The Mystery of the Seven Seals (Pt. 2)

THE SECOND SEAL:

And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come. (Rev 6:3)

The "second beast" here refers to the second living creature of the four surrounding the throne of God in Revelation chapter 4. This creature had the face of a calf. As previously discussed, the calf represents the Gospel of Mark where Christ is presented as the "suffering servant".

What's symbolically in view here is Christ as the suffering servant calling the rider to "come" and show himself to John.

And another horse went out, red...

The second rider then appears to John and we see that the white horse (purity) from the first church age (Ephesus - great commission) has now become blood red in the second church age (Smyrna - persecution).

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. (Rev 2:10)

The great commission sent the apostles "into all the earth to make disciples of every creature." This is depicted by the first rider in the first seal and represents the first church age. The resulting blood bath of persecution that followed in the second church age reveals satan's angry response to the stunning revelation of "the mystery of God kept hidden (from satan) from the foundations of the world." Namely, that Christ's death and resurrection had forever reconciled man to God, and the world that was once satan's by default, now and forever was being redeemed to mankind.

...and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. (Rev 6:4)

The red rider represents the persecuted church of the second church age given a commission to "take peace from the earth". As Jesus said of His own commission...

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. (Mat 10:36)

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Heb 4:12)


What's in view, as the second seal is opened, is the power and impact of the true, undiluted gospel. Many would receive it and be saved, many others would not, resulting in great divisions (a great sword) even within families. These divisions would become the basis for the persecutions that would follow as satan worked in vain to exterminate the holy seed from the earth.