In this second vision John is shown the worship before the throne of God in heaven (chapter 4) and now he is shown what is required in order that God’s plan for “what must take place” (4:1) unfolds:
(1) As the rest of Revelation shows, the scroll held by the right hand of God is about the events leading to the end of human history and the coming of “a new heaven and a new earth” (21:1). Why it is sealed? (see Dan. 12:4)
(2) No one is worthy to break the seal (vv. 2-4)
a. According to Daniel 12:1-3, what matters are to be sealed?
b. Why is there no one in heaven or on earth worthy to break open the seal to bring about the last resurrection mentioned in Daniel?
c. What caused John to weep uncontrollably as a result? (v. 4)
d. Would you have wept if you were John? Why or why not?
(3) The Lamb is worthy (vv. 5-7)
a. What does one of the elders tell John? (v. 5)
b. The description of the one who is worthy to open the seal is taken from the OT prophecies of the Messiah:
- Why is the Messiah called the “Lion of Judah”? (see Gen. 49:9-10)
- Why is He also called the “Root of David”? (see Isa. 11:1ff)
c. With such names and the fact that He has triumphed, what would John expect to see?
d. Instead, what did he see? (vv. 6-7)
- How could a “Lamb” who has been slain be said to have triumphed? (Isa. 53:7ff; Jn. 1:29)
- Why is He worthy to open the seal?
- Now He appears before the throne of God with seven horns and seven eyes. If seven stands for perfection or completeness (something that most commentators agree on), what do seven horns and eyes symbolize as the Lamb stands ready to open the seal?
(4) The worship of the Lamb (vv. 8-14)
a. A new song is sung (vv. 8-10)
- Who are the ones who worship the Lamb here?
- In the last scene (in chapter 4) they were worshipping God. Why then would they worship the Lamb when He takes the scroll into His hand?
- At the unfolding of the scroll by the Lamb, their worship is accompanied by golden bowls full of incense “which are the prayers of the saints”. Why is that? What does it mean?
- The new song sets out the reason for His triumph:
1. Although He was slain (on the cross), what has He accomplished with His death and His blood? (v. 9)
2. As those who have been saved, what have we become and what will our future be? (v. 10)
3. In what sense is it a “new” song?
b. The angels join in (vv. 11-12)
- How many angels did John see? (also see Dan. 7:10)
- What do the angels ascribe to the Lamb?
c. Every creature joins in (vv. 13-14)
(5) With such a scene of exuberant worship in heaven at the opening of the scroll, how does it help you to face the events of the world?
(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
“I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.” (Rev. 5:4)
I find it very moving that when John saw in the vision that “no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll and look into it”, not only did he weep, but he “wept and wept”, meaning uncontrollably (5:4).
Some opine that John wept because it appears that the promise of 4:1, showing him what must take place, is about to be thwarted; and that he would not be able to see the revelation that he was promised. If such was the case, why would he weep uncontrollably?
I am sure that even in a vision, John is fully aware of what his Lord has already accomplished. He witnessed Jesus’ death and resurrection and he heard His promise to come back again. Now, he longs to see Him again upon His return (22:20). And yet, as these future events are about to unfold, ushering in the final consummation of all that His Lord has accomplished, where is He? If He is not worthy to open the seal, His death and resurrection would have come to naught! Where is his hope? Or more importantly, where is the hope of the world?
I believe this temporary silence has caused him such anguish that he could not help but burst into tears and that he wept and wept! Although it was a sign of weakness in his faith, but in this moment of doubt, he wept not only for himself and the world, he wept also for his Lord! Oh, how much John loved the Lord! He is truly a disciple of love!
The Seven Seals: Now the Lamb proceeds to open the seals of the scroll:
6:1-8—The First Four Seals—It is helpful to consider the first four seals together as it begins with the first seal in v. 1 but ends with a concluding statement of the four seals in v. 8. This shows that the four seals are in fact one unit.
(1) The 1st seal (vv. 1-2)
a. What might the opening of each seal which is accompanied by the thunderous voice of one of the four living creatures signify? (v. 1)
b. What color is the first horse? What does its color symbolize?
c. What does the white horse’s rider have? (v. 2)
d. What is his mission?
