For me, this proposition has become a most basic truth, that once seen, it can't be unseen.  I continue to be perplexed that the concept of this proposition seems so foreign to the many study Bible notes and commentaries on The Revelation that there are to be found.

     Several places in this website, in my outline of The Revelation, and on my main chart (see under MORE), I have included illustrations of this book that is "sealed with seven seals" (Rev. 5:1).  When teaching on this subject, I use a book (a hymnal works well!) with seven pieces of colored tape attached along the edge of its covers to represent these seals.  Everyone always understands that the book is not meant to open until the last piece of tape, or last seal, is removed.

     But, the seals are more than just seals.  With each seal that is opened or removed, John beholds something to take place.  If the seals are preventing this book from being opened, it is certainly reasonable to conclude that what they represent, or what John sees to take place as they are removed, will occur before the book is opened.  So, in accord with my previous proposition that this book could rightly be entitled THE DAY OF THE LORD, the seals of this book can rightly be seen as representing what will take place before the last days' Day of the Lord will begin.

     I feel it is important to mention that many believe what is translated as "book" in the King James Version (and some other versions) is actually a scroll, and it indeed may be.  The actual Greek word is biblion, which literally means "a roll."  Interestingly, the scroll evolved into what was later referred to as a codex, and there are evidences that this began to happen in a big way around 100 A.D., right around the time that John received The Revelation.  Equally as interesting is that, even today, many books get their start from printed rolls.  Maybe there's a little more here to be considered than many have heretofore thought!  In any case, whether a book, a scroll, or a roll, it would still have seven seals, which strongly suggests that all of the seals would have to be removed before it could be opened or unrolled.  Hence, even if a scroll, this would not be something that would affect my different view.

     Some also believe that with the opening of the 1st Seal, it is possible that a portion of the book could be opened.  Or, if it is a scroll, there could be some roll out of it, with this same thinking applying to the 2nd Seal, the 3rd Seal, and so forth.  Again, this may indeed be so.  But, whatever portion of the book might be opened, or whatever roll out of the scroll there might be, what is beyond the 7th or last seal would still not be revealed (or take place) until the last seal is removed.  Thus, whatever the case, this would also have no affect on my view.  The end result would remain the same.

     Also related to the above, it is sometimes wondered whether what is shown to occur with each of the seven trumpets and the seven vials might happen concurrent and parallel with each of the seven seals.  For example, what happens with the 1st Seal, the 1st Trumpet, and the 1st Vial will take place, then, what happens with the 2nd Seal, the 2nd Trumpet, and the 2nd Vial will take place, and so forth.  Yet, it is easily observed that John gives an account of what he sees after the 1st Seal is removed, then , of what he sees after the 2nd Seal is removed, and so forth throughout the remainder of the seals.  The possibility that the trumpets and the vials might occur in conjunction with the seals would be out of harmony with this basic observation, as well as the rest of The Revelation and other evidences.  Therefore, I submit that nothing relating to the trumpets or the vials will transpire until after the last or 7th Seal is removed.

     Undeniable support of my last statement can be seen in connection with the instruction given to the four angels John sees in the interlude between the 6th and 7th seals.  While we looked at this during the previous proposition, it will serve us to look again here.  First of all, consider the following, from Revelation 7:

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  1   And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

  2   And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God:  and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

  3   Saying, HURT NOT the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, TILL we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

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     In light of this passage, and from a real-time perspective, when do the four angels that are instructed momentarily to "hurt not the earth..." follow through on what they are already prepared to do?  The answer is seen right after the opening of the 7th Seal in chapter eight (vs.1).  There we find John's account of "seven angels" that are given "seven trumpets" (vs. 2) and of what happens after the first four of these angels sound their trumpets (vss. 6-12).  From the account, it is easy to gather that when the first trumpets are sounded, this will be the cue for the four angels of Revelation 7:1-3 to follow through on what they are already poised to do.  Hence, there is a strict chronological order seen here, without any overlap with what has gone on before (see also NOTE at bottom).

     Interestingly, what we are seeing also renders untenable any thought that what happens with the opening of the 6th Seal might be of Christ's Second Advent, as it makes clear that the seals relate to the externals of the book, not the internals, if you will.  Said another way, the sounding of the seven trumpets and the opening of the seven vials does not occur along with the opening of the seven seals, but after them---in the internal part of the book.  What I mean by the internal part of the book is its pages!  In tune with all of this, it is in what is between the covers of the book (in what would be the pages of the book!) that Christ's Second Advent is seen to take place (Rev. 19).

     In keeping with what I have put forth throughout this site, everything from Revelation 8:2 (after the opening of the last seal/Rev. 8:1) thru 20:15 should be seen as filling the pages of the book that could rightly be entitled THE DAY OF THE LORD, as what we find here reveals just that---God's ultimate last days' judgments and His ending of what relates to this present world.  Otherwise, one is not treating this book that is "sealed with seven seals" as a book, with pages actually between its covers!  Curiously (and troubling), especially with all that has been put forth by conflicting religious professors, this that would normally go into the category of common sense has not yet entered into the category of common knowledge.

     Finally, to be quite honest, I am so used to the wording of the KJV that I continue to see the "book...sealed with seven seals" as I have depicted it throughout this site.  But, I have absolutely nothing against scrolls!  Years ago, I made a scroll for college credit for a class on the Pentateuch that I was taking.  The word Pentateuch is a Greek word that means "five books" (Penta meaning "five" and teuch meaning "book") and is used in reference to the first five books of the Bible---Genesis through Deuteronomy.  I titled my scroll, THE PENTATEUCH.  My professor liked it so much that he arranged to have it displayed in the college library, with a large portion of it unrolled.  Needless to say, as a freshman, I was delighted!​

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