Study Focus: Revelation 6 describes the events that occur as the Lamb breaks the first six of the seven seals.
Introduction: Chapter 6 portrays the first six of the seven seals. This scene directly follows the vision of the heavenly throne room in chapter 5.
Lesson Themes: The lesson and the focus passage introduce the following themes:
I. The Four Horsemen (Rev. 6:1–8) Portray the Progress of the Gospel and the Consequences of Its Rejection.
This interpretation depends on the identity of the white horse and its rider (Rev. 6:1, 2 [see theme I below]).
II. The Main Old Testament Background of the Four Horses Involves the Curses of the Covenant.
The Old Testament covenant, with its blessings and curses, is adopted in chapter 6 as a metaphor of the gospel.
III. The Judgments Portrayed in Revelation 6 Affect the People of God.
This builds on the covenant promises and threats made to Israel in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 32.
IV. The “Souls Under the Altar” Passage Does Not Address the State of the Dead.
The fifth seal (Rev. 6:9–11) has often been misused to argue consciousness after death.
V. The Adventist Interpretation of the Sixth Seal Is Supported by the Text.
The Adventist interpreation of Revelation 6:12–14 indicates both a movement in time and a literal meaning for sun, moon, and stars.
Life Application: Class members are invited to explore the relevance of the historicist interpretation of Revelation 6:12–14 and the answer to the question in Revelation 6:17.
Part II: Commentary
Revelation 6 is clearly based on chapter 5. The chapter opens with “and” (Greek: kai), indicating a connection to what precedes it. At the close of chapter 5, the Lamb is holding the scroll (Rev. 5:7, 8) and receiving the worship of the heavenly host (Rev. 5:12–14). As John continues looking (both chapters begin with John saying “and I saw” [Rev. 5:1, Rev. 6:1]), he sees the Lamb open seal after seal (Rev. 6:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12).
The events that occur as each seal is opened are not the content of the scroll. All seven seals need to be broken before the scroll can be unrolled and its contents seen (see Rev. 6:14).
Main Themes of Lesson 5 Elaborated:
I. The Four Horsemen (Rev. 6:1–8) Portray the Progress of the Gospel and the Consequences of Its Rejection.
This interpretation depends on the identity of the white horse and its rider (Rev. 6:1, 2). All the horses but this one produce afflictions. White in Revelation always represents Christ or His people. The crown (Greek: stephanos) worn by the rider is the victory crown. With only one exception (Rev. 9:7), this kind of crown is always associated with Christ and/or His people in the New Testament. In the first five chapters of Revelation the word for conquering (Greek: nikôn, nikêsêi) also refers consistently to Christ and His people (see, for example, Rev. 3:21). The rider on the white horse in Revelation 19 is clearly Christ as “The Word of God,” and that rider is parallel to this one in chapter 6.
Clearly the concept of counterfeits is a major theme in Revelation, but when counterfeits occur they are always clearly exposed as such to the reader. In Revelation 6:1, 2, on the other hand, there is no hint of evil. While the rider on the white horse in Revelation 19 wears the royal crown (Greek: diadêma), rather than the victory crown, the difference is explainable in terms of different stages of the conflict. Revelation 6 represents the church militant, while Revelation 19 represents the church triumphant. The focus of the four horsemen seems to be the victory of Christ and the progress of both the gospel and resistance to the gospel.
II. The Main Old Testament Background of the Four Horses Involves the Curses of the Covenant.
The main theme of Revelation 4 and 5 is worship of God as Creator and the worthiness of the Lamb to apply His heavenly mediation to counter the threats on earth to God’s kingdom. The theme of Revelation 6 is the curses of the covenant. The word “curse” here is not profanity; rather, it expresses the consequences of disobedience (Lev. 26:21–26; Deut. 32:23–25, 41–43; and Ezek. 14:12–21). In the Old Testament, these curses were sword, famine, pestilence, and wild animals. The curses were often sevenfold (Lev. 26:21, 24) and in Zechariah’s vision were executed by four horses of different colors (Zech. 1:8–17, Zech. 6:1–8).
In the Old Testament, the covenant was between God and Israel. The blessings and curses of the covenant there occurred in a literal fashion in the nation of Israel. In the New Testament, faithfulness to Israel’s covenant is determined in relation to Christ. Those faithful to Christ are blessed (John 12:32; Acts 13:32, 33; 2 Cor. 1:20), and those who reject Him will suffer the curse of death and everlasting destruction (Matt. 25:41).