(2) The 2nd seal (vv. 3-4)
a. What color is the second horse? What does its color symbolize?
b. What does the fiery red horse’s rider have?
c. What is his mission?
(3) The 3rd seal (vv. 5-6)
a. What color is the third horse? What does its color symbolize?
b. What does the black horse’s rider have?
c. Since a quart of wheat is only enough for the consumption of one person, the man opts to buy the cheaper alternative (barley) likely in order to feed his entire family with one day’s wages.What then is the mission of this rider?(Note that this famine seems to be limited as oil and wine are spared [for the rich?].)
(4) The 4th seal (vv. 7-8)
a. What color is the fourth horse?
b. What is the name of the rider of the pale horse?
c. What is his mission? (v. 8a)
(5) In sum, what is the combined mission of the four riders (v. 8b; note the term “they” which denotes not just the 4th rider)
6:9-17—The 5th and 6th Seal
(6) The 5th seal (vv. 9-11): It appears to show souls who were martyred up to, but not including, the time of the Great Tribulation.
a. For what reasons have they been slain?
b. In this vision, what question do they pose to the Lord? (v. 10)
c. What does their calling in a “loud voice” indicate? (v. 10a)
d. What does the giving of white robes mean to them (as an answer to their cry)? (see 3:4-5, 18; 7:14; 19:14)
e. What is the future event unfolded by this seal??
(7) The 6th seal (vv. 12-17)—The natural phenomena that will accompany this unprecedented earthquake:
a. The sun will turn black like sackcloth made of goat's hair. What will it be like?
b. The moon will turn blood red. What will it be like?
c. The stars will fall to earth. What will actually happen and what will it be like? (v. 13)
d. The scrolling up of the sky. What will it be like?
e. The moving of “every” mountain and island?
f. Unlike the first four seals, how widespread will this disaster be?
g. The response of the people on earth (vv. 15-17)
- Who will be affected? (v. 15)
- Why will they seek to hide in caves? (see Isa. 2:10, 19, 21 as well)
- Do they recognize the source of such calamities? (v. 16b)
- What does it mean for them to call on the mountains and rocks to fall upon them? (v. 17)
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
“For the great day of their wrath has come and who can stand?” (Rev. 6:17)
Technically, the scroll that John sees in his vision cannot be opened until all the seals are opened. As a result, the six seals should act more like a precursor to the actual “End” into which we will be ushered at the opening of the final and 7th seal.
As a result, the unfolding of the six
seals corresponds to more than the four horsemen in Zechariah 1. The ones in Revelation
“symbolize conquest (white), bloodshed (red), scarcity (black) and death (pale). In Zechariah they are sent out to patrol the earth, while in Revelation their release brings disasters to the earth” (NICOT, 140).
Furthermore, the vision of the four seals
is followed by the 5th and 6th seals; together they
correspond to the eschatological discourse of the Lord Jesus in the Synoptic
Gospels, especially the one in Luke,
“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven” (Lk. 21:10-11).
However, just as the six seals are a precursor to the “End”, the Lord also says, these are the beginning of birth pains only and “the end is still to come” (Mk. 13:7-8).
If such horrific calamities are only a precursor, the beginning of birth pains, no wonder Malachi says, “Who can stand when He appears?” (Mal. 3:2).
Interlude or Prelude to the opening of the 7th seal:
(1) Protection of the remnant of Israel (vv. 1-9)
a. Read Daniel 7:2ff and Jeremiah 49:36ff: What does wind signify?
b. In the case of these four angels, with what sweeping power have they been bestowed? (v. 2)
c. Before they will carry out any destruction, what are they told to wait for? (v. 3; note that the meaning of the "angel coming up from the east" is not really certain)
d. A seal is a mark of belonging:
- To whom do these people belong? (v. 2)
- What will the seal protect them from?
