In the previous post in this series, we looked at the first six Seals of Revelation 6. And, while I realize it seems a little strange to cram the first six into one post and THEN spend an entire post on the Seventh Seal, there's a lot going on between Seal Six and Seal Seven. Moreover, there's a lot of speculation as to what, exactly, is going on during the Seventh Seal.
As a reminder, speculation isn't always bad, but it must always be approached with caution, because speculation can very easily lead to a doctrine that either adds to, or takes away from, the Scriptures. No bueno. And while I am no stranger to speculation in this series, I do believe wholeheartedly that speculation must never be based on whatever interpretation we happen to favor, but, rather, our interpretations must arise out of the Scriptures.
Okay, let's get to the Scriptures. By the time Chapter 7 opens, we have just seen the devastating destruction of the Sixth Seal: a global earthquake that sends the people and rulers of the earth into hiding:
I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.
Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" (6:12-17).
But, rather then proceeding to the last seal, as John has done with the previous seals, he takes a moment to write one of the most controversial chapters in the Book of Revelation:
After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God." Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.
From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed,
from the tribe of Reuben 12,000,
from the tribe of Gad 12,000,
from the tribe of Asher 12,000,
from the tribe of Nephtali 12,000,
from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,
from the tribe of Simeon 12,000,
from the tribe of Levi 12,000,
from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,
from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000,
from the tribe of Joseph 12,000,
from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000 (7:1-8).
On the surface, it's difficult to see what's so controversial about this. John sees a group of angels "seal" (in this case, for salvation and protection) 144,000 Jews: 12,000 from each of the named tribes. It's fairly straightforward, especially in light of what happens in Chapter 8. While we'll look at Chapter 8 in more detail shortly, the gist of it says this: "Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar . . . Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake" (8:3;5). This event heralds the coming of the Trumpet Judgments, judgments which burn up the grass, poison the waters, blot out the sun and moon, and so on and so forth. So in light of Chapter 8, the events of Chapter 7 make sense: 'Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.' Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel."
Now, truthfully, I don't see the issue. Nonetheless, there is great controversy and debate regarding this passage, for many believe that this passage refers, not to Jews, but to Gentiles. The basic argument is that the "tribes" are not really tribes, because the numbers are too perfect. Rather, they represent believers from all nations. On the other hand, according to the Jehovah's Witnesses, the 144,000 refer to the ruling elite of Heaven - the Witnesses who are privileged enough to spend eternity with God - while everyone else who is a JW remains on earth.
But let's stop and take a look at this: if John meant "all people," why call them "the tribes of Israel," especially considering that he identifies "all people" as "all people" in other passages (e.g., 7:9). Furthermore, why list each tribe, if the "tribes" aren't meant to be taken as literal tribes? Lastly, what, exactly, does each tribe represent, if not to be taken literally? John offers no explanation or interpretation to that effect. There is, as best I can tell, no reason to suddenly claim that "all the tribes of Israel" means "all nations on earth." The common sense, straightforward reading of this text states that 144,000 Jews come to faith in Jesus during this period of time.
Furthermore, it states that they are sealed, specifically, to protect them from the judgments that are coming. Notice the angel's admonition: "'Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God'" (7:3). As we'll see in the next post of this series, the coming Trumpet Judgments greatly harm the land, sea, trees, and even people. So the sealing of 144,000 Jews is in preparation for this great series of judgments that is coming. Now, after listing the tribes, John notices something that is, frankly, puzzling at first:
After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:
"Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb."
All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:
"Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!"
Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes - who are they, and where did they come from?"
I answered, "Sir, you know."
And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (7:9-14).
While the passage itself is straightforward, the timing of it is bizarre. Suddenly, John appears to be at the end of the "Tribulation," at the point where everyone who was not beheaded is now standing in front of the Heavenly Throne of God. So, is Jesus revealing, through John, that the Tribulation ends with Seal 6? Wouldn't that, you know, mean that Christ's return happens then? But if that's the case, then what is the rest of Revelation about, because the Seven Trumpets (8:6-11:15) and the Seven Bowls (15:1-16:21) are very much sequential, not only to the Seven Seals, but to each other - one set of events flows from the previous one.
Here's my submission to you: what follows the Seventh Seal is the coming of the Antichrist, and the start of the Tribulation.
"Uhh . . . what?! That's not what Tim LaHaye teaches!"
Yes, I know. Remember that we've already looked at the fact that the First Seal does not appear to refer to the Antichrist. Therefore, there is no reason to believe he's on earth during the first Six Seals. I freely admit he could be, but that's an assumption, and it has no Scriptural support, just a lot of rampant speculation; we only believe the White Horse Seal is the Antichrist because other people have told us it is.
"But wait! Didn't we see that the Antichrist doesn't appear until Chapter 13?"
Yes, but Chapters 12 and 13 are, in fact, flashbacks, in much the same way that 7:9-17 is a flash forward. Remember that the first section of Chapter 12 deals with the birth, life, and Ascension of Jesus (12:1-6). Then there is a war in heaven that is, from our perspective, still future, but from the timing of what John has seen, is in the past. This kind of jumping around is not unprecedented.
Most of the prophets were given visions that jumped around. Ezekiel sees all kinds of things, some of them in contemporary to him, many of them in the near future (relative to him), some of them in the distant future. Jeremiah, same thing. Isaiah saw Israel destroyed, which happened during his lifetime, but he also saw the coming Messiah. Now, certain sections of the prophets are clearly sequential (such as the unfolding of the Seven Trumpets), but different sections can be rearranged into a different order.
Think of it like interlocking building block toys (I don't have permission to use the trade-marked, common-use name). You may have a block that has three little pegs, each in a row, and you may have a block with four little pegs in a square, but you can move the blocks around to put them in a different order. Each block is a set thing, but how the blocks are placed together is not. Make sense (if not, let me know in the comments section!)?
But the second reason is that the beast that comes out of the Abyss is on earth in Chapter 11: "Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes from the Abyss will attack them" (11:7). So the Beast is present on earth in Chapter 11, during the trumpet judgments, but John doesn't write about his rise to power and his government/idolatrous religion until Chapters 12 and 13. Therefore - and this is a surmise - I believe John was given a vision of the end of the Tribulation here, not because that's when it actually ends, but as a means of comfort and reassurance that everything works out for the disciples of Jesus, because they are either killed during this time (see Chapter 13), or they survive, and have the enormous privilege of serving God "day and night in His temple," and of having "He who sits on the throne . . . spread his tent over them" (7:15). In other words, they get to go camping with God.
Just kidding. That imagery implies a protection and comfort, as well as a deep and personal dwelling place with God Almighty. What an awesome, awesome thing. My point, though, is that the timing of John's vision revealing the end of the Tribulation coincides with the unfolding of the Tribulation in the rest of Chapters 8-11.
There is one other reason I think this may be the case. Immediately after the heavenly interlude of Chapter 7, John returns to the sequence of events. Chapter 8 begins:
When he opened the Seventh Seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake (1-5).
