As John begins to relate the second of the visions of the Revelation there is a movement from the "historicals" to the "pictorials." The seven churches of Asia were historical churches engaged in historical situations at the end of the first century. They provide the setting and the historical springboard from which the entirety of the Revelation is to be interpreted. Even though they are historically rooted at the end of the first century, they represent all congregations of Christians in every age, and the repetitive propensity of Christians to succumb to the temptation of substituting "religion" for the genuine dynamic of the life of Jesus Christ. In chapter four and following the style of the Revelation changes to pictorial imagery, but this style-change must not be used to divorce what follows from the preceding historical and textual context. Any legitimate interpretation of the Revelation must preserve a continuity with the setting and the subject introduced in chapters one through three. The unity of the Revelation must be preserved, otherwise it becomes a sequence of "revelations," as it is sometimes mistakenly referred to. There is no logical or chronological chasm between chapters three and four. There is no real change of theme or time, subject or setting, between the third and fourth chapters.

   There is much diversity of interpretation among Christians at this point. (See chart in Addenda C and F). The preterist interpretation does not posit a change of theme or time between chapters three and four. The subject/theme of the preterist interpretation is fixed in the survival of first-century Christians under persecutive first-century conditions. The preterist interpretation lacks a transgenerational subject/theme that transcends all of time, and a translocational time/setting allowing the Revelation to apply to all Christian peoples in all ages.

   The historicist interpretation embarks on a sequential chronological review of Western history. The subject/theme is progressively transgenerational, but the historicist interpretation does not have a translocational setting, for it is limited to Western history and an arbitrarily applied sequence thereof.

   The futurist interpretation posits a great chronological gap between chapters three and four of the Revelation. Chapters two and three are interpreted as in the historical context of the first century, or sometimes figuratively applied to a progressive sequence of Western church history. Chapter four is then interpreted as applying to an alleged "tribulation period" of the yet future. This is a most radical exegetical leap of interpretative logic and chronology which creates an almost total severance of subject/theme and time/setting from the foregoing chapters. The interpretive necessity of historical and textual context is ignored. The futurist interpretation does not have a transgenerational subject/theme, nor does it have a translocational time/setting.

   The triumphalist/idealist interpretation maintains the best contextual consistency of subject/theme and time/setting. This interpretation explains that there is a transgenerational theme throughout the Revelation whereby all Christians in every age are intended to understand the victory of Jesus Christ in the "enigma of the interim" between His physical comings. There is a translocational setting that is not limited to the past of the first century, nor to future events, but allows Christians in every century to find the Revelation personally applicable and to recognize the victory of Christ in the midst of their circumstances of life.

   Employing the latter of the interpretive methods throughout this study, we can see the timeless Christocentric proclamation of "the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1:1). The Revelation was completely applicable to the Christians of the past centuries, is entirely applicable to Christians today, and will be fully applicable to the Christians of future times. The victory of Jesus Christ is recognized as being already realized, presently operative, and not yet fully consummated, therefore to be hoped for. This interpretive perspective provides a much-needed explanation of how Christians are to function in the present, enduring, persevering, and "abiding under" the pressures and problems of life by recognizing the sufficiency of God's grace in Jesus Christ. The way out is through! The much-needed distinguishing between Christianity and "religion" in every age is also to be noticed throughout the Revelation.

   The contextual consistency of the triumphalist/idealist interpretation maintains the comprehensive and extensive import of the Revelation. The pictorial images of chapters four to seven become the second "frame" or "view" or "camera angle" of the images of the great visionary "movie in the round." They are the first "variation" in the eternal symphonic musical composition of God's Revelation.

   So what is the time-frame of the action being pictured in chapters four and following? God is the great 'I AM" (Exod. 3:14) who is not proscribed by time and space. He is eternally present tense. In the eternity of God's realm and perspective, one does not have to ascribe a particular time/space parameter for His activities. The pictured action does not necessarily have to be chronologically sequential. It can be timelessly applicable.

   The scene for the pictures in chapters four and five is in the eternity of the heavenly realm. Having promised the Christians in the seven churches of Asia that overcomers would see the victory in Christ, the risen Lord Jesus goes on to give a picture of the victory celebration in the heavenlies. John was invited to view and describe the throne-room of God. From the heavenly "control-center," it is obvious that God has central authority in the sovereign transcendence of His majestic power. God has it all "under control." What is taking place on earth in the "enigma of the interim" is not taking God by surprise. Consistent with the obvious theme of conflict between God and Satan, between Christianity and "religion" throughout the Revelation, Caird1 uses the illustration of a military headquarters with geographical maps on the wall. The commander is moving flags to different positions. This action of placing flags on a map is obviously symbolic, and may be descriptive of positions won, or may be determinative of positions they expect to occupy. In God's eternal foreknowledge the descriptive and the determinative may be one and the same, as might be the case in the Revelation.

