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If you read the original “Book of Revelation”, I would ask you to put aside the idea that it is a book of prophecy about things that are yet to come or happen. The very word "revelations" means "that which was revealed”, or explained. So to fully understand the symbolism behind revelations, within the original text, this will give you the means that you can translate further Revelations for yourself, for it is a “Book of the Past and the Future” combined.
This is a personal analysis of the "Book of Revelation", which may NOT be accepted by many. I say again it is a personal interpretation viewed from the tradition of the Pauline Art. It indicates hope and change for the better, naturally depending upon your current moral stance.
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The Seven Seals of the Book of Revelation provide a predictive
events that we can look forward to!
Written by the Apostle John, the Book of Revelation gives
the relevations as given by God to jesus. John was only
the recording scribe.
The Scroll with the Seven Seals originates from The Throne
of God in heaven (Revelation 5:1), they are given in heaven
to Jesus Christ for Him to open (Revelation 5:5-10), but
they happen on earth (e.g. Revelation 5:10, 6:4).
Although the opening of each seal produces a specific event,
the final and seventh seal produced a fat more devistating
effect on mankind because this seal is also divided into
seven trumpets, and one the completion of the sounding of
the seventh trumpet, this is further divided into seven
bowls (or vials). It is stated that Jesus will return during
the events of the seventh trumpet.
The first four seals are commonly known as the "four
horsemen of the apocalypse."
The
First Seal - Religious Deception and Persecution
"I watched as The Lamb opened the first of the seven
seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say
in a voice like thunder, "Come!" I looked, and
there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow,
and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror
bent on conquest." (Revelation 6:1-2)
The
Second Seal - War
"When The Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the
second living creature say, "Come!" Then another
horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power
to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other.
To him was given a large sword." (Revelation 6:3-4)
The
Third Seal - Famine
"When The Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third
living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there
before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair
of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a
voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart
of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for
a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!"
(Revelation 6:5-6)
The
Fourth Seal - Pestilence
"When The Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the
voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!"
I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider
was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him.
They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill
by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the
earth." (Revelation 6:7-8)
The
Fifth Seal is the persecution of the Saints- Tribulation
and Martyrdom:
"When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar
the souls of those who had been slain because of The Word
of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called
out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy
and true, until You judge the inhabitants of the earth and
avenge our blood?" Then each of them was given a white
robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until
the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were
to be killed as they had been was completed." (Revelation
6:9-11)
The
Sixth Seal is signs In The Heavens
"I watched as He opened the sixth seal. There was a
great Earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made
of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars
in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree
when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll,
rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from
its place. Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the
generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every
free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains.
They called to the mountains and the rocks, "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 Their
wrath has come, and who can stand?" (Revelation 6:12-17)
The
Seventh Seal is the three woes.
"When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence
in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels
who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets."
(Revelation 8:1-2)
The
First Trumpet
"The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came
hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down
upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a
third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass
was burned up." (Revelation 8:6-7)
The
Second Trumpet
"The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something
like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the
sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, a third of
the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the
ships were destroyed." (Revelation 8:8-9) See A Huge
Mountain, All Ablaze
The
Third Trumpet
"The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great
star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third
of the rivers and on the springs of water - the name of
the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter,
and many people died from the waters that had become bitter."
(Revelation 8:10-11)
The
Fourth Trumpet
"The fourth angel sounded his trumpet,
and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon,
and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned
dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a
third of the night." (Revelation 8:12)
The
Fifth Trumpet (First Woe)
"The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a
star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star
was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. When he opened
the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic
furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from
the Abyss. And out of the smoke locusts came down upon
the earth and were given power like that of scorpions
of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of
the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people
who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They
were not given power to kill them, but only to torture
them for five months. And the agony they suffered was
like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes a
man. During those days men will seek death, but will not
find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.
The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On
their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and
their faces resembled human faces. Their hair was like
women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth.
They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the
sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses
and Chariots rushing into battle. They had tails and stings
like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment
people for five months. They had as king over them the
angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and
in Greek, Apollyon." (Revelation 9:1-11)
The
Sixth Trumpet (Second Woe)
"The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard
a voice coming from the horns of the golden altar that
is before God. It said to the sixth angel who had the
trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at
the great river Euphrates." And the four angels who
had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month
and year were released to kill a third of mankind. The
number of the mounted troops was two hundred million.
I heard their number. The horses and riders I saw in my
vision looked like this: Their breast plates were fiery
red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the
horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their
mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur. A third of mankind
was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur
that came out of their mouths. The power of the horses
was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails
were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict
injury. The rest of mankind that were not killed by these
plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands;
they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold,
silver, bronze, stone and wood -idols that cannot see
or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders,
their magic arts (see Witches And Sorcerers), their sexual
immorality or their thefts." (Revelation 9:13-21)
The
Seventh Trumpet (Third Woe)
The
First Bowl
"The first angel went and poured out his bowl on
the land, and ugly and painful sores broke out on the
people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his
image." (Revelation 16:2)
The
Second Bowl
"The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea,
and it turned into blood like that of a dead man, and
every living thing in the sea died." (Revelation
16:3)
The
Third Bowl
"The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers
and springs of water, and they became blood. Then I
heard the angel in charge of the waters say: "You
are just in these judgments, You who are and Who were,
The Holy One, because You have so judged; for they have
shed the blood of Your saints and prophets, and You
have given them blood to drink as they deserve."
And I heard the altar respond: "Yes, Lord God Almighty,
true and just are Your judgments." (Revelation
16:4-7)
The
Fourth Bowl
"The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun,
and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire.
They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed
The Name of God, Who had control over these plagues,
but they refused to repent and glorify Him." (Revelation
16:8-9)
The
Fifth Bowl
"The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne
of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness.
Men gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God
of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but
they refused to repent of what they had done."
(Revelation 16:10-11)
The
Sixth Bowl
"The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great
river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare
the way for the kings from the East. Then I saw three
evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of
the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast
and out of the mouth of the false prophet (see articles
in our Prophecy section). They are spirits of demons
performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the
kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle
on the great day of God Almighty. "Behold, I come
like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps
his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and
be shamefully exposed." Then they gathered the
kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called
Armageddon." (Revelation 16:12-16). See Armageddon
The
Seventh Bowl
"The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the
air, and out of The Temple came a loud voice from The
Throne, saying, "It is done!" Then there came
flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and
a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever
occurred since man has been on earth, so tremendous
was the quake. The great city split into three parts,
and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered
Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the
wine of the fury of His wrath. Every island fled away
and the mountains could not be found. From the sky huge
hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon
men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of
hail, because the plague was so terrible." (Revelation
16:17-21)
References:
Thanks to Mr J Fowler - Liverpool for supplying this information
- Sources not included. This article will be removed if
it is found that the article contravenes any copyright.
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