- What might the evenly distributed numbers signify (each of all 12 tribes are numbered 12,000)? (see Note below)
(2) The worship by all peoples (vv. 9-12)—After the sealing of the 12 tribes of Israel, John is shown the worship of all peoples, likely in contrast to the 12 tribes of Israel, before he is shown the opening of the 7th seal:
a. Where do these people come from?
b. Who do they have in common? (the holding of palm branches appears to be a tradition of festive celebration; see Jn. 12:13)
c. What do they cry out aloud? (v. 10) What does salvation mean to them especially if they are Gentiles?
d. The four living creatures and the elders join in (vv. 11-12)
- What triggers their worship at this point?
- What is their praise about?
(3) The identity of this great multitude of peoples (vv. 13-17)
a. Where have they come out from, according to the elder? (v. 14; see today’s Meditative Reflection about the Great Tribulation)
b. It is debatable whether they are martyrs, although they definitely have gone through the Great Tribulation (vv. 15-17).
- Where will they serve God? (v. 15a; see 21:22)
- What is meant by God spreading His tent over them? (see 7:15)
- What will they enjoy in contrast to their sufferings during the Great Tribulation? (vv. 16-17)
c. How great a comfort is this scene for those who will be going through the Great Tribulation in the future?
(4) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
The identity of these 12 tribes is the subject of different interpretations. Most commentators see the number as symbolic pointing to its entirety. However, who they really are is far from being certain. Many scholars appear to see them representing the church, the real Israel. Some would restrict the 144,000 to that portion of the entire church which in the last days is marked out for martyrdom (which appears to be in conflict with the protection motif of the seal). I personally incline to side with the minority of commentators that they are likely the remnant of the Jews (otherwise called “all Israel” in Rom. 11:27) who will be saved, because even in Revelation, the 12 tribes of Israel are separately identified from the 12 apostles (Rev. 21:12, 13). Also, the 12 tribes of Israel appear to be listed in contrast to the worship by the multitudes from all nations and tribes in v. 9ff. to highlight that God’s salvation is extended to peoples of the entire earth. As far as the order of the tribes and the omission of the tribe of Dan are concerned, there is no consensus among scholars as well.
“These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Rev. 7:14)
Although personally I maintain a distinction between the 144,000 Jewish believers sealed by the Living God from the great multitude from all peoples, I find Robert Mounce’s explanation about the Great Tribulation very helpful:
“The use of the definite article in the phrase “the great tribulation” indicates that the angel is referring primarily to that final series of woes which will immediately precede the end. It is the hour of trial that is to come upon the whole world (3:10). It is not ‘the awesome totality of tribulation which from century to century has been the experience of the people of God’ (as some opine) nor does it correspond to ‘the entire history of the church - past, present, and future’ (as Wall says). It is that specific period of distress and cruel persecution which will take place prior to the return of Christ. Prophesied by Daniel (12:1) and reflected on the screen of history at the fall of Jerusalem (Mk. 13:19 and parallels), it finds its fulfillment in that final persecution which supplies the full complement of Christian martyrs (6:11). John views the entire company of faithful believers in the light of the 144,000 who have just come through the final period of testing. Not all are martyrs. There is no mention here of being slain (as in 6:9) or beheaded (as in 20:4) for the testimony they bore. Their robes are white by virtue of the redemptive death of the Lamb. Their rewards are those of all the faithful. Persecution has always been the lot of those who follow the Lamb (Jn. 16:33; 2 Tim. 3:12). The intensity of the conflict of righteousness and evil will rise to such a pitch as to become the great tribulation.”
(NICOT, Revelation, 164)
After being shown the protection of God of the remnant and the heavenly worship of the peoples from all nations and tongues who have come out of the Great Tribulation, now John witnesses the opening the 7th seal which marks the actual opening of the scroll:
(1) The seven trumpets (vv. 1-6)
a. Preceding the blowing of trumpets, the opening of the 7th seal is followed by a half-an-hour silence (v. 1). What might such a silence portray?
b. Why should the unveiling of the contents of the scroll be announced by the sounds of trumpets?
c. The sounding of the trumpets is preceded by the offering of incense which represents the prayers of the saints. What role do the prayers of the saints play in the bringing about of the end of human history and the ushering in of the kingdom of God?
d. What happens when the golden censer is hurled towards the earth?
e. What does it signify? (See what happened when God revealed His presence at Sinai in Exod. 19:16ff.)