III. The Judgments Portrayed in Revelation 6 Affect the People of God.
Revelation 6 builds on the covenant promises and threats made to Israel in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 32. While the judgments of the seven trumpets fall on all the wicked (Rev. 9:4, 20, 21), the judgments of the seven seals fall more specifically on the unfaithful people of God. Satan’s kingdom has three parts in Revelation (Rev. 16:13, 19), and the judgments of the trumpets fall on different thirds of the earth (Rev. 8:7–12).
IV. The “Souls Under the Altar” Passage (Rev. 6:9–11) Does Not Address the State of the Dead.
Some readers assume that the “souls under the altar” represent bodiless consciousness after death. If taken literally, the meaning of this verse would be contrary to bodily resurrection (1 Cor. 15:42–44, 53) and to the teaching of Genesis 2:7, which sees the soul as the whole person, as well as Ecclesiastes 9:5, which indicates no consciousness after death. But the text in Revelation is clearly symbolic, echoing the story of Cain and Abel (Gen. 4:10, 11) and the altar of burnt offering in the Hebrew sanctuary, which is the only object in the sanctuary where anything happens at the base (Lev. 5:9).
The “souls” under the altar are not in a disembodied state in heaven. The altar of burnt offering represents the Cross of Christ and the persecution of believers, things that happen on earth. And the martyrs come to life again only at the beginning of the millennium (Rev. 20:4). As was the case with the blood of Abel, the martyrs are depicted as on earth, not in heaven. The crying out of the blood is a metaphorical way of saying that the things done to them are held in remembrance by God until their resurrection at the second coming of Jesus (1 Thess. 4:16).
V. The Historicist Interpretation of the Sixth Seal Is Supported by the Text.
In the book The Great Controversy and other pioneer Seventh-day Adventist works, Revelation 6:12–14 is applied to events in the relatively recent past. The text describes two earthquakes separated by a series of heavenly signs. The first earthquake was fulfilled by the Lisbon earthquake of 1755. This event was followed by the darkening of the sun and redness of the moon in 1780—and the falling of the stars in 1833. The complete disruption of both the sky and the surface of the planet was seen as still future.
Two reasonable questions have arisen about this way of reading Revelation 6:12–14. (1) The entire passage is governed by the opening phrase, “When he opened the sixth seal.” So the most natural grammatical reading is that all the events in the passage occur at the same time, not separated by decades. (2) Are the earthquakes, sun, moon, and stars to be taken literally, or are they symbols of some sort of spiritual malady? Both of these objections can be met by close observation of the Greek text.
First, the earthquake in Revelation 6:12 does not occur at the same time as the one in Revelation 6:14. The earthquake in Revelation 6:12 (“great earthquake,” Greek: seismos megas) is paralleled to the earthquake in Revelation 11:13 (“great earthquake,” Greek: seismos megas). That earthquake takes place prior to the close of probation (which happens at the beginning of the seventh trumpet, see Rev. 10:7). On the other hand, the moving of every mountain and island (Rev. 6:14) is parallel to Revelation 16:20, well after the close of probation. So if the two earthquakes are separated by an undetermined period of time, it is reasonable that the other events of Revelation 6:12–14 also could be fulfilled at different times.
Second, there is a threefold “like” or “as” (Greek: hosˉ ) in verses 12 and 13. In Greek this conjunction regularly introduces symbolism, which works best when what comes before the hosˉ is literal. So the actual sun became black “like” sackcloth and the moon became “like” blood. The descriptions are symbolic, but the heavenly bodies are real.
Part III: Life Application
Seventh-day Adventists have understood Revelation 6:12–14 as involving the Lisbon earthquake of 1755, the Dark Day of 1780, and the falling of the stars in 1833—almost 100 years of history. How does a comparison with Matthew 24 help or hurt that interpretation? What is the spiritual payoff of a historicist interpretation of the sixth seal? A few English translations begin Matthew 24:30 (“at that time”) associating all the heavenly signs with the second coming of Jesus, which is still future. But the Greek simply has “and” (kai), so the original text is as open-ended as Revelation 6:12–14 turned out to be. Matthew 24 supports the historicist interpretation of Revelation 6. The historicist view of prophecy assures us that (1) God is in control of history, (2) His mission for the end time and for His end-time people is clear, and (3) He cares deeply about His people, vindicating the martyrs (Rev. 6:11) and protecting as many as possible in the satanic chaos just before Jesus’ return (Rev. 7:1–3).
The conclusion of chapter 6 asks the question, “Who shall be able to stand?” (Rev. 6:17). What is the biblical answer to that question, and what relevance does that answer have for today? God has a people who will be able to stand in the very last days when the upheaval on earth will be at its greatest. Just as Jesus faced His last days before Calvary, the followers of Christ will likewise be dedicated to their calling.Today we should all be preparing for that momentous time. Next week we will discuss more concerning this issue.
