Monday, 4 November 2013

Revelation 5 -8: Believers' Guide



The one who sat on the throne in heaven had a book in his right hand and in which was written words with double meaning. 

And there arose the question of who was worthy to break the secrets of the book and only Jesus Christ, who appeared to have been killed was found worthy.

Jesus was the only one present who had the same seven spirits as God and the seven horns which signify ‘all powerful’ and seven eyes ‘all seeing’

Jesus took the scroll from God’s right hand to signify that He can now exercise authority the same way as the Father. 

Immediately He does so the twenty four elders and the four beings bow down before Him in worship and offer Him the prayers of the saints and in so doing burst into a song of praise for Jesus.

The lyrics to the new song noted Jesus for being worthy to comprehend the seven secrets/to be able to open the seven seals and also to have died as a sacrifice and in so doing opening the door for nations and generations of people to become God’s people. 

These God’s people have become priests to serve God and are going to rule in the new world in which the political structure will be similar to a kingdom. 

And the angels in their billions stood around the throne together with the twenty four elders and the four creatures and they sang

"Jesus who has already gone through death is worthy to receive power, wealth, wisdom, and strength, honor, glory, and praise!"

And the rest of creation in the entire universe sang

"To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb, be praise and honor, glory and might, forever and ever!"

The four living creatures answered, "Amen!" And the elders fell down and worshiped

Chapter Six

The First Seal
Jesus opens the first seal and John who is the writer of Revelation sees a white horse meaning fast but righteous, with a rider with a bow which signifies the power to conquer. The rider was given a crown signifying that he had already victories in his own way (it also means predetermined victory). 

This means that one who has already understood the way to the kingdom is sent to guide others into the same kingdom and he will be successful. This is the Good News of the Gospel.

The Second Seal
When the second seal is broken John is called to see a Red horse with a rider who is given the power to take away peace and let the inhabitants of the earth kill each other. The knowledge of the word of God brings enmity. It has been the source of many wars. 

What was given the rider was a great sword which means great revelation of the word of God. 

The Third Seal
When the third seal is broken there is a black horse with a rider and he has weighing scales in his hands. 

The cost of food goes up but not cooking oil and alcohol. This has a lot of meanings. The cost of living goes up for those who are not under the anointing of the Lord but such enjoy their lives. Life gets better for those under the Christ.

The Fourth Seal
When the fourth seal is opened the horse is pale meaning inclined to death and the rider is named death with hell after him. 

He is given authority over a fourth of the earth which means that this is a strong religious power which brings to death its followers by use of force (the sword) with lack of true knowledge (famine) with death (martyrdom) by dictatorship (wild animals)

The Fifth Seal
When the fifth seal was opened John sees the souls of the men who had died in Christ Jesus and because of testifying about Him. They cried to Jesus saying,

 "How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" 

Jesus bestowed upon them righteousness and answered them by telling them that there are more people who are to die because of following Christ before they are avenged. 

The Sixth Seal
When the sixth seal is broken there is a 

great earthquake (great shaking of the political and economic status of the time) 

and the sun becomes black (solar eclipse) . Marks the change in time.The coming time will not depend on hour many hours you work but guidance from God himself through the Holy Spirit.

and the whole moon become reddened (lunar eclipse) Marks the change in appearance of things. Also is a sign for a people who use lunar calendars and their coming judgement.

The stars fell from the sky. Celestial rocks fall on earth (also a  prominent people were brought low) 

During this period those nations and peoples who are termed prominent will be brought low. 

There high in society either by being under command or self-made will be made afraid by economic depression of the time. 

They did not want to face those who were now in authority and making it economically and it is those who are in Christ Jesus. 

World trade came into a standstill and from the east came an angel with a seal who restricted the four angels who had been given power to destroy the earth. 

He explained it would only be destroyed after the servants of God (note term used ‘servants’) received a mark.

And John is told the number of those to receive the mark on their foreheads meaning they have received ‘revelation word’.  The total number is 144,000 people. 

These were made up of 12,000 people from every tribe of Israel. 

After this John sees a big multitude of people who have been purified and holding palm branches (meaning praise)

They called out in a loud voice: "Salvation comes from our God, who sits on the throne, and from the Lamb!"

All the angels stood around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures. Then they threw themselves face downward in front of the throne and worshiped God,

saying, "Amen! Praise, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might belong to our God forever and ever! Amen!"

One of the elders explains to John that the multitude is the people who have made through the great tribulation or persecution and they are the ones who had put effort and made themselves pure using the blood of Christ Jesus.

By putting effort and cleaning themselves using the blood of Jesus they have made it before God’s throne and thereby worship Him night and day.

They receive protection from the Almighty God and with it provision and rest from toil.

They receive guidance from Jesus Christ who is at the center of the throne of God and they are led into ways and activities that bring them prosperity without tears.

The Seventh Seal
When the seventh seal is opened there is silence in heaven for an hour meaning that prayers of the God’s people seemed as if they went unanswered for a very short period of their lives. ( also note the month of Cheshvan has no holidays and sometimes has 30 days e.g. 2013 November 3)

Seven angels stood before God and were given seven trumpets. Trumpets are usually for jubilation and also for a warning.

The prayers of these God’s people are now with expedience answered and fulfilled with prosperity and pleasant living. 

On earth there can be heard murmuring, cries as God’s people start rising economically and those who do not depend on God were brought low.

The seven angels were ready to blow on their trumpets.

The sound of the angels’ trumpets bring destruction to the drivers of world economies.
When the first one was sounded, a third of the building materials were destroyed and this can only mean high cost of development. 

The second trumpet sounded and a great stumbling block came upon a third of the livelihood the world’s population. A third of the world population died and a third of known economic drivers became redundant. 

When the third trumpet was sounded, a great economic power was brought low and with it the source of livelihood and investments were rendered unfruitful. Many people died because of lack of a livelihood. The great economic power is also known as ‘wormwood’.

The fourth angels sounded his trumpet and a third of prosperity knowledge (light from the sun, moon and stars) is rendered useless.

I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a loud voice, "Woe! Woe! Woe for those who dwell on the earth, because of the other voices of the trumpets of the three angels, who are yet to sound!"

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