(2) Since the first four trumpets relate to plagues directed toward the world of nature, let’s consider them together (vv. 7-13).
a. At the sound of the 1st trumpet (v. 7):
- What is being hurled upon 1/3 of the earth? (see the 7 plagues in Exod. 9: 13-15; Joel 2:31)
- What kind of a plague is it?
- How will the world respond to this disaster?
b. At the sound of the 2nd trumpet (vv. 8-9)
- What is being thrown into 1/3 of the sea?
- What kind of a plague is it? (an extraordinary volcanic activity, maybe)
- How will the world respond to this disaster?
c. At the sound of the 3rd trumpet (vv. 10-11)
- What falls into 1/3 of the rivers and the waters? (a huge meteor or comet, maybe)
- What is the star called Wormwood? (no star was called this in antiquity)
- What kind of a plague is it?
- How will the world deal with this disaster?
d. At the sound of the 4th trumpet (v. 12)
- What happens to the heavenly bodies? (see Amos 8:9)
- What kind of a plague is it?
- How will the world respond to this disaster?
(3) Let’s recap the first four plagues (it is not helpful to speculate the actual agents God uses to inflict each of the plagues as they are likely divine acts)
1st plague: 1/3 of earth scorched by fire
2nd plague: 1/3 of marine lives & ships destroyed (perhaps by volcanic eruptions)
3rd plague: 1/3 of the water source is poisoned causing death
4th plague: 1/3 of daily light turns into darkness, unusually
a. Having witnessed all four divine acts of judgment, what do you think will be the reaction of the people of the world?
b. As severe as these judgments are, why does God limit the impact to only 1/3 of nature in the world?
(4) As severe as these judgments are, what does the call of the flying eagle (a predator) signify? (v. 13)
(5) What is the message to you today? How may you apply it to your life?
“The smoke of the incense together with the prayers of the saints went up before God from the angel’s hand.” (Rev. 8:4)
It is remarkable that the opening of the 7th seal which leads to the blowing of the 7 trumpets—the launching of God’s judgments to end human history—is given within the context of an angel holding a golden censer which is being offered to God with the prayers of all the saints.
If this part of the vision is omitted, the revelation of the events of the End-times should not be affected at all. Why then would the Lord reveal such a scene to John? The answer carries significance beyond the first readers of John, but to us today.
The message of this vison is clear: God does answer prayers. The prayers of all the saints for God to judge this world hostile to Him and His people, especially that of the martyrs highlighted in 6:10: “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood”, will not go unheeded. This should be a great encouragement to us all, as we see all the injustice in the world and the hostility and persecution we face constantly today. We often find ourselves helpless to effect any changes to our society, and think that prayers seem to be our last resort. Even as we pray, we pray without believing that it will lead to any good. Not so, says the Lord. This scene which precedes the unfolding of the judgments of the Lord on the inhabitants of the earth speaks powerfully that their materialization is a direct result of our prayers.
The truth of the matter is that God does not wait till the opening of the 7th seal to intervene into the world’s affairs and vindicate His servants. The opening of the first six seals are preceded by the holding of golden bowls of incense by the 24 elders (5:8) and this indicates that all along God is listening the prayers of His people which rise like incense all the way to His throne.
Next time you pray, remember that God is listening in heaven, and thus, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (Jas. 5:16).
The flying eagle declares that three more woes await the inhabitants of the earth and they will be revealed by the 5th - 7th trumpets:
9:1-11—The 5th Trumpet—the first of three woes
(1) The opening of the Abyss (vv. 1-2)
a. What is the Abyss? (see Note 1 below)
b. To whom (or what) is given the key to the shaft of the Abyss?
c. What is that star? (see Note 2 below)
d. How dense and powerful is the smoke coming out of the Abyss?
