3-Opening the Seals

Decoding the Apocalypse

Pastor Mike Cooke

Revelation 6

John is unsealing the scroll of Daniel (Dan 12:4)

“But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end.

Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.”

Apocalyptic judgments often come in fours

Four Seraphs (Isa 6), Four Cherubim (Ezek 10), Four Judgments (Ezek 14), Four

Horsemen (Zech 1), Four Charioteers (Zech 6), Four Living Creatures (Rev 4), Four

Angels at the Euphrates (Rev 9)

1.First Seal—The White Horse of Conquest (2)

  • In April of 67 Nero sends Vespasian to end the Jewish Rebellion
  • Romans kill 100,000 Jews in Galilee and on the coast
  • Rebels rebuild Joppa and turn pirate
  • “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.”(Luke 21:10)

2.Second Seal—The Red Horse of Violence (4)

  • In 69 Nero is killed and Vespasian returns to Rome to become Emperor
  • During the pause in the campaign the Jewish rebels take over Jerusalem
  • A civil war breaks out between the Zealots and Sicarii
  • Zealots kill anyone who refused to join their cause
  • “You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me.” (Luke 21:16-17)

3.Third Seal—The Black Horse of Famine (5-6)

  • The Christians are warned in a vision and flee to Pella in the Decapolis
  • Before Passover of 70 Vespasian's son Titus lays siege to Jerusalem
  • The Zealots and the Sicarii burn each other’s food supplies
  • The Zealots raid the temple and consume the sacred wine and oil
  • Titus builds a wall around the city and many die of starvation
  • “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that itsdesolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let thosein the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.”(Luke 21:20-21)

4.Fourth Seal—The Pale Horse of Death (8)

  • Romans kill anyone who try to escape the city
  • Romans crucify as many as 500 per day
  • In Summer of 70 Titus breaches the wall
  • The Temple Mount becomes a river of blood
  • 1.1 are killed and 97k are taken into slavery
  • “They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations.

Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles arefulfilled.”(Luke 21:24)

5.Fifth Seal—The Cry of the Martyrs (9-10)

“But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me.”

(Luke 21:12-13)

6.Sixth Seal—The Final Destruction (12-14)

  • In Summer of 70 the Temple is burned
  • The stones are thrown down on the streets below
  • The land or earth(ge) of Israel is conquered
  • The Temple which represents heaven is destroyed
  • Old Testament Judaism comes to an end
  • “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these thingshave happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never passaway.”(Luke 21:32-33)

7.Fleeing to the Mountains

  • Those hiding in underground tunnels are killed or captured
  • Some flee to the mountain fortress of Masada
  • The Romans siege Masada in Fall of 72
  • When they breach it in 73, 960 Zealots commit suicide
  • Upon return to Rome, Titus refuses the wreath of victory, saying, “There is nomerit in vanquishing a people forsaken by their own God.”
  • “Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.”(Luke 21:31)