Question: What are the seven seals of Revelation? And what do they represent?
Answer: The seven seals represent the successive phases in the history of the church on earth. In a symbolic form, the history of the great controversy was presented before John until it reaches its great climax in the vindication of God’s character at the time of the final judgment.
First Seal-Church of Ephesus (Revelation 2:1)
White horse (Revelation 6:1,2): 1st Century A.D./ The rider had a bow and a crown and he went forth conquering representing the church in its apostolic age-white symbolizing purity of faith.
Second Seal-Church of Smyrna (Revelation 2:8)
Red Horse (Revelation 6:3,4): A.D. 100 to Constantine, A.D. 313/ Second horseman portrays conditions under which the church found itself in violent persecutions under the rider’s great sword at the hands of Roman Caesars.
Third Seal-Church of Pergamos (Revelation 2:12)
Black Horse (Revelation 6:5,6): Constantine to Justinian, A.D. 313-538/ With Constantine the persecution of Christians slowed, but “black” can show further corruption of faith.
Fourth Seal-Church of Thyatira (Revelation 2:18)
Pale Horse (Revelation 6:7,8): The Middle Ages to the Reformation, A.D. 538-1517/ Pale, the color of fear and death-the Papacy ruled the world and used its power to crush all who resisted.
Fifth Seal-Church of Sardis (Revelation 3:1)
Souls under Alter (Revelation 6:9-11): Post Reformation period, A.D. 1517-1755/ The souls of martyrs cried out symbolically to heaven for justice- given white robes, they wait to the Resurrection of the righteous.
Sixth Seal-Church of Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7)
Earthquake, Dark Day, falling stars (Revelation 6:12-13): The Great Awakening, A.D. 1755 to current times/ The great Lisbon Earthquake hit November 1, 1755. The sun and moon darkened on May 19, 1780. The stars fell from heaven November 13, 1833.
Seventh Seal-Church of Laodicea (Revelation 3:14)
Silence in Heaven (Revelation 8:1): The near future/ There is “silence in heaven” because Christ and all the angles leave the Heavenly courts. They all come to earth at Christ’s second coming.
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
