Chapter 2: Five Seals of History

When the apostle John saw the visions of the Revelation, which is “Apocalypse” in Greek, he faithfully wrote down everything he saw and heard. He did not draw upon the prophecies of Daniel or any other prophecy, because he did not write it from his own intellect. It is not a work of fiction or imagination. Nor did he write it from a Jewish context, he merely wrote down what he saw and heard, anything else and it is not the Word of God.

(1) Revelation 4: The Scene in Heaven

Revelation 4 is a brief description of the throne room in heaven. The most important thing to notice is that Jesus is nowhere described or even mentioned:

After this I looked. And there was an open door in heaven. The first voice I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.” 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit. And there was a throne set in heaven with One sitting on the throne! 3 And He who sat there appeared like a jasper and a sardius stone. There was a rainbow around the throne, appearing like an emerald. 4 Twenty-four thrones were around the throne. And I saw twenty-four elders sitting on the thrones, clothed in white garments. They had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 Lightnings and thunderings and voices proceeded from the throne. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 6 Before the throne was a sea of glass like crystal.

In the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. 8 The four living creatures had six wings each, and they were covered with eyes all around. All day and night, without ceasing, they were saying:

“Holy, holy, holy,

    Lord God Almighty,’

    who was, and is, and is to come.”

9 When the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and worship Him, who lives forever and ever. Then they cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

11 “You are worthy, O Lord,

    to receive glory and honor and power;

    for You have created all things,

    and by Your will they exist

    and were created.” (4:1-11)

Many commentators place the Rapture at the start of Rev. 4 because it says, “Come up here.” But there is no mention of a grand celebration in heaven, or any mention of the coming of the Kingdom of God; only a mention of the 24 elders and four living creatures. However, in Rev. 11 a loud voice from heaven says, “Come up here,” and two dead people come to life and ascend into heaven. This is followed by the coming of the Kingdom of God, rewards for the prophets, and total judgment on Earth. Which is more likely to be the Rapture? There is no evidence to believe the 24 elders are Raptured saints, but there is plenty of evidence that the Rapture does not take place in Rev. 4, as we shall see.

(2) Revelation 5: Victory of Christ

In Rev. 4, Jesus was neither seen nor heard; now in Rev. 5, take careful notice that a search is made for someone worthy to open the book:

Then I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look in it. 4 I began to weep loudly, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look in it. (5:1-4)

No one in all of heaven or on Earth was found worthy to open the scroll, absolutely no one! It does NOT say that no one but Jesus Christ was found worthy; it says NO ONE was found. John wept because no one was found. But he does not just weep, he “wept and wept” (NIV); “wept much” (NKJV). If Jesus had been found worthy, then why did John weep? John wept because no one was found. (Forgive my emphasis of this point, but it is necessary because theologians are not grasping what it says.)

Why wasn’t Jesus found worthy? Because this is a vision of the entire Gospel Age, beginning at the beginning. Like dreams, visions are not bound by time or space. Though Jesus actually died and rose from the grave many years before this vision was seen, his death and resurrection have not yet taken place in this vision. That is why Jesus was not seen in heaven in Rev. 4, and why he was not found worthy to open the book. Only the crucified, resurrected Christ is worthy to open the seven-sealed book.

Those trying hard to support the Pre-trib Rapture will say, the KJV says “no man” was found worthy; but because Jesus is divine he can open the book, right? The original Greek says “no one,” not “no man.” No one was found, and that includes Jesus. The next verses describe Christ entering heaven for the first time after his death, burial, and resurrection:

Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Look! The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” 6 I saw a Lamb in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, standing as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. 7 He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.

8 When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:

   “You are worthy to take the scroll,

    and to open its seals; for You were slain,

    and have redeemed us to God by Your blood

    out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

10 and have made us kings and priests unto our God;

    and we shall reign on the earth.” (5:5-10)

 Jesus has “triumphed,” or literally, overcome. Other translations of 5:5 say, “has overcome” (NAS); “has won a victory” (Beck); “has prevailed” (KJV). He is seen symbolically as a lamb slain as a sacrifice for our sins: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). But the Lamb is seen standing; for he has risen from the grave, and has taken his rightful place in Heaven.