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Key Text: Revelation 5:9, 10
Study Focus: Revelation 6 describes the events that occur as the Lamb breaks the first six of the seven seals.
Introduction: Chapter 6 portrays the first six of the seven seals. This scene directly follows the vision of the heavenly throne room in chapter 5.
Lesson Themes: The lesson and the focus passage introduce the following themes:
I. The Four Horsemen (Rev. 6:1–8) Portray the Progress of the Gospel and the Consequences of Its Rejection.
This interpretation depends on the identity of the white horse and its rider (Rev. 6:1, 2 [see theme I below]).
II. The Main Old Testament Background of the Four Horses Involves the Curses of the Covenant.
The Old Testament covenant, with its blessings and curses, is adopted in chapter 6 as a metaphor of the gospel.
III. The Judgments Portrayed in Revelation 6 Affect the People of God.
This builds on the covenant promises and threats made to Israel in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 32.
IV. The “Souls Under the Altar” Passage Does Not Address the State of the Dead.
The fifth seal (Rev. 6:9–11) has often been misused to argue consciousness after death.
V. The Adventist Interpretation of the Sixth Seal Is Supported by the Text.
The Adventist interpreation of Revelation 6:12–14 indicates both a movement in time and a literal meaning for sun, moon, and stars.
Life Application: Class members are invited to explore the relevance of the historicist interpretation of Revelation 6:12–14 and the answer to the question in Revelation 6:17.
Part II: Commentary
Revelation 6 is clearly based on chapter 5. The chapter opens with “and” (Greek: kai), indicating a connection to what precedes it. At the close of chapter 5, the Lamb is holding the scroll (Rev. 5:7, 8) and receiving the worship of the heavenly host (Rev. 5:12–14). As John continues looking (both chapters begin with John saying “and I saw” [Rev. 5:1, Rev. 6:1]), he sees the Lamb open seal after seal (Rev. 6:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12).
The events that occur as each seal is opened are not the content of the scroll. All seven seals need to be broken before the scroll can be unrolled and its contents seen (see Rev. 6:14).
Main Themes of Lesson 5 Elaborated:
I. The Four Horsemen (Rev. 6:1–8) Portray the Progress of the Gospel and the Consequences of Its Rejection.
This interpretation depends on the identity of the white horse and its rider (Rev. 6:1, 2). All the horses but this one produce afflictions. White in Revelation always represents Christ or His people. The crown (Greek: stephanos) worn by the rider is the victory crown. With only one exception (Rev. 9:7), this kind of crown is always associated with Christ and/or His people in the New Testament. In the first five chapters of Revelation the word for conquering (Greek: nikôn, nikêsêi) also refers consistently to Christ and His people (see, for example, Rev. 3:21). The rider on the white horse in Revelation 19 is clearly Christ as “The Word of God,” and that rider is parallel to this one in chapter 6.
Clearly the concept of counterfeits is a major theme in Revelation, but when counterfeits occur they are always clearly exposed as such to the reader. In Revelation 6:1, 2, on the other hand, there is no hint of evil. While the rider on the white horse in Revelation 19 wears the royal crown (Greek: diadêma), rather than the victory crown, the difference is explainable in terms of different stages of the conflict. Revelation 6 represents the church militant, while Revelation 19 represents the church triumphant. The focus of the four horsemen seems to be the victory of Christ and the progress of both the gospel and resistance to the gospel.
II. The Main Old Testament Background of the Four Horses Involves the Curses of the Covenant.
The main theme of Revelation 4 and 5 is worship of God as Creator and the worthiness of the Lamb to apply His heavenly mediation to counter the threats on earth to God’s kingdom. The theme of Revelation 6 is the curses of the covenant. The word “curse” here is not profanity; rather, it expresses the consequences of disobedience (Lev. 26:21–26; Deut. 32:23–25, 41–43; and Ezek. 14:12–21). In the Old Testament, these curses were sword, famine, pestilence, and wild animals. The curses were often sevenfold (Lev. 26:21, 24) and in Zechariah’s vision were executed by four horses of different colors (Zech. 1:8–17, Zech. 6:1–8).
In the Old Testament, the covenant was between God and Israel. The blessings and curses of the covenant there occurred in a literal fashion in the nation of Israel. In the New Testament, faithfulness to Israel’s covenant is determined in relation to Christ. Those faithful to Christ are blessed (John 12:32; Acts 13:32, 33; 2 Cor. 1:20), and those who reject Him will suffer the curse of death and everlasting destruction (Matt. 25:41).
