The Book of Revelation: Lesson Three

Presented by: Rev. Dr. D. Dean Weaver

I. The Seven Seals– Chapter 6

a. The First Seal (vss. 1-2)

-significance of the Lamb opening the Seals

“Come” cf. Chapt 22 -a Strong (irresistible) Invitation

*used for each of the “Seals”

-Symbolism of White Horse and Rider

-Notice the open ended description of his task

Contrast to Rev 19:11-21

OT reference: Zech 6:3

b. The Second Seal (vss 3-4)

-Symbolism of red

-significance of “peace being taken”

*They enact the initial judgment on themselves

**Leaving them unrestrained in their own sin unto destruction

c. The Third Seal (vss 5-6)

-Symbolism of Black (death and / through disease…emphasis on disease)

-The Symbolism of the Scales = Justice

*economic injustice caused by inflation due to famine

**This is bad, but not wholly devastating…..yet

-The significance of retaining the oil and the wine

*judgment is “partial” not “total”

d. The Fourth Seal (vss 7-8)

-The Symbolism of a “pale” horse (not white)

-The Judgment of Death (and hell) on ¼ of the planet through various means

e. The Fifth Seal (vss 9-11)

-Focus here not on those being judged….but on the Marytrs…..

-“How Long oh Lord?” -pastoral word to those being persecuted even unto death and/or to those (especially) who have lost loved ones for the faith…

-Significance of “White Robe” = sanctification/holy

-The timing of the eternal God in light of human suffering……”completed” =”telios” in Grk

f. The Sixth Seal (vss 12-14)

-no more pronouncements by 4 creatures or Martyrs…..but now by the Creation itself

*Romans 8

-Judgment by “natural disaster”

*so far the judgment as revealed in the Seven Seals is comprehensive (in relation to “means” that is to say….disease, war, famine, natural disaster etc) but not complete….it is still at this point a “partial” judgment…..but will grow with the intensity of the next vision of 7’s (the Trumpets in Chapters 8-9)

g. The Response to the Wrath of the Lamb (vss 15-17)

-the response is not repentance…but “kill us quickly”

-the irony of “the wrath of the lamb”

-the powerful ending making use of the rhetorical question “Who shall stand?”

II. The 144,000 and Those in White Robes - Chapter 7

a. The 144,000 (vss 1-8)

i. Symbolism of 12

-12 Tribes of Israel in OT / 12 Apostles in NT

-the use of 4 “3’s” in the Phalenx formation in the wilderness

-centrality of the tabernacle /significance of YHWH in their midst

-“4 Angels and 4 Corners” vs 1

ii. The Significance of the Tribes

-note the order is not their birth order

-note not all original 12 are listed (absence of Dan due to Idolatry)

-note the addition of “Manassah” –son of Joseph and grandson of Israel (Jacob)

Cf Genesis 49 – the irony of Manasseh’s inclusion here and not Ephriams

-note the addition of the son’s of two hand maids (zilpah and bilhah) Gen 46

iii. Old Testament Significance

-inclusion of all faithful people from Old Covenant

*exclusion of Dan

*inclusion of those born to hand maids and foreigners (Josephs wives were Eqyptian)

*foreshadowing of inclusion of Gentiles

-symbolism of 1,000

-large but finite number

iv. The Meaning of the 144,000

= ALL of those Faithful from the first covenant –yet finite number…..by comparision…

b. Those in White Robes (vss 9-17)

i. Relationship of 7:9 and Chapter 5

1. 5:9

2. 5:13

3. The Relationship to Genesis 12

*promise of Blessing to the nations….inclusion of Gentiles

*Joel 2 and Acts 2

ii. The Symbolism of White

-sanctification

iii. The Typology of Palm Branches

-looking back (first Messianic entrance into Jerusalem to be crowned as king)

-looking forward (second Messianic entrance into New Jerusalem)

-From “save us” (Hosanna) to “Salvation” (established)

iv. The “Great Tribulation”

-cf Revelation 1: 9

-Tribulation = persecution +affliction (ie. Suffering –God’s refining fire for sanctification)

v. The Meaning of “Those in White Robes”

-refer back to 7:9

-not limited to Martyrs (6:9-11)

-7:13 & 14

*sanctified by the blood of the lamb

= ALL BELIEVERS BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND COMING

· Can’t refer to “tribulation” as the dispensationalists think (would have to be later)

· But is “Great”

· Hebrew Worldview and non-linear thinking….

*Finally: Heavenly Images/Ideas in Verses 15-17

Priestly (vss 15) and Tabernacle

Shepherd blessings……/…..Lamb is now the Shepherd…..(John’s Gospel –Jesus)