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THE SEALS AND THE TRUMPETS - REVELATION 6-11
I. INTRODUCTION: SEALS AND TRUMPETS
THIS TYPE OF SEAL IS TO KEEP SOMETHING
CLOSED AND SECRET, UPON A "SEAL" WHATEVER WAS BEING GUARDED WOULD BE REVEALED.
CHAPTERS 6-11 SPEAK OF THE VISIONS OF THE CONFLICT BETWEEN GOD FOR THE IMPRESSIVE AND
HORRIBLE MESSAGE OF WHAT WOULD TAKE PLACE IN THE FUTURE. 1) THE JUDGMENT OF GOD OVER AN EVIL WORLD 2) THE STRUGGLE OF THE CHURCH WITH ROME 3) CHRISTIANS ARE GOING TO SUFFER 4) CHRISTIANS WILL ULTIMATELY BE VICTORIOUS 5) IN THE END ROME IS GOING TO LOSE 6) THE VICTORY OF GOD'S PEOPLE WILL BE ETERNAL, THE DEFEAT OF ROME AS AN EMPIRE WILL ALSO BE ETERNAL THE TRUMPETS ACCOMPANY THE SEALS AND ANNOUNCE THE JUDGEMENT OF GOD. IN THE TIME OF THE O. T. TRUMPETS ALWAYS ACCOMPANIED MEN GOING TO BATTLE. II. THE
SEALS
A. The First Seal - A White Horse - Rev. 6:1-2 This could be a description of Jesus Christ ( White=Holy) as God sends His power against Rome. (Jesus Christ also has been described as a lion- Rev. 5:5) B. The Second Seal - A Red Horse - Rev. 6:3 This seal represents war and the shedding of blood. Romans and Christians are dying. C. The Third Seal - A Black Horse - Rev. 6:5-6 Represents a famine. One result of war is lack of food and material goods. D. The Fourth Seal - A Pale Horse - Rev. 6:7-8 Represents death. "Four" signifies the means of killing: The Sword, Hunger, Sickness, and Wild Beasts E. The Fifth Seal - Martyrs and Saints - Rev. 6:9-11 Those that were killed for proclaiming the gospel. F. The Sixth Seal - Terror and Judgment - Rev. 6:12-17 John is seeing the fall of the worldly government (without God) of Rome and the resulting terror among its citizens. G. The Seventh Seal - Rev. 8:1-5 Actually the entire group of the seven trumpets forms the content of the seventh seal. Therefore, it is composed of warnings about the judgment that is to come. (It is reminiscent of the plagues in Exodus). III. THE
TRUMPETS
A. The First Trumpet - Afflictions over the earth - Rev. 8:7 B. The Second Trumpet - Affliction over the sea - Rev. 8:8-9 C. The Third Trumpet - Affliction over fresh water - Rev. 8:10-11 D. The Fourth Trumpet - Affliction over the heavenly bodies - Rev. 8:10-11 THESE FIRST FOUR TRUMPETS SYMBOLIZE THE UPRISING AGAINST ROME AND THE CATASTROPHIC RESULTS IN EACH AREA OF HER LIFE. E. The Fifth Trumpet - Rev. 9:1-12 Presents a description of the horrible bottomless pit. This type of anguish would fall over the Romans as God's judgment. F. The Sixth Trumpet - Rev. 9:13-21 Reveals what Rome feared the most: An attack of the powerful cavalry from the East. G.The Seventh Trumpet - Rev. 11:15-19 The final judgment of God on Rome (A more detailed description is found in Chapter 16-20) SOME WOULD SEE THESE SEALS AND TRUMPETS AS NOT REFERRING ONLY TO ROME, BUT ALSO TO THOSE WHO IN GENERAL WORK IN OPPOSITION TO GOD. IN SUCH A VIEW THE 7TH TRUMPET WOULD REFER TO THE END TIMES. MEMORY VERSE - REVELATION 7:17
QUESTIONS
1. T F The First Seal, The White Horse, Probable Represents Christ. 2. T F What Does the Second Seal Represent? 3. T F In General the Seals represent something Good for those in opposition to God. 4. T F The trumpets represent something bad that would happen to Christians. |