Unsealing the Deal - Part 2

     Throughout the four gospels we often find Jesus introducing a teaching with this phrase: “you’ve heard it said…but I say…”. Since this last book is the revelation of Jesus, coming from Him and being about Him, the One who is the spirit of prophesy, it is time we clearly hear what He says about the end-time scenario. 
         It is time we set aside our preconceived ideas and hear what our Lord and soon-coming King of kings declared to us. The book of Revelation was written specifically for our generation, which is why God’s Spirit is bringing more light and insight concerning its meaning.
      When the ascended Christ opened the seals of the scroll of inheritance of the earth, in effect He was unsealing the indictments or charges against Satan and his evil forces. He exposed the enemy’s dirty, deceitful tricks.
         The first four seals are sometimes called the four horsemen of the apocalypse because in the vision the spiritual beings bringing the signs sweep across the heavenlies riding horses. This is an example of how prophecy often uses figurative language. We know that actual, literal horses have not been seen riding through our atmosphere! Instead, the spiritual horses symbolize spiritual warfare. Keep this in mind because this same symbolism will come up again later. Knowing what it symbolizes will be crucial.
      The vision, along with the parallel accounts of Jesus’ Olivet teaching in the Gospels concerning what will take place at His coming and the rapture, bring down another erroneous mountain and “high place” in our end-time views. Jesus explained that the disciples in His time would see these events.    If we’re honest with ourselves as Christ’s disciples, we have to admit that we are still seeing the first five signs described in part 1, in our own time. Have we seen the final sixth sign of total darkness over the whole earth at one time? Certainly not. We’ve seen celestial signs such as blood moons and partial eclipses. But these only remind us of what has been declared and is yet to come.
         END-TIME LESSON: The reason there is so much confusion in the Church concerning God’s scriptural end-time plan is because we have misunderstood and redefined the terms Jesus used. Particularly the various terms related to the tribulation. When we correctly use Scripture to interpret Scripture and make the necessary Spirit-inspired connections via the same phrases and analogies, we can piece together the prophetic puzzle so that we see the end-time scene clearly.
       Most importantly, when we take this scriptural approach no passages have to be ignored because they didn’t fit our views. It also means we don’t have to force-fit pieces, adding extra details that are not found in the Bible in order to make our views fit.
        The scriptural bottom-line revealed in Revelation is that the Church has always lived in this extended time of the tribulation of this age. The first five seals are basically a matter of history as the 6th great Day in God’s prophetic timetable draws to a close.  This means the 6th seal of total darkness is in our near future.
          t shall come “Immediately after the tribulation of those days—the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken”(Mt. 24:29). In other words, the last two seals (6th and 7th) are future events yet to happen.
            The seals do not depict a mere seven years’ worth of tribulation as is commonly taught today. Nor are they limited to the activities of the future Antichrist. Instead, the seals provide the incriminating evidence to justify the judgments issued by the scroll. The rebellious nations of this world must receive the just consequences of their choices.
           The seals are the written judgment against Satan’s rule as the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4), spanning the 6,000 years counting from the Adam and the choice to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They are what bring God’s vengeance against evil in the Age to Come (the 7th great Day, the Day of the Lord, Christ’s millennial reign over the earth). The seals confirm the legal authenticity of the scroll, for God’s judgments are true and righteous.
         John’s record of the revelation of the final seal paints a scary scenario, from the rich and famous down to the lowest people on the chain of society. All are struck with great fear and want to desperately find a place to hide. “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Rev. 6:16-17,  emphasis added). Stay tuned to find out who can stand!