The Mystery of the Seven Seals (Pt. 5)

THE FIFTH SEAL:

The First Seal portrays Christ as the "sovereign Lord" (Lion) of Matthew's gospel calling forth the first church age (Ephesus) which appears as a rider on a white horse (purity). This speaks of the "Great Commission".

The Second Seal presents Christ as the "suffering servant" (Calf) of Mark's gospel calling out the second church age (Smyrna) which appears as a rider on a red horse (persecutions).

The Third Seal presents Christ as the "Son of man" (Man) of Luke's gospel calling forth the third church age (Pergamos) which appears as a rider on a black horse (lies).

The Fourth Seal presents Christ as the "Son of God" (Flying Eagle) of John's gospel calling out the fourth church age (Thyatira) which appears as a rider on a pale horse (death).

And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: (Rev 6:9)

The fifth church age was the period we know today as the Reformation. Martin Luther and others stood up to the leadership of the Catholic church and openly challenged their traditions and practices declaring them to be unscriptural. As a result the pope declared that all of these "protestants" must be put out of the church.

The protestant reformers now had nowhere to go. They had been cut off from the church (slain) for the "word of God and the testimony they held". Yet they are seen in the above verse as being "under the altar" which means that their actions were covered by the blood of the Lamb.

And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. (Rev 6:11)

As Christians began to see the truth behind the Reformation, more and more of them left the Catholic church resulting in a proliferation of Protestant churches formed under the banner of "Sola Scriptura" which means "scripture only".

(It wasn't long before these churches began interpreting "scripture only" in decidedly different ways, resulting in the fracturing of the Protestant church into thousands of denominations, including many that still exist today. This happened because "scripture only" leaves little room for the Holy Spirit.)