III. The Judgments Portrayed in Revelation 6 Affect the People of God.
Revelation 6 builds on the covenant promises and threats made to Israel in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 32. While the judgments of the seven trumpets fall on all the wicked (Rev. 9:4, 20, 21), the judgments of the seven seals fall more specifically on the unfaithful people of God. Satan’s kingdom has three parts in Revelation (Rev. 16:13, 19), and the judgments of the trumpets fall on different thirds of the earth (Rev. 8:7–12).
IV. The “Souls Under the Altar” Passage (Rev. 6:9–11) Does Not Address the State of the Dead.
Some readers assume that the “souls under the altar” represent bodiless consciousness after death. If taken literally, the meaning of this verse would be contrary to bodily resurrection (1 Cor. 15:42–44, 53) and to the teaching of Genesis 2:7, which sees the soul as the whole person, as well as Ecclesiastes 9:5, which indicates no consciousness after death. But the text in Revelation is clearly symbolic, echoing the story of Cain and Abel (Gen. 4:10, 11) and the altar of burnt offering in the Hebrew sanctuary, which is the only object in the sanctuary where anything happens at the base (Lev. 5:9).
The “souls” under the altar are not in a disembodied state in heaven. The altar of burnt offering represents the Cross of Christ and the persecution of believers, things that happen on earth. And the martyrs come to life again only at the beginning of the millennium (Rev. 20:4). As was the case with the blood of Abel, the martyrs are depicted as on earth, not in heaven. The crying out of the blood is a metaphorical way of saying that the things done to them are held in remembrance by God until their resurrection at the second coming of Jesus (1 Thess. 4:16).
V. The Historicist Interpretation of the Sixth Seal Is Supported by the Text.
In the book The Great Controversy and other pioneer Seventh-day Adventist works, Revelation 6:12–14 is applied to events in the relatively recent past. The text describes two earthquakes separated by a series of heavenly signs. The first earthquake was fulfilled by the Lisbon earthquake of 1755. This event was followed by the darkening of the sun and redness of the moon in 1780—and the falling of the stars in 1833. The complete disruption of both the sky and the surface of the planet was seen as still future.
Two reasonable questions have arisen about this way of reading Revelation 6:12–14. (1) The entire passage is governed by the opening phrase, “When he opened the sixth seal.” So the most natural grammatical reading is that all the events in the passage occur at the same time, not separated by decades. (2) Are the earthquakes, sun, moon, and stars to be taken literally, or are they symbols of some sort of spiritual malady? Both of these objections can be met by close observation of the Greek text.
First, the earthquake in Revelation 6:12 does not occur at the same time as the one in Revelation 6:14. The earthquake in Revelation 6:12 (“great earthquake,” Greek: seismos megas) is paralleled to the earthquake in Revelation 11:13 (“great earthquake,” Greek: seismos megas). That earthquake takes place prior to the close of probation (which happens at the beginning of the seventh trumpet, see Rev. 10:7). On the other hand, the moving of every mountain and island (Rev. 6:14) is parallel to Revelation 16:20, well after the close of probation. So if the two earthquakes are separated by an undetermined period of time, it is reasonable that the other events of Revelation 6:12–14 also could be fulfilled at different times.
Second, there is a threefold “like” or “as” (Greek: hosˉ ) in verses 12 and 13. In Greek this conjunction regularly introduces symbolism, which works best when what comes before the hosˉ is literal. So the actual sun became black “like” sackcloth and the moon became “like” blood. The descriptions are symbolic, but the heavenly bodies are real.
Part III: Life Application
Seventh-day Adventists have understood Revelation 6:12–14 as involving the Lisbon earthquake of 1755, the Dark Day of 1780, and the falling of the stars in 1833—almost 100 years of history. How does a comparison with Matthew 24 help or hurt that interpretation? What is the spiritual payoff of a historicist interpretation of the sixth seal? A few English translations begin Matthew 24:30 (“at that time”) associating all the heavenly signs with the second coming of Jesus, which is still future. But the Greek simply has “and” (kai), so the original text is as open-ended as Revelation 6:12–14 turned out to be. Matthew 24 supports the historicist interpretation of Revelation 6. The historicist view of prophecy assures us that (1) God is in control of history, (2) His mission for the end time and for His end-time people is clear, and (3) He cares deeply about His people, vindicating the martyrs (Rev. 6:11) and protecting as many as possible in the satanic chaos just before Jesus’ return (Rev. 7:1–3).
The conclusion of chapter 6 asks the question, “Who shall be able to stand?” (Rev. 6:17). What is the biblical answer to that question, and what relevance does that answer have for today? God has a people who will be able to stand in the very last days when the upheaval on earth will be at its greatest. Just as Jesus faced His last days before Calvary, the followers of Christ will likewise be dedicated to their calling.Today we should all be preparing for that momentous time. Next week we will discuss more concerning this issue.