Chapter 58 Last Three Seals
In the previous chapter we looked at the first four seals that represent all the people that ever were on Earth, how they are divided into four groups during judgement. The next two seals look at very specific groups of people in terms of judgement. The fifth seal deals with martyrs for God:
Rev 6:9 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.
Special mention is made of martyrs for God and Christ. These are not just righteous people who resort under the white horse and black horse (previous chapter), they are a part of these but have paid for their faithfulness to God with their lives. How many of you have the courage and devotion to God to die for Him? A little reflection should make us realise that this is what God requires of everyone for salvation. Most of us will not literally die as martyrs, but we all need to die for self, making a full commitment to God. Remember the parables of the pearl of great price, and hidden treasure? Jesus said the kingdom of heaven is selling all that we have to procure the pearl and the hidden treasure. Prophets and servants of God that have literally paid with their lives get special mention here under the fifth Seal.
This Scripture is symbolic. When we die, we don’t immediately go to heaven. The Bible makes it clear that at death our consciousness stops. Our minds stop working when the brain cells become non-functional and rot away, just like a computer becomes non-functional when the power is switched off (Ecc 9). The doctrine of the unconsciousness of the dead is further confirmed in this Scripture where the souls are told to rest a little while more. Death is like a sleep. We fall asleep and wake up, and it is as if no time passes while sleeping. The souls of the martyrs are not literally under the altar (burnt offering altar). The aim of this seal is to indicate that there are more martyrs to die for God before the end will come.
Since the Seven Seals come just before the Seven Trumpets, it is safe to assume that the point in time referred to in the fifth Seal is at the sealing of the 144 000, the beginning of the 3.5 years. The sealing of the 144 000 is the first time of judgement when their Probations Close, and also those that rejected the calling to the priesthood of the 144 000 – the grain harvest. It cannot refer to the corporate Close of Probation, because from this point on there will be no more martyrs. The future martyrs referred to here are primarily the 144 000. They enjoy protection from God during their service in the 3.5 years, but when their work is complete many of them are killed:
Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
The 144 000 are their fellowservants. In Revelation servants mainly refer to prophets. There are martyrs among the brothers of the 144 000 as well. These are the people of God who are not part of the 144 000, some of them converted during the 3.5 years.
The giving of white robes indicates that as martyrs for God, their judgement is sealed in death. That goes for everyone: at death our destinies are determined because our probation is over. God does not need to investigate the lives of each person on Earth to determine their destiny. He knows everything because He is omniscient. Those through all the ages that have died in a relationship with Him are judged favourably at death. There is no Investigative Judgement. Adventists believe the Investigative Judgement of the dead have been going on since 1844, but this doctrine was established to make sense of the Great Disappointment in 1844 (chapter 44).
In summary, the fifth Seal has as its focus martyrs, especially those that will be killed during the 3.5 years.
The sixth seal is also a special group. It is a subsection of the harvests of both groups of lost people, both the grain and the wine harvests:
12 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?
This seal takes place at the Second Advent of Christ. During the 7 Last Plagues many of the lost have died because of the plagues. The Second Advent of Christ is the 7th Plague to the lost, because those that are still alive at this stage will die because of the earthquake at the Second Advent. Verses 12-14 describe great signs in sun, moon and stars, and a severe earthquake. The focus of verse 15 is first on leaders of different descriptions and ends with anyone and everyone – bondmen and free men. When the remaining impenitent see Christ coming on the clouds of heaven, they realise that they have made bad choices and are eternally lost. Christ’s glory is so blinding that they want to escape it by hiding behind rocks, in caves and in dens. They also experience Christ’s wrath and would like to die to escape it. They call for the rocks and mountains to fall on them and kill them. They ask a question: Who shall be able to stand? The next chapter in Revelation, chapter 7, describes two classes of people that will stand the glory and wrath of the Lamb – the 144 000 and the great multitude (chapter 56).
The fifth and sixth Seals are extremes in judgement. The fifth represents martyrs that paid the ultimate price for God, and the sixth represents God's greatest enemies amongst people who proactively went against His cause. He will preserve them through the first six Plagues to see the victorius Christ. We have an indication of a special resurrection of those that crucified Christ:
Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
This resurrection will include some of the greatest opponents of God. Christ told Caiaphas that he would see Him coming on the clouds of heaven:
Matt 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
The seventh Seal we have dealt with already (chapter 18). It is the Seven Trumpets, which are plagues with mercy, calling the World to repentance before Probation Closes.
Are you aspiring to be part of the special group referred to in the 5th seal? Should we aspire to martyrdom like Thomas Becket? I believe not. We can offer God our willingness to be one of the 144 000. If we receive that privilege, we will have a high probability to suffer a martyr’s death at the end of the arduous work allotted to the 144 000. Offer your unconditional services to God today.
