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FIFTH, SIXTH & SEVENTH SEALS OF
REVELATION
In the previous discussion about the Sixth Seal,
it was pointed out that
the Sixth Seal is actually a summary of
some of the main activities to follow.
The Sixth Seal is about those things
occurring after the Fifth Seal (martyrdom)
but does not result in "God's wrath"
until AFTER the opening of the Seventh Seal
and sounding of the first Six Trumpets.
Also, the previous essay concerning the First Seal dealt with the Seals
being described twice in Revelation to give a fuller definition of those
Seals. (See the "First Seal, Comment #9). The "Seals" are
descriptions about the beginning of activities, and Chapter 14 of
Revelation gives the completion of those activities. The Seals are
related to the "angels" of Rev 14. There are seven
"angels" starting with Rev 14:6. Only the "third
angel" is identified by number (Rev 14:9). The First Seal (Rev 6:2)
and the "First" Angel (Rev 14:6,7) are the same activity --
the start of the "Word" going forth and the completion of the
"everlasting gospel" preached to every nation and people.
The Fifth Seal (martyrdom) is finished with
the "Fifth" Angel
and is the Resurrection and Rapture: (" ... reap; for the time is
come ... harvest ... is ripe ... And he ...
reaped ...") as shown in Scripture:
Revelation
14:14 -16
And I
looked and behold a white cloud, and upon
the
cloud one
sat like unto the Son of man, having on his
head a
golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
And another
angel came out of the temple, crying with
a loud
voice to him that sat on the cloud,
Thrust in thy
sickle, for thee
to reap: for the harvest of the earth is
ripe.
And he
that sat on the cloud thrust in his
sickle on the
earth; and the
earth was reaped.
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NOTE the similarities of (" ... white cloud
... Son of man ... loud
voice ...
reaped ... ") which are given in the
above verses and which also appear
as (" ... Son of man ... clouds
of heaven ... great sound ... gather
together ...") as given in :
Matthew 24:30, 31
And
then shall appear the sign of the Son of man
in
heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn,
and
they shall see the Son of man coming in the
clouds
of
heaven with power and great glory.
And he
shall send his angels with a great sound of
a
trumpet, and they shall gather together his
elect from
the
four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
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Following the Scripture examples of the Seals and Rev 14
"angels" being complementary to one another, the "Sixth"
Angel appears in:
Revelation 14:17
And another
angel came out of the temple which is
in heaven, he
also having a sharp sickle.
This "Sixth" Angel
does not take any action until the "Seventh"
Angel instructs that "Sixth"
Angel to do so. The "Seventh"
Angel gives instructions to the "Sixth"
Angel: (" ... another
angel {angel #7} ... cried ... to him
{angel #6} that had the sharp sickle ... thrust in thy
sharp sickle ... gather the clusters of the vine of the earth
..."):
Revelation 14:18
And another
angel came out from the altar, which had
power over fire; and
cried with a loud cry to him that had
the sharp sickle, saying,
Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and
gather the clusters of
the vine of the earth; for her grapes
are fully ripe.
Then, this "Sixth" Angel,
after being instructed, (" ... thrust in his sickle ... gathered
the vine of the earth and cast it into the great winepress of the
wrath of God ... "):
Revelation 14:19
And the angel
thrust in his sickle into the earth, and
gathered the vine of the
earth, and cast it into the great
winepress of the wrath
of God.
According to the above verses, "God's Wrath"
does not occur until AFTER the "Seventh"
Angel instructs the "Sixth"
Angel. This would have to be AFTER the
Seventh Seal (which is the Seven Trumpets) and the first Six Trumpets
have acted, because it is the "Seventh"
Angel (also the Angel who sounds the Seventh
Trumpet) who instructs the beginning of God's
Wrath: (" ... thrust in thy ... sickle ... gather the ...
vine of the earth ... and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath
of God.").
There is further evidence that this "Seventh"
Angel is responsible for the sounding to
start the "Wrath of God":
("... seventh angel sounded ... and thy
wrath is come ..."):
Revelation 11:15,18
And the seventh
angel sounded; and there were
great voices in heaven, saying, The
kingdoms of this
world are become the kingdoms
of our Lord, and of
his Christ; and he shall reign for
ever and ever.
And the nations were angry, and thy
wrath is come, ...
This should be clear evidence that "God's
wrath" starts -- "is come" -- with the "Seventh"
Angel (who is also responsible for the Seventh
Trumpet) and "wrath" does
not actually start when the Sixth Seal is
opened.
Believers are shown to be in heaven when the seven last plagues are in
the possession of the seven angels and BEFORE the vials
of "wrath" are poured out:
(" ... I saw ... seven angels having the seven last plagues ... in
them is filled up the wrath
of God ... And I saw ... them that had gotten the
victory...").
Revelation 15: 1,2
And I saw another sign in
heaven, great and
marvellous, seven angels
having the seven last
plagues; for in them is filled
up the wrath of God.
And I saw as it were a sea of
glass mingled with
fire: and them that had
gotten victory over the beast,
and over his image, and over
his mark, and over the
number of his name, stand on
the sea of glass, having
the harps of God.
This is also evidence that believers will not be present on earth when
the "wrath of God" is poured out
on the earth. Other Scripture confirming this fact is given in Rom 5:9;
1:18; I Thess 1:10; 5:9; Eph 5:6.
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NOTE: There could be some confusion between "plagues"
and "wrath";
however, the "vials" are FULL of
the "wrath of God". Activities
prior to the "vials" would not be "wrath":
(" ... seven last plagues ... filled up
the wrath of God.") as seen in Rev
15;1 above, and (" ... seven golden vials
full of the wrath of God ...")
in:
Revelation 15: 7
And one of the four beasts gave
unto the seven
angels seven golden vials full of
the wrath of God,
who liveth for ever and ever.
Since the "vials" are "FULL",
previous events (such as the Trumpets) could not include "God's
wrath".
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Scripture contains yet another clue that Resurrection and Rapture will
occur with the "Fifth" Angel
"reaping of the harvest", before
the "Sixth" Angel
"gathers the vine of the earth and cast it into the wrath
of God", and when the "Seventh"
Angel (Seventh Trumpet) "begins to
sound".
Revelation 10: 7
But in the days of the voice
of the seventh angel,
when he shall begin
to sound, the mystery of God
should be finished, as he
hath declared to his servants
the prophets.
The Apostle Paul tells us this "mystery" (which will be
"finished") occurs "at the last
trump" (" ... seventh
angel ... begin to sound ... ")
and includes (" ... We shall not all sleep ... in the twinkling of
an eye ... the dead shall be raised ... we shall be changed."):
I Corinthians 15:51,52
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We
shall not all sleep,
but we shall all be changed,
In a moment, in the twinkling of an
eye, at the last
trump: for the trumpet
shall sound, and the dead
shall be raised incorruptible, and
we shall be changed.
All the previous discussion is intended to show that the Resurrection
and Rapture occur with the "Fifth"
Angel of Rev 14, before the "wrath
of God" (as described in Seal Six)
which is instigated by the "Sixth"
Angel according to instructions from the
"Seventh" Angel
when that "Seventh" Angel
begins to blow the Seventh Trumpet and
before all Seven Angels pour out the vials of God's
wrath.
And, this occurs "Immediately after the tribulation of those
days ... then
... they shall see the Son of man ...
coming in the clouds ... with a great
sound of a trumpet ... and ... they
shall gather together his elect ..."
(excerpted from Mt 24:29 -31).
The Resurrection and "gathering together his elect" will be at
the time of the "RAPTURE : Post-Tribulation and Pre-Wrath"!!
AMEN!
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