182 Seven Seals, Seven Trumpets, Two Witnesses

Revelation 6:1–11:18, TBC Book Two, Chapter 182
Apocalyptic writing employs figurative language, using words and images in a symbolic way to convey notions; therefore, we should not assign literal meanings to the objects that we envision. For example, eyes represent all-knowing, horns represent power, and numbers hold specific meaning. “Seven” represents completeness or perfection, while “six” symbolizes imperfection.

John watched as each seal was broken open, releasing a judgment:

First seal: A white horse, whose rider wore a crown and held a bow, aiming for conquest.

Second seal: A red horse, whose rider held a sword, taking away peace by inciting wars.

Third seal: A black horse, whose rider held scales, causing scarcity and food shortages.

Fourth seal: A pale horse, whose rider, named Death, killed one fourth of earth’s people.

Fifth seal: Beneath an altar, souls robed in white, who were slain for maintaining the testimony of God.

Sixth seal: Major earthquake, sun turns black, moon turns red, stars fall—panic on earth.

But before the seventh seal could be opened, an angel called out to the four angels who were empowered to inflict harm and said to them, “Do not harm the land, the seas, or the trees until a seal is placed on the foreheads of God’s servants.” Then 144,000 were sealed, from all the tribes of Israel.

Then John saw countless masses, wearing white robes and holding palm branches, and they cried out, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

One of the elders told John, “These are the ones who have come through the great tribulation. They have washed their robes, making them white, by the blood of the Lamb. . . .”

(See THE BIBLE CLICKS, Book Two, Chapter 182, for the rest of the story.)
​​Available in book, e-book, and audiobook formats, sold by Amazon and your favorite bookstores/vendors.

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Today’s Takeaways
     A proverb to guide you: The bumper stickers were right, but no one is gloating: “Come now in love—or later in judgment.”
     A promise to cling to: “Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their[g] wrath has come, and who can withstand it?’ ” Revelation 6:15-17 NIV
     A praise to fill you: Held  Natalie Grant     [Can skip ad after first 5 seconds]