So, thus far, the sequence of events, starting with the First Seal, has been that John sees a spiritual deception move throughout the earth, wars, famines, plagues, and a great earthquake, all things Jesus references as "the birth pangs," and events that happen before the time of the end (see Matthew 24:4-8 and Luke 21:8-11). John then sees the "sealing" of 144,000 Jews, in order that they may be spared from coming judgment and strife. He is then given a glimpse of the future in which believers who have "come out of the great tribulation" are serving God, who sits in His temple. Then the Seventh Seal is opened, and what is revealed is so breathtaking that there is silence in heaven for half-an-hour. Keep in mind that heaven, up until this point, is anything but silent. In fact, when anything happens - even judgment - heaven erupts in praise to God.
So whatever was sealed up by the Seventh Seal must be absolutely horrific, something that has never happened before. There are only two events recorded following the opening of the Seventh Seal: the start of the Trumpet Judgments, and, prior to that, the censer of fire being hurled to, and doing a great deal of damage to, the earth. Let's go to Chapter 12 again:
And there was a war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down - that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
"Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of His Christ.
For the accuser of our brothers,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down.
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
Therefore rejoice, you heavens
and you who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea,
because the devil has gone down to you!
He is filled with fury,
because he knows that his time is short."
When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpents reach. Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring - those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea.
And I saw a beast coming out of the sea (12:7 - 13:1).
So 144,000 Jews are sealed with the Seal of the Living God. Then the Seventh Seal is open, there is silence in heaven for half-an-hour, then the angels prepare to sound their trumpets, initiating a period of divinely appointed judgments meant to torment mankind. But prior to sounding the trumpets, an angel hurls a censer full of fire to the earth and causes a great deal of damage. And where does the fire come from? The burnt incense on the altar in Heaven, incense that is made up of the prayers of all the saints. The Trumpets are sounded, one after the other, and during this time, the Beast from the Abyss is first named.
What do we see in Chapter 12? We see a war in which Satan is hurled to earth because of the "testimony of the saints," and the inhabitants of Heaven grieve for the earth. Then Satan attempts to wipe Israel off of the earth, but she is supernaturally protected. So he goes after the Gentile believers, but does so by waiting for the Beast who arises out of the sea.
The Seventh Seal, I now firmly believe, initiates the coming of the Antichrist and the Tribulation. No, this is not what LaHaye teaches. Thank God.
Look, I was caught up in the books, too, when they first came out. Kirk Cameron made a few movies about the books and, though the movies weren't great, they were close to being somewhat passably good. But then I read the Scriptures and discovered just how much "artistic license" that series took. And while it isn't completely off-base in every part, there are some serious issues, in terms of ignoring the Scriptures in favor of a particular interpretation.
The fact is, a lot of believers are going to be caught completely off guard because they are expecting events to unfold exactly as portrayed in the books and movies. Don't be caught off guard; read the Scriptures, and then, when you're done, read them again. And again. And again. But more importantly, don't be caught sleeping. Don't be caught sitting around, not doing your job. Our task is to be His ambassadors, making disciples and bearing fruit.
Because, regardless of when the Tribulation starts, regardless of when the Antichrist rises to power, regardless of the Rapture, the meaning of the silence in heaven, regardless of any of this, people who do not call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ stand condemned. Jesus gave us these Scriptures for a reason, and so I do not believe it is profitable to ignore them or shrug our shoulders - that would imply that He gave us useless information and words. But centering our lives around eschatology at the expense of the Gospel is also not profitable. Stay alert, be ready, and lead people to Jesus.
Friday, March 11, 2016
Friday, March 4, 2016
Prayers Needed
Hey, folks! I just wanted to write a quick note to apologize for my delay in posting the next section of the End Times series. It will be up soon, as I am still working on it!
However, at the same time, I have been reading the Scriptures and studying them in regards to Predestined Salvation (typically called Calvinism). Over the last two months, I've been studying the writings of Calvin, I'm studying the ideas surrounding the Calvinistic acronym T.U.L.I.P., but, above all, I'm studying God's Word.
Look, where I am now is firmly in the belief that Predestined Salvation is a very, very, dangerous heresy. More dangerous than I think most of us realize. I do, however, have one desire above all else, and that is to preach and understand the character and nature of God, even if it involves an aspect of Him that I don't typically like. So what I need, right now, is prayer. I need prayer that His Word will be revealed, although I have a pretty strong conviction that His Word is against Predestined Salvation. IF that remains my firm conviction, then I need prayer for another reason:
Opposition to the Truth. There are many, many people who hold to Calvinism, many of them my friends. So the current plan is to write a series refuting Predestination, and why it is a false teaching, and for that, I need prayers. But, I am also open to the Spirit, and if the Spirit is trying to move me away from this plan, then I need prayers that I will be submissive.
Thank you for your prayers, and thank you, as always, for reading my posts! Still not sure why so many of you are. . . .
However, at the same time, I have been reading the Scriptures and studying them in regards to Predestined Salvation (typically called Calvinism). Over the last two months, I've been studying the writings of Calvin, I'm studying the ideas surrounding the Calvinistic acronym T.U.L.I.P., but, above all, I'm studying God's Word.
Look, where I am now is firmly in the belief that Predestined Salvation is a very, very, dangerous heresy. More dangerous than I think most of us realize. I do, however, have one desire above all else, and that is to preach and understand the character and nature of God, even if it involves an aspect of Him that I don't typically like. So what I need, right now, is prayer. I need prayer that His Word will be revealed, although I have a pretty strong conviction that His Word is against Predestined Salvation. IF that remains my firm conviction, then I need prayer for another reason:
Opposition to the Truth. There are many, many people who hold to Calvinism, many of them my friends. So the current plan is to write a series refuting Predestination, and why it is a false teaching, and for that, I need prayers. But, I am also open to the Spirit, and if the Spirit is trying to move me away from this plan, then I need prayers that I will be submissive.
Thank you for your prayers, and thank you, as always, for reading my posts! Still not sure why so many of you are. . . .
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
The Iron Man
The world tree connects the seven worlds, one to another. In our
world, there was once a hero, who desired to destroy a magical golden
bird. The bird flew higher, and the man climbed the world tree, up and
up. Just when he reached the bird, the bird turned into a great cat,
and the hero was unable to catch him. So higher they went, until the
hero was once more about to lay hands on the great cat, but the cat
turned into a deer, and the deer climbed higher still. The hero
pursued, and just as he was about to lay hands on the deer, the deer
turned into a beautiful maiden. The hero instantly stopped, and was so
overcome with love, that he asked her to marry him.
"I will marry you," she said, "but you must help me, first."
"I will do whatever you ask of me," was his reply.
"My world is too hot in the day, and too cold in the evening. This is because there are two suns, and two moons. You must destroy both one sun and one moon, and then I will marry you."
So the hero climbed the tree, but as he neared the suns, it became too hot. So he waited until nightfall, and climbed higher still, but it grew too cold. The hero knew that he could not do this task on his own, so he climbed down the tree and sought out aid from the sea.
He told the sea about his task, and how he was unable to win the maiden's hand unless he could accomplish this difficult feat. The sea bade him to climb into a cauldron, and the hero did so. The sea heated the cauldron until it boiled inside, and the man was consumed by the heat, melted into many different parts. The sea then took those parts and forged a new man, a man made of iron. In his hand was an iron bow, with iron arrows.
