Revelation Chapter 6 - A Short History of the World- The Book is Opened

Updated: 20 October 2013

The World News

"Here is the 10 o'clock news update. Reports continue to come in from many parts of the world of invasions, coups, wars, fighting and terrorism. Famine and poverty are on the rise, with the price of bread peaking at a day's wages per loaf. Thousands have died or been made destitute by devastating earthquakes, tsunami and cyclones. Virulently infectious plagues have killed many, not only in the poorer countries, but also in the more developed ones. In addition there are reports of widespread persecution of Christians in many countries, with church burnings and massacres. Tomorrow's weather is expected to be fine, with the prospect of a shower or two in the afternoon, and a peak temperature of 55 degrees (Celsius). Stay tuned for the next bulletin at midday."

Which year? 2013? 2001? 1939? 1914? 1812? 0092? (Emperor Domitian's persecutions) 0079? (Vesuvius erupts) 0070? (Jerusalem destroyed, 1,000,000 slaughtered). Does it matter? It's all too familiar. It's just world history.

The Four Horseman

Albrecht Durer's "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" - 1498. Grim, grisly, gruesome, but is it TRUE?
Is there any hope?

The Book of Destiny

Yes there is, but must put it in context. Chapter 4 & 5 showed Control Room of Universe, with Ruler/Creator and then Ruler/Redeemer (Jesus, the Lion/Lamb) and the 7-sealed (top-secret) Book of Destiny. Only Jesus can open it. Only He is in control - "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation".
Note: Book never does get opened! It slides into background while the 7 seals take centre stage; images/symbols shift and that's OK! That's how the Book of Revelation works. It's what the symbols mean that is important.

The Six Seals

Chapter 6 gives the first 6 seals (the 7th comes later and is separate). Message is Judgment and Justice. A dark cloud, but as we will see later, it has a golden lining.

What are the Six Seals? It is hard to be sure.
Seal No.	Version 1	Version 2	Some Thoughts
1 - Rider on White Horse	Proud tyrants, who want to expand and fill the world. Lust for Conquest. POWER-LUST (some think this is the Antichrist)	Christ JESUS Himself conquering by His death & life in the Gospel (compare with Rev. 19:11; white horse again, but the crown, in the ancient Greek, is "diadema" (King's crown), not "stephanos" (victor's wreath) as here). Also, the colour white is never used of evil elsewhere in Rev.	All 4 are "given" their weapons and orders. They act only by God's sovereign, Kingly permission. This is in the 10-15% we will never get, till God reveals it at the last day. Bible commentators are split. 4 chariots and horses from Zechariah chapter 6 give no hint of the Messiah being linked to white one. Does it matter? Probably not. Christ Jesus is the victor & is in control.
2 - Rider on Red Horse	naturally leads to WAR	Rebellious men rage against God & His Christ (Psalm 2). This naturally leads, again, to WAR	The sword is a great sword, for great slaughter. Compare with Matthew 24:2-14
3 - Rider on Black Horse	with its inevitable economic dislocation and POVERTY	same as for version 1	A "choinix" is about a litre; a "denarius" was a day's wages, so food prices are extreme. Luxuries for the rich are still available ("oil & wine").
4 - Rider on Pale Horse ("chloros" - green/grey)	and DEATH and the GRAVE follow for many	same as for version 1	Only a quarter of the earth affected, i.e., severe, but not total.
5 - Souls in heaven	MARTYRS - Souls of Christians in heaven, and crying out for JUSTICE	same as for version 1	Always there is persecution and martyrdom. Many not delivered from death, but given white robes of Christ's righteousness, and given rest. Note: not personal revenge, but divine justice is longed for. Ps79:10. 'Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes.' See how justice is tied up with God's character. He must judge evil. Note: "souls" - resurrection of the body is still to come. Not yet complete. All creation is groaning & longing for this; Romans 8:19-25
6 - The Last Great Day of Wrath	THE END - Christ's return and the last judgment and the renewing of all things are heralded here.	same as for version 1	ESV - v12 ... a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14 The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. (compare with Matthew 24:29-31, where this is predicted and immediately precedes Jesus' return. Also Acts 2:19,20, Joel 2:10,11). 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, (Hosea 10:8, Luke 23:30) 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" (Joel 2:10,11 Isaiah 2, esp. vv19-21) No doubt this is the 2nd coming of Jesus, in Kingly power. Justice will be done.

The "Book" Unfolds

See how the Book of Destiny unfolds:- (as said above, the book symbol is never literally opened, but the meaning is unfolded).
- starts with the dying/risen Lord Jesus Christ (our interpretation of the white-horse rider makes no difference. here);
- ends with the same Lord Jesus Christ's return:-
  - end of this broken world; note: this is the first of six "THE END"s in Revelation. It is NOT straight line history!
  - judgment;
  - Paradise restored (hinted in v11; seen clearly later on in Revelation);
- in between the world is ravaged repeatedly by power-lust, war, want and death, with the persecution of Christians (who have a higher allegiance than to any earthly ruler);
The final question - v17 "...who can stand?"
- been answered repeatedly already; 1:5, the 7 letters, 5:9,10;
- made plain in next chapter;
- What about you? Will you be able to stand on that day, or will you be one of those hopelessly trying to hide from the face of Jesus, who long held out his nail-pierced hands in a welcome that you ignored, and now holds up His sword of judgment?

Click here for the next Revelation article Revelation Chapter 7 - A Short History of the World - The Gathering Storm

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