(2) The destruction by the locusts (vv. 3-6)
a. Locusts coming out of the smoke: What kind of power is given to them and by whom?
b. Whom are they to harm?
c. What and whom are they to spare? (see 7:4)
d. What kind of harm are they to inflict on the people and for how long? (v. 5)
e. How painful will the harm be? (v. 6)
f. What do you think is the purpose of this limited judgment?
(3) The appearance of the locusts (vv. 7-11)
a. What do these locusts look like? (v. 7)
b. What are they wearing on their heads?
c. What do their faces look like?
d. What does their hair look like?
e. What do their teeth look like?
f. What do their breastplates look like? (Do they serve any practical purpose?)
g. What do their flying wings sound like?
h. What do their tails and stings look like?
i. What do they use to torment people for 5 months?
j. See if you can draw a picture of what you have just described: What might this picture resemble in modern warfare (if they are not demonic beings)?
(4) Who is the king over them? (the name, whether in Hebrew or Greek, means Destroyer)
(5) What is the most important message to you and how may you apply it to your life?
Note 1:
The Abyss means a bottomless pit reflecting the concept of
“the three-level cosmology…the three realms of heaven, earth, and below the earth (5:3)…It is sometimes synonymous with the underworld, which is the abode of the dead…and the place where demons are imprisoned (Lk. 8:31)…In Revelation, the beast ascends from the abyss (11:7; 17:8) and is also the abode of Satan” (WBC, Vol. 52, 526)
Note
2:
“The ‘star’ is a supernatural being, i.e. an angel. In early Jewish literature, stars can represent angelic beings (Jdg. 5:20; Job 38:7; Dan. 8:10).”
(WBC, Vol. 52, 525)
“They were not given power to kill them, but only to torture them for five months” (Rev. 9:5)
While we cannot be certain of what these locusts and horses which John sees in his vision as the 5th and 6th trumpets are being sounded, we have to remember that John is recording what he actually sees. However, he could only use terminology that existed in his time.
Many commentators interpret them as demonic beings, and rightfully so because of their destructive power, their unusual appearances, and the origins from which they have been sent. However, if what John sees in fact are war-machines used in modern-day warfare, he does lack the appropriate terminology to describe rockets, armored vehicles and even jet planes.
- The iron breastplates and the golden crown on the locust could point to the metal exterior of modern-day jet planes.
- The human faces of the locust could be those of the pilots in their cockpits.
- The sound made by the wings of the locust certainly could reflect the noise of fighter jets.
In the final analysis, whether they are demonic beings or modern-day war machines is not important. The important thing is that all these will happen according to the plan of God, not sooner or later than His appointed time. He will bring judgment upon the inhabitants of the earth who do not have His seal on their foreheads, i.e. those who refuse to believe in Him. The entire book of Revelation is recorded to serve as a warning to our unbelieving world.
9:12-21—The 6th Trumpet—the 2nd of the three woes
(1) Where does the command to the 6th angel come from? (v. 13)
(2) Whom is the 6th angel to release? (v. 14)
(3) Why are the four angels at the Euphrates bound up all these years? (v. 15)
(4) Who are the agents being used to kill 1/3 of mankind? (v. 16)
(5) The 200,000,000 mounted troops (vv. 17-19)
a. What do their breastplates look like?
b. What do their heads look like?
c. What are three kinds of plagues which come out of their mouths?
d. How many do they kill? (Based on the present world population, about how many people is that?)
e. What do their tails look like?
f. See if you can draw a picture of what you have just described: What might this picture resemble in modern warfare (if they are not demonic beings)?
(6) What is mankind like during this period of time?
(7) What is the purpose of inflicting mankind with this 2nd woe? (vv. 20-21)
(8) Will it work?
(9) Given the continued wickedness described here, what will you expect the next woe to be like?
(10) What is the message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
“The rest of the mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent.” (Rev. 9:20)
In the vision of the sounding of the 7 trumpets, the first four unveil natural disasters that should wake up the inhabitants of the earth to know that they are not simply accidental mishaps in nature: The burning up of 1/3 of the earth and its vegetation, the likely unprecedented volcanic eruption that destroys 1/3 of marine life and ships, the poisoning of all water sources by a huge fallen star (or comet?) and the blackening of sun, moon and stars that brings 1/3 of day and night into complete darkness.
