REDEMPTION’S DRAMA: ACT 1

#428                                      REDEMPTION’S DRAMA: ACT 1

Scripture  Revelation 6:1-17, NIV                                                                Orig. 1-28-1973 (11-1978)

                                                                                                                                 Rewr. 4-16-1989

Passage:  6  1 I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

3 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.

5 When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6 Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds[a] of wheat for a day’s wages,[b] and six pounds[c] of barley for a day’s wages,[d] and do not damage the oil and the wine!”

7 When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” 8 I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” 11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,[e] were killed just as they had been.

12 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us[f] from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of their[g] wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”

Purpose: Leading a study in Revelation for Church Training, in the seals leading to the opening of the great scroll of redemption.

Keywords:        Bible Study      Judgment        Redemption    Christ the Lamb

Timeline/Series:           Revelation      

Introduction

            Recall that the scene for this drama was set in Revelation 4:1, “. . . a door was opened in heaven: . . . voice . . . said, Come up hither and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.”

            What then fell on John’s gaze in this awesome place was a heavenly throne, upon which Majesty was seated.  This supreme One was surrounded by the trappings of royalty.  There were four “living creatures” representing all created order. There were twenty-four elders, spiritual leaders, on seats of honor.

            These 24 chosen ones leave their places of honor and fall down before the throne.  As they do so, John’s attention is drawn to the One on the throne.  5:1  “And I saw in the right hand of him that sat upon the throne a book . . . sealed with seven seals.”

            The One on the throne makes no move to open the “book.”  An angel calls for one “who is worthy” to come forward.  The living creatures make no move.  The angel did not do so much as examine the scroll.  The elders, men of greatness from Old Testament and New Testament traditions held their peace and their place.  And John wept, until the elder said, 5:5 “weep not: behold the lion of the tribe of Judah.”  Then, in the midst of all this pageantry, John saw, not a lion, but a “Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent into all the earth” (5:6).

            Now the drama begins to unfold.  The Lamb, Jesus, who was worshipped (5:12-14), as the Lord had been worshipped (4:10-11), holds in His hands the scroll, the title-deed to the souls of men.  The seals begin to fall, one by one.  After all seven are removed, the book will be opened.

            At the seventh seal, seven angels and seven trumpets are introduced (8:2), causing an almost interminable delay.  Finally, at the end of chapter 11, the seventh angel sounds.  But the drama resumes in chapter 12 with the inclusion of the “red dragon,” and the “plagues.”  Then read chapter 21.  These are the summations of the two parts of the drama.  Here is the climax.

            Mark Tullow was in L.A. during 60s. Group would meet for delayed broadcast of UCLA games.  Returning from store he accidentally heard the score.  He patted TV, “Don’t worry coach, we’re gonna win.”

I.          Scene I: Seal I: Judgment Underway. “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 living creatures saying, Come (and see).  And I saw, and beheld a white horse . . . .”

            An important detail.  Accurate translation not “Come and see.”  Best rendering is “Come.”  A word spoken not to John, but to the rider.

            An important diversion.  Best guides to interpretation are from scripture.  See Zechariah 6:1-8 describes interestingly the same four colors of horses, seen as spirits from God going across earth.  Again, II Kings 6:15f Elisha’s young servant “open the young man’s eyes.”  He saw a mountain covered with horses, chariots.

            A message concerning symbolism.  V1 “As it were” KJ, “like” NIV.

            Note the presence of “thunder.”  First in Bible—Exodus 9:23 in the 7tn plague (hail) Judgment.

            Our main concern here is for the white horse and its rider.  First, could this be Christ?  Some commentators say yes.  But the Lamb is opening seals.  He is giving these instructions, not heeding them.  A different representation than found in 19:11 “a white horse whose rider is called Faithful and True.”  He wears a diadema.  Here it is a stephanos. 

            Who then is this rider?  Non-millennialists: conquest, militarism, armed strength.  Millennialist sees the anti-Christ just before the seven-year reign. Judgment coming.  We need keep the people of that day in mind.  A symbol for history’s inception.  Man’s great potential.  Warped by egomania.  (Ref. Zechariah 14:13.)  Rome was the power of the day, but they were intimidated by Parthians.  Coins show horse, bow.