The iron man climbed the tree, unaffected by the heat and cold. When he reached the top, he shot his arrow at the second sun, and it quickly extinguished. When night fell, he shot another arrow at the second moon, and it, too, was extinguished. The iron man climbed down the tree, and returned to our world, where it was now neither too hot nor too cold. He found his maiden, who married him.
-From Siberian folklore
"I will marry you," she said, "but you must help me, first."
"I will do whatever you ask of me," was his reply.
"My world is too hot in the day, and too cold in the evening. This is because there are two suns, and two moons. You must destroy both one sun and one moon, and then I will marry you."
So the hero climbed the tree, but as he neared the suns, it became too hot. So he waited until nightfall, and climbed higher still, but it grew too cold. The hero knew that he could not do this task on his own, so he climbed down the tree and sought out aid from the sea.
He told the sea about his task, and how he was unable to win the maiden's hand unless he could accomplish this difficult feat. The sea bade him to climb into a cauldron, and the hero did so. The sea heated the cauldron until it boiled inside, and the man was consumed by the heat, melted into many different parts. The sea then took those parts and forged a new man, a man made of iron. In his hand was an iron bow, with iron arrows.
The iron man climbed the tree, unaffected by the heat and cold. When he reached the top, he shot his arrow at the second sun, and it quickly extinguished. When night fell, he shot another arrow at the second moon, and it, too, was extinguished. The iron man climbed down the tree, and returned to our world, where it was now neither too hot nor too cold. He found his maiden, who married him.
-From Siberian folklore
Friday, February 12, 2016
Barbecue Sauce
With spring rapidly approaching, I thought it might be fun to have a barbecue rub/sauce recipe. The beauty of recipes like this is that you can adjust to taste: if you like heat, up the cayenne; if you can't stand spicy, cut it altogether.
For the rub, combine:
1 T smoked paprika
2 t garlic powder
1 t salt
1 t black pepper
1 t cayenne pepper
Store in an airtight container for up to 1 year
For the sauce, combine:
Dry rub (above)
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c ketchup
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
Apply generously to your favorite meat
For the rub, combine:
1 T smoked paprika
2 t garlic powder
1 t salt
1 t black pepper
1 t cayenne pepper
Store in an airtight container for up to 1 year
For the sauce, combine:
Dry rub (above)
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c ketchup
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
Apply generously to your favorite meat
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
It's the End of the World As We Know It: The Seven Seals, Part 1
"The Judgments": twenty-one of some of the most puzzling, often gruesome, events that the Bible reveals. Originally, I wasn't going to address any of them. Then I decided I should address the first four seal judgments, popularly called "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse." Upon further reflection, though, I think we should discuss all of them, at least to some degree, because while many of them are straightforward (the silence in heaven, for example), some are not so straightforward (see 9:1-6). What I really want to talk about, however, is context, because these judgments - particularly the "Four Horsemen" - are so often taken out of context and misinterpreted, that most people who study this are fed inaccurate information and never realize it. Most often, the people feeding the inaccurate information don't even realize it. There are certain interpretations that are so ingrained in our church culture, that most of us don't realize these ideas are - sometimes - completely unbiblical.
So here's what I would like to address broadly, before we even talk about the first seven "judgments": reading Revelation. Most of us read Revelation in little chunks. We read Chapter 1, for example. Then we move on to the church at Ephesus in Chapter 2 on the next day. Then we read about Smyrna the next day, and so on. What happens is that we read passages that are intimately connected to one another, but we read them weeks, even months apart. It's hard to put Chapter 13 in context of Chapter 5 when it's been fourteen days since you read Chapter 5.
Or, worse yet, we're studying it in Sunday School, and it's months between two related passages. And, truthfully, the person preparing the lesson for Sunday School each week is most likely doing the same thing, reading a couple verses one week, doing a lesson on it, and then reading the next couple of verses for the next lesson. The basic idea here is that everyone, from teachers to students, is, by and large, taking Revelation out of context. This is what often happens with the Seal Judgments.
Now, I'm not trying to dictate how you read the Scriptures, and what I'm giving you is only advice, but I strongly recommend doing five things before you ever start studying Revelation verse by verse. The first is to read the book, in its entirety, in one sitting. Read it start to finish, 1:1 - 22:21. The next day, read Daniel in its entirety. The third day, read Zechariah in its entirety. The fourth day, read Matthew 24 and 25. The fifth day, read Luke 21. The sixth day, read I Thessalonians 4:13 - 5:11. Then, lastly, read Revelation again. Truthfully, carve out the time to do this, particularly if you're committed to studying this topic, because it will give you a context for everything you're going to study in Revelation. So here's the basic deal, after one week you will have: read Daniel, read Zechariah, read Matthew 24 and 25, read Luke 21, read I Thessalonians 4:12 - 5:11, and read Revelation twice. I know it's a lot of work, but just as we tend to take passages in Revelation out of context of the book, we also take Revelation out of context of the Bible. The Bible's a big book - it's easy to take things out of context, but I, personally, feel that this preparation will aide you in your studies, so I highly recommend it.
At this point, it's up to you how much you study each day. Maybe you spend one day on Chapter 1, maybe an entire week. Whatever - it's up to you. Here's the key: at the end of Chapter 1, read Revelation in its entirety again, putting the first chapter in context of the entire book, because Revelation was not written in chapters, but as one long letter. Then, the next day, read Daniel again. Then Zechariah on the next day. Then Matthew 24 and 25 on the next day, and so on. Then read Revelation, in its entirety, again. Then you can go back to studying Revelation 2. Then, do the same thing with Chapters 3, 4, and so on. The important thing is that, at intervals during your study, you are putting each chapter within the proper context of the book, and you're putting Revelation within the proper context of Scripture as a whole.
The only other suggestion I would have is that you have a really good study Bible or concordance - one with cross references and whatnot - because Luke, Thessalonians, Matthew, Daniel, Zechariah, and Revelation are not the only places in the Scriptures that deal with eschatology. Paul addresses it in other places, Peter addresses it, Joel and Isaiah address it, Ezekiel addresses it, Jesus addresses it in Luke . . . I could go on. There are even what appears to be scattered references throughout the Books of Moses. so cross references are useful. But the bottom line is context,and because it's impossible to literally study the entire Bible in one sitting, we have to break it up in sections. This is, to me at least, the most useful way of keeping everything in context.
Okay, let's get on with the Seal Judgments. The seals themselves appear in Chapter 6, but I want to back up to Chapter 5 first (context!):
Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne [see Revelation 4] a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was worthy to open the scroll or even look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."
Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He came and took the scroll from the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. And when He had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding seven bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints (5:1-8).
Before we go further, I want to stop and take a look at an interesting observation I came across on (I know! I know!) the internet. Someone observed that John can't find anyone at all, not even in heaven, worthy to open the scroll. Suddenly, when John is about as depressed as he could possible get, an angel calls his attention to the Lamb, a Lamb who was not visible up until that moment. Get that? Jesus isn't in Heaven while John is looking for someone to open the scroll, but then, suddenly He is, in His slain glory. Not only is He in heaven, though, he's in the middle of the throne, the throne that John studied and described, in detail, in Chapter 4. So John observes the throne of God, sans Lamb, can't find anyone anywhere who can open the scroll in God's hand, but then, suddenly, the sacrificed Lamb appears, and He is deemed worthy because "[He was] slain, and with [His] blood [He] purchased men for God." The comment I came across was that John was observing events in Heaven that happened immediately after Jesus' crucifixion. In other words, John is taken to heaven, but he's taken to a point in the past, the moment when our crucified Lord ascended into heaven, at which point - get this - at which point He opens the first seal: "I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals" (Revelation 6:1).