   In the scene that John describes throughout the Revelation there is an obvious celebration of victory. In each of the "camera angles" that John recorded with his literary camcorder, God in Christ is seen to be the victor and worthy of praise. Christ's "finished work" in the cross and resurrection is the basis of His victorious power (5:6,9; 7:14), for "He was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead" (Rom. 1:4). The conflict that led to His suffering and death, though, is continued in those who are identified with Him and in whom Jesus Christ dwells. The life of Christ in Christians will elicit the same conflict with satanic religion that Jesus incurred while incarnated on earth, leading to continued personal suffering and physical death. This is what the Christians of the first century, and of every age thereafter, need to remember when their lives and the activities of the church do not appear to be very victorious. The Scriptures are abundantly clear about this identification with suffering and death, explaining that Christians will be hated (John 15:18), persecuted (Mark 10:30; John 15:20; II Cor. 4:9; II Tim. 3:12); afflicted (Col. 1:24); suffer (Acts 9:16; Rom. 8:17; II Cor. 1:5; Phil. 3:10; Col. 1:24; I Pet. 2:21; 4:13); experience tribulation (John 16:33; Acts 14:22;Rev. 1:9); and experience death (II Cor. 4:10,11; Phil. 3:10). Christians who understand this are the only ones who can "see" the victory in the midst of the ongoing conflict, and sing praises to God and Christ. Such Christians, along with John, already have a glimpse of the heavenly hymns of victory that are recorded particularly in chapters four and five of the Revelation.

   Note the progressive extension of the choirs singing praise to God and Christ. First there is the hymn of the four living creatures (4:8), then the hymn of the twenty-four elders (4:11), then the hymn of the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders (5:9), then the hymn of the four living creatures, the twenty-four elders and myriads of angels (5:12), and then the hymn of every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea (5:13). Notice also the axiological emphasis of their praises. The word translated "worthy" in 4:11; 5:2,4,9,12 is the Greek word haxios, from which we get the English words "axiom" and "axiological." An axiom is a worthy, self-evident statement. "Axiological" has reference to a worthy determination of values and judgments. The ultimate "worth" of all things and peoples is in relation to Jesus Christ! Christians in the "enigma of the interim" when victory over world forces and religious pretenders does not seem apparent, are faced with axiological determinations of "worthiness," as to whether they regard Jesus Christ as the worthy investment of their lives, even unto death, banking on His victory. Is Jesus Christ the worthy axis of the universe to which all else must be related and around which all else turns; the One to whom all worthiness should be ascribed in praise?

   The risen Lord Jesus is assuring the Christians at the end of the first-century and the Christians of every age through these pictorial images that His victory which He won on the cross when He said, "It is finished!" (John 19:30), is indeed the victory that can be counted on now by Christians in the midst of trial, and that the ultimate expression of that victory will be consummated in the heavenly glory with eternal hymns of praise. The intent of the Christic Story-teller is the same as His intent in all of His story-telling including the parables and analogies recorded in the gospel accounts. He is emphasizing the radical character of what God has made available in the new covenant, the restoration of God's intent for man, the kingdom which operates by divine grace, the judgment upon those who reject such, particularly the "religionists" who oppose and counteract God's work in His Son, Jesus Christ, and the expectant hope that Christians can have for participation in the eternal victory celebration in heaven.

   John begins this segment of His visionary record by noting the chronological sequence of his viewing. "After these things," after the things viewed in chapters one through three, he saw "a door open in heaven" (4:1). A door must be opened for man to see heavenly realities and look into the presence of God. Perhaps this is the door that was opened by Christ, making the way to heaven open by His crucifixion and resurrection. John heard "the first voice which...was like a trumpet," the same voice he records having heard in 1:10, inviting him to "Come and see what must take place after these things" (4:1). After the historical situation of the seven churches at the end of the first-century, we are granted a panoramic picture of the activity that takes place in the "enigma of the interim." There is nothing in these words that would indicate a chronological gap that jumps thousands of years to the time of the so-called "Tribulation Period." The transgenerational subject/theme and the translocational time/setting allow for reference to events throughout Christian history.

   Controlled by the Holy Spirit, i.e. "in the spirit," John sees "One sitting on a throne" (4:2). Jesus had just promised the Christians of Laodicea that they might "sit with Him and the Father on His throne" (3:21). The throne signifies one who is in control, ruling and victorious.

   Similar to the vision of Ezekiel (Ezek. 1:26-28), there was a brilliant and dazzling luminance which describes the presence of God (4:3), an "unapproachable light" (I Tim. 6:16) in which God is cloaked (Ps. 104:2), and the appearance of a "rainbow around the throne" which was a symbol of God's covenant (Gen. 9:16) of His faithfulness, mercy and sovereignty. As a purposeful counterfeit, the anti-Christian New Age religion uses the symbol of the rainbow today.

   Around the throne of God, John saw "twenty-four elders sitting on thrones" (4:4). The number "twelve" seems to be the number illustrative of God's People, as there were twelve patriarchs in the old covenant and twelve apostles in the new covenant (21:12-14). The twenty-four elders represent the full complement of God's People from both old and new covenant periods, this being the predominantly accepted interpretation since the earliest centuries of church history. These twenty-four elders were "clothed in white garments" of Christ's righteousness and had golden victory-wreath "crowns on their heads," in identification with Christ's victory.

   John saw and heard "flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder" (4:5), representing God's presence, majesty and power. Moses saw and heard such when He came into the presence of God on Sinai (Exod. 19:16); Elihu describes God's presence as such (Job. 37:1-5); the Psalmist describes God's activity in such language (Ps. 77:18). The fullness of the work of the Holy Spirit was also evident to John as represented by the "seven lamps of fire which are the seven Spirits of God" (4:5). God appears to have been separated from the rest of creation, distanced by a "sea of glass like crystal" (4:6).

   In and around the throne of God, John saw "four living creatures" (4:6), like unto a lion, a calf, a man and an eagle (4:7). This is similar to Ezekiel's vision recorded in Ezek. 1:5-28 where he saw "four living beings." The imagery is also similar to that seen by Isaiah where he saw angelic seraphim calling out "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts" (Isa. 6:3). The "four living creatures" may represent the complete order of angelic beings, or they may represent the whole order of animate creation. Whoever they are, they have penetrating insight "full of eyes in front and behind" (4:7,8), and they recognize and praise the holiness of the "Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come" (4:8), in the eternality of His divine activity.

