09 The Four Horsemen and the Fifth Seal

Slides for this study

Please note that just as with the seven churches, the time framing for the seven seals is also approximate time. We will see this clearly as we progress through the seven seals. There will be no doubt that there is timing related to the seals.

The first 4 seals show 4 horsemen. Each time a seal is opened, a horse comes out.

  • Revelation 6:2
    And I saw, and behold a white horse…
  • Revelation 6:4
    And there went out another horse that was red…
  • Revelation 6:5
    And I beheld, and lo a black horse…
  • Revelation 6:8
    And I looked, and behold a pale horse…

So we see a white horse, a red horse, a black horse and a pale horse.

What is the significance of horses in scripture?

  • Some popular interpretations.
  • The horses represent war, famine and pestilences. End time events that come on the earth just before the second coming of Jesus.
    • We will see clearly that this is a timeline of events, especially when we get to the sixth seal.
  • In Zechariah there seems to be a connection however the picture is not the same.
    • Zechariah 1:8-10
    • Zechariah 6:1-8
    • They seem to be similar colours. But it is horses in chariots. So that’s where there is a big difference.
  • In Revelation we do see horses.
  • Revelation 19:11
    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.

    • This is Jesus at the second advent.
    • In righteousness he is judging and making war.
    • So a horse is symbolized as warfare. We see that in scripture. Horses used to fight in the armies.
  • Revelation 19:14
    And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
  • Riding after Christ are the armies of heaven.
  • So there is warfare taking place. Conflict.
  • And what we will find is that each horse that we see here in the first 4 seals represent a particular type of warfare.

 

THE FIRST SEAL

Revelation 6:1
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.

When the first seal is opened, we see one of the four beasts speak.

  • These are the four beasts that we saw back in Revelation 4:
    • Revelation 4:7
      And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
  • We don’t know which beast spoke here in Revelation 6:1. However, let’s have a look at the other texts.
  • Revelation 6:3
    And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.

    • Who is the second beast?
    • The second beast is the calf.
  • Revelation 6:5
    And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see…

    • The third beast speaks. Who is that?
    • It is the man.
  • Revelation 6:7
    And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.

    • The fourth beast speaks. Who is that?
    • That is the eagle.
  • We aren’t given an indication of which beast speaks in the first seal, but we can have an educated guess that it is most like the lion because the first beast is the only one that hasn’t been mentioned yet. All the other three have spoken.
  • Moreover, the rest of the seals the beasts don’t speak. Not sure why. But the four beasts only speak for the first 4 seals which are about the 4 horsemen.
  • We’ll see its significance of each beast speaking and how it is tied with each seal at the end of the first seal.

John is invited to come and see. What does he see?

 

Revelation 6:2
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.

Here are the different elements that we see here.

  • There is a white horse.
  • The person that sits on the horse is holding a bow and a crown is given to him to wear.
  • And he goes forth conquering and to conquer – there is victory.

The colour white:

  • White we have seen many times represents righteousness.
  • Revelation 19:8
    And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
  • Isaiah 1:18
    Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
  • This, then, is righteous warfare.
  • This represents something good.

How about the bow? What does that represent?

  • Habakkuk 3:9
    Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word…

    • The bow represents the word of God.

What does the crown represent?

  • James 1:12
    Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
  • The crown is given to those that obtain victory. They overcome temptation.
  • That is also shown in the text in Revelation. They went forth conquering and to conquer.

This rightly lines up with the first church, the church of Ephesus.

  • After the ascension of Jesus, they were gaining new and fresh victories for the Lord and for the truth.
  • They were able to detect those that said they were apostles but they really weren’t. They were combating error with truth, the bow.
  • And with the first beast speaking about this, the lion represents kingliness. They are victorious.
  • It fits perfectly with that first church.

So the time frame is from ascension to 100 AD.

  • The timing will only become clearer as we move along.
  • The first seal is just 2 short verses. With the main description really in just 1 verse. Let’s continue

 

THE SECOND SEAL

Revelation 6:3
And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.

Who is the second beast. It is that which correspond with the calf.

