chapter ten
The Sixth and Seventh Seals
About this
chapter:
a. Comparing the sixth seal with Matthew and the second
woe.
b. Comparing the seventh seal with the seventh trumpet, the seventh vial
of wrath and the third woe.
A one-volume commentary on the Bible by Jamieson,
Fausset & Brown, which was highly recommended by Charles Spurgeon, helped to
confirm my view on the seven seals. JFB is the standard conservative-evangelical
work that was published sometime around 1871. In their Commentary they made this
statement of which I believe to be the truth: "Thus, it appears, the seven
seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven vials, are not consecutive, but
parallel, and ending in the same consummation. They present the unfolding of
God's plans for bringing about the grand end under three different aspects,
mutually complementing each other." Their Commentary also said that Matthew 24
was a parallel with these as well.
For a better understanding of this,
let me explain. The seven seals cover the whole span of the seven years of
tribulation, not one seal for each year, they are seven events that occur during
the seven years. The seven trumpets and seven vials of wrath begin at the middle
of the tribulation and cover seven events that occur during the last 3 and a
half years. They are one and the same with one another complementing each other
from two different views. These events will all come to an end at the end of the
tribulation, at which time the seventh seal, the seventh trumpet and the seventh
vial of wrath all occur during the same time frame.
The sixth and seventh seal occur very very close together, back to back. The sixth and seventh seal are the fulfilling of the second and third woe that we see in Revelations the 11th Chapter. I believe that the second woe is the sixth seal covering the time from the Rapture of the Church up until Christ appears in the clouds for Armageddon. This is the earthly view followed quickly by the actually coming of Christ and his heavenly host to do battle at Armageddon.
The Second Woe, the Sixth Seal and the Rapture
Rev.11: 12:
The sixth seal is a discription of a period of time right before Armageddon. It will begin with an earthquake which will occur because of the rapture of the Church. This will happen at the same time the two witnesses are caught up to Heaven. We will go with them.
The sixth seal is the same event as Matthew 24:29-31. This will occur at the time of the rapture of the Church and the marriage supper of the Lamb. Let's compare the scriptures in Matthew with the sixth seal in Revelation.
Matthew 24:29-31:
Now let's compare these scriptures with the ones containing the sixth seal in Revelation 6:12-17.
Revelation 6:12-17.
Now let us compare these scriptures piece by piece. Matthew 24:29 said the sun would be darkened. It's the same as Revelation 6:12, which says that the sun would become black as sackcloth of hair. It's the same thing.
It says in Matthew 24:29 that the moon would not give her light. In Revelation 6:12 it says that the moon would become as blood. This is why the moon can not give her light. It has become as blood. Once again it is the same thing.
It says in Matthew 24:29 that "the stars would fall from heaven." In Revelation 6:13 it says that "the stars fell from heaven" like a fig tree. It describes this falling a little more, but it is the same thing again.
In Matthew 24:29-30 tells us that the powers of Heaven would be shaken and that the sign of the coming of the Son of Man would appear in the heavens. Revelation 6:14 says that heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together. This is the powers of heaven being shook, and the sign of the coming of the Son of Man.
Matthew 24:30 says that all the tribes of the earth would mourn, and they would see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Revelation 6:15-16 shows the kings of the earth, the great men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hide themselves in dens and in the rocks of the mountains. This is all the tribes of the earth in mourning. They are mourning all right but it is for themselves. They are asking the mountains and rocks to fall on them, and to hide them from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, Why? Because they see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with power and great glory. He is sitting on his throne as He comes in the clouds. What throne? The throne that He is going to rule the earth from.
Once again you can clearly see that these scriptures are the same events.
The sixth seal is revealing the last few moments on this earth from the time of the Rapture to His appearing at Armageddon. This is when the seventh seal will begin. The seventh seal is only one verse long. In this verse we see thirty minutes of silence in Heaven. The reason we see thirty minutes of silence is because Christ and his saints are on the earth defeating the anti-Christ and his nations. The reason for the silence is because Christ and the Church is not there. Then all of Heaven will rejoice because it will be over.
The Third Woe, the Seventh Seal and Armageddon
Revelation 11:14:
In these scriptures we can tell that this is the return of Christ to destroy
the Antichrist and the wicked nations. He is about to reward the righteous dead
in this scripture because he does not judge the wicked dead until the great
white throne judgement of God.
At the time of his return to the earth for
the battle of Armageddon which is this time period that we are looking at. The
Seventh Seal is fulfilled as the seventh trumpet is completed. You see the seventh seal is part of the events that occur during the seventh seal. When these trumpets have all run their course then the seventh seal will be finished. It ends with the coming of Christ.
End Chapter Ten