   Seeing the "glory and honor and thanks" expressed to God by the "four living creatures" (4:9), the "twenty-four elders cast their derived victory crowns before the throne" and worship God also (4:10). They express the worthiness of God to receive glory and honor and power based on His creative work (4:11), in like manner as David explained that "the heavens declare the glory of God" (Psalm 19:1).

   John then explains the primary props around which this second section of the revelatory vision is cast. In God's hand was a scroll with writing on both sides of the papyrus (5:1), similar to the scroll Ezekiel saw (Ezek. 2:9,10). Perhaps the two-sided writing indicates the extensive and comprehensive content of the scroll. The scroll was "sealed with seven seals" (5:1), again bearing similarity to the vision of Isaiah about a "sealed scroll" (Isa. 29:11,12). John saw and heard a "strong angel" (cf. 10:1; 18:21) ask "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" (5:2). No one "in heaven, on the earth, or under the earth" was able to do so (5:3), perhaps suggesting the unworthiness of all creation because of sin, or perhaps just the inability of any part of the created order to perceive from God's perspective and to understand the full extent of His sovereignty. John, the tender, loving apostle, admits that he wept when no one was found worthy to open the scroll (5:4). These do not seem to be the tears of a thwarted selfish desire to "see the future," but the honest tears of disappointment in the postponement of seeing the ultimate consummation of Christ's victory over all satanic forces. "You would cry too if it happened to you," and if you thought the purpose of God might be thwarted and you could not see Christian faith vindicated at last.

   One of the twenty-four elders told John to "Stop crying," and to look to Jesus (5:5). Is it not true that our whining and weeping ceases when we look away from the unworthiness of the created order to the worthiness of Jesus Christ? The elder said to John, "Behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the scroll and its seven seals" (5:5). These are obvious references to Jesus Christ. The Messianic prophecy of Jacob to his sons referred to a "lion" from the tribe of Judah, from which the scepter of power shall not depart (Gen. 49:9,10), and in fulfillment of such Jesus "was descended from Judah" (Luke 3:33; Heb. 7:14). Likewise Jesus is from the "root of David," as God first explained to David that his "descendant would establish his kingdom" (II Sam. 7:12,16; Ps. 89:4,29,35,36) and the prophets later spoke of the "root" and "branch" of David (Isa. 53:2; Jere. 23:5) who would reign as King. In the first sermon of the church at Pentecost, Peter refers to "God's oath to David to seat one of his descendants upon His throne" (Acts 2:30), and the risen Lord Jesus affirms conclusively "I am the root and the offspring of David" (Rev. 22:16). Jesus has indeed "overcome" the world (John 16:33), having "disarmed the rulers and authorities and triumphed over them" (Col. 2:14,15) in His "finished work" of death, resurrection and Pentecostal restoration.

   John saw that the "Lamb slain" (5:6,9) was indeed able to break the seals and open the scroll. Such is the redemptive basis of His victory! Isaiah had indicated that the Messiah would be "like a lamb" (Isa. 53:7). John the Baptist introduced Him as "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Peter refers to Jesus as "a lamb unblemished and spotless" (I Peter 1:18), and Paul identifies Christ as the "Passover lamb who has been sacrificed" (I Cor. 5:7). Jesus died as the lamb sacrificed for the sins of mankind, and John sees Him "standing" by the throne (5:6), "alive forevermore" (1:18), having risen victorious from His death by crucifixion. As such the "seven horns" that John speaks of (5:6)refer to His omnipotent authority, the "seven eyes" (5:6) to His omniscient understanding as He functions in the complete activity of the Holy Spirit omnipresently "sent out into all the earth" (5:6).

   Exercising the authority that is rightfully His by His equality with the Father and by His resurrection from the dead (Matt. 28:18), the risen Lord Jesus took the scroll from the authoritative right hand of the Father God (5:7). The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders responded in worship. They "fell down before the Lamb" (5:8). They each had a harp, which has long been identified as a melodic instrument of praise toward God (Psalm 33:2). Many strange conjectures have been proffered of how Christians will sit around heaven playing harps for eternity, based primarily on this verse and on Revelation 14:2. The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders also had "golden bowls of incense, which were the prayers of the saints" (5:8). The aroma of incense has been identified as a sensory metaphor of sweet-smelling prayers of praise unto God. David asked that his "prayer be counted as incense before God" (Psalm 141:2).

   Along with their praise and prayers, John explains that he heard the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders "sing a new song" (5:9). Some have identified the "old song" as the song of Moses and Israel recorded in Exodus 15. The Psalmist refers to a "new song of praise" (Ps. 40:3; 98:1). Isaiah prophesies that God will "declare new things" causing His people to "sing to the Lord a new song" (Isa. 42:9,10). The "new things" have been made available in Jesus Christ (Eph. 4:24; Heb. 8:8: 10:20), in response to which we can all sing the "new song." The "new song" expresses the axiological "worthiness" of Jesus Christ to break the seals of the scroll based on His death and resurrection. Murdered by crucifixion, the death of Jesus was the redemptive ransom whereby He "purchased with His blood" the just price that God had declared must be the consequence of sin (Gen. 2:17). The universality of the benefit of Christ's death for all mankind is expressed in its being efficacious for "every tribe and tongue and people and nation" (5:9). By His historical resurrection and the reception of His life by faith, all Christian persons become "a kingdom and priests to God" (5:10), in fulfillment of God's intent that His people should be "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exod. 19:6). Peter explains that Christians are "a royal priesthood, a holy nation" (I Peter 2:5,9). John referred to our being "a kingdom, priests to God" at the beginning of the Revelation (1:6), and will later refer to our being "priests of God and of Christ, and reigning with Him for a thousand years" (20:6). Christians are indeed "kings and priests," and we "reign in life through Christ Jesus" (Rom. 5:17) "upon the earth" (5:10), anticipating our future reign "over the nations" (2:26) and even "over the angels" (I Cor. 6:3).