  • Calf is used for sacrifice which lines up with the second church that we saw in Revelation 2 – the church of Smyrna.
  • Let’s build on that understanding.

 

Revelation 6:4
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.

Now we see a red horse. What does the colour red represent?

  • Revelation 12:3
    And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
  • Revelation 17:3
    So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

    • Both times these colours are used with beasts that persecute God’s people.
  • So red in Revelation is associated with persecution.
  • Isaiah 1:18
    Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

    • The red represents sin.
  • So there is destruction, false teachings, sin creeping in the church.
  • Smyrna went through persecution, and they also had the synagogue of satan start to creep into the church. It is the same time period.

What did the rider on this red horse do?

  • He took peace from the earth and the inhabitants of the earth resort to killing one another.
  • This is not the work of Christ. There is disunity and discord coming into the church.

The sword that this rider has, it must have represented killing and persecution.

  • Yes, it can represent the word of God. But that just does not fit. Contextually it mut be referring to a literal sword for hurting and fighting and killing.
  • So there is division and separation, and there is killing.

This is clearly persecution. It perfectly lines up with the church of Smyrna.

  • Revelation 2:10 – Smyrna mentioned about people dying for the faith. And there would be great persecution for 10 days.

The time frame then is from 100 AD to 323 AD.

  • No doubt, lining up with Smyrna.
  • We are on the same timeline so far. Things will change later on.

 

THE THIRD SEAL

Revelation 6:5
And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast 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

Who is the third beast?

  • That was the face of a man.
  • Something about man’s traditions creeping in.

Now we see a black horse.

  • What is black connected with?
  • Proverbs 7:9-10
    9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: 10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.

    • In the black of the night, the harlot comes forth.
  • The black horse lines up with the church of Pergamos. It is preparing the way for the church of Thyatira, the dark ages.
    • Revelation 2:22
      Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
    • In Thyatira, Jezebel teaches people to commit fornication/adultery as well.
  • Remember Balaam and Balak back in the church Pergamos? We see church and state starting to form already.

What else does black represent?

  • Lamentations 5:10
    Our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine.

    • It is foreshadowing a famine that is coming.
  • What sort of famine?
  • Amos 8:11
    Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.

    • It is a famine of the word of God.

The person who is riding the black horse has a pair of balances in his hand. What does these balances represent?

  • Something is being measured. What is being measured? Let’s read the next verse.
  • Revelation 6:6
    And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts 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.

    • A measure of wheat for a penny.
    • Three measures of barley for a penny.
    • Food is being measured.
  • This sounds pretty good. But what is a penny worth back then?
    • Matthew 20:1-2
      1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. 2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
    • A penny is 1 day’s wage.
  • So 1 penny for 1 measure of wheat and 3 measures of barley.
  • What is a measure of wheat or 3 measures of barley today?
    • A measure is about one liter today (or as much as would support a man of moderate appetite for a day).
    • So there’s 1 litre of wheat and 3 litres of barley
  • What is the daily wage in Australia today?
    • The minimum wage per hour is currently $24.10 per hour.
    • If you’re working 7.5 hours per day, that works out to be around $180 per day.
  • So 1 litre of what is being sold for around $180.
    • And 3 litres of barley is being sold for $180
  • Is that considered a normal price?
    • Definitely not right?
    • The most expensive what I found in coles was around $8.40 per kg.
  • So a measure of wheat for a penny, and 3 measures of barley for a penny – this means that food is getting really expensive.

Why does food get more expensive?

  • Because there is a lack of it.
  • Back in 2006, Cyclone Larry hit North Queensland, and it wiped out most of Australia’s banana crop. Banana prices increased 400% that year because of simple economics. Lack of supply.
  • With increase of price, what does it show? A famine is coming. Food is getting hard to find. It is getting scarce. Hence prices are getting more expensive.
  • The famine is not here yet. A famine is when there is absolutely no food at all.
  • So the word of God is being replaced with man made traditions.
  • Paganism is entering the church and replacing the truth.

However, there is a reference to hurt not the oil and the wine, even though the wheat and the barley are getting more expensive. What does oil and wine represent in the Bible?