Notice how verse 9 is worded; the wording of the passage suggests that it has just happened. Here are two other translations:

You are worthy to take the scroll and to break its seals, because you were sacrificed, and with your blood you bought people for God of every race, language, people and nation . . . (NJB)

. . . With your blood you purchased people for God from every tribe, language, people, and nation. (ISV)

Why would that statement be made 2,000 years after it actually happened? Why would it be placed here if the Rapture has already taken place? No, the statement occurs here, because Christ has just now died on the cross and purchased people for God in this vision. If a vision can show future events, it can show past events.

Some people claim, because it says “us,” that the Rapture must have taken place; but the Rapture is not the purchase. The purchase was made when Jesus died on the cross! Since Christ just now enters heaven in this vision, great celebration naturally follows:

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voices of many angels, numbering ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,

    to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength

    and honor and glory and blessing!”

13 Then I heard every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that are in them, saying:

“To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

    be blessing and honor and glory and power,

        forever and ever!” (Rev. 5:11-14)

 Notice the statement, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” The inference is that Christ is just now receiving these things, that is, immediately upon his entrance into heaven, not 2,000 years later!

The newly resurrected Christ has received the little book and is about to open it. If the Great Tribulation is about to start, then why are they celebrating? Are they happy that the Antichrist is about to come upon the world? Nonsense! Not one word is said about the coming of the Wrath of God upon the world; but there is another passage later in Revelation, where it says the Wrath of God has come upon the world, accompanied by thunder and lightning (Rev. 11:15-19) right after the Two Witnesses come to life!

In Rev. 4, the seven spirits of God were seen in the form of lamps. These spirits are represented on Earth by the golden menorah of the Jewish Temple. But because of the victory of Christ, God’s spirits are now seen as the eyes of Christ, “sent out into all the earth.” Salvation is no longer just for the Jews, but for all mankind.

Rev. 4 says there was only “one sitting” on the throne. In Rev. 4, praise is given only to God; in Rev. 5 praise is given to “him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb.” Immediately following the praise and celebration, Christ opens the first Seal.

(3) First Seal: White Horse

The typical interpretation of the white horse is that it represents the Antichrist, but it does not!

I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures saying, with voice like thunder, “Come and see.” 2 And I looked, and there before me was a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow. And a crown was given to him, and he went forth conquering that he might overcome. (Revelation 6:1-2)

The NKJV says, “a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.” There are three different interpretations of this rider.

The Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary puts forth the dominant evangelical view today, that it is the Antichrist. The commentator admits that the symbolism of the white horse is always “associated with righteousness and Christ,” but rejects it because the other three horses clearly represent war and judgments. He goes on to say:

The references in 19:11-16 to the rider on the white horse as “Faithful and True” and as one who judges and makes war with justice stands in contrast to the rider in 6:2, who is not faithful or true and who wages war for unjust conquest. Moreover, the Lamb opens the seals and would not be one of the riders, nor would it be proper to have an angelic being call forth Christ. Again, a “bow” would most naturally be connected with the enemy of God’s people (Ezk 39:3). . . . The evidence, however, seems to favor . . . the Antichrist and his forces that seek to conquer . . . (Vol. 2, p. 1160-1161)

The Wycliffe Bible Commentary by Moody Press, also says it cannot be Christ because of the other three horses, and quotes another commentator saying:

Can there be any doubt that this is the vision of antiChrist? It so resembles the real Christ that it deceives people, even many a reader of this passage! (Thomas F. Torrance, The Apocalypse Today, p. 44)

The above opinions use enormous quantities of faulty reasoning. There is no justification for associating the 1st Seal with the Antichrist just because of the other three Seals. The Bible contains many passages with references to many different things all mixed together. This is why we are told to rightly divide the Scriptures. The context of the surrounding verses is very important, but all the horses do not ride out of the 1st Seal; they are clearly separated by being placed into four separate Seals.