Now, first, this is an excellent reminder that the Book of Revelation means, literally, a Revelation. It does not, in all circumstances, deal with future events. We forget that, I think, and try to "figure out" what each part of the book means in order to identify it when it happens. But as we saw some time ago, part of Revelation deals with the birth of Christ, so events in Revelation are clearly not always future events.
This also means that, according to this interpretation at least, the first seal could already have been opened, and it was opened after Jesus' crucifixion (or, possibly, Ascension). I find this interesting, although it's not without problems, most of which we'll explore in more detail later. But it is interesting, nonetheless.
Regardless of when the scroll is first opened, the breaking of the seals releases events on earth. The first four depict horses and riders that are, enigmatically, straightforward, and yet somewhat unclear:
I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures [see 4:6-8] say in a voice like thunder, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.
When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword.
When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!"
When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth (Revelation 6:1-8).
Now, popular interpretation identifies the White Rider as the pre-Satanically-empowered Antichrist. The symbols of this rider - the crown, the bow without arrows, the color white - have all been discussed elsewhere ad nauseum. However, since there may be some of you reading this who are unfamiliar with these symbols, I'll discuss them (very) briefly. White almost always stands for spiritual purity in the Scriptures. Even throughout Revelation, white stands for spiritual purity:
"'Come now, let us settle this matter,' says the LORD. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow'" (Isaiah 1:18).
"He who overcomes will . . . be dressed in white" (Revelation 3:5)
"Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer" (6:11).
"I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True" (19:11).
So why is this "judgment," as it were, one of spiritual purity? The key is in the crown, bow, and the fact that the rider is bent on conquest. Much like the lamb/dragon in Revelation 13, this is a spiritual conquest, but is it pure? The crown most likely represents an authority, the bow most likely represents might and strength, and the lack of arrows most likely represents a peaceful conquest. Now, some will contend that this is an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and a revival that will sweep the globe.
That's fine, but I'm not sure it's true. Nor am I certain that it represents the Antichrist, for one main reason: Revelation never connects the two, not once. If you've read through Revelation in one sitting, you may have noticed that fact. If not, the next time you read through Revelation, pay attention: not once are we told that the First Seal is the same person as the Beast. In fact, I'm not even sure the First Seal represents a man, and here's the reason: none of the other horses represent people.
The second is War, obviously, as the rider is "given power to take peace from earth and to make men slay each other." The third is famine, affecting large numbers of people as "daily bread" becomes almost impossible to buy. A quart of wheat is, roughly, enough for one person in that time period, so a man would have to work for an entire day just to feed himself for that day. There is a possibility that this refers, not to famine, but to inflation, but the fact that oil and wine - crops whose roots grow deep enough to avoid problems during a drought - are untouched doesn't lend itself to that interpretation. The fourth is fairly straightforward: people die, and Hell follows death.
Taking all of that into consideration - that the fourth horse isn't a person, the third horse isn't a person, and the second horse isn't a person - it seems unlikely that the white horse would represent a person. But if not a person, as popular interpretations assert, what, then, could the First Seal represent?
Jesus says some things in Luke 21 that I believe help interpret this passage. Before we get to that, let's see seals five and six:
When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the alter the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.
I watched as He opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place (Revelation 6:9-14).
We're told two things within the Fifth Seal: the first, is that the martyrdom of the Saints will continue. This is currently happening. But we're also told that the martyrdom won't just continue, it will continue until a certain number of believers have died. There is, in other words, a set time for this martyrdom to happen. I don't know when that ends, of course, but I do know that martyrdom of Christians has been going on in parts of the world, almost continually, for two-thousand years. We tend to forget this these days, but even the Crusades were largely a defensive attack against the martyrdom of Christians in various parts of the Catholic Empire (I'm not commenting on whether the Crusades were good or bad, just on the fact that even when Christianity was "aggressive" to a fault, there was still martyrdom of Christians). Today, in various Middle Eastern countries, Christians are being martyred. In places in China, India, and N. Korea, Christians are being imprisoned and executed simply for being Christians. In parts of Africa, same thing. Martyrdom is taking place, even today. To say, then, that the Fifth Seal will happen in the future, is possible, but not necessarily true, because the Fifth Seal could have already been opened.
So how does all of this help us to interpret the White Horse? Let's check out Luke 21 (don't worry, we'll get back to the Sixth Seal):
Some of His disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, "As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down."
"Teacher," they asked, "when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?"
He replied, "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in My name, claiming, 'I am he,' and 'The time is near.' Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away."
Then He said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places; and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
"But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of My name. This will result in your being witnesses to them. But make up your minds not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. All men will hate you because of Me. But not a hair of your head will perish. By standing firm you will gain life.
"When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
"There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the seas. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming to the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near" (Luke 21:5-28).
What is Jesus saying, here? In verses 8-11, He first tells them about wars, plagues, and whatnot (the part most Christians quote whenever something bad happens in the news). "But before all this," He says, "they will lay hands on you and persecute you" (12). So, first, comes the persecution of the disciples.
This has already happened. All of them were martyred for their faith, with the exception of John, who was exiled. So, Jesus says, first there will come persecution of the early Church.
At the same time, Jerusalem will be surrounded by armies, and its desolation will come (20). This already happened, too. The soon-to-be-Emperor Titus surrounded Jerusalem with his armies, destroying the city and its temple in 70 A.D. (see Luke 21:6). Notice that all of this comes before the events of verses 8-11. Before. So, sometime after this, there will, according to Jesus, be four "signs" to look for:
1) Spiritual deception.
Look at verse 8: "He replied, 'Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in My name, claiming, "I am He," and "The time is near." Do not follow them.'"
2) War.
"'When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away'" (9).
3) Famine, pestilence, and death.
"'There will be . . . famines and pestilences in various places'" (11).
4) Earthquakes and astronomical signs.
"There will be great earthquakes . . . and fearful events and great signs from heaven'" (11).
Notice anything . . . interesting? After 70 A.D., but "before the time of the end," there will be astronomical signs and earthquakes, preceded by famine and pestilence, preceded by war, and, preceding all of this, a spiritual deception.
Now, let's go back to Revelation 6. The sixth seal was, what? A great earthquake, the sun turning to the color of sackcloth, and the moon turning the color of blood. The fourth seal? Death by "famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth" (Revelation 6:8). The third seal? Famine. The second seal? War. Notice the pattern? This would mean, then, that the First Seal, the Rider on the White Horse, isn't a person, but a great deal of spiritual deception that spreads throughout the world. Conquers it, in fact, and it does so with power and authority. I believe that the events of Revelation 6 - the first six seals - outline and give detail to the passage in Luke 21, a passage in which Jesus clearly tells us that these things happen before the time of the end. In fact, Jesus connects them to the martyrdom of the apostles and the destruction of the temple.
