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The Opening Of The Book– The Seven Seals

When do the Seals begin? –With Adam.  The Seven Seals begin with those who first lived upon the earth, and closes with the living. Therefore, it covers the entire world’s history. See (GC P.483, Manuscript  Releases, Vol. 9,p 7)

   The Book of Seven Seals is the same as the book of life. Therefore, the unveiling of the seals must be the revelation of the lives of all those who ever entered the service of God. The first person would have to be Adam. (GC 483). It cannot then start in the New Testament period as it is generally taught.

The setting of the Seven Seals is in the context of the Judgment, and the investigative judgment includes all of the world’s history not just the New Testament.

What is the meaning of the:

Colors: (White, Red, Black, Pale) A progression of worsening conditions as explained further.

Implements: Similarly, the symbols of the crown, sword, balances and death indicate that by men‘s deeds, the earth has gone from good to bad to worse.

Horses: Something created by God but ruled (driven) by man. It symbolizes the earth given by God to man to rule.

                                               First Seal

White Horse  —                       The earth in a pure, sinless state (PP, p.47)

Rider —                                         Adam (Gen. 1:26, 28)

Crown —                                      Kingly authority (Gen. 1:26)

Bow —                                            The instrument with which Adam was to conquer and people the earth. It represents Eve. In harmony with the symbolism, children are compared to arrows. (Ps. 127:4, Gen. 3:20.)

Conquering and to conquer —  Man was to inhabit the earth-fill it with people, conquer it symbolically speaking. (Gen. 1:26,28)

The first seal reveals those who first lived upon the earth– particularly Adam and Eve who were commanded to reproduce and thereby conquer it, subdue it. These were the first ones to be judged in 1844 when Jesus our High Priest took the Book of Life (book of seven seals) and began the investigative Judgment for the dead.

Second Seal

This Second seal period denotes the period in which murder and war broke out among the nations.

 RED is a symbol of curse, bloodshed. Abel was the first victim.  This condition climaxed just after the flood and the Babel disaster with its confusion of languages.

To “take peace from the earth” (verse 4), implies that there was PEACE BEFORE THE TIME OF THE RED HORSE. This again proves that the first seal must have begun with Adam when the earth was pure and at peace. There was no peace on earth at the time of the New Testament era–the time generally taught to be the beginning of the seven seals. The second seal reveals the lives of those who lived particularly during the time just after the flood. Remember, the seals overlap. So, after Adam and Eve, the world gradually became “red” –curse, wars, and murders until it peaked with the birth of the nations at the Tower of Babel.

                                        Third Seal

Black Horse —                            Spiritual darkness-idolatry. This is the time when the knowledge of God was almost obliterated. In fact, we have record of only Abraham and Lot who served God.

Balances —                                     Trading, commercialism led by the Phoenicians. Tyre and Sidon, were the chief centers of commerce (ISA. 23:8.) The Phoenicians were known as the “busy bees of the ancient world.” (See ancient history Encyclopedia –Phoenicians)

One measure of Wheat for a penny and three measures of Barely-

SEE MATT. 20: 8-16 and the study of the 11th hour.(Separate study)

All workers received a penny (symbolic of eternal life).

The last workers worked for only one parabolic hour, however, all other workers worked for three parabolic hours. The first workers complained that they should have received more. The 11th hour workers received their penny first even though they were hired last.

Penny —                                           Eternal Life-Salvation (Only human beings receive salvation as a reward for labor here on earth)

Wheat —                                           144,000 & GREAT MULTITUDE (GM) –who were hired last. (For the study on the 11th hour workers, please request to email on this blog)

Barley —                                           JEWS –who were hired first.

One measure —                           The ONE HOUR (Matt. 20:6,12) –the length of time the 11th hour workers labored.

Three measures —                    The THREE HOURS (Matt. 20: 1-3) –symbolizing the work of the Jews.

The Reward was given to the 11th hour workers FIRST, showing that the 144,000 will receive (penny) eternal life or SALVATION BEFORE THE ancient JEWS and the other laborers. Thus, the voice (God) said, “ONE measure of WHEAT [first] for a penny and Three measures of BARLEY [last].” Jesus said, the “last shall be first and the first last.” Matt. 20:16

 Do Not Hurt the Oil and the Wine —          Instructions not to interfere with the Holy Scriptures which was then being written by Moses (GC, preface V)

Oil and the Wine —                     Oil and Wine are symbols of spiritual food-Jesus said that His words are “Spirit and Life” (John 6:63. See also Ps. 45:7; Zech. 4:12.)