By not properly separating the events, the commentators are ignoring the symbolism of the 1st Seal, the white horse. The book of Revelation is a symbolic book, to discount the symbolism in favor of anything else is departing from any chance of understanding the passage. And at no point does it say that the rider on the white horse is not faithful or true, or that he wages “unjust conquest,” NOWHERE!

Many commentators believe that the Antichrist comes on a white horse because he comes with deception and claims to be Christ. READ THIS CAREFULLY. The WORD of God NEVER attempts to deceive us in any way. Satan may portray himself as an angel of light, but the Bible calls him a serpent, a red dragon, and the father of lies. THE SCRIPTURES DO NOT PORTRAY SATAN AS AN ANGEL OF LIGHT, AND THEY DO NOT PORTRAY THE ANTICHRIST RIDING A WHITE HORSE! THE FIRST SEAL IS NOT DESIGNED TO DECEIVE US!

After reading the above information, one person sent me an email with a Scripture reference that says Satan portrays himself as an angel of light. Yes, indeed he does, outside of the Bible! Satan can appear as a righteous angel, but the Bible does not portray Satan as a righteous angel!

It violates every rule of Scriptural interpretation and good sense to suggest that the Bible presents information designed to trick us, or that the Bible does not mean “white” when it says “white.” White is, and always will be, a symbol of purity and righteousness throughout the Bible, and in most cultures in history. Jesus said of the righteous:

“They shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.” (3:4)

But the commentators are right when they say the rider on the white horse is not Christ, because the rider is the Holy Spirit! The International Bible Commentary, edited by F.F. Bruce, says:

One long-established interpretation understands this of the victorious progress of the gospel, the rider on the white horse being Christ, as in 19:11. (p. 1607)

The first thing to happen after Christ ascended into heaven, was that God sent the Holy Spirit. Peter said, “Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this which you now see and hear.” (Acts 2:33).

The Greek for “conquer” in 6:2 is nikao (3528 Strong’s number) and means “to overcome” (VED). Strong’s says, “to subdue . . . conquer, overcome, prevail, get the victory.” It is the same word used in Rev. 5:5 for the triumph of Christ.

The literal translation of 6:2 reads, “and he went out overcoming, and that he might overcome” (LIT). The BBE translation says, “he went out with power to overcome.” Christ has sent the Holy Spirit, in order that we might overcome. All Christians will either overcome Satan and the world, or be overcome by them; which is a far cry from “unjust conquest”!

The four living creatures, cherubim, represent the unfolding plan of God for his people, as in Ezekiel. Therefore, it is no surprise that “one of the four living creatures” calls forth this horse, because the four horses of the 1st four Seals represent stages in God’s plan for Christians, Jews, and the world.

In the next Seal, the second living creature says “Come!” then the third, then the fourth. Therefore, it is the first living creature that calls the white horse. The first living creature is “like a lion.” In Rev. 5 Jesus is called “the Lion of the tribe of Judah.” The connection is unmistakable.

What’s more, the crown the rider wears is not that of an earthly kingdom. The Greek is stephanos (4735) and denotes “the victor’s crown, the symbol of triumph in the games … a token of public honor for distinguished service” (VED). It is the same word used for the crown of thorns that Jesus wore. This crown is for the victory of Christ described in Rev. 5. The same Greek word appears in Rev. 2:10, where Jesus said, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” The ten kings of the 10-horned beast in Rev. 13 do not wear victors’ crowns but diadems, which are earthly crowns.

Therefore, the rider on the white horse is the Holy Spirit who empowers us to overcome. Also, nothing is said in the 1st Seal about taking peace from the Earth; nothing is said about men slaying each other; nothing is said about war. It is not in the text! The rider does not engage in physical battles, but spiritual battles.

(4) Second Seal: Red Horse

When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come and see.”

