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What the Bible says about Incremental Intensity of Seals of Revelation
(From Forerunner Commentary)

Mark 13:32-37

Our Savior Himself sets some necessary ground rules regarding understanding prophecy. He gets the timing of His return out of the way first: No one knows but the Father, not even Himself! So that should not be an issue with us—we should not worry about it or even be eager to figure it out, as it is a futile task, a time-waster. We will never be right, and it is unverifiable until it happens. Besides, most importantly, doing so provides little-to-no spiritual benefit.

What, then, are we to do? “Take heed, watch, and pray.” Because we do not know when He will return (notice He uses the more general “time” in verse 33, not just the specific day and hour), we must be ready for His return constantly. We do this by taking heed and watching.

“Take heed” is Greek blepete, which means “to notice carefully,” “to be ready to learn,” “to pay attention,” “to be prepared to respond appropriately.” The word-picture within it is a runner on a starting line who hears, “Ready. Get set. . . ,” and is poised to explode out of his stance as soon as the gun fires.

“Watch” is Greek agrypneite, which means “to keep oneself awake,” “to remain alert,” “to be sleepless,” “to be on the lookout,” “to be vigilant,” “to be on watch [duty].” The obvious illustration is a guard standing watch, keeping himself awake and alert to notice anyone approaching.

These commands are modified by “pray,” which implies being in constant communication with God. This modification suggests that our taking heed and watching are spiritual, not physical. The parallel verse in Luke 21:36 says explicitly that our watching and praying are focused on being counted worthy to escape the dangers of the end times and to stand before Christ.

That is how true Christians will be prepared for the Master's return—and for the Tribulation and the Day of the Lord, for that matter: by being diligent in keeping themselves on the straight and narrow path to God's Kingdom. This advice is the essence of Jesus' three parables in Matthew 25: We are not to sleep but to keep our lamps full of oil, faithfully use our talents for growth, and serve the brethren as we wait for the coming of our Savior.

Even so, Jesus also gives us signs of His coming so we will know when our redemption draws near. These prophetic guideposts are necessary to motivate us to trust Him and endure to the end.

In Matthew 24:3-8, Jesus lays out the first four seals of Revelation 6, but He twice emphasizes that these kinds of things will happen almost as a matter of course. He says, “All these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet” (verse 6), and “All these are the beginning of sorrows” (verse 8). As such, they do not indicate that the end is imminent. At best, these sorts of events mark the beginning of the end. Of course, religious deception, wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes have been happening all along, from before Jesus spoke this prophecy up until modern times. Their value in assessing how close we are to the end lies in their frequency and intensity.

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
The End Is Not Yet

Revelation 5:1-5

This scroll is unique in that it is sealed with seven seals. They did not write many books in those days. Most long correspondence was written on a scroll. And a scroll was a long sheet of parchment that was rolled up like paper towels.

As one read the message, the document had to be unrolled. This document was sealed with a heavy, sticky wax that was heated to a liquid and then dropped on the end of the document, sealing it. No one could then read the document until the seal was broken. In addition, the seal was usually impressed with some kind of identifying sign or mark to confirm who had written the document—to identify the sender.

This particular scroll had seven seals binding it—that is, the document was completely written and then it began to be rolled. Part way into the rolling, a seal was put on. The wax solidified, then it was rolled some more, and a second seal was put on it. It was rolled some more, then the third seal and so on until seven seals were affixed to it.

Verse 2 asks who would be able to open up and read what was written. John is heartbroken until he finds out that the Lamb is worthy to open it. Then we begin to find that the seals could be broken and the revelation could commence.

The last seal put on must be the first seal to be broken. This indicates the progression of time. It takes time to break the seal and to reveal what the seal's message is. In actual history, it means that a seal is broken, and then the seal begins to be fulfilled. Another seal is broken, and it too begins to unfold in history; and then a third one, and it begins to unfold. So time moves along. It begins with the first one, the second is joined to it, and then the third one is joined to them.

When the first seal is opened, it continues until all the seals are broken. The intensity is increased by adding the next seal to it. We have two fulfillments occurring at once. Then the third one is opened, and now we have three being fulfilled, etc.

As we approach a specific point in time, the intensity of the unfolding of the seals' event becomes greater and greater. By the time we get to the end, the intensity is so great that the people on earth are barely able to stand it.

John W. Ritenbaugh
Revelation 10 and the Laodicean Church


 




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