The Seven Seals (Rev. 6:1-17)

In chapter 6, the Lamb who is worthy to open the seven seals begins to open them one by one. The first four of the seals release four horsemen some who come to conquer and others who come to destroy. The fifth seal points John to a number of Christian martyrs crying out for God to bring His final vindicating judgment upon the earth. And lastly, the sixth and final seal included in chapter six leads all across the earth to run and hide begging for their death.

Revelation chapter 6 tends to be where interpreters with different viewpoints on the book as a whole begin to walk down entirely different interpretive paths. With respect to many other views, it is our viewpoint that chapter 6 is symbolic of increasing persecution and martyrdom throughout the current church age culminating in Christ’s final judgment upon the earth.

Finally, the question of “who can stand” asked of unbelievers experiencing God’s wrath during the sixth seal, while yet to be answered, are believers who will not experience God’s wrath, because Jesus experienced it upon the cross in their place (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10).