This places the seals, not at some point in our future, but partially in the past, as well as right now, in the present. Remember, the Scriptures never once connect the Beast with the First Seal. If the First Seal represents a single person, it's the only seal that does - the rest deal with broad topics and events, but not a particular individual. This is inline with the idea that I stated earlier, that Jesus opened the First Seal fairly soon after His crucifixion/resurrection. This means that for those who are waiting to see "the Antichrist" show up on the scene to make a covenant with Israel and know that the First Seal has officially been opened, you may be looking for the wrong thing.
Notice I said, may. Let's look at some of the issues with this idea. First, the assumption that timing in Heaven is the same as timing on earth. In other words, if Jesus opened the First Seal immediately after His crucifixion, does that mean the subsequent earthly events began immediately after His crucifixion? Not necessarily. Maybe it was, maybe it was a year later, maybe it was half a century later, maybe - just maybe - Jesus opened the Seal, but we haven't seen the consequences yet. We know that God's timing is not our timing, and that God's sense of timing is absolutely enormous compared to ours. He promised Abraham, sometime around 1900 B.C., that Abraham's descendants would possess "the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites" (Gen. 15:19-21). This took anywhere from 500 to 1,000 years to be fulfilled. God's timing isn't our timing.
Secondly, believing that the Seal was opened immediately after Jesus' crucifixion is also, technically speaking, still an assumption. I think the Scriptural argument makes sense, but John does not reveal that he was witnessing events in heaven that had taken place in the past. He just doesn't, and reasonable assumptions are still assumptions.
Thirdly, can we say, with any clarity, where we are on the . . . let's call it the Seal Spectrum? IF the First Seal was opened, and IF we have seen the consequences already (a spiritual deception that causes people to believe they are in touch with God, when they are not), has the Second Seal also been opened? This goes back to the timing issue above: how long between seals? Certainly, the world has seen wars - almost continuously - for the last 1,500 years. Certainly the threat of war is increasing, even today. We may be on the verge of World War III, in fact, something only time will tell us. So, if the Second Seal is, as Jesus puts it, a time "when you hear of wars and revolutions," and a time when "nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom," then we could very well be in the midst of it, maybe have been for centuries.
Famines? Plagues? Lots of those now, too. It's difficult to say - and I'm not sure we can with any real confidence - whether or not they've been happening for a while, whether they've recently started, or whether or not they have yet to start. It's plausible that the Seals were opened some time ago, and we are in the midst of them now, but plausible and definite are two entirely separate things.
Lastly, the text of Revelation itself seems to indicate more of a sweeping event, rather than isolated and continuous instances. The Black Horse, for example, appears to be a massive, sweeping, worldwide famine, not a famine that hits various nations at various times over the course of several centuries. But then again, in Luke 21, that's how Jesus defines it: "There will be . . . famines and pestilences in various places" (21:11).
Here's what I'm trying to get to here: I actually am leaning towards the interpretation that:
1) Jesus opened the Seals immediately after His crucifixion,
2) the first five seals, at least, have been on-going for centuries (the Sixth Seal doesn't appear to have happened yet, though the increase in earthquakes may be leading to it)
3) They do not represent judgments regarding the end, but are, rather, events leading up to God's judgements, which appear to start with the trumpets (Revelation 8:1 - 11:19).
However, while I lean towards it, I also recognize that it is based on a few assumptions. But, in light of Jesus' words in Luke, and in light of everything we see going on, both in Revelation 4 - 6, and in the world, I feel comfortable with this interpretation, so long as we keep one truth in mind, that all of this is about the fact that Jesus is Lord, and that God raised Him from the dead.
Remember, this is not about predicting or figuring things out, but watching events match up and being able to point to the Scriptures and say, "See, what Jesus said is true, therefore we can trust Him." If we can trust what Jesus said 2,000 years ago, then we can trust that He is Lord and Savior. This is not to be an obsession with prophecy, but a proclamation of the Gospel, because Jesus does not reveal these things to us in order for us to obsess about events. He reveals - and this is true of all of Scripture - He reveals His character, His actions, and His motivations in order for us to acknowledge that He is the Alpha and Omega, the He is God Almighty, that He is Creator of the heavens and the earth. God reveals His names in the Old Testament, names which find their fulfillment in Jesus.
God took the open rebellion of man, and made a promise - a promise fulfilled in Jesus.
God took a pagan and made him a promise - a promise fulfilled in Jesus.
God took a nation, and made them a promise - a promise fulfilled in Jesus.
And Jesus made proclamations that have come true - fulfilling His own claim to be God Almighty.
His disciples made proclamations about His resurrection - fulfilling His own claim to be God Almighty. Every promise, every declaration in the Bible, past present and future, point to Jesus.
So when Paul says that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved (Romans 10:9), we can trust that, because we can trust that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead.
So you can continue to trust in yourself, someone who is selfish and - at best - selfishly-philanthropic, but can you really claim to have fulfilled every promise made by you and about you? You can trust in any of the other myriads of religions out there, religions that fail in so many of their very basic tenants. Or you can trust in Jesus, who has kept many of His promises, and is now fulfilling many of the as-yet unfulfilled ones.
If I could make you trust Him, I would. That is how certain I am of His Lordship. But, alas, I cannot; all I can do is appeal to you to trust in the grace of Jesus Christ. He loves you, even though you don't deserve it, and you can either rejoice at His return, or you can mourn with the nations (Matthew 24:30).
So here's what I would like to address broadly, before we even talk about the first seven "judgments": reading Revelation. Most of us read Revelation in little chunks. We read Chapter 1, for example. Then we move on to the church at Ephesus in Chapter 2 on the next day. Then we read about Smyrna the next day, and so on. What happens is that we read passages that are intimately connected to one another, but we read them weeks, even months apart. It's hard to put Chapter 13 in context of Chapter 5 when it's been fourteen days since you read Chapter 5.
Or, worse yet, we're studying it in Sunday School, and it's months between two related passages. And, truthfully, the person preparing the lesson for Sunday School each week is most likely doing the same thing, reading a couple verses one week, doing a lesson on it, and then reading the next couple of verses for the next lesson. The basic idea here is that everyone, from teachers to students, is, by and large, taking Revelation out of context. This is what often happens with the Seal Judgments.
Now, I'm not trying to dictate how you read the Scriptures, and what I'm giving you is only advice, but I strongly recommend doing five things before you ever start studying Revelation verse by verse. The first is to read the book, in its entirety, in one sitting. Read it start to finish, 1:1 - 22:21. The next day, read Daniel in its entirety. The third day, read Zechariah in its entirety. The fourth day, read Matthew 24 and 25. The fifth day, read Luke 21. The sixth day, read I Thessalonians 4:13 - 5:11. Then, lastly, read Revelation again. Truthfully, carve out the time to do this, particularly if you're committed to studying this topic, because it will give you a context for everything you're going to study in Revelation. So here's the basic deal, after one week you will have: read Daniel, read Zechariah, read Matthew 24 and 25, read Luke 21, read I Thessalonians 4:12 - 5:11, and read Revelation twice. I know it's a lot of work, but just as we tend to take passages in Revelation out of context of the book, we also take Revelation out of context of the Bible. The Bible's a big book - it's easy to take things out of context, but I, personally, feel that this preparation will aide you in your studies, so I highly recommend it.
