The Final Seal Judgments
Revelation 6:9-17
A Glimpse of God’s Throne Room
For two chapters John painted a stunning visual glimpse at God’s heavenly throne room. This majestic, awe-inspiring scene reminds us that no matter who is governing on earth, God the Father reigns from his heavenly throne and deserves our praise (Rev 4).
At some point in the future, God the Son will step forward to carry out divine justice on the evil world. Just as he carried out the Father’s will by enduring a sacrificial death for us, he will also administer judgment on the earth at last (Rev 5).
In a prophetic vision, John foresaw this future outlook as though Christ were receiving a royal scroll from the Father’s hand. Since Christ had died a bloody, violent death for the sins of the world, only he will be worthy to unleash God’s judgment on the world.
A Series of Divine Judgment in Three Stages
Christ will unleash God’s judgment by authorizing three sets of seven judgments:
- The first seven appear as Christ breaks seals on a scroll (Rev 6:1-8:1).
- The middle seven appear as angels blow trumpets (Rev 8:2-14:20).
- The final seven appear as angels empty bowls of divine wrath (Rev 15:1-18:24).
To understand these judgments, we should keep the following perspective in mind:
- They will occur in the order that John records them.
- They will increase in magnitude and severity.
- They will overlap because the seventh seal presents the seven trumpets and the seventh trumpet presents the seven bowls (equaling 19 judgments instead of 21).
- Additional background information and scenes will interrupt their progression.
- From first to last, these judgments span the Tribulation period, a time of divine, unprecedented intervention that will purify Israel and punish the nations.
- Christ will remove the church from Earth via the rapture before these events unfold (Rev 3:10; 6:17; 11:18; cf. Rom 5:9; 1 Thess 1:10; 4:16-18; 5:9; 2 Pet 2:9).
The Seven Seal Judgements
These events will begin as Christ breaks the seven seals, as it were, from a scroll in the Father’s right hand. The first four seals will unleash four sweeping, global conditions.
- Seal 1 – A shallow but widespread peace will be established.
- Seal 2 – Outbreaks of bloodshed, violence, and warfare will erupt.
- Seal 3 – Commercial and economic supplies will become scarce.
- Seal 4 – 25% of the population will die from violence, hunger, disease, and animals.
All of these events will probably transpire in the first half of the Tribulation, so they will occur over the period of three-and-a-half years, as will the next two seals, with the final seal signaling the midway point. These three seals will be as follows:
- Seal 5 – Prayers of martyred believers will occur (Rev 6:9-11).
- Seal 6 – Catastrophic celestial and terrestrial disturbances will occur (Rev 6:12-17).
- Seal 7 – The seven trumpet judgments will be introduced (Rev 8:1-6).
John inserts an extended intermission between the sixth and seventh seals, revealing some behind-the-scenes developments among God’s angels, his people on earth, and his throne room in heaven (Rev 7:1-17).
The Fifth Seal: Prayers of Martyred Believers (Rev 6:9-11)
The fifth seal differs from the first four because it features no horse, no rider, and no worldwide catastrophes. It also occurs in heaven not on earth. However, it does correspond well with Christ’s description of this period in the Olivet Discourse (Matt 24:9-10; Mark 13:9-13; Luke 21:12-17).
Prayers as Divine Wrath
How does this scene of martyrs praying to God from heaven express of God’s wrath on the world? These martyrdoms were not the result of God’s wrath, since the martyrs were believers killed by nonbelievers, not nonbelievers executed by God. So how does this scene portray God’s wrath being poured out on the world?
Christ’s teaching in Luke 18:7 may give some perspective. There is a sense in which the prayers of God’s people, esp. those who’ve treated unjustly, guarantee greater, more intensified impending wrath their persecutors – even if God delays that judgment for a time. In fact, it is the prayers of believers martyred (esp. in the Tribulation) that are a key impetus for the 7th seal judgment and the trumpets and bowls that follow (Rev 8:8:3-5).
An Altar of Incense
That the martyrs are praying before an altar indicates that what is God’s throne room is also his temple because it happens to be where his glory and presence dwells (Isa 6:1 also pairs God’s throne and temple). To help us better visualize this altar, we should understand it to be an altar of incense rather than sacrifice (Rev 5:8; 8:3-4). In particular, we see that the prayers of God’s people serve as the incense.
Tribulation Martyrs
Who were these martyrs?
Some suggest that they are believers from throughout history who were martyred for their faith. Though this may be true, it seems more likely that these are specifically believers martyred during the opening phase of the Tribulation (the four seal judgments) because their persecutors were still “alive on the earth” (Rev 6:10).
Why were they killed?
Because they believed the Word of God and had been loyal to Christ at a time when identifying with Christ was globally and severely unpopular.
What did they pray?
