A scroll sealed with seven seals -- It's an EXTREMELY important scroll, in which is contained the eternal destiny of the beings of earth. It is so important that John is in agonizing tears (not just frustrated curiousity) when it appears that no one not even those in heaven could unseal it. He is weeping with MUCH WEEPING.
When the LAMB is proclaimed worthy to open the book, everyone rejoices.
They sing a new song! They rejoice singing "Worthy is the Lamb to take the book and open the seals thereof"
And He is worthy BECAUSE: He was slain and redeemed us to God by His blood out of EVERY kindred, language, people and nation.
So we need to see more in these seals then just another outline of history.
We hear the testimony of Isaiah: "For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory; and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God." {20MR 196)
SECOND SEAL
"Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in His apparel, travelling in the greatness of His strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art Thou red in Thine apparel, and Thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with Me: for I will tread them in Mine anger, and trample them in My fury; and My blood shall be sprinkled upon their garments, and I will stain all My raiment. For the day of vengeance is in Mine heart, and the year of My redeemed is come."{20MR 196.5}
THIRD SEAL
"The same spirit is seen today that is represented in Revelation 6:6-8. History is to be repeated. That which has been will be again. This spirit works to confuse and to perplex. Dissension will be seen in every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, and those who have not had a spirit to follow the light that God has given through His living oracles, through His appointed agencies, will become confused. Their judgment will reveal weakness. Disorder and strife and confusion will be seen in the church...
The Lord God of Israel has made Himself a refuge for His people. All who will make Christ their dependence will know what it means in these last days to agonize to enter in at the strait gate. The foolish self-esteem and self-confidence which many possess will prove their eternal ruin. To them the narrow path cast up for the ransomed of the Lord to walk in seems altogether too restricted. But he who abides in Christ will understand what it means to be crucified to the world. The Lord has provided only one refuge for His people. The great apostle says, "Your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory." All who are overcomers will be highly exalted..
We have this matter placed in the heavenly scales and weighed, and the result is presented before us. All this ambitious exercising of the spirit to exalt self will surely be worked by satanic agencies until the persons, whatever their profession, will reveal hereditary and cultivated attributes that will place them in the very lowest scale; and when God shall weigh them in the golden scales of the heavenly sanctuary, the sentence will be passed, "Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting."{20MR 199 -200}
THE FOURTH SEAL
"Satan exults as he sees the slaves of evil habit daily crowding under his black banner, going down to misery, death, and hell. (RH Nov. 8, 1881)
"You have rejected the light sent you from heaven,.. your plans to follow the imagination of your unsanctified hearts have brought upon you blindness of mind and increased stubbornness of heart, until you could not feel the necessity of saving your souls unto eternal life. In your present state, you are an offence to God. Your human, secret devising is as an open book before the Lord. He knows all your works, all your purposes of evil. He knows all your uncertain speculations. That eye that never slumbers or sleeps is cognizant of every action, of every scheme laid to betray his cause. You have laid your plans to hinder the work of God, and to bring reproach upon his cause. The Lord says, Shall I not judge for these things?..This is all written in the books of heaven. You have chosen another school than the school of Christ. You are bending your footsteps in the road that leads to death and hell,{1888 1657.2}
THE FIFTH SEAL:
" "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: and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, Holy and true, doest Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them [They were pronounced pure and holy]; 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. 6:9-11]. (20MR 198 Words in parenthesis above are HERS)
"The claims of a false sabbath will be brought to the front, and the rulers and the people will act upon the principle of a short-sighted policy. The false sabbath, the first day of the week, will be accepted, and the rulers will unite with the man of sin to restore his lost ascendancy. Laws enforcing the observance of Sunday as the Sabbath will bring about a national apostasy from the principles of republicanism upon which the government has been founded. The religion of the Papacy will be accepted by the rulers, and the law of God will be made void.When the fifth seal was opened, John the Revelator in vision saw beneath the altar the company that were slain for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. After this came the scenes described in the eighteenth of Revelation, when those who are faithful and true are called out from Babylon. [Revelation 18: 1-5, quoted.]{20MR 14}
THE SIXTH SEAL
" "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal,(quotes all of sixth seal Rev. 6:12-17 and Revelation 7:9-17)
In these scriptures two parties are brought to view. One party permitted themselves to be deceived and took sides with those with whom the Lord has a controversy. They misinterpreted the messages sent them and clothed themselves in robes of self-righteousness....
Let us repent and be converted and forsake our sins, that they may be blotted out. "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My words shall not pass away. And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." Luke 21:33-36.Shall the warnings given by Christ be passed by unheeded? Shall we not make diligent work for repentance now, while Mercy's gracious voice is still heard?"Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.{9T 268-269}
