Day 109

introduction to the Seals.

This is part 1 – part 2 following. Remember Revelation is a highly complex poetic narrative, describing Jesus’ work on behalf of His betrothed. We need to understand the symbol of an oriental marriage because marriage is a common concept in Revelation. Revelation is a love story! Remember the reference to The Love Song of Solomon in Rev 3? In an oriental marriage, the dowry is first paid. Jesus did this at Calvary – the price of our betrothal was guaranteed. After payment of the dowry, the groom would go to His Father’s house and make a place for His bride to come. (John 14:1-3). While He was gone the bride would prepare herself and wait for the Groom to come again and take her to her new home. When all was ready the Groom would come from His Father’s house and gather His bride home to the bridal feast, (the marriage supper of the Lamb, Rev 19:9). Remember the Parable of Math 25 – the wise and foolish women, those who were prepared for the Groom and those who grew weary with the wait. Note that they all believed in the coming of the Groom, but not all were ready for that event.

This is the narrative of Revelation! The opening of the seven seals will remind us of the love story of Ruth, where only a kinsman-redeemer could purchase Ruth’s inheritance. We have seen in Chapters 4 & 5 that only the Lamb, our Kinsman Redeemer, was worthy to open the seals on the lost inheritance of our world. The seals will follow the same pattern as the seven churches though looking outward from the church and not inward at the condition of the church. The seals will follow the historical preaching of the gospel and the consequences of the world’s rejection of that message. As the word of God is rejected the darkness will increase, leading us to the “dark” ages.

The seven seals will finish with the seven trumpets, an illusion to the Feast of Trumpets, the fifth festival in the Jewish Calendar.