   The praise continues as the choirs get larger. Added to the voices of the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders are now the voices of myriads of angels (5:11). Again they express the worthiness of Jesus Christ to be praised and worshipped on the basis of His redemptive sacrifice, and that He is qualified thereby to receive "power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing" (5:12). Jesus was "declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead" (Rom. 1:4), and is "the power of God" (I Cor. 1:24). The riches of God are ours in Him (Eph. 1:7,18; 2:7). He is the "wisdom of God" (I Cor. 24,30). We are "strong in His strength" (Eph. 6:10). By His death He was crowned with "glory and honor" (Heb. 2:9). We are "blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 1:3).

   The choir eventually swells to include "every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them" (5:13). They continue to sing praises and to worship the risen Lord Jesus as God, declaring His "dominion forever" (5:13) reminiscent of Daniel's vision (Dan. 7:13,14). Later the voices of the martyrs will be added to those singing heavenly hymns of praise (7:10,12).

   After this glimpse into the heavenly throne-room of God and His Son, Jesus Christ, and the victory songs of all the created order, John focuses our attention on the seals of the scroll which Jesus breaks (6:1-17; 8:1). Why is it important to go back and consider the breaking of the seals which were introduced earlier (5:1-3)?

   Jesus is always realistic about our present condition on earth. We may be able to look to the future and see in a vision the victory celebration of Jesus Christ (chapters four and five), but we are still "in the world" (John 17:11,18) and experiencing the hindrances of that one who is the "god of this world" (II Cor. 4:4), who still has "the power of death" (Heb. 2:14). Faithful Christians continue to be brutalized and killed (Rom. 8:36; 12:1; I Cor. 15:31; II Cor. 4:10,11; Phil. 3:10). Christians are mocked, ostracized, and treated with injustice. Life is not fair in this world! The Christians at the end of the first century were aware of this, as well as Christians in every age since then. The risen Lord Jesus is also aware of what is going on in the world, and by the pictorial representation of the breaking of the seals explains the on-going worldly and religious phenomena over which He is victorious. The victory has been won by His "finished work" (John 19:30) in the past, and we can look forward with hope and assurance to the heavenly consummation of the victory in the future, but the present circumstances seem to loom so large on the horizon of human perspective. We concur with Paul that we are "more than conquerors through Christ" (Rom. 8:37), but the diabolical effects of "the ruler of this world" (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) seem to be winning the day, especially that most subtle satanic subterfuge of religion. The conflict between Christ and Satan, between Christianity and religion, continues to rage in every age. Jesus wants to assure Christians in every age that He will be victorious over every diabolic expression of religion which might arise throughout church history.

   Revealing Himself to be the only One qualified to break the sequence of the seals, Jesus is encouraging Christians throughout the "enigma of the interim" to remain firm in their identification with Him, the Overcomer. Only by faithful receptivity of His character and activity will Christians participate in His victory. The arena of testing is right now. We live on the battlefield in the midst of spiritual warfare between God and Satan, between Christianity and religion. Day by day, moment by moment, we make the decisions of faith as to whether we will trust Jesus Christ, even unto death and martyrdom. Jesus instructed His followers previously, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness. Blessed are you when men revile you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me" (Matt. 5:10,11). He who "loses his life for My sake, shall find it" (Matt. 10:39).

   Some basic questions must be asked in order to arrive at some interpretive meaning to this next sector of the vision in chapter six. Without positing some presuppositions, the subsequent interpretations scatter in diverse directions.

   What does the scroll represent? The scroll was first mentioned in 5:1-5, but it is the seals of that same scroll that are being opened in chapter six, with the seventh seal broken in 8:1. Only by positing some meaning to the contents of the scroll can we explain some significance to its being opened by the seals being broken. Numerous explanations have been proffered. Some have conjectured that the scroll represents the Bible and its contents which only Jesus can open and explain. Some would limit the contents to the Old Testament, while others suppose that the contents of the scroll is the New Testament, God's new covenantal agreement, His "last will and testament" through His Son, Jesus Christ. The "book of life" containing the names of the redeemed has also been suggested since it is mentioned elsewhere in the Revelation (3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12,15; 21:27). Other explanations of the content of the scroll include the "gospel message," God's Plan for the Ages, God's redemptive plan, God's plan for His kingdom, God's foreknowledge of future events, etc. In that the Christians of the first century and every century thereafter have desired to know how all things are going to "turn out," and John was so keen to understand the contents of the scroll that he wept when he thought it might not be opened (5:4), a reasonable explanation of the contents of the scroll might be that it contained God's knowledge and awareness of the spiritual conflict in the "enigma of the interim" between His comings and how His determined consummation of Christ's victory would be worked out in the future.

