Revelation – The Seven Seals

Part 2 The Saints and the 144,000

(Revelation 6:9-8:5)

Remember that as the Seals are opened they mark a specific time, but their effect continues on from that point and into the future.

Revelation 6:9-11 “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:[10] And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?[11] And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.”

This seal was opened just after the Fourth Seal as the souls of those that had died and continued to die before, during and after the dark ages cry out to God to be avenged. This was a time of persecution of belief and not just ones religious connection. Many had died a martyr because of their steadfast faith and belief in what Jesus had truly taught. They, the souls under the alter, are told that they would have to wait a little while longer until those that would suffer as they had was fulfilled. Their blood requires justice to be carried out, it is not actual souls crying out from under the alter, but the representation of justice being needed. A Fellowservant is one who spreads the Gospel and a Brethren is a fellow believer. Before their blood could be avenged there would be a set number of those that would die as they had died. In the Fifth Seal these martyrs would be rewarded with a white robe for the sacrifice that they had given both in life and death. The martyring of the Fellowservant and Brethren continues even till today and will grow worse as time goes on and the true believers are persecuted once again by the church for their steadfastness to the Truth.

Revelation 6:12-17 “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;[13] And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.[14] And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.[15] And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;[16] And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:[17] For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

The opening of the Sixth Seal is marked by a great earthquake that took place back in 1755, known as the Lisbon quake. The irony of the timing is the day it fell on and that was All Saints Day. In 1780 there was a time known as the Dark Day in New England that turned day into night and even the moon shone as blood. In 1799 there was an enormous meteorite shower that is also the first one recorded in history. The observer recorded as “whole heaven appeared as if illuminated with sky rockets, flying in an infinity of directions, and I was in constant expectation of some of them falling on the vessel. They continued until put out by the light of the sun after day break”. Later on in 2004 we would have another earthquake that moved the axis of the earth, as to move every mountain and island out of its place. The people calling for the mountains and rocks to cover them from the one on the throne is depicting the continual rise of atheists and others calling to remove God from all walks of life, as to hide them from the face of God. Though they reject and do not believe in God they still do not want their eyes to be cast upon anything that would bring God back in their minds. It reminds me of the saying “ignorance is bliss”.

Revelation 7:1-17 “And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.[2] And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,[3] Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.[4] And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.[5] Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. [6] Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.[7] Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. [8] Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. [9] After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;[10] And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. [11] And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,[12] Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. [13] And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?[14] And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, these are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. [15] Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.[16] They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.[17] For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”

The sealing of the 144,000 would also begin after the time of the 2004 earthquake. The Almighty would place a spiritual mark, literally on the foreheads of His chosen people. If you could see in the spiritual realm you would be able to see these marks, that is why I call them literal marks and not some form of symbolism. These 144,000 are not Jews as the Christian world says they are, but they are 144,000 Israelites from all over the earth. For the Jews only make up one of the tribes of Israel. As for the Great Multitude, these are the ones that have gone through the Great Tribulation of the end times. These are the ones that will be reaped from the earth during the Last (seventh) Trumpet along with all those that have died before because of their steadfastness and their testimony. The souls of the saints mentioned in the Fifth Seal are among this number for it is during the Trumpets that they are avenged.

Revelation 8:1-5 “And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.[2] And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.[3] And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.[4] And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.[5] And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.”

Revelation is divided into three main sections, Seals, Trumpets and Vials (Bowls). As each section ends it begins the next one. As the Seals come to their end we are shown two last events. A silence falls in heaven for half an hour. Is that time literally half an hour or is it a different span of time. Could it be prophetic time? If so than would that is based on a day for a year or even a day for a thousand years? That would make a half an hour being 30 minutes, 7 ½ days or 21 years roughly speaking. Also you must think is this silence in the spiritual realm or in the physical? The implication of heaven going silent spiritually is worse than our own heaven going silent. Our heaven going eerily silent is nothing compared to having our cries or even having blessings from God dry up. There can be different possibilities and it may be left up to us to be watching for whatever it may be. The censer filled with fire from the altar, which is also the altar where the souls of the saints cry out from, is the answer to their cries and prayers. Their blood begins to get avenged with the beginning of the trumpets. This moment is marked by voices, thunderings, lightnings and an earthquake. Out of those four things the voices are what I have been the most curious about. If the voices can be heard who will be the ones that will hear them? Will it be like the time Jesus’s Father spoke from heaven, but only some understood what was said while others heard only thundering? This is the Seal I believe we are awaiting to be opened.