Overall Summary

The six seals in Revelation chapter 6 primarily describe the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 and things which happened to the jews prior to this.

However, the sixth seal also uses language which is taken from prophecies to do with the capture of Jerusalem prior to Christ's return. The sixth seal can be regarded as a pattern for God's destruction of the wicked, which can be applied both to Jerusalem in AD 70 and to its capture prior to when Christ returns.

These notes suggest that the first 5 seals do not describe a chronological sequence of events (although the sixth seal does seem to occur after the previous 5), but describe different aspects of the time leading up to the fall of Jerusalem.

Verses 1/2

The first seal is a white horse, which is what Christ rides in Revelation 19 v 11. The one who sits on it conquers or overcomes (gk nikao) and wears a crown. From Revelation 2 v 10, 11 it is seen that saints overcome and receive a crown. In addition, the horseman has a bow. The hebrew word which describes arrows being shot from a bow is YaRaH, from which the word translated law (ToRaH) comes. God's word shoots forth like arrows (a similar analogy is used of the words of the wicked in Psalm 64 v 3,4.)
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It is concluded that the first seal represents Christ going forth to preach the gospel through his disciples, who overcome the effects of sin through the word.

3/4

The second seal is a red horse, symbolising bloodshed (e.g. 2 Kings 3 v 22), which "takes peace from the earth" (or land).

5/6�

The third seal is a� black horse, symbolising famine (see the association of blackness with famine in Lamentations 5 v 10).

7/8

The fourth seal is a pale or green horse (the greek word translated "pale" is chloros, translated green in Revelation 8 v 7 and 9 v 4). It kills with sword, hunger, death and with the beasts of the earth. The last part of the verse comes from Ezekiel 14 v 21, which describes the punishment of Jerusalem.

9/11

The fifth seal contains a vision of souls under the altar. These were slain for the testimony they held, like the two witnesses of Revelation 11 (v 7 - "testimony ... kill"). These can be considered to be the faithful who are killed prior to the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70. They have to wait for their fellowservants, who are yet to be killed prior to the establishment of the kingdom, before receiving eternal life.

�12/17� Sixth seal:

�This describes the destruction of Jerusalem -

Verse 12 contains a reference to Joel 2 v 31 ("the sun became ... black and the moon became as blood" - see also Joel 2 v10; these passages are to do with Zion and "my holy mountain" (v 1)).

Verse 12 contains a reference to Isaiah 50 v 3 ("black ... sackcloth"), in the context of "putting away" Zion (Isaiah 50 v 1) for the transgressions of her children. Also, in Isaiah 50 v 9 those who condemn the one who speaks the word of Yahweh (the Lord Jesus Christ) �shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up� (see note on Revelation 6 v 14).
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Verse 13 has a reference to a fig tree - see Luke 13 v 6 - 9, Mark 11 v 13, 14, Isaiah 34 v 4. There is also a reference to the fig� tree in Matthew 24 v 32, when describing events prior to Christ's return.

The expression in v13 "Stars of heaven fell unto the earth" is a reference to Israelites (Daniel 8 v 10) who are overcome by a little horn which came out of one of the four horns arising from the greek goat. The little horn� represents� Rome. Daniel 8 v 13 is quoted in Matthew 24 v 15 (Jesus� prophecy on the Mount of Olives).

Verses 13 - 14 can also be considered to contain references and allusions to Isaiah 34. In verse 13 the expression "stars of heaven" can be compared to "all their host shall fall down" in Isaiah 34 v 4. Then in verse 14 the expression� "heavens as a scroll" comes from Isaiah 34 v 4.
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In verse 15 the expression "hide in the caves" can be traced to Isaiah 2 v 19 (the punishment of Judah/Jerusalem - v1)

The reference to �kings, great men, mighty men� can be linked to Mark 6 v 21 (which makes reference to king Herod,���� lords (gk "megistanes") = great men, high captains (gk "chiliarchos") = mighty men). These terms identify the rulers in Israel.

In verse 16, where it says "Mountains and rocks - Fall on us", see Luke 23 v 30, where Jesus speaks about destruction coming upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem. However, both Revelation 6 v 16 and Luke 23 v 30 quote from Hosea 10 v 8. The context of this passage is punishment coming upon Israel because of their idolatry, and destruction coming upon "the high places of Aven". "Aven" means "iniquity" in hebrew and the expression "high places of iniquity" can be considered in both a general and specific sense. In Jeremiah 18 v 23 it speaks of Jerusalem's iniquity (hebrew aven) , with Jeremiah 19 v 5 speaking of the inhabitants of Jerusalem building "high places" (of Baal). It can be seen from� Jeremiah 18 and 19 why "The high places of iniquity" or "Aven" is an expression that Jesus felt could be applied to Jerusalem.

The words of Isaiah 34 v 4 appear in the context of God's punishment on "all the nations" (v 2), an expression that occurs in Jeremiah 25 v 17 as well. These nations consist of �Jerusalem, the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof� (v 18), as well as other peoples. Similarly in Isaiah 34, God's indignation is against the wicked in Israel (described in verse 4), and upon the other nations (v 5, 6).

Isaiah 34 primarily describes God's judgement against all nations at the return of Christ, however its language relating to the punishment of Judah and Jerusalem is equally applicable to the judgement on them in AD 70 and at the time of Christ's return.

One reason for assigning a fulfilment of the seals to the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70 are the links between the Book of Revelation and Jesus' words in Matthew 24/Luke 21, spoken on the Mount of Olives and describing the events leading up to the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70.

The following lists similarities between Jesus' words on the Mount of Olives and the Book of Revelation. The similarities between the seals and Jesus' words on Olivet leads to the conclusion that they are describing the same events.

This list also points out some similarities between Jesus' words on Olivet and the trumpets (especially the reference in Revelation 11 v 2 to Luke 21 v 24). It will be seen later in these notes that the trumpets describe events which happen to Jerusalem immediately prior to the return of Christ, which is the last phase of treading down of Jerusalem by the Gentiles prior to the kingdom.
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