Revelation 6:7
And when the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!"
And when the Lamb opened the fourth seal
The "Lamb" refers to Jesus Christ, depicted as the sacrificial Lamb who is worthy to open the seals of the scroll, a symbol of divine authority and revelation. The imagery of the Lamb is deeply rooted in the sacrificial system of the Old Testament, particularly the Passover lamb, which prefigures Christ's atoning sacrifice. The "fourth seal" is part of a series of judgments that unfold in the book of Revelation, each seal revealing a new aspect of God's plan for the end times. The opening of the seals signifies the unveiling of divine mysteries and the progression of God's redemptive history.

I heard the voice of the fourth living creature
The "voice" here is significant as it represents divine communication. The "fourth living creature" is one of the four living beings described in Revelation 4:6-8, which are often interpreted as angelic beings or representations of creation that surround the throne of God. These creatures are full of eyes, symbolizing their awareness and vigilance, and they play a role in the worship and execution of God's will. The number four often symbolizes universality or completeness in biblical numerology, suggesting that these creatures have a comprehensive role in God's creation.

say, 'Come!'
The command "Come!" is a summons that initiates the next phase of the apocalyptic vision. This imperative is not just a call to witness but an invitation to participate in the unfolding of God's plan. The Greek word used here, "ἔρχου" (erchou), is a present imperative, indicating an immediate and ongoing action. This call is both a directive to the rider of the fourth horse and an invitation to the reader to engage with the prophetic vision. The command underscores the authority of God over the events of history and the certainty of His purposes being fulfilled. Theologically, it reminds believers of the sovereignty of God and the assurance that, despite the chaos of the end times, God's ultimate plan is one of redemption and restoration.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Lamb
Represents Jesus Christ, who is worthy to open the seals of the scroll. The Lamb symbolizes sacrifice and redemption.

2. The Fourth Seal
Part of the series of seals on the scroll that Jesus opens, each revealing a new vision or event in the unfolding of God's plan.

3. The Fourth Living Creature
One of the four living creatures around the throne of God, each with a unique appearance and role in the heavenly vision. They are often seen as representations of God's creation and His attributes.

4. The Voice
The voice of the fourth living creature, which commands the next phase of the vision to unfold.

5. The Event
The opening of the fourth seal, which introduces the fourth horseman, often associated with death and Hades, bringing further judgment upon the earth.
Teaching Points
Understanding God's Sovereignty
The opening of the seals by the Lamb emphasizes that God is in control of history and its ultimate outcome. Believers can trust in His sovereign plan.

The Reality of Judgment
The events following the opening of the seals remind us of the reality of God's judgment. It is a call to repentance and readiness for Christ's return.

The Role of Christ as Redeemer and Judge
Jesus, as the Lamb, is both the redeemer of humanity and the executor of God's judgment. This dual role should inspire both reverence and hope in believers.

Living with Eternal Perspective
The unfolding events in Revelation encourage Christians to live with an eternal perspective, focusing on spiritual readiness and the advancement of God's kingdom.

The Call to Witness
As the seals reveal the progression towards the end times, believers are reminded of their mission to share the Gospel and be witnesses of Christ's love and truth.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the role of the Lamb in Revelation 6:7 enhance your understanding of Jesus' authority and mission?

2. In what ways do the events described in the opening of the seals challenge or encourage your faith?

3. How can the imagery of the four living creatures and their roles around God's throne deepen your understanding of God's creation and His attributes?

4. What practical steps can you take to live with an eternal perspective in light of the judgments described in Revelation?

5. How does the connection between Revelation 6:7 and other scriptures like Matthew 24:7-8 and Ezekiel 14:21 inform your understanding of God's plan for the world?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Zechariah 6:1-8
This passage describes four chariots with horses of different colors, which are sent out to patrol the earth. This imagery is similar to the four horsemen in Revelation, suggesting a divine mission and judgment.

Matthew 24:7-8
Jesus speaks of wars, famines, and earthquakes as the beginning of birth pains, which parallels the events described in the opening of the seals in Revelation.

Ezekiel 14:21
God speaks of sending four severe judgments upon Jerusalem: sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague. This echoes the judgments brought by the four horsemen in Revelation.
The ConquerorW. M. Punshon, D. D.Revelation 6:1-17
The Development of Good and Evil in Human History D. Thomas, D. D.Revelation 6:1-17
The Future Triumph of Our KingJ. Clayton, M. A.Revelation 6:1-17
The Going Forth of the GospelJames Durham.Revelation 6:1-17
The Opening of the SealsS. Conway Revelation 6:1-17
The Redeemer's ConquestsJ. Parsons.Revelation 6:1-17
The Seven Seals; Or, the Development of Good and Evil in Human HistoryD. Thomas Revelation 6:1-17
Scenes of SufferingR. Green Revelation 6:3-11
Death on the Pale HorseW. Dawson.Revelation 6:7-8
TheJ. Burns, D. D.Revelation 6:7-8
The Life of Faith in DeathT. Adams.Revelation 6:7-8
Views of DeathB. Beddome, M. A.Revelation 6:7-8
People
John
Places
Patmos
Topics
Beast, Behold, Broke, Creature, Ears, Fourth, Lamb, Opened, Saying, Seal, Stamp, Undone, Voice
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Revelation 6:7

