Bible Story Rev: Seven Seal Book

Introduction

When you open in your Bibles to the fourth chapter of Revelation as we discuss the second major part of the book of Revelation, I believe a good sensible way to divide the 22 chapter book of Revelation is the introduction, chapters 1 through 3, and then the seven sealed book, chapters 4 through 11. The third outline is chapters 12 through 20, forming the great battle between heaven and hell, God and Satan, right and wrong, truth and arrow. And then finally, victory for the saints of God, chapters 21 and 22. Now we’re in the second section, chapters 4 through 11, the seven sealed book. It is not possible to understand the book of Revelation unless we get this point in man. Jesus said to John, What thou seest, write in a book and send it unto the seven churches of Asia, Revelation 1 11.

1. The Curtain Drawn: God Upon the Throne

Before John’s eyes, a vision, a panoramic view is about to be unveiled. When you read chapter 4, picture yourself in the audience of a great production. The curtain is about to be drawn on the first act. Revelation 4 1 is where you would draw that first curtain. Act as if you’re in God’s theater. The story is unfolded concerning mankind. This is the way Revelation 4 begins, and the way to understand the rest of the book. When the curtain is drawn, what does John see first of all? He sees Jehovah God in splendor upon the throne. A sea separates the people from the throne of God. This is an interesting point to comprehend. The first vision we get, we’re getting closer. They’re standing on the sea in chapter 15, verse 2.

Then in Revelation 21 1, John sees that the sea is no more. So nearer and nearer to the heart of God we come in the book of Revelation. That’s one of the themes of this book. No wonder Paul said in Romans 8 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ. And then in verse 37, we’re more than conquerors to him that loved us. And finally, verse 39 of Romans 8, nothing shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The main theme of the book is we as Christians are more than conquerors. But in chapter 4, do you notice that there’s a rainbow around the throne of God? And this reminds us of Genesis 9, where God put a bow in the sky after the flood, assuring Noah that he would never again destroy the world with a flood.

And thus we see that rainbow in the sky from time to time, it reminds us of the providence of God. It reminds us of the wrath of God in punishing the wicked and the righteousness of God in rewarding those who do his will. So that one image, that one sign symbolizes all of those things. And John saw a door opened in heaven and God upon the throne. What a marvelous and powerful imagery that is.

2. A Book Sealed Seven Times; the Lamb Alone Worthy

Some delivered through Moses, some through Christ. And also in chapter 1, they’re referred to as the apostles and those patriarchs of the Old Testament, the twelve tribes. Those redeemed through obedience to God under the old covenant system, and those obedient to Christ under the New Testament. They represent the redeemed of all ages in a general way, and they’re around the throne of God, praising God as the creator. In chapter 5, some sadness enters among all the glory that John sees, for in the hands of the one upon the throne is a book sealed seven times. When you see the word sealed, you know that it is an official document, a very important one. It comes from the God of heaven. The book is bursting forth with important information, for it’s even written on the back side.

It contains the portents and contents of the wrath of God, and also of his love for the redeemed. Here is the sad part. No one in heaven or earth is worthy or able to loose the seals and open the book and tell what is in the record. So John begins to weep. But on the stage is the Lamb of God, chapter 5, verse 5. He alone is worthy and able and ready to open the seal and tell us what is in the book. Christ, then is the fulfillment of prophecy, Revelation 19, 10, Luke 24, 44. Before passing on to chapter 6, let us get this important point. Please put these Old Testament passages with Revelation 5. In Daniel 7, verses 13 and 14, the prophet said, I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like unto the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

And there was given him dominion and glory in a kingdom that all people, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. And the beauty of Psalm 24, verses 9 and 10. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, even lift them up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts. He is the King of Glory. In Revelation 5, at the end of the first century, John says, Christ is receiving these things. Premillennial doctrine, thus is false. All you need to prove it is Daniel 7 in Revelation 5. The Lamb of God was already reigning at the end of the first century.

Daniel 7 states he came with the clouds of heaven and came to the ancient of days. And Romans 15 12 just bluntly states that he was raised to reign. Acts 2 30 states that God raised him to sit on David’s throne. And I believe that he did what he was raised to do. He is reigning now and will reign until the last enemy, death, is put under his feet. 1 Corinthians 15, 23 to 25. And whether the teachers from Brooklyn and the Watchtower Society and says that Christ didn’t begin to reign till 1914, or whether he’s a member of the Zionist movement that says he is not yet reigning, both doctrines are false in the light of what the Bible says. Christ has been reigning from the first century on.

3. The Seals Opened: How Long?

In chapter 6, these seven seals began to be open. Six of the seals are opened in chapter six. The first four indicate peace or conquest of the Roman Empire. Then war that loomed on the horizon. The third seal represents famine and pestilence, and the fourth death. Since these seven congregations were in the Roman Empire, they were being persecuted by the Roman government. Domitian was very cruel as the emperor at this time, if this be written in the year 96, as most think. He was even more cruel than Nero had been. He killed the people of God. He exiled the prophet of God, John, to the Isle of Patmos, Revelation 1 9, for tribulation in the kingdom. These first four seals that John wanted loose so badly spoke of temporary peace, then war, then famine, then death.

But then the fifth seal changes gears. It shifts from earth to that which is beneath the throne of God. It shows the ones who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, martyrs for the cause of Christ. Now get this point. When John first sees these men, they’re under the throne, defeated, dejected. They’re crying out, How long will it be until we’re delivered and the cause for which we died vindicated? These men are seen underneath the throne. This will help us to answer a question that we’re often asked in Revelation 20. What is the first resurrection of Revelation 20? In that chapter, John sees these same men no longer under the throne, but on thrones, reigning with Christ, and he says, This is the first resurrection.