In the previous chapter we looked at the first four seals that represent all the people that ever were on Earth, how they are divided into four groups during judgement. The next two seals look at very specific groups of people in terms of judgement. The fifth seal deals with martyrs for God:
Rev 6:9 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.
Special mention is made of martyrs for God and Christ. These are not just righteous people who resort under the white horse and black horse (previous chapter), they are a part of these but have paid for their faithfulness to God with their lives. How many of you have the courage and devotion to God to die for Him? A little reflection should make us realise that this is what God requires of everyone for salvation. Most of us will not literally die as martyrs, but we all need to die for self, making a full commitment to God. Remember the parables of the pearl of great price, and hidden treasure? Jesus said the kingdom of heaven is selling all that we have to procure the pearl and the hidden treasure. Prophets and servants of God that have literally paid with their lives get special mention here under the fifth Seal.
This Scripture is symbolic. When we die, we don’t immediately go to heaven. The Bible makes it clear that at death our consciousness stops. Our minds stop working when the brain cells become non-functional and rot away, just like a computer becomes non-functional when the power is switched off (Ecc 9). The doctrine of the unconsciousness of the dead is further confirmed in this Scripture where the souls are told to rest a little while more. Death is like a sleep. We fall asleep and wake up, and it is as if no time passes while sleeping. The souls of the martyrs are not literally under the altar (burnt offering altar). The aim of this seal is to indicate that there are more martyrs to die for God before the end will come.
Since the Seven Seals come just before the Seven Trumpets, it is safe to assume that the point in time referred to in the fifth Seal is at the sealing of the 144 000, the beginning of the 3.5 years. The sealing of the 144 000 is the first time of judgement when their Probations Close, and also those that rejected the calling to the priesthood of the 144 000 – the grain harvest. It cannot refer to the corporate Close of Probation, because from this point on there will be no more martyrs. The future martyrs referred to here are primarily the 144 000. They enjoy protection from God during their service in the 3.5 years, but when their work is complete many of them are killed:
Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
The 144 000 are their fellowservants. In Revelation servants mainly refer to prophets. There are martyrs among the brothers of the 144 000 as well. These are the people of God who are not part of the 144 000, some of them converted during the 3.5 years.
The giving of white robes indicates that as martyrs for God, their judgement is sealed in death. That goes for everyone: at death our destinies are determined because our probation is over. God does not need to investigate the lives of each person on Earth to determine their destiny. He knows everything because He is omniscient. Those through all the ages that have died in a relationship with Him are judged favourably at death. There is no Investigative Judgement. Adventists believe the Investigative Judgement of the dead have been going on since 1844, but this doctrine was established to make sense of the Great Disappointment in 1844 (chapter 44).
In summary, the fifth Seal has as its focus martyrs, especially those that will be killed during the 3.5 years.
The sixth seal is also a special group. It is a subsection of the harvests of both groups of lost people, both the grain and the wine harvests:
12 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?
This seal takes place at the Second Advent of Christ. During the 7 Last Plagues many of the lost have died because of the plagues. The Second Advent of Christ is the 7th Plague to the lost, because those that are still alive at this stage will die because of the earthquake at the Second Advent. Verses 12-14 describe great signs in sun, moon and stars, and a severe earthquake. The focus of verse 15 is first on leaders of different descriptions and ends with anyone and everyone – bondmen and free men. When the remaining impenitent see Christ coming on the clouds of heaven, they realise that they have made bad choices and are eternally lost. Christ’s glory is so blinding that they want to escape it by hiding behind rocks, in caves and in dens. They also experience Christ’s wrath and would like to die to escape it. They call for the rocks and mountains to fall on them and kill them. They ask a question: Who shall be able to stand? The next chapter in Revelation, chapter 7, describes two classes of people that will stand the glory and wrath of the Lamb – the 144 000 and the great multitude (chapter 56).
The fifth and sixth Seals are extremes in judgement. The fifth represents martyrs that paid the ultimate price for God, and the sixth represents God's greatest enemies amongst people who proactively went against His cause. He will preserve them through the first six Plagues to see the victorius Christ. We have an indication of a special resurrection of those that crucified Christ:
Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
This resurrection will include some of the greatest opponents of God. Christ told Caiaphas that he would see Him coming on the clouds of heaven:
Matt 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
The seventh Seal we have dealt with already (chapter 18). It is the Seven Trumpets, which are plagues with mercy, calling the World to repentance before Probation Closes.
Are you aspiring to be part of the special group referred to in the 5th seal? Should we aspire to martyrdom like Thomas Becket? I believe not. We can offer God our willingness to be one of the 144 000. If we receive that privilege, we will have a high probability to suffer a martyr’s death at the end of the arduous work allotted to the 144 000. Offer your unconditional services to God today.