     2315   Christ, as Lamb

Revelation 6:1-8

     4150   cherubim
     4657   horse
     5127   back

Revelation 6:1-12

     5518   seal

Revelation 6:3-8

     6702   peace, destruction

Library
"For if Ye Live after the Flesh, Ye Shall Die, but if Ye through the Spirit do Mortify the Deeds of the Body, Ye Shall Live. "
Rom. viii. 13.--"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die, but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." Though the Lord, out of his absolute sovereignty, might deal with man in such a way, as nothing should appear but his supreme will and almighty power, he might simply command obedience, and without any more persuasions either leave men to the frowardness of their own natures, or else powerfully constrain them to their duty, yet he hath chosen that way that
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Departed Saints Fellowservants with those yet on Earth.
"I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets." The revelation made to St. John in the isle of Patmos, was a comfort to the suffering apostle, and a blessing to the church. "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the word, of this prophecy." The beginning indeed was dark; the prophetic sketch, was for sometime, gloomy: It unfolded a strange scene of declensions and abominations, which were to disgrace the church of Christ and mar its beauty; and dismal series of woes on woes,
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

God's Dealings with the Earth During the Tribulation Period.
The interval of time which separates the removal of the Church from the earth to the return of Christ to it, is variously designated in the Word of God. It is spoken of as "the day of vengeance" (Is. 61:2). It is called "the time of Jacob's trouble" (Jer. 30:7). It is the "hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world" (Rev. 3:10). It is denominated "the great day of the Lord" (Zeph. 1:14). It is termed "the great tribulation" (Matt. 24:21). It is the time of God's "controversy with the
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return

Opposition to Messiah Ruinous
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel T here is a species of the sublime in writing, which seems peculiar to the Scripture, and of which, properly, no subjects but those of divine revelation are capable, With us, things inconsiderable in themselves are elevated by splendid images, which give them an apparent importance beyond what they can justly claim. Thus the poet, when describing a battle among bees, by a judicious selection of epithets
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

An Advance Step in the Royal Programme
(Revelation, Chapters iv. and v.) "We are watching, we are waiting, For the bright prophetic day; When the shadows, weary shadows, From the world shall roll away. "We are watching, we are waiting, For the star that brings the day; When the night of sin shall vanish, And the shadows melt away. "We are watching, we are waiting, For the beauteous King of day; For the chiefest of ten thousand, For the Light, the Truth, the Way. "We are waiting for the morning, When the beauteous day is dawning, We are
by S. D. Gordon—Quiet Talks on the Crowned Christ of Revelation

An Awful Contrast
"Then did they spit in his face."--Matthew 26:67. "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away."--Revelation 20:11. GUIDED BY OUR TEXT in Matthew's Gospel, let us first go in thought to the palace of Caiaphas the high priest, and there let us, in deepest sorrow, realize the meaning of these terrible words: "Then did they spit in his face." There is more of deep and awful thunder in them than in the bolt that bursts overhead, there is
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 42: 1896

"So Then they that are in the Flesh Cannot Please God. "
Rom. viii. 8.--"So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." It is a kind of happiness to men, to please them upon whom they depend, and upon whose favour their well-being hangs. It is the servant's happiness to please his master, the courtier's to please his prince; and so generally, whosoever they be that are joined in mutual relations, and depend one upon another; that which makes all pleasant, is this, to please one another. Now, certainly, all the dependencies of creatures one upon
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

From the Supplement to the Summa --Question Lxxii of the Prayers of the Saints who are in Heaven
I. Are the Saints cognizant of our Prayers? II. Ought we to appeal to the Saints to intercede for us? III. Are the Saints' Prayers to God for us always heard? I Are the Saints cognizant of our Prayers? On those words of Job,[267] Whether his children come to honour or dishonour, he shall not understand, S. Gregory says: "This is not to be understood of the souls of the Saints, for they see from within the glory of Almighty God, it is in nowise credible that there should be anything without of
St. Thomas Aquinas—On Prayer and The Contemplative Life