At this point, it's up to you how much you study each day. Maybe you spend one day on Chapter 1, maybe an entire week. Whatever - it's up to you. Here's the key: at the end of Chapter 1, read Revelation in its entirety again, putting the first chapter in context of the entire book, because Revelation was not written in chapters, but as one long letter. Then, the next day, read Daniel again. Then Zechariah on the next day. Then Matthew 24 and 25 on the next day, and so on. Then read Revelation, in its entirety, again. Then you can go back to studying Revelation 2. Then, do the same thing with Chapters 3, 4, and so on. The important thing is that, at intervals during your study, you are putting each chapter within the proper context of the book, and you're putting Revelation within the proper context of Scripture as a whole.
The only other suggestion I would have is that you have a really good study Bible or concordance - one with cross references and whatnot - because Luke, Thessalonians, Matthew, Daniel, Zechariah, and Revelation are not the only places in the Scriptures that deal with eschatology. Paul addresses it in other places, Peter addresses it, Joel and Isaiah address it, Ezekiel addresses it, Jesus addresses it in Luke . . . I could go on. There are even what appears to be scattered references throughout the Books of Moses. so cross references are useful. But the bottom line is context,and because it's impossible to literally study the entire Bible in one sitting, we have to break it up in sections. This is, to me at least, the most useful way of keeping everything in context.
Okay, let's get on with the Seal Judgments. The seals themselves appear in Chapter 6, but I want to back up to Chapter 5 first (context!):
Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne [see Revelation 4] a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was worthy to open the scroll or even look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."
Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He came and took the scroll from the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. And when He had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding seven bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints (5:1-8).
Before we go further, I want to stop and take a look at an interesting observation I came across on (I know! I know!) the internet. Someone observed that John can't find anyone at all, not even in heaven, worthy to open the scroll. Suddenly, when John is about as depressed as he could possible get, an angel calls his attention to the Lamb, a Lamb who was not visible up until that moment. Get that? Jesus isn't in Heaven while John is looking for someone to open the scroll, but then, suddenly He is, in His slain glory. Not only is He in heaven, though, he's in the middle of the throne, the throne that John studied and described, in detail, in Chapter 4. So John observes the throne of God, sans Lamb, can't find anyone anywhere who can open the scroll in God's hand, but then, suddenly, the sacrificed Lamb appears, and He is deemed worthy because "[He was] slain, and with [His] blood [He] purchased men for God." The comment I came across was that John was observing events in Heaven that happened immediately after Jesus' crucifixion. In other words, John is taken to heaven, but he's taken to a point in the past, the moment when our crucified Lord ascended into heaven, at which point - get this - at which point He opens the first seal: "I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals" (Revelation 6:1).
Now, first, this is an excellent reminder that the Book of Revelation means, literally, a Revelation. It does not, in all circumstances, deal with future events. We forget that, I think, and try to "figure out" what each part of the book means in order to identify it when it happens. But as we saw some time ago, part of Revelation deals with the birth of Christ, so events in Revelation are clearly not always future events.
This also means that, according to this interpretation at least, the first seal could already have been opened, and it was opened after Jesus' crucifixion (or, possibly, Ascension). I find this interesting, although it's not without problems, most of which we'll explore in more detail later. But it is interesting, nonetheless.
Regardless of when the scroll is first opened, the breaking of the seals releases events on earth. The first four depict horses and riders that are, enigmatically, straightforward, and yet somewhat unclear:
I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures [see 4:6-8] say in a voice like thunder, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.
When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword.
When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!"
When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth (Revelation 6:1-8).
Now, popular interpretation identifies the White Rider as the pre-Satanically-empowered Antichrist. The symbols of this rider - the crown, the bow without arrows, the color white - have all been discussed elsewhere ad nauseum. However, since there may be some of you reading this who are unfamiliar with these symbols, I'll discuss them (very) briefly. White almost always stands for spiritual purity in the Scriptures. Even throughout Revelation, white stands for spiritual purity:
"'Come now, let us settle this matter,' says the LORD. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow'" (Isaiah 1:18).
"He who overcomes will . . . be dressed in white" (Revelation 3:5)
"Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer" (6:11).
"I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True" (19:11).
So why is this "judgment," as it were, one of spiritual purity? The key is in the crown, bow, and the fact that the rider is bent on conquest. Much like the lamb/dragon in Revelation 13, this is a spiritual conquest, but is it pure? The crown most likely represents an authority, the bow most likely represents might and strength, and the lack of arrows most likely represents a peaceful conquest. Now, some will contend that this is an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and a revival that will sweep the globe.
That's fine, but I'm not sure it's true. Nor am I certain that it represents the Antichrist, for one main reason: Revelation never connects the two, not once. If you've read through Revelation in one sitting, you may have noticed that fact. If not, the next time you read through Revelation, pay attention: not once are we told that the First Seal is the same person as the Beast. In fact, I'm not even sure the First Seal represents a man, and here's the reason: none of the other horses represent people.
The second is War, obviously, as the rider is "given power to take peace from earth and to make men slay each other." The third is famine, affecting large numbers of people as "daily bread" becomes almost impossible to buy. A quart of wheat is, roughly, enough for one person in that time period, so a man would have to work for an entire day just to feed himself for that day. There is a possibility that this refers, not to famine, but to inflation, but the fact that oil and wine - crops whose roots grow deep enough to avoid problems during a drought - are untouched doesn't lend itself to that interpretation. The fourth is fairly straightforward: people die, and Hell follows death.
Taking all of that into consideration - that the fourth horse isn't a person, the third horse isn't a person, and the second horse isn't a person - it seems unlikely that the white horse would represent a person. But if not a person, as popular interpretations assert, what, then, could the First Seal represent?
Jesus says some things in Luke 21 that I believe help interpret this passage. Before we get to that, let's see seals five and six:
When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the alter the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.
I watched as He opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place (Revelation 6:9-14).
We're told two things within the Fifth Seal: the first, is that the martyrdom of the Saints will continue. This is currently happening. But we're also told that the martyrdom won't just continue, it will continue until a certain number of believers have died. There is, in other words, a set time for this martyrdom to happen. I don't know when that ends, of course, but I do know that martyrdom of Christians has been going on in parts of the world, almost continually, for two-thousand years. We tend to forget this these days, but even the Crusades were largely a defensive attack against the martyrdom of Christians in various parts of the Catholic Empire (I'm not commenting on whether the Crusades were good or bad, just on the fact that even when Christianity was "aggressive" to a fault, there was still martyrdom of Christians). Today, in various Middle Eastern countries, Christians are being martyred. In places in China, India, and N. Korea, Christians are being imprisoned and executed simply for being Christians. In parts of Africa, same thing. Martyrdom is taking place, even today. To say, then, that the Fifth Seal will happen in the future, is possible, but not necessarily true, because the Fifth Seal could have already been opened.
So how does all of this help us to interpret the White Horse? Let's check out Luke 21 (don't worry, we'll get back to the Sixth Seal):
Some of His disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, "As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down."
"Teacher," they asked, "when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?"
He replied, "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in My name, claiming, 'I am he,' and 'The time is near.' Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away."
Then He said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places; and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
"But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of My name. This will result in your being witnesses to them. But make up your minds not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. All men will hate you because of Me. But not a hair of your head will perish. By standing firm you will gain life.
"When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
"There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the seas. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming to the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near" (Luke 21:5-28).