It is during the time of the black horse (third seal) that God called Israel, the time when Moses began to write the Bible. Thus it was appropriate for God to announce protection for the Scriptures. The third seal reveals the time when mankind well nigh lost the Knowledge of God, the time God called Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Israel–the time men introduced commerce, the time the Bible was introduced.

Fourth Seal

Pale horse —                             Non-descript color. Same period as the non-descript beast of Dan. 7:7,8 – the period of the ancient Roman government. The color denotes a mixture of paganism and Christianity.

Rider (death) —                      Persecution. Rome killed thousands and thousands of people, especially Christians.

Fourth part of the earth —   Rome was allowed to persecute the Christians for a fourth part of earth’s time. After which its power was to wane.

The earth is said to be 6,000 yrs old. To get a fourth part you must Divide four into 6,000 (6,000/4=1500). Beginning from the crucifixion (31 AD) add 1500, which will bring you to 1530 AD – the date of the Augsburg Confession-the separation of Lutherans from Catholicism, the beginning of “Protestant” movement.

                                       Fifth Seal 

Souls under the Altar —         Souls slain for the word of God, already dead at the time of the opening of the fifth seal. These were martyrs from the preceding period (4th seal). Their untimely deaths demanded justice.

Altar —                                               An altar signifies a renewal of faith, worship-a reformation. Even in our churches, we use the expression an “Altar Call” “come down to the altar”, etc. Therefore, the altar must symbolize the PROTESTANT REFORMATION which began the downfall of Rome, the beginning of a spiritual renewal and revival.

How Long —                                  The answer that they should “rest for a little season, until their fellow servants and their brethren that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled”. It is evidence that the persecution and martyrdom of the 4th seal were to overlap the fifth seal and the judgment was not to begin until after the persecution had ceased completely. That is, although the reformation brought the decline of Rome (the papacy), some of God’s people were still to be martyred for their faith up to the complete fall of the papacy. Then the Judgment of the dead would begin.

White Robes —                            Accounted worthy of eternity.

                                     Sixth Seal

 Earthquake —                           Lisbon: Nov. 1, 1755 (GC p.304)

Sun, Moon —                              May 19, 20, 1780 (GC p.306)                        

Falling Stars —                            Nov. 13,1833 (GC p.333)

(Rev. 6:14-17) —                          It is normally taught that these verses apply to the second coming of Christ. However, the following will prove that in fact it applies primarily to the purification of the church–the Ezekiel 9 church judgment.

Reasons why  Rev. 6:14-17 cannot primarily apply to The Second Coming of Jesus–

a. THE JUDGMENT IS STILL IN PROGRESS. All seven seals must be opened and reviewed before Jesus can leave the sanctuary judgment. There are still more names to be judged.

 b. JESUS IS STILL A BLEEDING LAMB (verse 6,16). That indicates that probation is still open.

c. THIS IS THE WRATH OF THE LAMB, not the wrath of God. This shows again that probation is still open. The wrath of God is the seven last plagues and the 2nd advent. (See Rev. 15:7; 16:1,18-21).

d. INSPIRATION APPLIES THESE VERSES TO THE CHURCH. (Vol. 9, Testimonies, p.267-268.)

e. VERSE 17 IS THE SAME AS MALACHI 3:1-3, AND THIS PASSAGE APPLIES TO THE PURIFICATION OF THE CHURCH IN THE TIME OF THE JUDGMENT.

Note: In Malachi chapter 3, the word’s “will suddenly come to His temple” and  subsequent words describes a purification of His people. The words “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when he appears?” (Verse 2) are declared in context further in chapter, as indicative of some being “spared” and “the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the Lord as in the days of old as in former years”. (verse 4).

 Chapter six ends with the question “who will be able to stand?” The answer is found in Rev. 7 – the 144,000 and the Great Multitude.

Also See (Isa. 2:19-21) – this shows that wicked in the church will also “go into the holes of the rocks and into the caves of the earth.”

These holes of the rocks and caves of the earth may be symbolic, maybe indicating a refuge of sorts such as locked away in the houses or other dwellings. As we will learn later the time of the church purification shall take approximately 7 days and there most likely will be those in the church that are spared for a few days to witness what their fighting against His truth has sadly rewarded them. Hence the “fall on us to protect us” attitude. The witnessing of the unpopular and scorned truth of the church Ezekiel 9 judgment has now been done, and now they know they have made an eternal and fatal error in not believing the Lord’s unliked and un-appreciated trumpet blowers.