   Who is responsible for the sealing of the scroll? We know that Jesus Christ is the only One able to break the seals (5:5), but who put them on the scroll in the first place? The two alternative answers to this question would seem to be either God or Satan. Did God put the seals on the scroll, or did Satan put the seals on the scroll? Those who attribute the sealing of the scroll to God are quick to point out that the seven-fold number of the seals represents God's perfect purpose, but could Satan be counterfeiting God's activity? Those who attribute the sealing of the scroll to Satan point out the destructive elements of the sealed activities.

   What is the purpose of the scroll being sealed? Obviously God's purpose will be different from Satan's purpose. If God sealed the scroll then the purpose of its being sealed may indicate the sovereign divine control of all things which are "sealed" from the finite understanding of man. The sequential removal of the seals might then represent the progressive disclosure and "revelation" of God's ultimate victory in Jesus Christ despite the apparent victories of religion. If Satan sealed the scroll, then perhaps his purpose was to place his "mark of ownership" on the church, to falsely assert his authority, and to thereby "seal up" the gospel message and God's activity within His church, which Jesus then "breaks" in order to reveal His victory.

   What do the seals signify? In Biblical times seals were used for a variety of purposes. They were used as a mark of ownership, as a seal of authority, to certify approval or genuineness. They were used for closure of an object that was to be secret or hidden in order to assure safekeeping and protection against tampering. If God did the sealing of the scroll, then the seals might represent how the infinite panorama of God's sovereign control of all things is "sealed" from man's finite understanding. If Satan sealed the scroll it might represent his desire to close, cover and hide the content of what God is doing in His Son, Jesus Christ, in order to keep such unrevealed. The opening of the seals by Jesus Christ might then be the "revelation" of the reality of Jesus Christ and His victorious sufficiency despite the diabolic religious efforts of Satan to misrepresent what God is doing, the very theme we have seen within the Revelation.

   Perhaps we have a situation, illustrated by the sealing of the scroll, where both the purposes of God and Satan are served simultaneously. This would not be the first time that the devil was used to serve God's purposes. It would be similar to the occasion when God asked Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job?" (Job 1:8), or when Paul explained that God favored him with a thorn in the flesh, "a messenger from Satan" (II Cor. 12:7). Though God is the essential cause of all things, He is not the culpable and blameworthy cause of evil contrary to His character. The destructive element of the seals as intended by Satan may be allowed and used by God to work out His purpose within His people until the fullness of time when Jesus returns to consummate His victory.

   The first four of the seven seals have similar settings, for when Jesus, the Lamb, breaks the seals on the scroll, the "four living creatures" respectively invite John to observe what is happening. In each case a different colored horse carries a rider with a particular assignment. These "four horsemen of the Apocalypse" are widely recognized symbols of the Revelation. Though Zechariah saw four chariots drawn by different colored horses (Zech. 6:1-8), there is not any direct evidence for equating the images.

   What do the four horsemen of the Revelation represent? Interpretations of their meaning have varied widely, sometimes with explanations that are opposite and antithetical one to the other. Take for example the suggested implications of the "white horse" and its conquering rider.

   Some have identified the rider of the white horse revealed in the first seal as Jesus Christ. Their rationale is that the only other reference to a rider of a white horse in the Revelation (19:11-16) is an obvious reference to Jesus who is "Faithful and True" (19:11), the "Word of God" (19:13, the "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" (19:16). In addition they will explain that Jesus goes forth to conquer (6:2) or overcome by the triumphant progress of the gospel.

   In direct contradiction to such an interpretation there are others who identify the rider of the white horse as the "Antichrist." They explain that the "bow" (6:2) was a militaristic instrument of destruction, and that the Antichrist is identified with the Destroyer. Likewise they explain that Jesus does not need to go out to "conquer" for He has already "overcome the world" (John 16:33), but the Antichrist seeks to conquer mankind in order to thwart Christ's activity.

   Aligned in principle with the latter interpretation, it seems more consistent to see all four of the horsemen as destructive phenomena. Though often ingeniously identified as catastrophic events such as famines, world wars or natural disasters in the past, present or future, it seems more viable to identify the action of the four horsemen as the continuing activities of diabolic religionists throughout the history of the church. Religious interpreters do not want to address their own devious and devilish motivations, so it is convenient for them to point to historical events as fulfillment of these images rather than to the satanic tendencies of their own religion.

   The rider of the white horse is masquerading as a pure and righteous victor. The victorious commanders of the marauding armies of old would return to their country or city riding a white stallion/steed as the symbol of self-justified victory. Jesus purposefully did just the opposite. Riding to victory in the "triumphal entry" into Jerusalem, Jesus rode on a donkey to show that His power and victory was not like that of the physical world, explaining "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). Religionists, on the other hand, disguise themselves as "servants of righteousness" (II Cor. 11:15) as they are led by Satan who "disguises himself as an angel of light" (II Cor. 11:14). The history of religion is replete with their carrying weapons of military violence and their constant clamoring after crowns (as evidenced by the papal crown in Roman Catholicism). Religion goes forth "to conquer" (6:2). The Greek word used of the "conquering" activity of the rider of the white horse is nike. This is the same root word that was employed in reference to the Nicolaitans (2:6,15), describing religionists who "conquer the people." Religion seeks to conquer the people by whatever means possible in order to build their own "kingdom" and "empire." Constantine is perhaps the prime example of this religious tendency, allegedly having seen a "cross" in the sky and heard a voice saying, "By this sign conquer!" By the self-justified reasoning of "conquering by the cross" religion has conducted militaristic crusades and violent inquisitions throughout history. Religion is deaf to the words, "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts" (Zech. 4:6).

