The Lamb opens the seals of the scroll.
When the Lamb, Jesus, had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders sang, “You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals.” Revelation 5:9. The seven seals on the scroll were probably in line. However, John did not say whether Jesus opened the seals sequentially or randomly. Revelation states that he began by opening one of the seals. The order in which Jesus opened the seals is of no consequence concerning the message in the scroll. The seals did not have writings on them. The opening of the seals revealed what was written in the scroll, not on the seals. Concentration on the order in which the seals were open does not help understand the scroll’s message. The scroll contained a description of what transpired from the creation and fall of humankind to the Cross of Christ at Golgotha. It also describes what remains to take place before Jesus returns. The analyses of the seven seals as a stand-alone segment of the Revelation message do not add to the proper understanding. John’s goal was not to present the exact sequence of the seals’ opening but to emphasize the Victorious Jesus Christ.
The intent of seals is not to provide a detailed depiction of events in the conflict between good and evil. The opening of the first four seals summarizes events associated with sounding the first six trumpets. They present a concise description of what the Enemy did in an attempt to frustrate God’s plan for humankind. The Enemy of God lost his home in heaven. Therefore, he employed the worst evil to secure himself and his followers a home. He wanted to be God’s Enemy forever. After the first representative of humankind gave Lucifer this world for his principality, he established the earth as the base camp from which he could carry out his evil plans.
Despite the evil that Satan inflicted on the people that God chose to bring the Savior into the world through them, the remnant of God held on to the hope that God would triumph. The evil the world experienced was not God’s judgments and punishment of his people for their unfaithfulness, as some maintain. Throughout the period covered by the four seals and the first six trumpets, Jesus’ statement “For God so loved the world…” dominated. God often did not remove the consequences of disobedience and unbelief; however, that does not indicate that God punished the people. Had God punished the people each time they were unfaithful, who would survive? The gross evil the Enemy inflicted on the world was not God’s will. Humankind chose it in the first man – Adam, in the Garden of Eden.
The opening of the first four seals; read the next blog.