Additionally, these words cannot describe the day of the Lord coming in the clouds because notice in context after describing these troubles it says, “And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem. When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning.”(Isaiah 4:3-4)

 Thus the sixth seal will close not with the second coming of Christ, but with the Ezekiel 9 church judgment. THE BEGINNING JUDGMENT OF THE LIVING (JOL) ON EARTH. (See 1 Peter 4:17, Testimonies, Vol. 5, p.211, Vol. 3, p.266)

Seventh Seal

 This seal is also generally taught to be the second coming. However, the following will prove that this is the opening of the judgment of the living in Heaven. The SIXTH SEAL CLOSES WITH THE JOL ON EARTH, but the SEVENTH SEAL OPENS WITH THE JOL IN HEAVEN, which is after the church judgment of Ezekiel Nine and continues during the loud cry to the final close of probation.

The JOD involves only cleansing the books in Heaven since those on trial are not alive. However, the JOL involves two parts-the cleansing of the books in Heaven and the cleansing of the church on earth. Please keep these two distinct parts in mind.

Is The Half Hour Of Silence The 2nd Advent Of Christ?

 a. THE JUDGMENT IS STILL IN PROGRESS since Jesus is still in the Sanctuary opening the seventh seal which means that he is still investigating the names of those during this period.

b. CHRIST IS STILL A BLEEDING LAMB.

c. A HALF HOUR OF SILENCE IMPLIES THAT AFTER THE HALF HOUR WHATEVER WAS GOING ON BEFORE MUST CONTINUE –—The Judgment continues. Therefore the half an hour divides the judgment into two sections—, the JOD and the JOL.

d. THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS ARE OFFERED UP BEFORE GOD. This indicates that probation is still open since you cannot offer prayers after Jesus’ 2nd advent because —there will be no need.

e. THE ANGEL CAST DOWN FIRE TO THE EARTH. Fire is a symbol of THE HOLY SPIRIT. ( See Acts 2:1-4). No one will need the outpouring of the Holy Spirit after the second coming of Christ.

f. THE VOICES, THUNDERINGS, LIGHTINGS, RETURN, SHOWING THAT THE JUDGMENT STARTED AGAIN

 Compare with Rev. 4:5. The voices must represent the speaking of the beasts, elders, angels, etc. When God speaks it is like thunderings and lightnings. The voices clearly indicate that judgment continues AFTER THE HALF HOUR OF SILENCE.

What Happens During The Half Hour Of Silence? The Purification of the Church.

The silence reveals that the Judgment must have ceased for a time. The only event which would cause silence during the judgment is the purification of the church. Ezek. 9 is the only time that Jesus will interrupt His mediatorial work. (See Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 690)

How long is the half-hour silence —    About 7 days–1 week

[Using PROPHETIC TIME (A day=a year)]

a. One day=24 hours

b. One year=360 days

c. 360/24=15

d. 15=1 hour

e. 15/2=1/2 hour

=7.5 days (about a week).

  Summary

The study of the seven seals reveal that God’s professed people have been on trial since 1844. This court case is the greatest and most important in the history of earth and the Universe. Each individual and generation is investigated with terrible exactness. It especially, and more importantly, reveals that the Judgment in the SDA Church will mark the opening of the Judgment for the living. Thus we see, that soon we will have to stand before the never erring Judge and give an account for our deeds —not physically, but our records will testify to whether we are worthy through the merits of Christ to be sealed, allowing the slaughtering angels to pass by and have our names retained on the Book of Life. Thus, we determine our own destiny by either holding on to our sins or repenting of them.

 ” One of the proofs that the seals include the entire world’s history is in the fact that the book with the seven seals is “The book of life,” which contains the record of God’s professed people, and also in the fact that it was to be opened in the day of judgment. Hence, it proves that in 1844, when the judgment began, Christ opened the book before the throng that surrounded the throne, and this being the Lamb’s book of Life (which no one but the Lamb could open), containing the record of the people from Adam’s time and on, it is obvious that the seven seals, which were broken at the beginning of the judgment, contain the entire history of the human race, divided into seven periods, which sealed the book up to the day of judgment.” (Vol. 2 Symbolic Code No. 7, 8  pg. 9)

   Summary of Commencement and Termination of Seals

The first seal covers the entire period from Adam to the flood; the second, from the flood to Abraham; the third, from Abraham to Christ; the fourth, from Christ to 1500 A.D; the fifth, from 1500 A.D. to 1755 A.D.; the sixth, from 1755 A.D. to the fulfillment of Ezekiel 9; the seventh, to the close of probation.

We wish to thank the Mt. Dale organization for the majority of this study outline of the Seals. The interpretation of these truths came from  Victor Houteff. My own comments were in green.

 

 

This entry was posted on May 10, 2014 at 5:41 am and is filed under Revelation teachings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.