4 Then another horse that was red went forth. Power was given to him who sat on it to take peace from the earth, causing people to kill one another. Then a great sword was given to him. (Rev. 6:3-4)

In the Greek, this particular sword is machaira (3162), which is “a short sword or dagger” (VED). It is used for close personal violence, but not war. The CWD says, “A knife, slaughter-knife, a sword for cutting.” Homer Halley’s commentary on Revelation says machaira is “the word translated ‘knife’ at the offering of Isaac by Abraham” (p. 190) in the Septuagint (the Greek version of the OT). In the NT it is found in Matthew where Jesus said:

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. . . . a man’s foes will be those of his own household.” (Mat. 10:34, 36)

If machaira means a small sword, why does Rev. describe it as large? Since the word for sword specifically tells us that it is a small sword or dagger, the “large” cannot describe the size of the sword, but rather the size, amount, or intensity of the conflict.

The second living creature that announced this Seal was “like an calf” (4:7). Some translations say “ox.” In the Greek moschios (3448), “primarily denotes anything young” (VED). Calves were frequently used in sacrifices. Christianity at this time was very young, and many thousands of people sacrificed their lives and property for the sake of the Gospel.

This Seal represents all conflict and persecution that resulted from the spread of Christianity throughout history. It began with the death of Stephen, the first martyr, and continues today. According to Ayaan Hirsi Ali, writing in Newsweek magazine, a Christian is martyred every five minutes in the Middle East (www.the dailybeast .com/newsweek/2012/02/05/). But that was before the Arab Spring began, it is far worse now.

(5) Third Seal: Black Horse

When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there was a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 Then I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wages, and do not harm the oil and the wine.” (Rev.6:5-6)

In the Greek, it says “a denarius,” not “a day’s wages.” Some modern translations use “a day’s wages” because a denarius was a day’s wages when this was written. But it was not an accident or coincidence that the voice said, “denarius” when it would have been just as easy to say a day’s wages. The denarius was a Roman coin. The specific mention of the denarius puts the event of this Seal during the time of the Roman Empire. No nation on Earth will be using the denarius during the GT. Italy does not even use the denarius today.

This Seal describes the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. by the Romans, which brought an end to the Jewish revolt of 66-70, and resulted in the scattering of the Jews. The prophet Daniel said, “the Most High rules over the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever He wills” (Daniel 4:17). It was God’s will for Rome to rule over the nations, so when the Jews rebelled, they reaped the natural consequences. Paul said those who rebel against the governing authorities, “will incur judgment.” (Romans 13:2). I believe Paul was referring directly to the Zealots, and predicted their destruction.

When the Jews were not revolting, they were desiring and planning to revolt. This is one of the reasons the Jewish leaders plotted to crucify Christ; they were afraid he would lead a revolt. During the Jewish revolt, the Roman Empire changed emperors several times in only one year; so if the Jews were ever to gain their freedom from Rome, it would have been during that time. But revolting against Rome was futile. Nero died in 68, was succeeded by Galba (68-69), then Otho (69), then Vitelius (69). General Vespasian was retaking Palestine from the rebels when he became emperor (69-79).

Even though Vespasian was favored by most of the army and the people, he still had to defeat Vitelius in battle to become emperor. But the Jews still could not gain a victory because Vespasian’s son, Titus, continued putting down the Jewish revolt while Vespasian was away. Joseph ben Mattias (Josephus), a Jewish rebel, was captured early in the rebellion. He was present with Titus during the siege of Jerusalem. Afterwards, he was commissioned by Vespasian to write a detailed history of the Jewish people, including this revolt.

The Romans surrounded Jerusalem and built a wall around it; thereby causing a famine in which many thousands perished. The famine was in grain. Notice the statement, “and do not harm the oil and the wine.” The “oil and the wine” refers to the sacred wine and oil used by the Jewish priests in the Temple. It was as if God gave orders to the Romans not to harm the sacred wine and oil.