What is Jesus saying, here? In verses 8-11, He first tells them about wars, plagues, and whatnot (the part most Christians quote whenever something bad happens in the news). "But before all this," He says, "they will lay hands on you and persecute you" (12). So, first, comes the persecution of the disciples.
This has already happened. All of them were martyred for their faith, with the exception of John, who was exiled. So, Jesus says, first there will come persecution of the early Church.
At the same time, Jerusalem will be surrounded by armies, and its desolation will come (20). This already happened, too. The soon-to-be-Emperor Titus surrounded Jerusalem with his armies, destroying the city and its temple in 70 A.D. (see Luke 21:6). Notice that all of this comes before the events of verses 8-11. Before. So, sometime after this, there will, according to Jesus, be four "signs" to look for:
1) Spiritual deception.
Look at verse 8: "He replied, 'Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in My name, claiming, "I am He," and "The time is near." Do not follow them.'"
2) War.
"'When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away'" (9).
3) Famine, pestilence, and death.
"'There will be . . . famines and pestilences in various places'" (11).
4) Earthquakes and astronomical signs.
"There will be great earthquakes . . . and fearful events and great signs from heaven'" (11).
Notice anything . . . interesting? After 70 A.D., but "before the time of the end," there will be astronomical signs and earthquakes, preceded by famine and pestilence, preceded by war, and, preceding all of this, a spiritual deception.
Now, let's go back to Revelation 6. The sixth seal was, what? A great earthquake, the sun turning to the color of sackcloth, and the moon turning the color of blood. The fourth seal? Death by "famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth" (Revelation 6:8). The third seal? Famine. The second seal? War. Notice the pattern? This would mean, then, that the First Seal, the Rider on the White Horse, isn't a person, but a great deal of spiritual deception that spreads throughout the world. Conquers it, in fact, and it does so with power and authority. I believe that the events of Revelation 6 - the first six seals - outline and give detail to the passage in Luke 21, a passage in which Jesus clearly tells us that these things happen before the time of the end. In fact, Jesus connects them to the martyrdom of the apostles and the destruction of the temple.
This places the seals, not at some point in our future, but partially in the past, as well as right now, in the present. Remember, the Scriptures never once connect the Beast with the First Seal. If the First Seal represents a single person, it's the only seal that does - the rest deal with broad topics and events, but not a particular individual. This is inline with the idea that I stated earlier, that Jesus opened the First Seal fairly soon after His crucifixion/resurrection. This means that for those who are waiting to see "the Antichrist" show up on the scene to make a covenant with Israel and know that the First Seal has officially been opened, you may be looking for the wrong thing.
Notice I said, may. Let's look at some of the issues with this idea. First, the assumption that timing in Heaven is the same as timing on earth. In other words, if Jesus opened the First Seal immediately after His crucifixion, does that mean the subsequent earthly events began immediately after His crucifixion? Not necessarily. Maybe it was, maybe it was a year later, maybe it was half a century later, maybe - just maybe - Jesus opened the Seal, but we haven't seen the consequences yet. We know that God's timing is not our timing, and that God's sense of timing is absolutely enormous compared to ours. He promised Abraham, sometime around 1900 B.C., that Abraham's descendants would possess "the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites" (Gen. 15:19-21). This took anywhere from 500 to 1,000 years to be fulfilled. God's timing isn't our timing.
Secondly, believing that the Seal was opened immediately after Jesus' crucifixion is also, technically speaking, still an assumption. I think the Scriptural argument makes sense, but John does not reveal that he was witnessing events in heaven that had taken place in the past. He just doesn't, and reasonable assumptions are still assumptions.
Thirdly, can we say, with any clarity, where we are on the . . . let's call it the Seal Spectrum? IF the First Seal was opened, and IF we have seen the consequences already (a spiritual deception that causes people to believe they are in touch with God, when they are not), has the Second Seal also been opened? This goes back to the timing issue above: how long between seals? Certainly, the world has seen wars - almost continuously - for the last 1,500 years. Certainly the threat of war is increasing, even today. We may be on the verge of World War III, in fact, something only time will tell us. So, if the Second Seal is, as Jesus puts it, a time "when you hear of wars and revolutions," and a time when "nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom," then we could very well be in the midst of it, maybe have been for centuries.
Famines? Plagues? Lots of those now, too. It's difficult to say - and I'm not sure we can with any real confidence - whether or not they've been happening for a while, whether they've recently started, or whether or not they have yet to start. It's plausible that the Seals were opened some time ago, and we are in the midst of them now, but plausible and definite are two entirely separate things.
Lastly, the text of Revelation itself seems to indicate more of a sweeping event, rather than isolated and continuous instances. The Black Horse, for example, appears to be a massive, sweeping, worldwide famine, not a famine that hits various nations at various times over the course of several centuries. But then again, in Luke 21, that's how Jesus defines it: "There will be . . . famines and pestilences in various places" (21:11).
Here's what I'm trying to get to here: I actually am leaning towards the interpretation that:
1) Jesus opened the Seals immediately after His crucifixion,
2) the first five seals, at least, have been on-going for centuries (the Sixth Seal doesn't appear to have happened yet, though the increase in earthquakes may be leading to it)
3) They do not represent judgments regarding the end, but are, rather, events leading up to God's judgements, which appear to start with the trumpets (Revelation 8:1 - 11:19).
However, while I lean towards it, I also recognize that it is based on a few assumptions. But, in light of Jesus' words in Luke, and in light of everything we see going on, both in Revelation 4 - 6, and in the world, I feel comfortable with this interpretation, so long as we keep one truth in mind, that all of this is about the fact that Jesus is Lord, and that God raised Him from the dead.
Remember, this is not about predicting or figuring things out, but watching events match up and being able to point to the Scriptures and say, "See, what Jesus said is true, therefore we can trust Him." If we can trust what Jesus said 2,000 years ago, then we can trust that He is Lord and Savior. This is not to be an obsession with prophecy, but a proclamation of the Gospel, because Jesus does not reveal these things to us in order for us to obsess about events. He reveals - and this is true of all of Scripture - He reveals His character, His actions, and His motivations in order for us to acknowledge that He is the Alpha and Omega, the He is God Almighty, that He is Creator of the heavens and the earth. God reveals His names in the Old Testament, names which find their fulfillment in Jesus.
God took the open rebellion of man, and made a promise - a promise fulfilled in Jesus.
God took a pagan and made him a promise - a promise fulfilled in Jesus.
God took a nation, and made them a promise - a promise fulfilled in Jesus.
And Jesus made proclamations that have come true - fulfilling His own claim to be God Almighty.
His disciples made proclamations about His resurrection - fulfilling His own claim to be God Almighty. Every promise, every declaration in the Bible, past present and future, point to Jesus.
So when Paul says that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved (Romans 10:9), we can trust that, because we can trust that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead.
So you can continue to trust in yourself, someone who is selfish and - at best - selfishly-philanthropic, but can you really claim to have fulfilled every promise made by you and about you? You can trust in any of the other myriads of religions out there, religions that fail in so many of their very basic tenants. Or you can trust in Jesus, who has kept many of His promises, and is now fulfilling many of the as-yet unfulfilled ones.