   The breaking of the second seal reveals a "red horse" with a rider whose mission it is to "take peace from the earth" (6:4). This horseman has a "great sword," and by his impetus men "slay one another" (6:4). Jesus said earlier, "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Matt. 10:34). Later He said, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives" (John 14:27). The world seems to define "peace" as "the absence of conflict," and Jesus knew that His coming would not orchestrate "the absence of conflict." Rather His coming would inflame the conflict of God and Satan, Christianity and religion. Christians are not immune from this spiritual conflict and the physical manifestations of such. The red horse may signify the "bloody" results of hostility, violence, strife and rebellion that have been instigated by religion. Most of the wars of world history have some relation to religious conflict. Religion creates conflicting ideologies which become the cause celebre of fundamentalists who will fight to their death to defend their idolatrous ideology. Religion is the banner under which much of the murder, mayhem and slaughter throughout the world has taken place. Only Jesus Christ can expose such and overcome such.

   When Jesus breaks the third seal of the scroll He reveals a "black horse" with a rider who has "a pair of scales in his hand" (6:5). This horse and rider seems to represent the "darkness of injustice." He offers a "quart of wheat" or "three quarts of barley" for an entire day's wage (6:6). God is "a God of faithfulness, without injustice" (Deut. 32:4), but religion has administered some of the grossest examples of inequity and injustice among men. Religion uses and abuses people. The expedient "good" of the religious organization and its leaders is foremost. Economic discrimination is rampant in religion as greedy leaders stockpile riches for themselves. They are not "prophets," but are merely engaged for "profit." "Do not harm the oil and the wine" (6:6), they cry, for the religionists want to preserve such commodities of luxury for their own self-indulgence. Jesus promised His followers that they would have to renounce all possessions and endure injustice, which often comes at the hand of religion which claims to be God's agent.

   The removal of the fourth seal reveals an "ashen," pale-green horse. The Greek word for the horse's color is chloros, from which we get the words "chlorine" and "chlorophyll." Perhaps it was a sickly, deathly green; the color of a corpse! The rider of this horse is identified with the name "Death," and he was being followed by "Hades" (6:8). We know that "the one having the power of death is the devil" (Heb. 2:14). Hades is to be defined as "the place of the dead." We have already noted that religion fosters physical death as "men slay one another" (6:4) over ideological, geographical and political issues. There is no life in religion! There are religious ways that seem right to man, "but the ends thereof are death" (Prov. 14:12). That the pale-green horse and its Death-rider are given "authority over a fourth of the earth" (6:8) may not represent merely a geographical limitation but a qualitative limitation of Satan's murderous activity, evidencing that God is still sovereignly in charge and limiting the devil's destruction. Meanwhile religion does "kill with the sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth" (6:8), representing varied forms of death (Jere. 15:2; 24:10). It is tempting to identify the "wild beasts" as the religionists themselves who know no civility in their attempts to rule with the threat of death and hades, but that might be questionable exegesis. Based on the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ and His resurrection, Paul could taunt the one having the power of death, saying, "O death, where is your victory?" (I Cor. 15:55). Christians are still called upon to follow Jesus "even unto physical death" (2:10), but the "sting of death" has been removed (I Cor. 15:55,56) by the eternal life that we have in Jesus Christ, and we can give "thanks to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Cor. 15:57).

   The breaking of the fifth seal connects with the reality of death by martyrdom that was alluded to within the messages to the seven churches as the Christians there bore the deadly brunt of religious persecution (2:10,13). Christian martyrs through the centuries have suffered from the violence, injustice and death caused by religion. When the fifth seal is removed Jesus reveals "the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which that had maintained" (6:9). These souls are said to be "underneath the altar" which would seem to allude to a temple-like scene in heaven, but we know that there is no temple there (Rev. 21:22), so it may indicate that they are "near to the heart of God." Those who have inflicted death upon these Christian martyrs are "those who dwell on the earth" (6:10). In contrast to Christians who are "citizens of heaven" (Phil. 3:20), religionists are "earth-dwellers" and "world-agents" of the "god of this world" (II Cor. 4:4). The primary "front" for Satan's earth-bound "world-system" is religion. Christians have often failed to recognize that the chief earthly enemy of the Christian faith is religion. Christianity is not be identified with or aligned with religion. Religion is Satan's organized counterfeit and subterfuge to deceive mankind and undermine the work of Christ. It is always antagonistic to Christians. Religion is responsible for more deaths by martyrdom among Christians that any other agent. Many Christians have been murdered in the midst of religious "heresy-hunting" and inquisitions as documented in Foxe's Book of Martyrs. Religion then turns around and plays off of the martyrs to create an incentive for their adherents to "measure up" to the sacrifice of the martyrs. It uses martyrs as incentive for vengeance against alleged enemies. It even beatifies martyrs into elevated "saints" to be revered and worshipped instead of Jesus Christ. No wonder the martyrs cry out to God to judge the earth-dwelling religionists and avenge their blood (6:10)! Their cry is not an uncharacteristic cry for retaliatory vengeance, but expresses their desire to see Christianity vindicated against the injustice of religion which has promulgated such murderous martyrdom of faithful Christians.

   The martyrs are given "white robes" (6:11) representing the pure and righteous character of Christ, and are told that they "should rest for a while longer" (6:11) in the rest of perfection they enjoy in Christ. This mention of "rest" cannot be legitimately used for religious concepts of "soul rest" or "soul sleep" after death, as some have attempted to do. The martyrs are to rest in Christ "until their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, should be completed also" (6:11). The full measure of those identified with Christ's suffering and the completion of Christian martyrdom will come when Christ returns.