Though the Romans destroyed the city and the Temple, they were not the ones who hurt the wine and oil. It was the Jews themselves; for the Zealots were divided and warred with each other. In this conflict they committed gross sacrilege within the sanctuary, such as murdering the priests and worshipers, stealing the golden utensils, drinking the holy wine, and using the oil, before the Romans ever entered the city. Josephus writes in Wars of the Jews:

But John made use of this festival as a cloak for his treacherous designs and armed the most inconsiderable of his party, . . . with weapons concealed under their garments and sent them with great zeal into the temple, in order to seize upon it; . . . while the people that stood trembling at the altar, and about the holy house, were rolled on heaps together, and trampled upon, and were beaten both with wooden and with iron weapons without mercy . . . and all those that had formerly offended any of these plotters, were now known, and were led away to the slaughter. (Book 5, Chapter 3, section 1)

But as for John, when he could no longer plunder the people, he betook himself to sacrilege, and melted down many of the sacred utensils . . . on which account he emptied the vessels of that sacred wine and oil which the priests kept to be poured on the burnt-offerings, and which lay in the inner court of the temple, and distributed it among the multitude, who, in their anointing themselves and drinking, used (each of them) above an hin of them . . . (Bk 5, Chap. 13, sect. 6-7)

The third living creature “had a face like a man.” This terrible famine and its results, were not caused by a drought or plague of locusts, but was totally man-made. Titus actually gave orders not to harm the Temple; but because the Zealots were using the Temple as a fortress, fighting naturally occurred in and around the Temple, which led to its timbers catching fire; so the Romans finished the destruction by completely destroying it stone by stone.

(6) Fourth Seal: Green Horse

When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” 8 So I looked, and there was a pale horse, and the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed him. Power over a fourth of the earth was given to them, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth. (Rev. 6:7-8)

The Greek for “sword” here is rhomphaia (4501), and is a “sabre . . . a long and broad cutlass (any weapon of the kind, literally or figuratively)” (Strong’s). This large weapon represents literal warfare.

Thus far we have seen three major world events: the spreading of Christianity, the persecution of Christians, and the scattering of the Jews. The 4th Seal is also an event of equal importance. The next major event to occur that could fit this Seal is the rise of Islam that spread from Arabia into Christian nations by invading hordes.

In the Greek, the word for “pale” is most often translated “green,” but is translated “pale” here because the translators are interjecting what they suppose the proper word should be. After all, who has ever heard of a green horse?! CWD says, “Green, as the grass or plants.” It is the same word used for “green” in Rev. 9:4 where it says, “They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree” (ESV).

The color of Islam is Green, much like the color of grass. You can see the color in many national flags. Just Google the flag of Saudi Arabia or look in an encyclopedia.

Therefore, this green horse represents the death and suffering that followed the spread of Islam. The reason hell follows this horse is because it is not just warfare, but includes forcing people to convert to Islam, which will send the converts to hell.

Notice the verse does not say they were given power to kill a fourth of the world population, but merely “power over” a fourth; indicating this horse will ride over a fourth of the planet, or will grow to become a fourth of the world population; both are true of Islam. The rule of Islam spread from the western edge of Africa to the borders of China, creating the second largest empire in history, after the Mongols; much larger than Rome.

But it has extended beyond the nations of its empire, into Indonesia, Nigeria, and now even has a significant population in Europe, Canada, and other countries. Even though India does not have a high percentage of Muslims, it has a large population, about 200 million. Islam currently has about 20-25% of the global population and is on track to become the world’s dominant religion. Europe’s Muslim population is growing so fast that by 2040 Muslims will be the majority in several nations and near the majority in several others.

The prophet Ezra predicted the coming of Islam in his book 2 Ezra which is part of the Apocrypha (which means “hidden” not “false” as some people claim):

What a terrifying sight, appearing from the east! The nations of the dragons of Arabia shall come out with many chariots, and from the day that they set out, their hissing shall spread over the earth, so that all who hear them will fear and tremble. (2 Ezra 15:28-29) (NRSV)

(2 Ezra is called 4 Esdras in the Vulgate, and 3 Esdras in Russian Bibles, and 2 Esdras in the original KJV, which included the Apocrypha. You can find it online in several translations. It is still included in some Bibles, especially in the Eastern Church.)

The fourth living creature was “like a flying eagle.” Unger’s Bible Dictionary says the eagle figuratively refers to, “great and powerful kings… also of rapidity of the movement of armies” (p. 58, 282). This exactly describes the Islamic invasions that were very quick. The Islamic armies were like the German Blitzkrieg of World War 2.

