Revelation chapter six provides us with a summary of what appears to be much of the tribulation
period; from the rise of the last empire, going forth “conquering and to conquer”, through to events immediately prior to the outpouring of divine wrath upon the earth and the subsequent return of
Messiah.
But before we delve into the chapter’s contents it seems relevant to look into the meaning of the
seals that we’ll be reading about in it, and to gain some clue as to the identity of the horsemen that we’ll see going forth. To do this let’s start by looking at the mysterious scroll in Revelation 5:1
(sometimes translated as 'book'). It is a scroll with writing on the front and back and “sealed with seven seals”. To protect the privacy of a scroll’s content they were typically sealed with hot wax into which was pressed the authors unique signet ring, leaving the distinct markings of the ring on the
wax. This imprinted wax was the seal, which in effect had a three-fold function. First, to keep the scroll from unraveling. Second, to provide assurance to the recipient that it hadn't been opened in transit and third, to provide assurance of the authenticity of the writer. In Revelation 5 John sees a scroll that obviously contains an important message. This scroll doesn’t just have one seal on it but seven. It’s a high-security document. Who is the author? In Revelation 5 we’re told that only the
lamb, who is described as having the seven spirits of God, can open it. Did the lamb write it? Are
these seven spirits part of his person, or that of the Holy Spirit? It’s hard to tell. In Revelation 5 they are said to be the seven horns and seven eyes of the lamb (Messiah), sent forth into all the earth.
Horns on an animal are used for fighting and in prophecy usually refer to a warlike or destructive
aspect of something. The eyes going into all the earth intuitively speak of God’s ability to see and know all that goes on in the world. Together we have a picture of Messiah, his agents, or perhaps
aspects of the Holy Spirit, ready to see all that goes on in the earth and bring forth acts of judgment.
The seven spirits are relatively mysterious but, given the context in which they’re spoken of from
Revelation chapters 1 – 5, it seems likely that they’re somehow integral to one of the persons of the Godhead and that the signet seals on the scroll are therefore those of the seven spirits; the author being God.
The contents of the scroll itself have also been the source of much speculation. For instance, some have said that it is the book of life and others that it is the title deed of the earth. Later in Revelation we find that when the final seal is removed, and it is thus opened, seven great judgments come forth and then another seven out of these. A question we could ask is, do all these judgments have
something to do with the contents of the scroll? Are they not perhaps the very content of it? To help answer that let’s have a look at a similar vision in Zechariah chapter 5. It is perhaps debatable
whether the flying scroll in Zechariah is the same scroll or something different, however looking at the context of surrounding visions in Zechariah there seems a good likelihood that it is either the same or of the same nature. Here is an adaptation of a short summary given in G. Coleman Luck's
excellent commentary entitled "Zechariah".
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(Zec 1:7-17) Judgment upon the nations that had persecuted Israel.
(Zec 1:18-19) The four world powers that have scattered Israel.
(Zec 1:20-21) God's agents that bring judgment on these nations.
(Zec 2:1-13) Jerusalem's future deliverance and restoration.
(Zec 3:1-10) Israel's future cleansing when they “look to him whom they have pierced”.
(Zec 4:1-14) The two spirit filled witnesses of the tribulation period.
(Zec 5:1-4) The flying scroll – The judgment of the wicked on the whole earth preceding the