It’s odd that in recent weeks we have considered the disciples being in a locked room. Locked for fear of the Jews – for that please read certain Jewish leaders at that time, or because of Shiva, that Jewish time of mourning. Now we are looking at the unlocking of some scrolls. Do you fancy unlocking these? Unlocking what?

We are looking at Revelation Chapters 4-9.

Can we see Heaven?

The author, John, [link to previous post about Revelation 1-3] is looking up into Heaven and sees a particular vision. There’s a central throne surrounded by 24 other thrones – so a big room is imagined. The central throne is made from precious stones like jasper and carnelian, all surrounded by a rainbow which looks like an emerald. There are four living creatures, with multiple sets of eyes, with faces like a lion, an ox, a human, and a flying eagle. John remarks that there are eyes even on the inside of these creatures. ‘Like‘ is doing a lot of work here – it is not a literal description.

Then from the right of the central throne comes an angel or messenger with a scroll with 7 seals. Seven is a significant number in numerology, an aspect of apocalyptic writing. No one is prepared to open the scroll…but then a seemingly slaughtered lamb is seen – with 7 horns, and 7 eyes. Rev 5: 5 is a critical hinge between the Lion of Judah and the Lamb. This metaphorical language speaks largely of Jesus, the conquering of death, as the lamb at Passover. So the lamb is Jesus? Jesus is opening the seals of the scroll?

The Scroll

The lamb opens the first seal: the voice of thunder cries out, as a white horse emerges. One to conquer.

The lamb then opens the second seal: a bright red horse gallops out. One to take peace from the world, so people would slaughter each other.

The lamb then opens the third seal: a black horse is seen, the rider with scales in their hand. It’s demanding a high price for basic foodstuffs. Will this lead to famine?

The lamb then opens the fourth seal: a pale grey horse with Death, named as Thanatos, as its rider breaks forth, trailed by Hades – the land of the shades or souls. Death has control of a fourth of the world and pestilence is his aim. There’s a link to the book of Ezekiel with the sword, famine, wild beats and pestilence here. Some have gone further and seen us as the fifth horse. Would you want to continue to unlock the seals?

All the horses are out

Upon the fifth seal being opened by the Lamb, those who had been slaughtered for following their calling. They were told to wait a wee while longer ask those who also were called by God would be killed.

As the sixth seal is opened by the Lamb, an earthquake struck, the sun was eclipsed(?), and the moon shone like blood. ‘Every mountain and island was removed from its place’. The monarchs of the world, – the rich and powerful – hid themselves, for fear of the Lamb. They cried out and the messengers – angels – said that 144,000 would be saved. But far more came forward to be saved.

The seventh seal was opened by the Lamb, and there was silence for about 30 minutes. Following this short interlude, 7 angels blew their trumpets.

Trumpeting Angels

With the first trumpet, a third of the earth’s burned up. The second trumpet caused a third of the sea to become blood – and so the fish there died. The third angel took its cue and blew their trumpet and a star called Wormwood (not the C S Lewis character) fell onto the earth and a their dog the rivers became like wormwood and bitter. The fourth angel’s trumpet heralded a third of the Sun, the Moon and the stars to be struck, so that the light was darkened.

The fifth angel’s trumpet call saw a bottomless pit or shaft opened up so that the smoke from he furnaces below darkened further the Sun. Then locusts, with an appearance of battle horses, came to torture those humans without the mark of God on their foreheads. The author Hal Lindsay, in his book the Late Great Planet Earth, surmises that these locusts were in fact attack helicopters. ‘Their king’ known as Abaddon, in the Hebrew, or Apollyon, in the Greek, was their ruler. The sixth angel’s blow heralded the release of four angels at the Euphrates River, one of the four rivers supplying the Garden of Eden. They would kill one third of mankind.

The seventh angel will bow their trumpet will denote the mystery of God to be fulfilled. John is told to eat the scroll. It tastes as sweet as honey in his mouth but bitter in his stomach. What a contrast.

Jesus did all this?

We might seek to compare and contrast the New Testament depiction of Jesus with these incredible images of Heaven. In Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus does refer to the judgement of God, but surprisingly not in the Gospel according to John. Another confirmation that this John is not the author of Revelation perhaps. The Gospel says that those who believe will already have eternal life and, at death, will be rewarded with the glories of heaven – but not, as we will discover later within Revelation, an earthly city of God. In Mark’s opening Chapter we have the ‘Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news’. There is no bad news mentioned. There is no threat with an attack by the sword or locusts if people do not repent.

What exactly did Jesus say in the Gospel of Luke when he unrolled the scroll? Luke 4:17-21

“to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, and the oppressed will be set free” – no mention of killing, destruction, carnage etc…

Jesus says that he will come like a thief in the night, as recorded in the New Testament on four separate occasions (Revelation 16:15,Matthew 24:43,1 Thessalonians 5:2,1 Thessalonians 5:4,2 Peter 3:10). There will not be a cosmic spectacle with swathes of the earth and universe destroyed.

Importantly within the Gospels, Jesus offers salvation to those who live as God directs, loving others, not with any cultural heritage nor religious belief. Jesus does not say that you should refrain from eating pagan food (7 churches) or believe in me, but Mark 19:17 “keep my commandments.” In Matthew 7:22-23 Jesus says that not everyone who calls “Lord, Lord” will enter the Kingdom of God, so a belief in God is not critically essential. But those who love others, something not mentioned in Revelation, were favoured.

Author’s depiction of Jesus

The named author John is making a statement that the persecution experienced then in 80-110 CE will eventually come to an end, with God victorious. The grandeur of Rome will be replicated in Heaven with precious jewels. The power of Rome will be overcome with even greater power. Those who do not follow God will die a most painful protracted death with famine, pestilence, and destruction.

Conclusion

Perhaps the author of Revelation was seeking to describe God in their perspective., and that is quite understandable. Jesus can be personified as white, black, male and even female, dependent upon your cultural background and heritage. These passages seem to speak of someone who seeks a vengeful response from God following the ‘perceived’ persecution from the enemy, the Romans. We might feel like that when we receive opposition. Perhaps that’s the thread to draw out of this. If Jesus was one not to judge others – on numerous occasions – then why should we start? When confronted with Roman rule, Jesus said to give them your outer coat, not to bludgeon them with a ‘rod of iron’. This is no literal blueprint for the end of the earth, but an incredible visual depiction from one person’s perspective, which they expected a powerful transition imminently. Do we?

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Your opinion might well differ. So how does it differ please?