PART THIRD OPENING OF THE SEALED BOOK Revelation 6:1 to 11:18 SECTION ONE OF FIRST FOUR SEALS Revelation 6:1-8 NOTES 1. Since Revelation 1:1 declares the book to be a revelation of things which "must shortly come to pass," there can be no doubt that it was intended to disclose events that were to happen in the future from the time John saw the visions. But we have already learned that the first five chapters contain words and visions that prepare for the opening of the real revelation. This begins with the sixth chapter. This part of the book should be approached with extreme caution for two reasons: (1) Because the many and conflicting views presented by commentators indicate how easily mistakes can be made, for it is certainly all of them cannot be correct. (2) John describes the visions in sublime and symbolic language. He names neither places, nor persons, nor periods in definite and plain terms. He leaves the reader to make the application, if such be possible. That these pictures in heaven are intended to represent things that would happen on earth must be true to make the book of any value to "his servants" for whom it was written; otherwise it would impart no useful information. The difficulty is in deciding the time, place, and persons that fit in the picture that John describes. 2. No history or prophecy regarding God's people has been written without references to contemporary peoples with whom they come in contact. This is abundantly evident from the Old Testament books, and the historical books of the New Testament. It is wholly incredible that the prophecies of Revelation, though presented in the form of moving pictures, should not include their enemies at whose hands they were destined to suffer so much. No interpretation has any chance of being correct that fails to include that fact. We know that the church was established within the Roman Empire and that no political power ever influenced it more effectively. Papal Rome--the great apostasy--was the most inveterate religious enemy the church ever had. Pagan Rome lasted for nearly five hundred years after the church was established, and papal Rome's iron rule continued more than twelve hundred years. That the opening of these seals should not include some or many of the church's struggles against these two enemy powers is seemingly impossible. What other powers could have been so well included? At the present time we stand more than eighteen hundred years this side of John's visions. History lays before us the events of these past centuries. Whether we are able certainly to locate the exact ones that the seals represent or not, we feel sure that some of them must describe things now in the past. That all the momentous events in these centuries that produced such terrible effects on the church should be passed over by all the pictures in Revelation is too utterly improbable to be accepted. Since pagan and papal Rome affected the church more than any other powers that have existed, a true explanation of the symbols of revelation must include them. The persecutions, the great apostasy, and the reformation must be a part of the imagery. 3. Great care should be observed in applying symbolic or figurative texts of scripture. False interpretations easily come from two sources: First, giving a literal meaning when the word or expression is plainly figurative. Examples: calling Christ a Lion or a Lamb, or representing animals as having a change of nature. (Isaiah 11:6-9.) Second, trying to make every word in a text figurative. When Jesus is said to be the Lamb of God that "taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), the word "Lamb" clearly is figurative, but the word "sin" is literal. Since words used figuratively and literally may be in the same scripture, we may misrepresent the text by failing to make the proper distinction. The following are clear examples: In Psalms 80:8 we read "Thou broughtest a vine out of Egypt: thou didst drive out the nations, and plantedst it." Here vine is clearly figurative, but Egypt and nations are both literal. Verse 11 says: "It sent out its branches unto the sea, and its shoots unto the River." Branches and shoots are figurative, but sea and River are literal. The former refers to the Mediterranean Sea and the latter to the Euphrates River. In Jeremiah 3:6 the word "harlot" is figurative ; "high mountain" and "green tree" are literal. Words used literally in a picture or symbol, when applied to the thing they represent, may have a natural or a spiritual meaning according to the nature of the case. In Isaiah 2:2-4 we have some figurative expressions and some plain ones that are to be taken in their natural sense. "The mountain" of Jehovah is figurative; "the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem" is literal. The words "servants" and "son" (Matthew 21:34-37) have the same meaning in both the parable and the application; the same is true with the word "avenge" (Luke 18:3; Luke 18:5; Luke 18:7). 1. THE FIRST SEAL OPENED Revelation 6:1-2 1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, Come.--We should not forget that the scene John had been looking upon was in heaven. (4:1.) The Lamb ready to open the seal represents Christ, and the opening means that some symbolic pictures were to be disclosed to John so he could give a written description of them. What John saw here was the first picture that appeared as soon as the seal was broken. One of the living creatures said "Come." Some apply this to the horse and his rider mentioned in verse 2, meaning that they were summoned to appear before John. But it seems more natural to apply the word to John. No use to speculate how he could "Come" when he was on earth and the vision in heaven. He had been seeing the previous visions from earth. Perhaps nothing more was intended than a command to give earnest consideration to what he saw. If he were in some miraculous way mentally transported to heaven, the general truth would not be affected. The verse needs no further comment. 