It appears that the inhabitants of the
earth are still unmoved which leads to the horrific demon-like invasion
unveiled by the 5th and 6th trumpets. Still, God shows restraint in unleashing His wrath;
the locust army will only cause unbearable pain, not
death to the people and would last only for 5 months. It is obvious that when this judgment still
cannot bring repentance from them, then God unleashes His 200,000,000 horsemen
from the Euphrates to kill 1/3 of mankind. As horrific as this judgment is, God desires
that the rest of mankind would repent, and yet John reports that in his vision,
“The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts” (9:20-21).
We cannot help but lament the stubbornness of mankind, but at the same time be amazed by the long-suffering and patience of our God!
After the visions of two of the three woes, i.e. the 5th and 6th trumpets, the final woe, which is the 7th trumpet, appears to be such that it needs a special introduction.
Introduction to the 7th Trumpet
(1) A mighty angel (vv. 1-7)
a. Where does this angel come from? (v. 1)
b. Based on his appearance, what kind (or rank) of an angel is he? (v. 1b; see Note below)
c. What does the planting of his feet on the sea and on the land indicate? (v. 2)
d. The “Seven Thunders”: While we do not know exactly what they are, "seven” continues to denote perfection or completion. Read Psalm 29 to get an idea of:
- Who might speak in thunders?
- What do such thunders seek to portray?
e. John obviously hears what is the message being thundered, but he is expressly prohibited from writing it down (v. 4). Why? Consider these possible reasons:
- Because it is beyond our understanding anyway.
- Because it is so terrifying that we cannot handle the message.
- It is only meant for John to hear.
f. Now the mighty angel is about to make an announcement (vv. 5-7).
- Why does he have to swear before talking about the 7th trumpet?
- By whom does he swear? What does it mean? (v. 6)
- About the 7th trumpet (vv. 6b-7)
1. What does "no more delay" imply?
2. What will the 7th trumpet reveal? What does it mean?
(2) The little scroll (vv. 8-11)—Obviously, this scroll is not the scroll in chapter 5 which is definitely not a small scroll. This one is laid open in the hand of the angel (v. 2).
a. What does the symbolic act of eating the scroll mean? (v. 11; see Ezek. 2:8–3:4 as well)
b. Why does the scroll taste sweet in the mouth but turn sour in the stomach?
c. Why does the sounding of the 7th trumpet require such an introduction?
(3) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
This angel is special in that his appearance resembles that of the One seated on the heavenly throne in chapter 4 and Christ in chapter 1. However, as glorious as his appearance is, he is far less awesome than God and Christ, and John does not immediately fall down to worship him. Also, in Revelation, Christ never appears as an angel. Most commentators see him as a mighty angel like Gabriel in Daniel 8.
“I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour.” (Rev. 10:10)
Both Ezekiel and the Apostle John were asked to eat a scroll in their mission to preach the word of the Lord, and both ate it and said it tasted as sweet as honey (Ezek. 3:3; Rev. 10:10), although John mentioned that it turned sour in his stomach. However, in both instances, important truths about the word of God are being conveyed in these ways:
- In both cases, irrespective of the message from God, the messages are certainly full of prophecies of judgment. When one tastes the word of God, it is invariably sweet, as the Psalmist also testifies,
“They are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb” (Ps. 19:10).
Job also testifies to this very fact in that in spite of his immense sufferings and prolonged struggle over the apparent silence of God, once God opened His mouth, even though He addressed Job with harsh words (Job 38-41), His answer was enough for him. He not only felt vindicated, but he must have felt like having eaten honey in his mouth. Indeed, while we certainly have not had the same experience as Ezekiel and John, every time we hear God speak to our souls, it is the most wonderful experience.
- It reminds all servants of the Lord that we are not free to speak what we want as His servant, but only what He puts in our mouth. In our case, it is what God has revealed to us in His Holy Scriptures. This also reminds me of what Rev. Stephen Chan says of the importance of having a clear sense of “calling” for all of God’s servants: “If God has not called and sent you, what message can you bring to the people?”.