The First Six Seals

Before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, he sent two angels to check and make sure the people were as wicked as they appeared.  The attempt to sexually molest the two angels in Genesis 19 demonstrated that they were as bad as was believed.  The seven year tribulation period appears to serve much the same purpose, clearly demonstrating people’s rejection of God.  The seven seals are essentially seven tests of mankind’s attitudes.   Revelation 6:1-2 describes the first test.  “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 beasts saying, Come and see.  And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.”

Mankind built the tower of Babel in an attempt to unite all the people and prevent them from obeying God.  God confused their languages to prevent that union, and Satan has been working to reunite mankind against God ever since.  During the Tribulation, God will withdraw the angels which have prevented him from accomplishing his purpose, according to II Thessalonians 2:6-9.  “And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,”

The first thing Satan will do will do when he is no longer prevented is to set up a global government, using whatever means is required.  While it promises to solve all the world’s problems, it will not produce peace.  Daniel 11:20-21 tells us that first global government will collapse and ultimately be taken over by an evil man we call the Antichrist. 

Revelation 6:3-4 describes what happens when the Antichrist comes to power.  “And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.  And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.”  The Antichrist will use racial conflicts, political conflicts, and religious conflicts to obtain control over the global government. This will lead to constant rebellions, as described in Daniel 11: 23-45.   

Thanks to the Corona virus pandemic we have seen hos drastically government actions can affect the economy, and especially food production.  Political conflicts and the Antichrist’s policies will  disrupt the production of food, resulting in worldwide famines and economic collapse as Revelation 6:5-6 describes.   “And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.  And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.”  It will take a full day’s pay just to buy enough to survive for another day.  People will not be able to afford even the smallest luxuries. 

Food shortages will aggravate the racial and religious tensions the Antichrist promotes, leading to local wars.  Starving animals will attack people in the attempt to survive, and malnourished people will die of starvation or succumb to numerous diseases, as Revelation 6:6-8 describes.  “And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.  And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.”   One fourth of the world’s population will die as a result of these things. 

In order to unite the people behind him, the Antichrist will set up a new religion.  Anyone who continues to worship God will be persecuted or killed, exactly as we see in the Moslem world today.  This will get worse toward the end of the Tribulation. Revelation 6:9-11 addresses the believers who are killed during this period.  “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: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?  And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.”

Instead of helping resolve the world’s political, economic and social problems, the global government will aggravate them because they fail to consider local considerations.  At the same time God will withdraw his control over nature and natural processes so that natural disasters will be far worse than what happens now, as Revelation 6:12-14 describes.  “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.  And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.”

Earthquakes will reshape the earth, flattening mountains and sinking islands.   Volcanic eruptions and clouds of smoke and gasses will darken the sky and make the moon appear red.   Meteor showers will distract people with many crashing into the earth, and people will no longer be able to see the sky.  Ultimately, people will be forced to recognize that God, not the government controls the world, as Revelation 6:15-17 tells us.  “And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”