2 And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow and there was given unto him a crown and he came forth conquering, and to conquer.--Here we enter the field where speculation runs riot, and where a multitude of contradictory views are presented with equal confidence of correctness. Any new expositor may well begin his task with a fear of not being able to stand where so many have already fallen. These notes are written in harmony with the natural assumption that the seals represent things that were to transpire after John wrote. Since he was to be shown things which must "shortly come to pass," the conclusion that seems evident is that the first seal disclosed things that were to begin about the end of the first century. It is doubtless unnecessary to insist upon exact dates. Historically considered, periods of time often come in gradually and close the same way. If the leading events fall in a given period, we are probably correct in saying that is the time meant, though many details are not certainly known. This vision represents some kind of victorious work the language allows no other application. One class of commentators think it refers to Christ and the successful spread of his gospel in the first centuries of the Christian era; another class applies it to the Roman Empire in a successful period beginning about the time of John's writing. The history of the church for many centuries is so closely interwoven with that of Rome --pagan or papal--that any large view of one must necessarily include the other; hence, this vision would involve a period of Roman prosperity and church success, however applied. The general facts of both Rome and the church might be presented from either viewpoint. Moreover, it may be true that these composite symbols are intended to represent both Rome and the church during certain periods because of their interlocking influence upon each other. If so, the main point is to find the important thing that happened to each in the period meant. However, for reasons to be given, the view entertained here is, that the vision refers primarily to Rome, though greatly affecting the church. The four words--white, horse, bow, and crown--all have some special significance or they would not have been mentioned by John in describing what he saw. Words are not always used in the same sense in every passage, but when the language or context fixes their meanings that must be accepted as final, regardless of the meanings in other texts. While the horse was used for other purposes, yet the scriptures clearly show he was used in war. The most magnificent representation of this is in Job 39:19-25. The same fact is found in Proverbs 21:31; Zechariah 10:3. The expression "conquering, and to conquer" shows that this vision pertains to war and determines the use made of the horse. The white color represents either purity or victory. (6:11; 7:15.) Roman generals who were victors are said to have entered the city in chariots drawn by white horses. The entire setting of this verse implies victory; hence, the word "white" must indicate triumph--successful war. The how anciently was used as an implement of war or for hunting. (Genesis 27:3; Genesis 48:22; Isaiah 7:24.) The entire setting of this vision shows that it indicates war here. The crown is not the royal diadem which indicates authority to reign, but the garland or chaplet (Greek stephanos) of victory bestowed upon those who triumph. Other passages where this word is used in the same sense are these:1 Corinthians 9:25; 2 Timothy 2:5; 2 Timothy 4:8; Revelation 2:10. It was then a crown of honor to represent the victory gained. The text does not say when the rider wore the crown, but only that it was given to him. If worn before he went forth to conquer, it was to indicate by anticipation that he would be victorious. This, however, is a minor matter. The following considerations are offered for accepting the view that this vision primarily refers to Rome instead of the church, though the church is involved because affected by acts of the empire 1. In the first four visions horses appear. If the rider on the white horse refers to Christ, and the victories to the spreading of the gospel by the church, then the three following should also refer to the church with Christ riding the horse. The descriptions of them, however, will not harmonize with that view. Besides the rider of the fourth horse is said to be "Death." 2. Those who think Christ is represented by the rider of the white horse refer to Revelation 19:11-15 as meaning the same thing. There is no doubt about this passage referring to Christ, but the following will show that the passages are different: (1) The crowns in 19:11 are diadems, crowns of ruling authority; in 6:2 it is the crown of reward for victory. (2) In 19:15 the horseman smites with "a sharp sword"; and 6:2 he carries a "bow." (3) If a horse may signify war and the color white represents triumph, it could as well picture such warfare in the Roman Empire as warfare carried on by the church. (4) The passage in 19 is connected with the final overthrow of the church's enemies; the one in 6 is the first of future events to begin soon after John wrote. (5) It is not reasonable that Christ should, in the same symbol, be represented as a Lamb breaking the seals and also as