Chapter 58 Last Three Seals
In the previous chapter we looked at the first four seals that represent all the people that ever were on Earth, how they are divided into four groups during judgement. The next two seals look at very specific groups of people in terms of judgement. The fifth seal deals with martyrs for God:
Rev 6:9 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.
Special mention is made of martyrs for God and Christ. These are not just righteous people who resort under the white horse and black horse (previous chapter), they are a part of these but have paid for their faithfulness to God with their lives. How many of you have the courage and devotion to God to die for Him? A little reflection should make us realise that this is what God requires of everyone for salvation. Most of us will not literally die as martyrs, but we all need to die for self, making a full commitment to God. Remember the parables of the pearl of great price, and hidden treasure? Jesus said the kingdom of heaven is selling all that we have to procure the pearl and the hidden treasure. Prophets and servants of God that have literally paid with their lives get special mention here under the fifth Seal.
This Scripture is symbolic. When we die, we don’t immediately go to heaven. The Bible makes it clear that at death our consciousness stops. Our minds stop working when the brain cells become non-functional and rot away, just like a computer becomes non-functional when the power is switched off (Ecc 9). The doctrine of the unconsciousness of the dead is further confirmed in this Scripture where the souls are told to rest a little while more. Death is like a sleep. We fall asleep and wake up, and it is as if no time passes while sleeping. The souls of the martyrs are not literally under the altar (burnt offering altar). The aim of this seal is to indicate that there are more martyrs to die for God before the end will come.
Since the Seven Seals come just before the Seven Trumpets, it is safe to assume that the point in time referred to in the fifth Seal is at the sealing of the 144 000, the beginning of the 3.5 years. The sealing of the 144 000 is the first time of judgement when their Probations Close, and also those that rejected the calling to the priesthood of the 144 000 – the grain harvest. It cannot refer to the corporate Close of Probation, because from this point on there will be no more martyrs. The future martyrs referred to here are primarily the 144 000. They enjoy protection from God during their service in the 3.5 years, but when their work is complete many of them are killed:
Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
The 144 000 are their fellowservants. In Revelation servants mainly refer to prophets. There are martyrs among the brothers of the 144 000 as well. These are the people of God who are not part of the 144 000, some of them converted during the 3.5 years.
The giving of white robes indicates that as martyrs for God, their judgement is sealed in death. That goes for everyone: at death our destinies are determined because our probation is over. God does not need to investigate the lives of each person on Earth to determine their destiny. He knows everything because He is omniscient. Those through all the ages that have died in a relationship with Him are judged favourably at death. There is no Investigative Judgement. Adventists believe the Investigative Judgement of the dead have been going on since 1844, but this doctrine was established to make sense of the Great Disappointment in 1844 (chapter 44).
In summary, the fifth Seal has as its focus martyrs, especially those that will be killed during the 3.5 years.
The sixth seal is also a special group. It is a subsection of the harvests of both groups of lost people, both the grain and the wine harvests:
12 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?
This seal takes place at the Second Advent of Christ. During the 7 Last Plagues many of the lost have died because of the plagues. The Second Advent of Christ is the 7th Plague to the lost, because those that are still alive at this stage will die because of the earthquake at the Second Advent. Verses 12-14 describe great signs in sun, moon and stars, and a severe earthquake. The focus of verse 15 is first on leaders of different descriptions and ends with anyone and everyone – bondmen and free men. When the remaining impenitent see Christ coming on the clouds of heaven, they realise that they have made bad choices and are eternally lost. Christ’s glory is so blinding that they want to escape it by hiding behind rocks, in caves and in dens. They also experience Christ’s wrath and would like to die to escape it. They call for the rocks and mountains to fall on them and kill them. They ask a question: Who shall be able to stand? The next chapter in Revelation, chapter 7, describes two classes of people that will stand the glory and wrath of the Lamb – the 144 000 and the great multitude (chapter 56).
The fifth and sixth Seals are extremes in judgement. The fifth represents martyrs that paid the ultimate price for God, and the sixth represents God's greatest enemies amongst people who proactively went against His cause. He will preserve them through the first six Plagues to see the victorius Christ. We have an indication of a special resurrection of those that crucified Christ:
Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
This resurrection will include some of the greatest opponents of God. Christ told Caiaphas that he would see Him coming on the clouds of heaven:
Matt 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
The seventh Seal we have dealt with already (chapter 18). It is the Seven Trumpets, which are plagues with mercy, calling the World to repentance before Probation Closes.
Are you aspiring to be part of the special group referred to in the 5th seal? Should we aspire to martyrdom like Thomas Becket? I believe not. We can offer God our willingness to be one of the 144 000. If we receive that privilege, we will have a high probability to suffer a martyr’s death at the end of the arduous work allotted to the 144 000. Offer your unconditional services to God today.
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