Listen to this articleBefore we get into interpretation of the seven visions seen at the opening of the seven seals, we must first understand what the seals actually are, and what the sealed book is about.
This is what this presentation aims to do. To provide a sort of foundation that make the seals better understandable.
1. The Sealed Scroll
Revelation 5:1 (NET)
Then I saw in the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne a scroll written on the front and back and sealed with seven seals.
John sees in the right hand of God the Father, a book written on both sides and sealed.
What is this book? We are told that the Lamb (Jesus Christ) is the only one who is found worthy to open this scroll and look at its contents.
In order to understand this, we need to go backwards and forwards in the book of Revelation.
Revelation 1:1 (NET)
The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must happen very soon. He made it clear by sending his angel to his servant John,
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John introduces this book by telling us that there was a revelation of Jesus, that Jesus received from God inorder to show the christians. However, After Jesus had taken this revelation from the Father, he then sent an angel with this revelation to John and John then testified to the saints.
Let’s keep in mind thay John wrote this introduction after all was done, when he had left Patmos.
So in Chapter 4 we see Jesus taking a sealed scroll from Gods right hand.
This seales scroll is the revelation that John speaks of at the beginning.
Im Chapter 5 we see how Jesus unsealed the scroll, and in chapter 11 we see how the angel delivered this scroll of revelation to John.
Revelation 10:1-2, 8-11 (NET)
1 Then I saw another powerful angel descending from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun and his legs were like pillars of fire.
2 He held in his hand a little scroll that was open, and he put his right foot on the sea and his left on the land.
8 Then the voice I had heard from heaven began to speak to me again, “Go and take the open scroll in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”
9 So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take the scroll and eat it. It will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.”
10 So I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it, and it did taste as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.
11 Then they told me: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”
So this open scroll that the angel brings to John, and tells him that he must prophesy to many nations, is the Revelation of Jesus.
This open scroll is the one that Jesus took from the right hand of the Father and removed the seals.
So what are the seven seals, and How did Jesus remove them?
What is a seal?
Revelation 5:1 (NET)
Then I saw in the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne a scroll written on the front and back and sealed with seven seals.
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In the ancient times, a seal was something that was placed on a rolled scroll to make sure that no person can open it.
If a king was sending out a private message. The scroll would be rolled up, tied with a band and then a mark would be placed at the band, to make sure the scroll remained roll.
If anyone tried to open the scroll, the mark or seal would break.
This seal, would have a mark from the king’s ring. And this mark was usually a specific image of the king that served as a signature.
If a document was written by a king and had his seal, then its words were final.
Look at this scripture….
Esther 8:8 (WEB) Write also to the Jews, as it pleases you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring; for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may not be reversed by any man.”
So when we see God the Father who is the ultimate King, witj a scroll that has seal on it, then it was a sign that the contents of that document can not be changed by any man.
They are absolute and final.
Daniel 6:17 (WEB) A stone was brought, and laid on the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.
Why Seven Seals
The Seal in itself was an engraving on the kings ring, which served as his signature. It was actually his own image.
So these seven seals, are seven signatures.
The reason why God has seven signatures is because he has Seven Spirits.
The Spirit of God is what he uses as his seal.
2 Corinthians 1:22 (WEB)
who also sealed us, and gave us the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts.
Ephesians 4:30 (WEB)
Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Ephesians 1:13 (WEB)
In him you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
God uses his Spirit as his signature and therefore his seal.
Now, because the spirit of God is seven fold, there are therefore Seven Seals, each one being a revelation of each of the Seven Spirits of God.
Breaking of the Seals
We see that the Lamb who has the seven Spirits of God within him, was the only one who was able to break the seven seals.
So far, we have identified the scroll as the Revelation of Jesus that had was to be given to men.
It was in God’s hands but it was sealed.
What does that mean?
When a revelation is sealed, it means it can not be understood?
People can know the words, but they xan not understand what theuy mean.
The Lord Taught this to Isaiah…
Isaiah 29:10-11 (WEB)
10 For Yahweh has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, the prophets; and he has covered your heads, the seers.
11 All vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is educated, saying, “Read this, please;” and he says, “I can’t, for it is sealed;”
So when we are seeing the the scroll as being sealed,
It means that though the information was given, it was spiritually sealed so that no man can understand it.
It had been spiritually sealed in seven ways, according to the Seven Spirits of God.
However, when the Lamb was slain, the Lamb who had the Seven Spirits upon him, began to break the seals one at a time.
Revelation 5:5-6 (WEB)
5 One of the elders said to me, “Don’t weep. Behold, the Lion who is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome: he who opens the book and its seven seals.”
6 I saw in the middle of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.
The breaking of Seals simply means, Jesus would begin to remove the blindness on the people, so they can begin to understand the revelation written upon it, one at a time.
So each time, a seal is broken, John sees a revelation which is then given to the earth and because of that revelation, there are things that happen on earth.
So in conclusion, each seal releases each of the seven Spirits of God, and releases a revelation of Jesus that was previously hidden.
This Revelation of Jesus was written in the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, but it could not be understood until the Seven Seals are broken.
As we keep this in mind. The breaking of the seven seals does not just reveal events, it reveals the working of the Seven Spirits of God.