the rider on the white horse. However considered, there is no reason for saying the rider must represent Christ. As the symbol undoubtedly signifies triumphant war, any successful war period, whether carnal or spiritual, would meet the demands of the language. The proper application must, therefore, depend on historical facts. Since Revelation 6:2 may refer to the Roman Empire, it is appropriate to ask if there was a period soon after John wrote which corresponds with the vision revealed in opening this seal. The description is given in a single verse of thirty-two English words. Evidently only the general features and outstanding events of the period are presented in this symbol. At the very outset in trying to find the things signified by these visions we should be reminded that they are composite pictures which John saw in heaven, but with the purpose of indicating things that would happen to the church and contemporary peoples. Beginning in the reign of Nero (A.D. 64), the church suffered several (some say ten) persecutions before the close of the third century. Since the vision clearly indicates aggressive and successful warfare, the persecutions are presumptive proof that it applies to Rome; for during the time of such intense persecutions the church must have grown mainly through fortitude in sufferings and martyrdom rather than open fighting for the truth. A few Christians comparatively had little chance against the powerful empire, its barbarian subjects, and the unbelieving Jews, all of whom were their enemies. Certainly not a very suitable situation to be represented by a conquering soldier. There was a second great persecution under Domitian, in which the apostle John was banished to Patmos. Domitian's death (A.D. 96) is considered a division point in Roman history. The period following (96-180) is described by historians as one of prosperity and military triumph for the Roman Empire. Gibbon in his Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Vol. 1, chap. 1) calls it a "happy period" when five good emperors ruled--Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian. and the two Antonines. Probably the man upon the white horse may refer only to the Roman emperors throughout the period, not to any one alone. Nerva was doubtless the best one of the five good emperors, but he ruled only two years. The symbol probably began to be fulfilled in the reign of Trajan, during which time there was another persecution against the church in Bithynia. But Trajan was especially noted for his extension of the empire by conquering other kingdoms. Gibbon (Vol. 1, P. 4) says the Caesars had done little to extend the country's borders during the first century of the Christian era. But he compares the military exploits of Trajan with Alexander the Great and says his success was "rapid and specious," and that "every day the astonished senate received intelligence of new names and new nations that acknowledged his sway." (Vol. 1, p. 7.) Beginning with Trajan's successes, we surely have a period that harmonizes with John's vision, and one that seems to have more in its favor than any other that has been suggested. Regarding this period Gibbon further speaks: "In the second century of the Christian era, the empire of Rome comprehended the fairest part of the earth, and the most civilized portion of mankind." (Vol. 1, p. 1.) Again: "If a man were called to fix the period in the history of the world, during which the condition of the human race was most happy and prosperous, he would, without hesitation, name that which elapsed from the death of Domitian to the accession of Cornmodus. The vast extent of the Roman Empire was governed by absolute power, under the guidance of virtue and wisdom." (Vol. 1, p. 95.) Such is Gibbon's description of the success of Roman arms and the internal peace of the empire during the period named. Paraphrasing a suggestion in Barnes' commentary, it may be said: If the angel of the Lord had designed to give a symbol that would be a perfect picture of that period of Roman prosperity, no better one could have been chosen; likewise, if Gibbon had purposely tried to show that the period of Roman history fulfilled the demands of the symbol, he could not have made a better comment on the text. Elliott (Vol. 1, pp. 139-146) has given an argument in full detail to show that the "bow" held by the rider is proof that the symbol should be applied to that prosperous period of the Roman Empire. This argument has been adopted or referred to by others. It carries a strong degree of probability, and, if true, is a very decisive factor in solving the problem. That the "bow" was a war implement is certain from many texts in the Old Testament, but the argument is based upon the fact that the sword and javelin were Roman emblems. The bow in the symbol would then introduce some singular feature. The five good emperors--Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, and the Antonines--succeeded to the throne by the law of adoption, not by blood lineage. Historical proof (given by Elliott) seems to show that Nerva's ancestry came from the island of Crete, and that the Cretans were noted as bowmen; so much so that the bow was a national emblem. If so, the rider going forth with a bow instead of a sword could well represent the military successes of the five good emperors, chief and most successful of whom was Trajan as already noted; for Nerva, the originator of that line of rulers, was of Cretan origin. It is worthy of mention again that, though the symbol primarily refers to Rome's great military achievements in that period, the events affected the church with far-reaching consequences.