trumpets speak of God’s judgment on nature. And the last three trumpets about the judgments of God made to punish all the men of the world who reject salvation and the message of the gospel.
These are the future implications of the opening of the seals of the apocalypse by the lamb, which is Jesus Christ. things that of course will not happen before the church is raptured (taken to heaven) by Jesus as the sacred scriptures affirm (1 Thessalonians 4:17 and 2 Thessalonians 2:6).
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