The First Message - Part 1

The First Message, Seal, Trumpet and Plague

The Book of Revelation commences with admonitions to the seven churches of Asia Minor. Some cautions were heeded, some were not. This vision is a miniature review of the rest of Revelation. The Apocalypse also contains 7 messages, 7 seals, 7 trumpets, and 7 plagues as well as other sevens. From the word of God, Old Testament temple-history-type and the testimony of Jesus Christ, the Gospels’ antitype, where the Messianic Body models the true Temple, Revelation writes a summation. The Acts of the Apostles and the Epistle writings commence the journey to fulfill archetype and the Apocalypse concludes this journey on a global scale.

The Christian era can be aligned with the early formation of the kingdom of Israel. A confederation of ideas, an admix of Egyptian rule by one, an acceptance of a new order by the settlement in Canaan with an interest in human welfare.

As the story goes, Israel had escaped Egyptian bondage. Saul, meaning asked, as Israel asked for a king, was Israel’s first king, and as ruthless as Pharoah’s task-masters. There had been little progress in the days of early Israel. Then Saul was killed in battle and the kingdom was given to the young shepherd boy, David, the beloved.

King David is where this story begins. The Revelation writers, personified as John as they were one in spirit, mind, hope, objective, commenced by following the Bible temple-history as a pattern. They applied this picture to the circumstances they believed would prevail during the days of Christendom.

This is the first angel’s message, “And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?” Rev. 5:1,2. The answer, “the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David…” Rev. 5:5. In this dispensation the Lion of Juda is called “the Comforter” - John 16:7.

The little book had been closed for a long time. Isaiah reports in judgment upon Jerusalem for hypocrisy, “the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith I cannot; for it is sealed:” - symbolic statement of mental darkness, is here displayed.

What a tragedy. But was there hope ahead? O yes! A dark period had passed for ancient Israel. Now King David led Israel. Israel means ruling with God.



The First Seal

The four beasts from round about the throne open the first four seals. The throne embraced the four points of the compass. See Ezekiel’s vision in chapter one. To begin in Rev. 6:1,2 John says “…And I saw and behold white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering and to conquer.” The spirit of investigation is here introduced.

White horse, white from Greek KEUKOS means light. Light shines and is illuminating, representing purity.

The white horses in Zech. 6:6 go forth from between two mountains of brass after “the black horses…go forth into the north country.” The white horses go to Jerusalem. Thus saith the Lord, “I am returned unto Zion.” Zech. 8:3.

Bow is from Greek TOXON/TIKTO and means to produce as a seed, bring forth as a mother delivers a child. Bow in Hebrew is QESHETH, in the sense of bending. The bow in the cloud was a token indicating a covenant between God the Maker, and the earth. Humanity would always be delivered in future from a flood of violent fighting warriors bent on destroying the earth. The bow of Revelation is the new covenant.

Crown from STEPHANDS a symbol of honour. The rider, is Faithful and True. Crowned, from Hebrew ATAR is to encircle, compass for attack and protection.

“What is man that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hath made him a little lower than the angels, and has crowned him with glory and honour.” Ps. 8:4,5.

First Trumpet

What did the first trumpet cryptically sound as the opening of the first seal was observed? Was it a burst of light amidst darkness, and what of the resultant consequences?

Rev. 8:7. “The first angel sounded, and there fell hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth, and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.”

- “Hail”, shall sweep, YAAH 3261 brush aside, “away,” SUWR 5493 turn off, “a refuge of lies,” KAZAB 3576 deceive, be found a liar. The hail shall brush aside and turn off the deception taught to multitudes for centuries.
- And “fire mingled with blood”. “Fire”, well Jeremiah writing about God’s judgments upon the Jews for perverseness explains:- “And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them. Wherefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and the people wood, and it shall devour them” Jer. 5:14.
- “mingled with blood”. In highly graphic language this means, the word “blood” from HAIMA = juice of grapes, atoning blood of lamb. “This is my blood of the new testament.” In reality this was the sacrificial life of study and proclaiming by great reformers. This is blood. The “fire” was “mingled with sacrifice”.

The first trumpet is sounding confirmation of restoration. Restoration is necessary for reformation. But what happened? Was it greeted with open arms? The hail and fire mingled with blood were cast upon the earth. The word “earth” is often used as ground where the “sower went forth to sow”. And a third part of the trees was burnt up. “The third part of” refers to Jerusalem in Eze. 5:1,2 under the type of hair. The judgment of Jerusalem (the church today) for their rebellion. “Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.”

“And a third part of the trees was burnt up”. Because Jerusalem was full of idols and they worshipped the work of their own hands, these trees personify the “proud and lofty”. They are those who reject an affront towards tradition. “And the loftiness of man, shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.” Isa. 2:11-13,17.

These arrogant trees are not akin to the trees of righteousness, ANIL meaning strong, a chief (politically) with the strength of an oak. The gallant fighters of the Maccabees are the trees of righteousness. Conscientious souls who triumphed over Antiochus Epiphanes and regained self-determination.

“And all green grass was burnt up.” Green from Greek CHIORES = verdant, inexperienced, naïve. “Grass” from CHORTOS = vegetation, those of an unthinking existence, all burnt up. Even today if a person be immature in judgment it is common practice to say “he is green.”


Re Jerusalem (the church today)

Jerusalem of old, claiming caretakers of the oracles of God, constantly regressed into idolatry. The true prophets condemned this. It is written, Israel a rebellious nation, “For they are impudent children and stiffhearted…” Eze. 2:4. Jerusalem, “their land is full of idols: they worship the work of their own hands…” Isa. 2:8. “And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces…and all idols thereof will I lay desolate …” Micah 1:7.

With the fall of Jerusalem when Messiah was silenced, Jerusalem, the heart of Judaism collapsed. Jerusalem of the new covenant, which is above, Gal. 4:26, is a symbol of elevated consciousness, a spiritual city. The Jew, those claiming allegiance to their Maker, is one with a circumcised heart. Rom. 2:29. The church (EKKLESIA) are those called out by their conscience – the still small voice. They are the true church. “Now ye are the body of Christ” 1 Cor. 12:27, “one body” Eph. 4:4. “And Christ, (righteousness and peace) is the head.” Eph. 5:23 the spiritual Rock - 1 Cor. 10:4.

Idolatry in the Christian age is false doctrine. “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Mark 7:7. “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God.” 2 Cor. 6:16. “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” 1 John 5:21.

Reformation commenced with much earnest work and sacrifice but eventually faded. The seed sown, fell by the wayside, upon stony ground and amongst thorns. But in the residue of good ground the seed germinated and produced many fold. A resurgence of reform would come another day. The faithful were promised, “there would be a light always in Jerusalem.” 1 Kings 11:36.

First Plague

Now plagues follow as an inevitable result of shutting out light. As the messages, seals, trumpets continued their work, likewise the 1st plague is poured out. “And the first (angel) went and poured out his vial upon the earth (or ground); and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.” Rev. 16:1,2. The beast, mark and image was briefly dealt with in a former article.

The noisome and grievous sore of the Old Testament was leprosy. See Strong’s Concordance for the word “leprosy” in O.T. Anyone with leprosy was considered unclean. In the spiritual age leprosy is intellectual decay. A scaly, ulcerated mind, figuratively speaking, a corrupting influence. Passion for rectification dwindled.

To be continued, added to blog - The Second Message, Seal, Trumpet and Plague.