What is the point? Their cause has been avenged. The gospel has been preached, the devil bound, the gospel obeyed, men living for Christ. Thus a spiritual resurrection, like Ezekiel 37, the famous valley of dry bones, our bones are dried, and our hope is lost. But then there was a spiritual resurrection. Ephesians 2, which begins by saying, You were dead in trespasses and sins. You were without hope and without God in the world. You were unreconciled to God. But now you have been raised to sit with Christ in heavenly places, thus a spiritual resurrection. They’re in the kingdom, the church of the Lord. They’re with the resurrected ones. Romans 6 11, dead unto sin, alive unto God. And like the prodigal son of Luke 15, they were dead and now alive.

They were lost and now found. And like those who returned to God, Romans 11 15, what shall their reception be but life from the dead? And so when those seals are broken and the fifth seal is unloosed, we see that which pertains to eternity. And if we live and die in Christ, even if we’re put to death for serving Christ, we’re more than conquerors. We’re the victors. Up from the grave we will arise to walk the golden strand of glory with the one who defeated the devil in death and destroyed the Hadean realm and broke asunder the bands of death, Acts 2 and Matthew 16 18. Truly, the gates of Hades shall not prevail against the church of the Lord. What was the answer to this fifth seal?

The martyrs had cried how long? They’re answered with the sixth seal. God shows that sin shall no longer be unpunished, that it will be impossible for wicked men to get by with their sins. Why? Because he shows in God’s final judgment that these two will pay. We reap what we sow, and if we sow the flesh, we shall of the flesh reap corruption. Galatians 6 7 8. All men who stood against God’s cause will want the rocks and mountains to fall on them, and hide them from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, Revelation 6 15 to 17. What a wonderful answer for the ones who died for the cause of Christ. Truth will reign triumphantly. Error shall be forever put down.

4. God Does His Very Best; They Repented Not

And that’s really the gist of the whole book of Revelation. Evil will not predominate eternally. And though we may lose momentary battles, we’ll gain the ultimate victory. The saints of God shall never really be overthrown. Chapter 7 shows those who have been redeemed on Mount Zion with the Lamb of God, a great number which no man could tally, because they had washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb. They’ll suffer, but they’ll also be honored. And now they’re drinking from living fountains of waters, their thirst quenched forever, as Jesus said in John 4 14. They now drink of the stream of life that quenches their thirst forevermore. In chapter 8, we read how terribly important it is to do God’s will. There is silence in heaven.

This means that that which follows is to be deeply respected. It’s awesome. It even causes the angels in heaven to be quiet and reverent, as God’s design for the nation is about to be unfolded. You can sum up chapters eight and nine this way. God does his very best to bring wicked men to their knees in penitence. He does this by sending wormwood and gall and the angel of the abyss, Apollyon. This is an expression meaning bitterness, calamity, all kinds of problems to make them depend upon God. But he shows in chapter 9, verses 20 and 21 that they, hardened in sin, repented not of their evil doings. It reminds one of Pharaoh and the ten plagues of Exodus chapter 7 through 11. God sent these to soften his heart, and instead it hardened.

5. The Little Book: Sweet to Taste, Bitter to Stomach

For when the entrance of God’s word, which gives light, is repelled by sinful men, it hardens their heart. God does everything he can to cause a wicked man to repent and to quit fighting against the truth and to quit killing his loyal servants, but they repent not of their evil deeds. Their heart is like an adamant stone. Zechariah chapter 7. John gets into the act, into the divine drama. What if you had been sitting out in the audience watching the drama, and all of a sudden an angel comes out and hands you a little book and tells you to eat it up? This same thing happened to Ezekiel in chapters 2 and 3 of that book in the Old Testament. It is a direct parallel. In Ezekiel’s days, he preached down in Babylon by the river Kibar to God’s people who are being captivated, subdued by Babylon and evil nations.

John writes to those in the first century who are being subdued by Rome. And Rome is even called Babbling in one or two of these chapters. So Ezekiel was told to take this book and eat it up. In the book of Psalms we learn what this expression means, how sweet are thy words to my taste. Jeremiah 15, 16, his words were found, and I did eat them. Here’s the whole point. This little book was sweet to John’s taste. But as he discovered its contents and portents, it became bitter to the stomach. John was thrilled that God considered him worthy to reveal his will. But as he digested the material, it saddened him deeply and made him sick at heart. Why? Because it involved the overthrow of those who would compromise with Rome and forsake God.

6. Measure the Temple of God

And it’s still a distasteful task to point out error, to rebuke sin, and to read and preach what the Bible says about the overthrow of ungodly men. But in chapter 11, as we close this second section of the book of Revelation, the seven-seal book, chapters four through eleven, John is told to measure the temple of God. This imagery is borrowed from the book of Zechariah, a measuring read. The temple of God represented Jehovah’s people, Jeremiah 7:4. God says to John, Measure my people and see if they will remain faithful when oppression comes, see if they will compromise with the world. And if they do, they’ll be destroyed with the world. And so he cries, Come out of her, O ye my people. The book of Revelation is a very rich study, telling us the hope we have as Christians, challenging us to get the world out of the church and out of our lives.

Conclusion

As 2 Corinthians 6 says, What concord hath Christ with Belial, or the temple of God with idols, or light with darkness? Come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord. And how the church of the Lord needs to be separate from the world today.