   At the breaking of the sixth seal by Jesus Christ, John sees a destructive scenario that he can only describe in terms of a complete cosmological upheaval. The images he uses are those of a "great earthquake," the "sun became black...," the "whole moon became like blood," "the stars of the sky fell to the earth," "the sky was split apart...," and "every mountain and island were moved out of their places" (6:12-14). If this were referring to an actual cosmological catastrophe then the persons mentioned in verse 15 would have had no place to hide themselves. In the language of hyperbole John uses the figurative metaphors of judgment and destruction (cf. Isa 13::6-11; 34:2-4; Haggai 2:6; Zeph. 1:14,15, etc.). Peter used similar images when he spoke on Pentecost and indicated that the prophecy of Joel 2:28-32 was being fulfilled that day with "wonders in the sky, ...blood, and vapor and smoke, the sun turned into darkness, and the moon into blood" (Acts 2:18-20). When the Spirit of Christ was made available to indwell mankind spiritually there at Pentecost, there was an obvious divine judgment upon Satan's world system described in terms of destruction, dissolution and disintegration. Satan's hold on mankind was being shaken loose, especially the tyranny that he exercises over men in religion. Religion seeks to construct a false security in a social system wherein there is no spiritual enlightenment, no reflection of divine Light, and the guidance of heaven is forsaken. God's judgment will most certainly come to destroy and dissolve the religious world. It will be shaken in violent upheaval and everything will fall apart in disintegration. (Despite such, religion continues to create fear-based reactions to natural cosmological events and eventual catastrophes to scare people into accepting their bondage, crying, "Earthquakes are a sign that the end is near!") When God's judgment comes against religion, men will scurry to "hide themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains" (6:15), fearing the day of reckoning (Isa. 2:12-17). They will plead that the mountains and rocks fall on them (cf. Hosea 10:1-8), for they fear "the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and the wrath of the Lamb" (6:16). Jesus is not just a Lamb "meek and mild," for His wrath will be displayed toward all sin and the religion which fosters such. God hates religion! "Who is able to stand" in the day of God's wrath (6:17)? Only those who "stand in Christ."

   Between the opening of the sixth seal and the seventh seal there is an interval (chapter seven) that serves to add suspense concerning how Christ's victory over religion will be consummated. A somewhat parenthetical interlude is used to explain the continuity and discontinuity that exist between Israel and the Church. This is a much needed explanation, for the primary religious theologies of our day, be they Covenant, Dispensational or otherwise, fail to preserve a Christocentric understanding that recognizes how the promises of God to Israel are fulfilled in Christ and His Body, the Church.2

   Explaining the chronological sequence of his viewing, John notes that "after" he saw the breaking of the first six seals he saw "four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth" (7:1). Though the religion of past centuries used the "four angels at the four corners of the earth" as a literalistic proof-text to denounce Copernicus and Galileo and their observations of the earth being round, what John seems to be describing is that the four angels seem to have the authority to allow the "ill-winds" of religion to sweep in upon the peoples of the earth. The destruction wrought by the "four horsemen" has been enough, and God disallows and prevents any further destructive influence of religion as illustrated by the "four winds."

   Another angel ascends from "the rising of the sun," from where Light originates, i.e. from God, "having the seal of the living God" (7:2). This angel declares that God's bondservants, i.e. Christians, need to have the seal of God's ownership and possession as protection and safekeeping against further destructive "winds" of religion.

   The number who were thus sealed was "one hundred and forty-four thousand from every tribe of the sons of Israel" (7:4). Many varied interpretations have been suggested for the meaning and identity of the "one hundred and forty-four thousand" who were sealed. Some identify these persons as Jews and attempt to use these verses as proof that the twelve tribes of Israel still exist unto the present time. Jehovah Witnesses identify the "one hundred and forty-four thousand" as their own faithful ones. Some identify them as Christian martyrs throughout the history of the church, while others would identify them as Christian "virgins" (14:4). If twelve be accepted as the number representing God's people (see comments on 4:4), then twelve (representing the twelve patriarchs of the old covenant) times twelve (representing the twelve apostles of the new covenant) times one thousand (representing the full complement and magnitude of God's activity) equals "one hundred and forty-four thousand." The number is used to refer to the completeness, the full complement of God's People in the new Israel of Christ's Church (cf. Matt. 19:28; Rom. 2:29; 9:6; Gal. 3:29; 6:16).

   Then John, again noting the chronological sequence of his viewing, writes that "after these things" he saw "a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation and tribe and peoples and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches in their hands" (7:9). Who were the persons in the great multitude? They represent all Christians in every age. Whereas the number "one hundred and forty-four thousand" was used previously to indicate figuratively the full complement of the redeemed, the "multitude which no one could count" is now mentioned to show that God's people are innumerable. Such is a further fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham when He indicated that his spiritual descendants would be more numerous "than the stars" (Gen. 15:5; 22:17; 26:4) and the "sand on the seashore" (Gen. 22:17; 32:12), i.e. innumerable. Those in the multitude are from "every nation, tribe, people and tongue," evidencing the universality of the benefit of the gospel of Jesus Christ for all men. They are "standing before the throne," which gives answer to the question of those identified with religion who asked, "Who is able to stand?" (6:17). All Christians who "stand in Christ Jesus" are thus qualified to stand before God's throne and recognize His authority. In the imagery that John saw, the multitude of Christians was clothed in the "white robes" of Christ's righteousness, having "palm branches in their hands" signifying victory and triumph just as the palm branches represented when they were waved at the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on that Sunday morning one week prior to His resurrection.