They asked, “How long?,” but not because they doubted God’s faithfulness. They knew what God would do; they just didn’t know when. They described God as “holy and true.” This statement emphasizes their firm belief that God cannot tolerate evil and injustice (he is holy) and that he is faithful to his promises (“he is true”). Because of his character, they knew he would judge and avenge those who had killed them, they just didn’t know when he would come through and wanted him to do so soon.
A Divine Reply
In reply, God will both act and answer their question:
- His act includes clothing these martyred souls with white robes. (Rev 19:8 indicates that white robes represent the righteousness of God’s people). So, he welcomes them into his family and kingdom officially way and assures them of acceptance and favor.
- His answer includes instruction to “rest for a little while longer,” which probably refers to the time remaining between their prayers and the blowing of the seventh trumpet (Rev 10:6). This period was required to admit more martyrs into their number. Once the group is complete, God will avenge them all at once. Until then, God encourages these martyrs to enjoy their new, blessed position free from worry and suffering.
The Sixth Seal: Celestial and Terrestrial Disturbances (Rev 6:12-17)
This seal returns to the kind of judgment events we expect in Revelation, and they include extraordinary events both on earth and in outer space (see also Lk 21:11). On one hand the events this seal presents are unparalleled in history, while on the other hand they are not severe enough to destroy the earth completely. Though these are will be unparalleled events, they will also foreshadow more traumatic events that will yet occur at the end of the Tribulation (Rev 16:18; Matt 24:29).
A Cluster of Connected Catastrophes
The catastrophes which this seal unleashes include:
- A massive earthquake
- A darkened sun and moon
- An asteroid shower
- A radical change to the sky’s appearance
- Mountains and islands change their position (topographical upheaval)
How do these events relate to one another? They seem to forecast a series of interconnected events. Though the blackened sun and reddened moon may refer to some dramatic eclipses, even these may be caused by the earthquake. It’s helpful to realize that John describes these events as shaking not just the earth but the solar system, too.
- A series of earthquakes of this magnitude would likely trigger an outbreak of volcanoes throughout the world, which would in turn spew a profuse amount of ash into the air, darkening the sun and discoloring the moon from our vantage point.
- After this, or in close synchronization, a large meteor shower will pummel the earth, somehow triggering dramatic changes to the sky and weather patterns so that the sky looks like it’s rolling up like a scroll. In all of this upheaval, mountains and islands will move from their places due to seismic shifts in the earth’s tectonic plates.
Worldwide Fear and Panic
As this devastation unfolds, people from all social classes will run for shelter to protect themselves from these destructive forces. Neither politicians, military officials, wealthy, influential, working class, or poor will be able to offer solutions. They can only hide.
From this preview of judgment, we learn what rebellious, unbelieving people fear most is not death itself, or else they would not request the mountains and rocks to fall on them. More than death itself they fear standing in judgment before the Father and the Son. Sadly, they will respond with further rebellion and rather than repentance.
We also see that people will show remarkable understanding, for they will know they are experiencing God’s wrath, which Paul taught is not something about which people are ignorant; they merely suppress this knowledge (Rom 1:18). When these judgments unfold, the knowledge of God which they refuse to acknowledge will burst from their lips.
As massive and disturbing as these events will be, they only signal the midpoint of God’s outpouring of wrath. The worst is yet to come through the seven trumpet judgments which will occur next, then the seven bowl judgments which will occur after that. In fact, this seal marks only one-third of the wrath God will unleash on the world, with the next judgments coming in part out of vengeance for the martyrdom of his people.
Key Takeaways
As we see and savor (or take to heart) the scenes of divine wrath that John has given, how should we respond? How should this divine preview influence and shape our lives?
Have we placed our trust in Christ as Redeemer?
We should ensure that we ourselves have been redeemed. Have we turned from our sinful rebellion and trusted in Christ alone for salvation? If so, then he will remove us from the wrath to come.
We should also endeavor to bring more people to Christ through patience and love, looking for opportunities to explain the gospel to them. If they believe, then we will have a part in Christ removing them from the wrath to come as well.
Does this prophecy cause peace and perseverance in our lives?
John received this vision when he was serving a sentence on an incarceration island, likely assigned to grueling labor in the quartz mines there because of his faith – even as a 90+ yrs. old man. He sent this vision to a circle of churches whose members were also experiencing excruciating things for their faith.
If we feel overwhelmed by evil today, rest assured that our feelings come nowhere close to how overwhelmed the wicked will feel when God pours out his wrath in the final and decisive judgment.
No matter what kind of setbacks and suffering we experience in this world today, we still know that we’re on the right side of history and the future. Even when cruelty and injustice, evil and godlessness seem to rule the day, we know that God will prevail when Christ intervenes in judgment. He is holy and true, so he will not tolerate evil nor fail to come through – it’s just that he’s longsuffering and knows that a few more things need to occur first. We must patiently endure and rest in peace, knowing that when wickedness is at its worst, God’s justice will prevail at last. If we feel overwhelmed by evil today, rest assured that our feelings come nowhere close to how overwhelmed the wicked will feel when God pours out his wrath in the final and decisive judgment.
