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[Eccentric]

What are the Seals mentioned in Revelations?

[jimwalton]

Obviously, like everything in Revelation, there is much disagreement. In all honesty, Revelation 6 reads to me like a summary of the entire End Times tribulation period: Conquest, war, famine, death, natural; disasters, the martyrdom of the saints and the non-believers eventually cowering in great fear of the wrath of God exercised in judgment. It's easy to see it's about death and judgment (of the wicked), the death and eventual vindication (of the righteous) in contrast, the saints in a position of protection (under the altar) and the wicked in a position of fear (under the mountains).

The first seal is a white horse. It's obviously about conquest. The disagreements are mainly as to whether it's Jesus coming to conquer or the horrors of war foisted upon the Earth by malicious perpetrators at the beginning of the Tribulation.

The second seal is the fiery red horse. It's obviously about slaughter. The disagreements are mainly as to whether it's Jesus judging the Earth or disruption in civil safety by forces of hate and violence.

The third seal is the black horse. It's obviously about famine, hunger, financial collapse, and disruption of the supply chain, which are often the consequence of conquest and slaughter.

The fourth seal is the pale horse: death, famine, plague.

The fifth seal shows the slaughter of Christians martyred for their faith. We find out that there's more martyrdom still coming.

The sixth seal is either natural or spiritual disasters, depending on how one reads the symbolism. It's cosmic, cataclysmic imagery.

The seventh seal (Rev. 8.1) is a mysterious, grand, dramatic pause. I've seen many interpretations of it. It's obviously an interlude between the seals and the trumpets, but it's very difficult to understand with confidence.

Let's talk some more.