Many people are looking for the rise of a one-world government from Europe, ruled by the Antichrist. Well, I have news for you, there is a group that openly declares their goal of world domination, and many millions of Christians have already suffered and died under its armies of conquest. It is Islam, which began in the 7th century in Arabia. Muhammad died in 632 A.D., and within 50 years, Islam had conquered modern Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, and Iran (ancient Persia).

The Arabs, also called Saracens and Ishmaelites, continued invading country after country until they had conquered North Africa, Spain, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Armenia, Cyprus, Asia Minor (Turkey), Bosnia, parts of India, and more. They even established a foothold in Italy for a short time as they attempted to conquer Europe. For almost a thousand years the sword of Islam never stopped slaughtering, and then enslaving millions of survivors.

Murder and slavery became an integral part of Islam when Muhammad slaughtered the male members of an opposing tribe, and sold the women and children into slavery. This continued throughout the Muslim invasions. The spread of Islam has left a trail of bloodshed, suffering, and destruction like no other ideology in world history. Politicalislam.com estimates that 270 million people were killed in 1400 years of jihad. I think that figure is conservative. Islam teaches hatred for non-Muslims, especially Jews, and approves of lying and deceit to further the cause of Islam.

Imams throughout the world, including in America, preach that America, Britain, and Israel must be destroyed, and fill their followers with lies about us, saying that all the world’s wars and problems are caused by America, Britain, Israel, and democracy. They pray over loud speakers for Allah to destroy us, calling the people to rise up against us. It is beyond doubt that the 4th Seal points directly to Islam as the green horse that is still spreading, and will once again wage wars of conquest in the near future.

 

% of Muslims

 

In 2006, a Dutch cartoonist drew a cartoon of Muhammad wearing a turban-bomb to make a political statement against suicide bombers, the reaction was global. Muslims were screaming in the streets. They yelled death-threats and held signs that said: “Exterminate those who slander Islam,” “Islam will dominate the world,” “Behead those who insult Islam,” “Butcher those who mock Islam,” “Freedom go to HELL,” “Europe you will pay; Your 9/11 is on its way,” “Europe is the cancer, Islam is the answer,” and “Be prepared for the real Holocaust!” Several Christians were murdered by Muslims in retaliation for the cartoon. The demonstrators were not members of al-Qaeda, but ordinary followers of the religion of peace! The cartoonist now lives under armed guard, and moves from place to place because of the threats.

 

Do not be fooled. The plan to conquer the world and slaughter Christians and Jews is not a secret conspiracy. It is broadcast daily on TV, radio, the internet, and in print. It has existed as an established doctrine of Islam for 1400 years; but when Islam lost its empire in WWI and the Jews returned to Israel, these events fueled the embers that have become a raging fire.

For several years I thought I was the only one who saw that the beast of Revelation was based in Islam, and that another Islamic empire will rise; but I have learned of a few other people who also see it. A growing number of Christians are waking up to the truth that Islam is the religion of the beast and false prophet, but most of them still think they are going in a Pre-tribulation Rapture.

(7) Fifth Seal: Souls of Martyrs

When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony they had held. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “How long, O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them, and they were told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers should be completed, who would be killed as they were. (R. 6:9-11)

These are all the martyrs for Christ from the start of Christianity through the present. They cry out for justice. They want God to pour out his Wrath upon those who murdered them. They are told there will be others who must suffer and die for Christ before judgment will come, which means the Wrath of God has not yet started.

It also means the Rapture has not yet taken place, because these people are not whole persons, but only “souls.” They will return with Christ to become whole persons at the Rapture. But could these souls be people who were martyred after the Rapture? Don’t those who were murdered before the Rapture want justice also? Where are they mentioned? They would not be described merely as “souls.”

This Seal tells us that we have not yet reached the end of the age within the book of Revelation, and that more years of history are still ahead.

(8) Conclusion

You may have guessed from the information in this chapter that the Seals and Trumpets run in succession. Revelation chapters 4-9 describe events that are in chronological order. The Sixth Seal is in the next chapter, but here is a graphic of the seals:

 

The Trumpet events begin in the middle years of the GT.