  • Oil – represents the Holy Spirit.
  • Wine – represents the blood of Jesus to cleanse our sins.
  • Somehow this would be preserved.
  • It sounds like the promise that is given to the church of Pergamos.
    • They would be given hidden manna to eat.
  • So even though there is a scarcity of food, things are getting expensive, God’s people would be preserved through this time.

So what is the time frame? From 323 AD to 538 AD. Same time period as the church of Pergamos.

 

THE FOURTH SEAL

Revelation 6:7
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.

Who is the fourth beast?

  • The fourth beast had the face of an eagle. Eagle represents divinity.
  • This time period start together with Thyatira in 538 AD. It doesn’t end at the same time which I will show later. But it does start together.
  • What was the introduction to Thyatira?
    • Revelation 2:18
      And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God…
  • This lines up perfectly with the eagle. People need to know that God is in heaven even though what man may be doing on earth. Man is calling himself God.

Now what colour horse do we see?

  • Revelation 6:8
    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.
  • It is a pale horse.
  • Isaiah 29:22
    Therefore thus saith the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale.

    • Pale is connected to shame.
  • Where do we see shame in the Bible?
  • Genesis 2:25
    And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

    • When they discovered their nakedness, then shame came in. And that was because of sin.
  • So shame is connected with sin.
  • The man of sin then is well and truly alive.
  • But that’s not all.

This is the first time that the rider has a name. What was his name?

  • Revelation 6:8
    …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.
  • The name is Death, and Hell followed with him.
  • Proverbs 7:27, 10
    27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. 10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.

    • The harlots house is the way to hell and it leads to death.
  • The pale horse has the harlot church sitting on it. It is clear that we are in the time of the Papacy.
  • Romans 6:23
    For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

    • Sin leads to death.
    • Clearly the man of sin.
    • 2 Thessalonians 2:3
      Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.
  • So this pale horse represents the time of the church going through papal persecution up until the reformation.

“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.”

  • Could the papacy have had power over the fourth part of the earth. Quite possible. The whole of Europe there. The then known world.
  • This is literally talking about killing with sword, hunger, death and the beasts of the earth.
  • Hebrews 11:37
    They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented.
  • Daniel 11:33
    And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.
  • This is referring to the time of the dark ages where the Papacy would reign supreme and unhindered.

However, the time period of the fourth seal does not run until 1798 AD, the date that we are most used to seeing when we talk about 538 AD.

  • This time period is from 538 AD to 1374 AD.
  • 1374 AD is just an approximate date.
  • Why this date? I will explain this next time when we start looking at the fifth seal. It is not obvious in the fourth seal.

 

So far we have looked at the first four seals.

  • They are introduced by the four beasts that are under the throne of God.
  • They have four horse men riding on it.
  • After this, we don’t see any more of the horsemen or of the beasts introducing the seals. The seals are simply opened.
  • We see a very similar time period that lines up with the churches except on the fourth where it begins to deviate.
  • There is enough detail given to us to help us to understand where we are.
  • But this is all past to us.
  • The present is soon to come.
  • The most important of the seals is yet to be revealed relating to our time.

 

THE FIFTH SEAL

The time framing of this seal is from 1374 AD to 1755 AD.

  • We will clearly see the reason for the start date, 1374, in this seal.
  • However, it is in the 6th seal that we will see the reason for 1755 AD.

Revelation 6:9
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:

When the fifth seal was opened, what did John see?

  • I saw under the altar the souls that had been slain or killed.

Which altar is this referring to?

  • It is most likely the altar of incense.
  • Every time in Revelation the altar is mentioned, it seems to indicate that it is referring to that altar of incense.
  • Revelation 11:1-2
    1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not…

    • The altar in the court outside the temple is the altar of burnt sacrifice.
    • The altar that is mentioned in verse 1 must be the altar of incense.
  • Revelation 8:3
    And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

    • Note it is a golden altar. This must be the altar of incense.
  • What do we see connected with this altar?
    • It is the prayers of the saints.
  • So we see souls under the altar that have already been slain.

Why were they slain?