II.         Scene II: Seal II: Man’s Lust for Power Becomes War.  “And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, ‘Come.’  And there went out another horse that was red:  and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth.”

            To view this as symbolism only, then this evil force follows the symbol of good in v1.

            The Continuous-Historical method:  The seven churches were seven ages.  Seals, trumpets, vials represent progressive historical events.  Also believe the world getting better.  For the non-millennialist: war naturally follows the meism of seal one.  Red is the color of shed blood as for bravery, as white depicts the good guy.

            The millennialist sees this red horse as man’s last vain struggle for peace.  Out of WWI: League of Nations.  Out of WWII: United Nations.  Out of Middle East: Camp David Accord.  Reagan White House: Glasnost.

            Judgment is waiting in the wings, and man’s political machinations are opening the door.

III.       Scene III: Seal III: Famine.  “Come.  And lo, a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand (v5/6).”

            Again, there is little difference in interpretation.  Ezekiel 4:16.  Famine follows in the wake of war.  Black is the color of grief, death.

            Famine is depicted spiritually in terms of a dearth of the Holy Spirit, Word.  Matthew 24:7 “And there shall be 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 or a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.”    Inflation v6/Warlords.  Plowshares:  Isaiah 2:4, Micah 4:3, Joel 3:10.

IV.       Scene IV: Seal IV: Justice.  “Come. And lo, a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was death and hell followed with him.”

            There was a warning by the prior rider who carried balances.  “He who lives by the sword shall die by the sword,” Matthew 26:52.

            He is given the name “death,” and “hell” follows in his wake.  Man’s natural instinct is aggression, and thus judgment/justice.  Man’s natural instinct is war, and thus judgment/justice.  Man’s natural instinct is for famine, and thus judgment/justice.  Hell.

            We have watched with interest the reports from Valdez, Alaska, on the progress of the oil slick.  It is part of the price we are paying for the way we are choosing to live.  Capsized barge in Bayou Sorrel.  90% water but the other 10% is toxic.  Today is “Save the Earth Day.”  Sunday Magazine had suggestions for taking toxins out of our homes.  Are we interested?  What will it cost?  Is it hard work?  What are others doing?

V.         Scene V: Seal V:  Martyrs.  V9f “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.”

            The tribulationists see this as the “tribulation” period.  See 7:14.  These are the “saved” during this time.  Though the saved have been removed from the conflict.  The word is proclaimed and yet others are being saved.  There is great persecution of these.

            Others see it only as judgment underway.  Those who endure call for its end.  They are admonished to be patient for some remain as they once were.  White robes testify of their new nature.

            The meaning of “under the altar.”  Reference to Leviticus 4:7, “blood . . . at the bottom of the altar.”  Their blood not wasted, sacrifice to God.  Paul: II Timothy 4:6, “ready to be offered up.”

            The cry of the martyrs.  The cry of the suffering righteous.  “How long?”  Psalm 74:10/79:5.  Barclay R20p14.  A cry for “vengeance.”  “Vindication.”  Psalm 75:8-10 “all the wicked of the earth shall drink it down to . . . dregs.”  Tertullian Concerning Spectacles1 yearns for such vengeance. A number to be completed, to fulfill.  Anglican Prayer Book—“Accomplish the number of Thine elect.”

VI.       Scene VI: Seal VI: V12f “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake.”

            Some see this as a final judgment.

            For others it is a natural disaster in which portents of judgment may be seen.  Exodus 19:18 “Sinai quaked at the approach of the Lord.”  Matthew 27:551f at Christ’s death/Luke 21:25f signs.

            The great day has come: wrath.

            Sin’s impulse is to hide: Adam/Eve.  Man becomes a fugitive: Cain/Jonah.  The wrath evaded is that of the Lamb.  Revelation 5:6—Lamb, 6:16—wrath of the Lamb, 7:14—saved by the Lamb.

1Tertullian, approximately 160-approximately 230. (1953). Tertullian, Apology, De spectaculis. Cambridge, Mass.: London: Harvard University Press; W. Heineman.