Christ's Kingly Office
Q-26: HOW DOES CHRIST EXECUTE THE OFFICE OF A KING? A: In subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies. Let us consider now Christ's regal office. And he has on his vesture, and on his thigh, a name written, "King of kings, and Lord of lords", Rev 19:16. Jesus Christ is of mighty renown, he is a king; (1.) he has a kingly title. High and Lofty.' Isa 57:15. (2.) He has his insignia regalia, his ensigns of royalty; corona est insigne
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Prophet Amos.
GENERAL PRELIMINARY REMARKS. It will not be necessary to extend our preliminary remarks on the prophet Amos, since on the main point--viz., the circumstances under which he appeared as a prophet--the introduction to the prophecies of Hosea may be regarded as having been written for those of Amos also. For, according to the inscription, they belong to the same period at which Hosea's prophetic ministry began, viz., the latter part of the reign of Jeroboam II., and after Uzziah had ascended the
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

The Seventh vision "In Heaven"
H^7. Chap. xix. 1-16. The final heavenly Utterances and Actions. We now come to the last of the seven Visions seen "in Heaven," which is the subject of chap. xix. 1-16, giving us the final heavenly Utterances and Actions which lead up to, explain, and introduce the five concluding judgments which close up the things of Time, and pass on to what we call the Eternal State. This last Vision "in Heaven" is divided into two parts, each having its own independent construction. The first contains the words
E.W. Bullinger—Commentary on Revelation

The Second Coming of Christ.
^A Matt. XXIV. 29-51; ^B Mark XIII. 24-37; ^C Luke XXI. 25-36. ^b 24 But in those days, ^a immediately after the { ^b that} ^a tribulation of those days. [Since the coming of Christ did not follow close upon the destruction of Jerusalem, the word "immediately" used by Matthew is somewhat puzzling. There are, however, three ways in which it may be explained: 1. That Jesus reckons the time after his own divine, and not after our human, fashion. Viewing the word in this light, the passage at II. Pet.
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

"There is Therefore Now no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who Walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit. "
Rom. viii. 1.--"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." There are three things which concur to make man miserable,--sin, condemnation, and affliction. Every one may observe that "man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward," that his days here are few and evil. He possesses "months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed" for him. Job v. 6, 7, vii. 3. He "is of few days and full of trouble," Job xiv.
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Consolations against Impatience in Sickness.
If in thy sickness by extremity of pain thou be driven to impatience, meditate-- 1. That thy sins have deserved the pains of hell; therefore thou mayest with greater patience endure these fatherly corrections. 2. That these are the scourges of thy heavenly Father, and the rod is in his hand. If thou didst suffer with reverence, being a child, the corrections of thy earthly parents, how much rather shouldst thou now subject thyself, being the child of God, to the chastisement of thy heavenly Father,
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Meditations of the Blessed State of a Regenerate Man in his Death.
When God sends death as his messenger for the regenerate man, he meets him half-way to heaven, for his conversation and affection is there before him (Phil. iii. 20; Col. iii. 2.) Death is never strange nor fearful to him: not strange, because he died daily--not fearful, because whilst he lived, he was dead, and his life was hid with Christ in God (1 Cor. i. 31; Col. iii. 3;) to die, therefore, is to him nothing else in effect, but to rest from his labour in this world, to go home to his Father's
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Messiah Worshipped by Angels
Let all the angels of God worship Him. M any of the Lord's true servants, have been in a situation so nearly similar to that of Elijah, that like him they have been tempted to think they were left to serve the Lord alone (I Kings 19:10) . But God had then a faithful people, and He has so in every age. The preaching of the Gospel may be compared to a standard erected, to which they repair, and thereby become known to each other, and more exposed to the notice and observation of the world. But we hope
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

In Reply to the Questions as to his Authority, Jesus Gives the Third Great Group of Parables.
(in the Court of the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, a.d. 30.) Subdivision C. Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen. ^A Matt. XXI. 33-46; ^B Mark XII. 1-12; ^C Luke XX. 9-19. ^b 1 And he began to speak unto them ^c the people [not the rulers] ^b in parables. { ^c this parable:} ^a 33 Hear another parable: There was a man that was a householder [this party represents God], who planted a vineyard [this represents the Hebrew nationality], and set a hedge about it, and digged a ^b pit for the ^a winepress in it
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Death by Adam, Life by Christ
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. F rom Mr. Handel's acknowledged abilities as a composer, and particularly from what I have heard of his great taste and success in adapting the style of his music to the subject, I judge, that this passage afforded him a fair occasion of displaying his genius and powers. Two ideas, vastly important in themselves, are here represented in the strongest light,
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

Being Made Archbishop of Armagh, He Suffers Many Troubles. Peace Being Made, from Being Archbishop of Armagh He Becomes Bishop of Down.
[Sidenote: 1129] 19. (12). Meanwhile[365] it happened that Archbishop Cellach[366] fell sick: he it was who ordained Malachy deacon, presbyter and bishop: and knowing that he was dying he made a sort of testament[367] to the effect that Malachy ought to succeed him,[368] because none seemed worthier to be bishop of the first see. This he gave in charge to those who were present, this he commanded to the absent, this to the two kings of Munster[369] and to the magnates of the land he specially enjoined
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh

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