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THE SEVEN SEALS

CHAPTER 6

1. And I [the John Class] saw when the Lamb [the meek and humble One] opened one of the seals [phase of obscure prophecies], and I [the John Class] heard, as it were the noise of thunder [sound of a great controversy], one of the four beasts [living creatures, attributes, namely power], saying, Come [and see, not in older MSS].

2. And I [the John Class] saw, and behold a white horse [pure doctrine of Ephesus periodthe first or principle, covering from CE 33-70, pictured as white in pureness of the early church]: and he that sat on him had a bow [the ambitious class that had pure teachings had evil devices to forward their conquests]; and a crown [authority] was given unto him [the apostate element]: and he [the apostate element in the church] went forth conquering, and to conquer [using many of the pure doctrines while at the same time bringing in errors].

3. And when he [the meek and humble One] had opened the second seal [of obscure prophecies in the Smyrna period"bitter," covering from CE 70-313], I [the John Class] heard the second beast [living creature, namely, love], say, Come [and see, not in older MSS].

4. And there went out another horse [doctrine] that was red [polluted with sinful heresies]: and power was given to him [the apostate element in the church] that sat thereon to take peace from the earth [society], and that they should kill [expel or ostracize] one another [from the church]: and there [to this apostate element] was given unto him a great sword [power to misuse the Scriptures greatly].

5. And when he [the meek and humble One] had opened the third seal [of obscure prophecies in the Pergamum period "heighth," Diaglott, covering from CE 313-1160], I [the John Class] heard the third beast [living creature, the third attribute of wisdom] say, Come [and see, not in older MSS]. And I [the John Class] beheld, and lo a black horse [doctrine of darkness on the nature of God and Christ]; and he [the apostate element] that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand [not only to suppress the truth but also to ration the truth to others].

6. And I [the John Class] heard a voice [proclamation from the Lord Jesus] in the midst of the four beasts [living creatures, attributes of God] say, A measure [quart] of wheat for a penny [a day’s wages, starvation rations of spiritual truths were all that could be gotten from day to day], and three measures [quarts] of barley [(Leviticus 23:11; Numbers 5:15; Hosea 3:2; John 6:9-15). Barley was a symbol of Christ’s resurrection.] for a penny [a day’s wages, greater proportions of dimly perceived truth were to be had. Possibly the wheatthe bread of lifethe ransom truths were in short supply while the barley truths of Christ’s person and resurrection were in better supply]; and see thou hurt not the oil [the holy Spirit and the true doctrines] and the wine [truths of Christ’s suffering and death, the apostate element was somewhat restrained here in this period].

7. And when he [the meek and humble One] had opened the fourth seal [of obscure prophecies in the Thyatira period Diaglott, "sacrifice of labor," covering from CE 1160-1378], I [the John Class] heard the voice of the fourth beast [living creature, namely, justice] say, Come and see.

8. And I [the John Class] looked, and behold a pale horse [doctrine devoid of any life-giving qualities]: and his name [the name of those using this doctrine] that sat on him was Death [showing how the apostate element so perverted the truth that nothing was left to sustain spiritual life and death resulted], and Hell  [spiritual lifelessness] followed with him [in a false ministry]. And power was given unto them [the apostate element] over the fourth part of the earth [over the Roman Empire], to kill with sword [destroy true Christians by the misuse of the Scriptures], and with hunger [by limiting spiritual food], and with death [ostracism and persecution], and with the beasts of the earth [by uniting with the civil powers and persecuting the saints].

9. And when he [the meek and humble One] had opened the fifth seal [of obscure prophecies in the Sardis period"that which remains" is a traditional reading hard to confirm but, Diaglott defines as "Prince of joy," covering from CE 1378-1518-28], I [the John Class] saw under the altar [of those who were offered in sacrifice and whose memory were in the ashes under the brazen altar in the court] the souls of them who were slain [ostracized and persecuted some even unto death] for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

10. And they [the souls under the altar] cried with a loud voice [proclamation], saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth [society]? [For the answer see Revelation 16:5-7.]