  • For the word of God for the testimony that they held.
  • This was the exact same reason why John was exiled to the isle of Patmos.
  • Revelation 1:9
    I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

    • John was faithful to the word of God and also faithful to the testimony of Jesus. As a result, he was persecuted.
  • These saints have been killed.
  • We will also see the same outcome in the future as well.
  • Revelation 12:17
    And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
  • The dragon will be angry with the woman, God’s church. And he will persecute those that are faithful to God’s commandments and to the testimony of Jesus.
  • History will repeat itself. You want to see what will happen in the future, all you need to do is look to the past.

So what are these souls under the altar doing?

 

Revelation 6:10
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?

They are crying out for judgment and vengeance for those that killed them.

  • If they are dead, how can they cry out? Of course, this is symbolic language.
  • Where else do we see something similar?
  • It was in connection to Cain and Abel. When Cain killed his brother Abel, God came to speak to him.
  • Genesis 4:9-10
    9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? 10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.
  • God said Abel’s blood was crying out from the ground.
  • Of course it didn’t literally happen, but it was crying out for vengeance.
  • Genesis 4:11
    11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; 12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

    • God judged Cain and look at his response.
  • Genesis 4:13
    And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
  • So the souls crying out from under the altar are crying for vengeance and for judgment.

Well what happened during the dark ages for souls to start crying out for judgment and vengeance?

  • God began to raise people to start crying out against the Catholic church and all its wickedness.
  • It started with a person that bore notable mention back in the seven churches.
  • Revelation 2:28
    And I will give him the morning star.
  • Who was the morning start? Yes that was referring to Jesus.
  • But Jesus was given to the world through the translation of the scriptures into a common language.
  • That began with John Wycliffe.
  • And the approximate date of the giving of his translation was 1374 AD. Hence we give the start date of the fifth seal 1374 AD.
  • From there Martin Luther would come along and nail his 95 thesis on the door of the Catholic church, and it would began a great reformation against the Catholic church. People began to stand up and be counted and cry out against the sins of the church and its errors. People were fighting against the doctrine of Jezebel and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.

However, what is the response that is given to the question – how long before you judge and avenge our blood of them that dwell on the earth?

 

Revelation 6:11
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 fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

First God gives them white robes.

  • He assures them of their salvation, that their works have not gone in vain.
  • He gives them the promise of eternal life and that their names would be written in the book of life.

But here is the reply that God gives:

  • First they were to rest yet for a little season.
  • What does the scriptures mean that they were to rest still for a season?
  • John 11:13
    Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
  • They were to remain in their graves still for a while longer.

They were to rest for a season until their fellowservants also and their brethren would be killed just as they were.

  • There are two applications to this.
  • It is referring first still to the dark ages.
    • You see, this seal goes from 1374 AD to 1755 AD.
    • We are still in the time of Papal persecution between 538 AD to 1798 AD.
    • Remember the 1260 years of persecution?
    • The church of Thyatira?
    • The fifth seal is right in the midst of it and finishes before persecution ends.
  • But the second application is in the future. Even future for us.
    • There will arise persecution again one day.
    • It is called the mark of the beast.
    • Persecution will come again that will be similar to that of the dark ages.
    • Revelation 13:15
      And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
    • It will be so bad that even Christ says this:
    • Matthew 24:22
      And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
    • If Christ does not shorten those days of persecution intentionally, no one will be left alive during that time to be saved!

Notice what the saints are crying out for:

  • Judgment and vengeance in this order.
  • We will see that God will rise to begin to judge the world in 1844 AD.
    • This is what we studied in the book of Daniel.
    • It is called the investigative judgment.
  • When will the vengeance of God take place though?
    • 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9
      7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
    • This is at the second coming.
  • But look at what we see in Revelation 20.
    • Revelation 20:12
      And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
    • There will be a judgment of the wicked.
    • Then what happens next?
    • Revelation 20:14-15
      14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
    • That is God’s act of final vengeance in the future.

So we see the fifth seal.

  • Souls are crying out under the altar for judgment and vengeance.
  • It’s the beginning of the reformation period during the dark ages when people began to cry out against the Catholic church and its sins and errors.
  • And God gives a promise of judgment and vengeance in the future. A promise that He has not forgotten them.

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