Opening of the First Seal – Revelation 6:1-2 Click here and watch the video
There are a lot of false teachings regarding the opening of the Seven Seals. The false teaching begins at Revelation 4:1 when a door was opened in Heaven and John was told to “Come up hither …” Some teach, at this point the church had been rapture and this is the end of the Church age. This teaching is without foundation. Consequently, the opening of the first four seals is a mystery to most, therefore they have leaned to their own private interpretation – this is a serious mistake. I have carefully studied Revelation – I know that you have love for Truth, therefore I believe that you will receive the revelation herein.
Listen carefully to the Spirit of Truth as we open the first seal.
The first recorded task in the book of Revelation that Jesus did after he returned to the Father is recorded at Revelation 5:7: “He came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne.” Revelation 5:6 describes him as a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
Background. According to Revelation 5:1-4: There was no man in heaven, nor in the earth, neither under the earth who was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. John wept much because there no man found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
Revelation 5:5-6 explains that the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
In Acts 1:4-5, Jesus told his disciples to not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Acts 2:1-4 says, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. (3) And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Revelation 6:1-2 says, “And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. (2) And I saw, and behold a 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.”
No scripture of the prophecy is for any private interpretation!
The white horse – the book of Zechariah 6:2-5 mentions the white, red, black, and grisled and bay horses. Zechariah 6:5 explains that these are the four spirits of heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.” As we study the scriptures we can clearly see that they go forth and carry out the assignments given unto them.
Now we will carefully review Zechariah 9:11-17 and see this seal revealed before our eyes. Background – Read Zechariah 9:9-10.
Zechariah 9:9-10 says, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. (10) And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.
Jesus made a blood covenant with his disciples and made them prisoners of Hope. Let us review supporting scriptures: Zechariah 9:11 says, “As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water. (12) Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even today do I declare that I will render double unto thee:”
Surely they were “prisoners of hope” as the disciples waited in Jerusalem and we know the blood covenant occurred when his blood was shed on the cross. Here we can also see Jesus setting the prisoners free from hell Now let us see this first seal revealed before our eyes.
The Bow! Zechariah 9:13 says, “When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man.” Praise God – For Judah is the bow and Ephraim is the arrows. It is important to algin scriptures to get the understanding. Jeremiah 50:9 says: "For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations, from the north country; and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain." Job 6:4 says: "For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me." Let us continue to algin scriptures. Psalms 127:4 says: As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth." Isaiah 59:20-21 outlines that covenant it says the Redeemer will come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob.
Acts 2:2 says, “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.”
Now lets us continue to read Zechariah 9:14, “And the Lord shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lighting: and the Lord God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.” Here we can see the rushing mighty wind and the Lord sitting over them as described at the day of Pentecost.
Let us continue to read Zechariah.
Zechariah 9:15 says, “The Lord of host shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar.”
Now let us review Acts 2:4. “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” The Crown! Let us continue to read Zechariah 9:16, “And the Lord their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: and for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon the land.” Revelation 3:11, in the message that Jesus gave to the church of Philadelphia, Jesus said, “Behold, I come quickly, hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” When did they receive their crown? Answer - When they received power of the Holy Ghost. They became children of the King with power and authority to act on the behalf of the King. Finally to end critics, Jesus said, if with the finger of God he cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come unto you. Luke 11:20)Jesus is telling them to hold on to their faith because if you lose your faith, you lose your power and crown.
Listen carefully! Zechariah 9:17 says, “For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! Corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.”
Zechariah 9:15 clearly reveals that the Lord of Hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with stones.
Before we review the Charge, let us review the covenant.
Isaiah 59:18-21 says, “According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence. (19) So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. (20) And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. (21) As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD: My spirit that is upon thee, and the words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD from henceforth and for ever.”
At Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commanded us: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (20) Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
As we study the scriptures we understand that the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is JESUS.
Jesus Christ, the Son God, the Word of God made flesh, the Lamb of God – with seven eyes and seven horns (Which are the Seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth), the Saviour, the Redeemer, The Light, The Branch, the Image of the invisible God, said the Father and He would come and make their abode within us.
Let us review the first seal. Revelation 6:2 says, “And I saw, and behold a 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.”
Jesus first recorded action in the book of Revelation after he returned to the Father was to take the book from the one that was sitting on the throne. Then he opened the first seal. We discovered that through this process Jesus kept his promise to send the gift of the Father, the Holy Ghost. We discovered that Zechariah chapter six and nine give a detailed explanation of the symbols used in Revelation 6:2. We discovered that there are four spirits of heaven that stand before the Lord of the earth – they receive their assignments and go forth and carry out their assignments. (Zechariah 6:5) The Bow – God took Judah and bent it for a bow and filled the bow with Ephraim (Zechariah 9:13) At Zechariah 9:14 – here we can see the rushing mighty wind and the Lord sitting over them as described at the day of Pentecost at Acts 2:2. At Zechariah 9:15, again we can see the scene played out at the day of Pentecost when they received the gift of the Holy Ghost – they made a noise as through wine – they were filled like bowls – as the corners of the altar. We were able to see the crown at Zechariah 9:16.
Surely we have been given power to go forth to conquer and to conquer with the power (Spirit) of the living God in the name of JESUS.
Prophet Elmore Richmond Jr.
The Church Readiness Ministries
