"And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come [and see—Alexandrine omits]."

"And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth." Revelation 6:7,8

 

"He"	The Lamb.
"I"	The John Class.
"Fourth seal"	The period is approximately from CE 1160 to 1378. The "angel" is Peter Waldo.
"Fourth beast," "Living Creature"	The attribute of justice.
"Come"	Action instructions for the vision to unfold.
"Pale horse"	Doctrine devoid of any life-giving qualities.
"His name"	The writer's identification.
"Death"	The apostate element perverted truth so it could no longer sustain spiritual life. Death resulted.
"Hell"	Spiritual lifelessness.
"Them"	The apostate element.
"Fourth part"	The Roman Empire, the place where the apostasy was center stage.
"Kill with the sword"	Ostracize or destroy true Christians by the misuse of God’s Word.
"With hunger"	By limiting spiritual food.
"With death"	Ostracism and persecution, and not recognizing as Christians, those who resisted.
"With the beasts of the earth"	By uniting with civil powers and persecuting Christians.

    The fourth stage of the church and the fourth "seal" covers approximately from CE 1160-1378. The "angel" of this period is Peter Waldo. Papacy was now ruling with a high hand. The "pale horse" doctrines caused widespread spiritual death.
    All the false doctrines—the trinity, immortal soul, burning hell-fire, the mass, the clergy and laity divisions, the kingdom reigning now, etc., were not only all absorbed into the church, but became grounds for persecution of those not willing to be persuaded by the antichrist. This left conditions in the church very sad indeed. The apostate element was now reigning in power.
 

The Reign of the Apostate Church

 

    The "pale horse" doctrines had perverted the truth. Little was left to sustain spiritual life within the papal system. Peter Waldo succeeded in translating the Gospels into French and engaged followers called "the poor men of Lyons" to help distribute the Gospels. They also offered corrective criticisms to awaken those who would listen to the lethal state that the papal leaders had created. Waldo’s ministry became a lifeline to the right-hearted. Although hunted and persecuted, the Waldenses left behind a beautiful history of faithfulness.
    God’s justice, the fourth "living creature," invites the faithful class to view the workings of "Death" and "Hell" doctrines to see what the effects would be on the church. As they watched, they saw the apostate element take control over the "fourth part of the earth"—the Roman Empire which the apostasy had now secured as its kingdom.

French Protestants Meeting in Wilderness

 

    They watched the faithful being killed with the "sword" or rendered spiritually lifeless by the misuse of the Scriptures. They observed "hunger" produced by papacy’s limiting the spiritual food supply in proscribing the Bible. They could also see "death" in the form of ostracism and persecution, if not actual death, befalling the faithful. To make matters worse, papacy united with "beasts of the earth"—the civil powers—to augment its lethal powers.

Click to go to the following:

         TOPICAL STUDY ON THE SEVEN SEALS:
Seven Seals Part I - Part 2
1st Seal - 2nd Seal - 3rd Seal - 4th Seal - 5th Seal - 6th Seal - 7th Seal

CHAPTER/VERSE BY VERSE STUDY ON THE SEVEN SEALS:
1st to 6th Seal [Revelation 6] - 7th Seal [Revelation 8:1]

 

TOPICAL STUDY ON THE SEVEN TRUMPETS:
Prelude to the Trumpets - 1st Trumpet - 2nd Trumpet - 3rd Trumpet
4th Trumpet - 5th Trumpet - 6th Trumpet - 7th Trumpet

CHAPTER/VERSE BY VERSE STUDY ON THE SEVEN TRUMPETS:
1st through 6th Trumpet [Revelation 8,9] - 7th Trumpet [ Revelation 11:15-19]

 

TOPICAL STUDY ON THE SEVEN CHURCHES:
7 Churches Topical Study Home Page
Ephesus - Smyrna - Pergamos - Thyatira - Sardis - Philadelphia - Laodicea

CHAPTER/VERSE BY VERSE STUDY ON THE SEVEN CHURCHES:
7 Churches Verse by Verse Home Page
Ephesus - Smyrna - Pergamos - Thyatira - Sardis - Philadelphia - Laodicea

 

Topical Study Home Page - Chapter Study Home Page  
- Sinaitic Manuscript - Questions - Glossary.

E-Mail Day7000@sbcglobal.net  with comments.

Copyright 2001 John Class