   The Christian multitude expresses a heavenly hymn of praise directed to the "great God and Savior, Christ Jesus" (Titus 2:13), saying "Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb" (7:10). All of creation then joins the multitude in worship of God (7:11,12).

   One of the elders asks John if he knows who these people in the multitude are and from whence they have come (7:13). John defers the answer, saying, 'My lord, you know," so the elder proceeds to identify them. "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (7:14). The "great tribulation" is not necessarily a designated title for a particular seven year period which some expect to take place in the future. Christians in every age have suffered from the "great tribulation" of living "in the world," facing the hostility of Satan's "world-system" and its religious "front," and the constant tribulations of life. The "anomaly of Christianity" in the "enigma of the interim" is indeed tribulational. Jesus told His followers, "In the world you have tribulation" (John 16:33). Paul explained, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22). John had already indicated that he was a "fellow-partaker in the tribulation" (1:9). The multitude is comprised of all Christians who have "washed their robes" in the "washing of regeneration" (Titus 3:5), and they have been "made white in the blood of the Lamb," that is, cleansed from sin by the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ. Thus reconciled to God, they can stand "before the throne of God" (7:15). As Isaiah had promised, Christians "will not hunger or thirst, neither will the scorching heat or sun strike them down; for God...guides them to springs of water" (Isa. 49:10) in the Spirit of Christ (John 4:14; 7:38,39). "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied" (Matt. 5:6). Jesus Christ, the Lamb, is also the Shepherd of all Christians (John 10:11,14), leading them to the "water of life" in Himself. Though there are tears from the eyes of Christians throughout the tribulational period here on earth, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted" (Matt. 5:4). Even Jesus wept at the tribulation of Lazarus' death (John 11:35). The "God of all comfort" (II Cor. 1:3,4) does wipe the tears from our eyes in the midst of our present adversities, and has promised that eventually at the consummation of Christ's victory there will be no more death and no more tears (Isa. 25:8; Rev. 21:4).

   What John was seeing was intended to offer the confident expectancy of hope to the Christians at the end of the first century and in every century thereafter. Yes, there is tribulation and trial as Satan's religious efforts make war against Jesus Christ within His people in every age, but the victory won on the cross will be consummated and Christians will join in heavenly hymns of praise around the throne of God and the Lamb.

   With that message of hope clearly portrayed by the preceding imagery, the seventh seal is broken by Jesus Christ (8:1). All religious attempts to "seal" the reality of the gospel of Jesus Christ are broken. The time wherein God desires to demonstrate that the life of Jesus Christ in man "really works no matter how hard the going gets" is now fulfilled. The consummated victory of Jesus Christ is now revealed! The reaction of the entire created order to this unadulterated and unhindered presence of God in Christ can only be to "be still and know that He is God" (Psalm 46:10). John writes, "there was silence in heaven for about half an hour" (8:1). Was the "half an hour" the approximate time that John experienced still silence in the midst of his vision, or does it represent a period of time when Christ's victory is consummated? We do not know. Some have interpreted this period of time as a delay before judgment is pronounced by the imagery of the trumpets, like the suspenseful delay before the verdict is read in the courtroom, or the "calm before the storm." When God's victory is culminated and His judgment on diabolic religion is pronounced, creation can only react in silence. "The Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him" (Hab. 2:20; Zech. 2:13).

   The question must be asked, "What is the risen Lord Jesus attempting to tell Christians in this portion of His Revelation? What is the transgenerational and translocational message to all Christians?" Jesus is encouraging Christians in every century to remember that His "finished work" in the cross and resurrection is the basis of His victory over Satan and his diabolic endeavors of death, sin and religion. The spiritual conflict continues to rage between God and Satan, between Christianity and religion. Christians will be called upon to endure tribulation and persecution, and to experience identification with Christ's suffering and death. To whatever extent we have lapsed into religious blindness and self-centeredness we need to repent. The overview of religious endeavors portrayed in the "seals" of this passage, the breaking of that religious activity by the Lord Jesus Christ, and the glimpses into the heavenly throne-room where glorified Christians are singing heavenly hymns of praise, all serve to give Christians hope of the ultimate consummated victory. Thus we are assured of the sufficiency of Christ within us presently whatever the circumstances of our physical lives might entail.

   Religious interpreters will always overlook or purposefully whitewash any suggestion that their own religious methods and effects are being revealed as Jesus breaks the seals. They will inevitably identify the images as events of history or as future events, thus destroying the intent of Christ's Revelation to inspire hope in His victorious "finished work." Paul S. Minear correctly explains that "the stock-in-trade of false prophets is to exploit for their own purposes the authentic visions of prophets like John."3 Religionists develop their own eschatological grids and place them over God's revelation, and say, "See how it fits. See what you can expect in the future. Follow us because we understand what God is doing!" Thereby they continue to "conquer the people" and encourage genuine Christians to take their focus off of the sufficiency of Jesus Christ in their lives right now. Only as Christians continue to look to Christ can they "see" the victory of Christ in the midst of the conflict and sing praises to God and Christ in preparation for their participation in the heavenly hymns.

1    Caird, G.B., A Commentary on the Revelation of St. John the Divine. London: Adam and Charles Black. 1966. pgs. 60,61.
2    Fowler, James A., Covenant Theology, Dispensational Theology, or Christocentric Theology. Fallbrook: C.I.Y. Publishing. 1993.
3    Minear, Paul S., New Testament Apocalyptic. Nashville: Abingdon Press. 1981. pg. 77.