11. And white robes [worthiness and righteousness] were given [accredited] unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest [in death] yet for a little season [360 years covering from CE 1518-1878 and extending through the period of the next seal], until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, should be killed [ostracized and persecuted] as they were, should be fulfilled.

12. And I [the John Class] beheld when he [the meek and humble One] had opened the sixth seal [of obscure prophecies in the Philadelphia period"love of a brother," Diaglott, from CE 1518-1874-28], and, lo, there was a great earthquake [the French Revolution]; and the sun [Gospel light] became black as sackcloth [obscure] of hair, and the moon [the Mosaic Law] became as blood [appeared bloody or barbaric];

13. And the stars of heaven [the ecclesiastical leaders] fell unto the earth [came down to a worldly level of philosophy and the Christiancitizenshippolitics level], even as a fig tree [the Jewish nation] casteth her untimely figs [threw off its immature show of character], when she is shaken of a mighty wind [surrounded by the armies of Titus, CE 70, and as it shall also throw off its immature show of character when surrounded in the very end by "Gog"].

14. And the heaven [ecclesiastical powers] departed as a scroll [separated into two parts just as a scroll when it is rolled together has two parts] when it is rolled together; and every mountain [kingdom] and island [republic] were moved out of their places.

15. And the kings [political rulers] of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains [military leaders], and the mighty men [leaders of labor], and every bondman [laboring man], and every free man [small business man and professional man], hid themselves [sought refuge] in the dens [secret societies, such as, Free Masonry, Odd Fellowship, guilds, etc., Vol. 2, p. 139 00GoldSquare.jpg (705 bytes); Vol. 4, p. 45 00GoldSquare.jpg (705 bytes)] and in the rocks [fortresses] of the mountains [kingdoms, leagues, military alliances, and ecclesiastical alliances];

16. And said to the mountains [kingdoms] and rocks [fortresses of the earth, society], Fall on us, and hide us [shelter us] from the face of him [presence of him] that sitteth on the throne [the divine government], and from the wrath of the Lamb [the meek and humble Oneplease note a lamb is not usually a wrathful animal, but it is here]:

17. For the great day of his wrath [trouble] is come; and who shall be able to stand [abide]?

Vol. 2, p. 139

As the trouble increases, men will seek, but in vain, for protection in the “dens” and caves, the great rocks and fortresses of society (Free Masonry, Odd Fellowship, and Trades Unions, Guilds, Trusts, and all societies secular and ecclesiastical), and in the mountains (governments) of earth; saying, “Fall over* [cover, protect] and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of his wrath is come.” Rev. 6:15-17

*The Greek word epi, here used, is generally translated on, but has also the  significance of over and about, and is so translated many times in the  common version.  The thought is that of protection, not of destruction.  The  common view of this passage, that it teaches that wicked men will get  faith enough to pray for literal mountains to fall, is absurd.  The real  fulfilment is already beginning: the great, the rich, and no less the poor, are  seeking to the mountains and rocks and caves for shelter from the darkening  storm of trouble which all see is gathering.

Vol. 4, p. 45

But as we come closer and closer to the great crisis of this “evil day” it will doubtless be manifest to those who view the situation from the standpoint of “the sure word of prophecy,” that, even if there be cases where principle is not involved, it will be the part of wisdom to withdraw from the various social and financial bondages which must inevitably succumb to the ravages of world-wide revolution and anarchy.  In that time (and, bear in mind, it will probably be within the next few years) financial institutions, including insurance companies and beneficial societies, will go down; and “treasures” in them will prove utterly worthless. These caves and rocks of the mountains will not furnish the desired protection from the wrath of this “evil day,” when the great waves of popular discontent are lashing and foaming against the mountains (kingdoms—Rev. 6:15-17; Psa. 46:3); and the time will come when men “shall cast their silver into the streets, and their gold shall be as though it were unclean [margin]: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord.  They shall not [with their wealth] be able to satisfy their souls, neither [to] fill their bowels: because it was the stumbling block of their iniquity.” (Ezek. 7:19; Compare also verses 12-18,21,25-27.)  Thus will the Lord make a man’s life more precious than fine gold, even the golden wedge of Ophir. Isa. 13:12

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