Revelation, Chapter 6

[Watching for Jesus]

This is my understanding of the events of Revelation, Chapter 6.  My main interest is on the timing of the events.

 

I believe that Chapter 6 of the Book of Revelation is an overview of most of Daniel’s 70th week; but not the entire seven year period.

 

Revelation 6:1.  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.

 2.  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.

 3.  And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.

 4.  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.

 5.  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.

 6.  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.

 7.  And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.

 8.  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.

 

I have my opinions about the first four seals, but there is no way of knowing for certain the timing of the first four seals.

 

 

Revelation 6:9.  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:

 10.  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?

 11.  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.

 

I believe the fifth seal is opened during the 1,260 days period; when the “little horn” (aka the antichrist) is implementing his 42 month war with the saints.  These are the martyrs for Christ; there are still more to be martyred.

 

 

Revelation 6:12.  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;

 

The sixth seal is opened immediately after the great tribulation period ends as indicated by to the following verses:

 

Matthew 24:21.  For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

 

Matthew 24:29.  Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

 

The signs in the sun and in the moon tell us that the day of the Lord is about to begin as indicated by the following verses from Joel and Isaiah:

 

Joel 2:31.  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.

 

Isaiah 13:9.  Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

 10.  For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

 

The day of the Lord is the final day of the 1,260 days period.  The war with the saints will end on the day of the Lord.

 

 

Revelation 6:13.  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.

 

I believe that the “stars of heaven falling” refers to the first six of the trumpet and vial judgments.  The stars of heaven will fall on the day of the Lord, after the seventh seal is opened.  I believe that the opening of the seventh seal (soon after the opening of the sixth seal) was not shown to John at this time, but it will be shown to him later.

 

 

Revelation 6:14.  And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

 

I believe that the heaven departs and the mountains and islands are moved when the seventh vial is poured out.

 

Revelation 16:17.  And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

 18.  And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.

 19.  And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

 20.  And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

 

 

Revelation 6:15.  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;

 16.  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:

 17.  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

 

Men are hiding from Jesus, who came when the seventh trumpet sounded.  The seventh trumpet will sound after the stars of heaven fall and just before the seventh vial is poured out on the day of the Lord; the great day of His wrath.

 

The following verses show the second coming of Jesus.

 

Matthew 24:30.  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

 31.  And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

 

My understanding of the timing of the events is: the great tribulation period will end; the sixth seal will be opened; the seventh seal will be opened (the day of the Lord will begin); the first six trumpets and vials will be fulfilled (the stars of heaven falling); the seventh trumpet will sound; the seventh vial will be poured out.

 

I do not believe that the day of the Lord is the final day of Daniel’s 70th week.

[WilliamL]

Lots of beliefs stated, with scant substantiation. Not really the basis for a fruitful discussion IMHO: much too broad of a scope.

[Rev2015]

I believe the key to understanding the timing and details of the seals, trumpets, and bowls of wrath is the realization the 3 series of judgments are concurrent in their timing instead of consecutive. The seals will begin just prior to the start of the covenant with many and continue until the end of the 7 year period at the 7th seal. The trumpets, with a little analytical study can be shown to start just after the AOD, and continue till the end of the 7 year period. The bowls of wrath will start near the very end of the 7 year period and continue till the end. These 3 series of judgment are concurrent in my opinion. The easiest way to understand this is to consider the 3 earthquakes described at the end of each series, as the same earthquake. There aren’t 3 separate earthquakes, only one. This means the 7th seal, the 7th trumpet, and the 7th bowl of wrath all happen at the very same moment in time all ending the 7 year period as CHRIST returns.

Revelation Chapter 6 clearly indicates CHRIST is returning at the 6th seal. The elite of the world apparently will know the day of his coming and know exactly when to go to the underground facilities (dens of the mountains) the government has been building since the Truman administration. They pray to the rocks and the mountains to hide them from CHRIST and the FATHER for HIS day IS come. The 6th seal will be immediately followed by the 7th judgment of each series, the great earthquake happens when CHRIST’S feet touch the ground.

I’d also add the kings of the final 10 kingdoms at that time will also have pre-knowledge of the day CHRIST would return. As Revelation 19 indicates, the kings of the earth have already gathered all their armies when CHRIST returns. Not only do they know when HE will return, but they know where HE will return, as they have massed a force of 200 million men for the great battle, just east of Israel. The logistics of massing that number has to have a pre-knowledge for the resources for such an endeavor could only be accomplished one time. If they missed with the date or the location, they could never procure the resources to repeat the massing of such a force a second time.

Most I believe, adhere to a consecutive view of the timing of the seals, trumpets, and bowls of wrath. In other words, the seals, followed by the trumpets, followed by the bowls of wrath. This view in my opinion, is very problematic, as indicated earlier, scripture clearly describes CHRIST returning at the 6th seal. In the consecutive view, you have to explain why the trumpet and bowl judgments are necessary after CHRIST has returned. Once HE defeats the armies gather against HIM, HE has won, why is it necessary to inflict the rest of the judgments on mankind. This is the main reason I believe the concurrent view is the correct interpretation.

It is also possible of a 4th series of judgment with the 7 thunderers. We do not know what they uttered. It is possible there are 7 un-revealed judgments, or they could have just said something in unison that GOD did not want revealed at the writing of Revelation.

[missmuffet]

This is my take on it.

[MorningGlory]

This is my take on it.

f,
That's neat.  Where did you get that, bopeep? 

[missmuffet]

This is my take on it.

f,
That's neat.  Where did you get that, bopeep? 

I just googled pretribulation charts and maps.There is a lot of good information on that site.

[Ezra]

This is my take on it.

Just two major adjustments which the chart does not convey:

7th seal------> 7 trumpet judgments

7th trumpet judgment-----------> 7 bowl (vial) judgments

[missmuffet]

I see that the 7th seal,bowl or trumpets is not included.

[Daniel 11:36]

Reply to the OP

Revelation 6  actually contains portents of the prevalent conditions that will exist during the coming tribulation period beginning in chapter 8 .... so these portents are not the actual events themselves but conditions that will prevail during the tribulation

The spreading of the gospel of the kingdom

Intense Satanic and human warfare

Economic collapse

Massive human death

Martyrdom

Human reaction to the Lord's unprecedented judgments of the tribulation

The 7th is a shot period of silence in heaven just before the events tribulation begin upon the earth 

 

 

 

Edited October 30, 2015 by Daniel 11:36