UNDERSTANDING
THE BOOK OF REVELATION
Part
Four
Chapter
Seven and the Seventh Seal
By
Gary Ray Branscome
The portion of John’s vision that is recorded in
chapter seven has to do with sealing the saints. In reading this section it is
important to know that this sealing is not something that will happen in the
future, but something that has been going on for centuries. As it is written,
“you… were also sealed with the holy
Spirit of promise, after you believed,” (Ephesians
In the previous lesson I pointed out that the “white
horse” of chapter six corresponds to the gospel going forth on the day of
Pentecost, while the “red horse” indicates persecution. I also gave the reasons
for that interpretation. And, am referring back to that because chapter seven
was inserted between the sixth and seventh seals to clarify what is going on.
Just as the “white horse” corresponds to the gospel going
forth after the day of Pentecost, the sealing of the Jews mentioned in verses
four through eight also corresponds to the gospel going forth on the day of
Pentecost. How do I know this? Why, because that is exactly what the Bible
tells us in the Book of Acts. The Bible tells us that, “about three thousand
souls were added to their number that day,” the day of Pentecost (Acts
In chapter
seven, the sealing of the Jews is followed by the sealing of a great multitude “that
no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds,
and people, and tongues,” (Rev. 7:9). “These are those who
have come out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them
white in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 7:14). And, we know that they were
sealed, because all who have had their sins washed away through faith in Christ
have been sealed. [Compare Ephesians 1:13, with Galatians 3:2.]
The “great tribulation” that is mentioned in chapter
seven is persecution. Those “who
have come out of great tribulation,” have come to faith in Christ in the face
of great persecution. And, this has been going on throughout history. Paul
spoke of it when he said, “We must through much
tribulation enter into the
These are things that have been going on since the day
of Pentecost, and there is absolutely nothing in the text to support the claim
that this tribulation will only last for seven years. Nothing! That claim is
rooted in a private interpretation of Daniel 9:27, a verse that says absolutely
nothing about the antichrist or tribulation. All of those things are being read
into the text. And, reading unscriptural ideas into the text is the mark of a
false prophet (2Peter
At the beginning of chapter eight the seventh seal is
opened, and seven angels are given seven trumpets. At this point, I want to
stress that fact that John is seeing a vision, not actual events. One place
where the Bible reveals that is in chapter twelve, where John sees a red dragon
who tries to devour Christ as soon as He is born. As you read those verses it
should be obvious that the people who lived in
At the beginning of chapter nine, as the fifth trumpet
sounds, the bottomless pit is opened, releasing the forces of hell upon the
earth (Rev. 9:1-2). In connection with that opening I want to point out some
parallels between this vision, and the vision that is recorded in chapters
twelve through twenty-two. I have already pointed out the parallel between the
white horse (Rev. 6:2), and the woman clothed in the white light of the sun
(Rev. 12:1); and, between the red horse (Rev. 6:4), and the red dragon (Rev.
12:3). But, the fact that both visions mention Satan’s release from the
bottomless pit provides us with another parallel (compare Rev. 9:1-2 and Rev.
20:2, 3, 7). The vision of the seven seals covers the period from Christ’s
victory over death (Rev. 5:5) to the end of the world (Rev. 6:13-17 and
In the fifteenth verse of chapter eleven, the seventh
and last angel sounds his trumpet. And, we know that the resurrection will take
place at that time, not only because the Apostle Paul said, “In a moment, in
the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and
the dead will be raised incorruptible,” but also because verse eighteen tells
us that it is the time for the dead to be judged (Rev. 11:18).
For that reason, we need to look at what the Bible
says about the last day. I am not talking about looking at interpretations,
because interpretations are often wrong. We need to look at truths so clearly
stated in Scripture that we do not need to interpret them. So here is the
doctrine of the Last Day, presented line upon line, line upon line, Just as
Isaiah said (Isaiah 28:10).
John
John
John
2Timothy 4:1 I charge you therefore before God, and
the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing
and his kingdom [on the last day, John
1Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord himself shall
descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the
trump of God: and the dead in Christ
shall rise first [on the last day, John 6:40]: Then we which are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in
the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Corinthians
2Peter
Conclusion
Three important things to remember are: 1) The sealing
of the saints, which John saw in chapter seven, has been going on since the day
of Pentecost, 2) The great tribulation is a reference to persecution, which has
always gone hand in hand with the spread of the gospel, and 3) there is
absolutely nothing in Scripture to support the claim that this tribulation will
only last seven years, or that it will take place after Christ raises believers
from the dead.
In the next
section we will look at the vision of the dragon, the beast, and the false
prophet which begins with chapter twelve.