If I could make you trust Him, I would. That is how certain I am of His Lordship. But, alas, I cannot; all I can do is appeal to you to trust in the grace of Jesus Christ. He loves you, even though you don't deserve it, and you can either rejoice at His return, or you can mourn with the nations (Matthew 24:30).
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Qalupalik
Normally, I will take a myth that I have found over the years and retell it. This week, I wanted
to tell the story of Qalupalik, an Alaskan story dealing with the Innuit
version of the kelpie. However, the Nunavut Animation Lab has done a
remarkable video of this same story, and it would be a shame not to call
attention to it. So this week, rather than read my version of a
legend, you can access the Nunavut Animation Lab here. Once you've watched it, I've got a few thoughts on it.
Have you watched it yet? Good. One thing I find most interesting about this myth is that it highlights an age-old tradition in storytelling: that of The Moral.
The Moral has been around for almost as long as storytelling has existed, and even today persists as a means of conveying a message. In Greek plays, the Chorus existed to condense and give the audience something to "take home" - a lesson to learn. In the Bible, we see morals in the parables of Christ, the struggle of Job, even the Garden of Eden. Today, we may find morals in Aesop's Fables and other children's stories, such as "The Boy Who Cried Wolf." Jurassic Park, one of my favorite novels (and movies), teaches us that we don't have the right to play God.
The list goes on and on; morals abound in literature, and this week's myth all but screams its moral. In the story this week, Qalupalik's hunger for children derives from a child's unwillingness to listen to his or her parents and elders. The moral is clear: obey your parents. It's interesting that there are many versions of the Qalupalik story, and yet most of them contain that simple qualification: Qalupalik snatches children who don't obey their parents.
While it is certainly an important lesson to learn, we must ask ourselves why we even feel the need to put morals into literature. Jonathan Gotschall, author of The Storytelling Animal, argues that stories - particularly moral stories - teach us how to behave in social settings. They encourage us to interact with each other in mutually beneficial ways, creating a stronger society.
Of course, this flies in the face of the ever-popular "survival of the fittest" myth. We are taught that the strongest survive, the ones with the greatest advantages carry on their blood lines while the rest simply die out. Evolution only works when we're selfish.
But that isn't what the literature teaches us. Indeed, when a character in literature is self-serving, he or she is typically the villain in the tale, while the hero acts selflessly for the good of the whole. Whether it's William Wallace dying for freedom or Jesus dying on the cross for the sins of humanity, whether it's Captain America crashing his own plane or Darth Vader sacrificing himself to destroy the Emperor, the popular - the good - stories teach us that self-sacrifice and moral behavior are the best course of action for everyone.
So whether or not Qalupalik actually exists is irrelevant (though the parallels between the Innuit tale and the Celtic tales of the kelpie are compelling). What matters in this tale is the moral: if parents are leading correctly and the children are following, society will remain intact. It is when our roles begin to break down that monsters emerge.
Have you watched it yet? Good. One thing I find most interesting about this myth is that it highlights an age-old tradition in storytelling: that of The Moral.
The Moral has been around for almost as long as storytelling has existed, and even today persists as a means of conveying a message. In Greek plays, the Chorus existed to condense and give the audience something to "take home" - a lesson to learn. In the Bible, we see morals in the parables of Christ, the struggle of Job, even the Garden of Eden. Today, we may find morals in Aesop's Fables and other children's stories, such as "The Boy Who Cried Wolf." Jurassic Park, one of my favorite novels (and movies), teaches us that we don't have the right to play God.
The list goes on and on; morals abound in literature, and this week's myth all but screams its moral. In the story this week, Qalupalik's hunger for children derives from a child's unwillingness to listen to his or her parents and elders. The moral is clear: obey your parents. It's interesting that there are many versions of the Qalupalik story, and yet most of them contain that simple qualification: Qalupalik snatches children who don't obey their parents.
While it is certainly an important lesson to learn, we must ask ourselves why we even feel the need to put morals into literature. Jonathan Gotschall, author of The Storytelling Animal, argues that stories - particularly moral stories - teach us how to behave in social settings. They encourage us to interact with each other in mutually beneficial ways, creating a stronger society.
Of course, this flies in the face of the ever-popular "survival of the fittest" myth. We are taught that the strongest survive, the ones with the greatest advantages carry on their blood lines while the rest simply die out. Evolution only works when we're selfish.
But that isn't what the literature teaches us. Indeed, when a character in literature is self-serving, he or she is typically the villain in the tale, while the hero acts selflessly for the good of the whole. Whether it's William Wallace dying for freedom or Jesus dying on the cross for the sins of humanity, whether it's Captain America crashing his own plane or Darth Vader sacrificing himself to destroy the Emperor, the popular - the good - stories teach us that self-sacrifice and moral behavior are the best course of action for everyone.
So whether or not Qalupalik actually exists is irrelevant (though the parallels between the Innuit tale and the Celtic tales of the kelpie are compelling). What matters in this tale is the moral: if parents are leading correctly and the children are following, society will remain intact. It is when our roles begin to break down that monsters emerge.
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
How It Is That Men Have Stories
Mouse used to go everywhere. Rich or poor, no house was safe from
mouse. She would watch and look with her eyes, seeing everything that
was hidden, even in the most secure treasure chambers.
In the old times long ago, she wove a story child of everything she saw, and to each of her story children she gave a cloak - one white, one red, one blue, and one black. The stories lived in the house and served her, and she treated them as her own children.
Now, as it so happened, a sheep and leopard lived in a village, and the two of them bore children. Sheep had a daughter and Leopard had a son. There was a famine in the land, and Leopard went to Sheep and said, "The only way for us to survive is to kill our children and eat them." Sheep thought to herself, "If I do not agree, she will kill my child anyway," so she answered, "Good."
But Sheep did a deceitful thing and hid her child, took everything she owned, sold it for dried meat, cooked the meat, and brought it before Leopard. Both of them ate together, and Leopard killed her own child and ate that also.
A year passed, and Sheep and Leopard both became pregnant again. The people of the village were hungry, and Leopard once more told Sheep, "Let us kill our children and eat them." Sheep agreed, but, like last time, she hid her child safely away, bought some dried meat, cooked it, and set it before Leopard.
Many years later, Leopard came to Sheep and said, "Come. Let us feast."
Sheep saw a table prepared with a great feast - greater than she had ever imagined. Beside the food were three spoons. Sheep asked Leoaprd, "Why are there three spoons, when there are only two of us?"
Leopard laughed and opened the door to her home. "Come, daughter, and let us eat together." Her daughter came out, and the three of them ate supper. The Leopard explained, "Because I was hungry, I killed my first child and ate him. Then I learned how you had saved your first child, and I thought, 'I, too, will play this trick on Sheep.' So I kept my daughter alive."
Sheep went home and took care of her two children. Over time, her daughters grew, and so did Leopard's daughter. Leopard put her child into the fatting house, and she went to Sheep and said, "Please, give me one of your daughters so that our children may be in the fatting house together."
Now, as it was, Sheep and her daughters were both black, but they had servant Goats who were white. So Sheep took one of the goats and dyed its wool black. She covered her own daughter with white chalk, and sent them to the fatting house together. When they arrived, Leopard thought that the goat was Sheep's daughter, and during the night she entered the room, took the Goat, and killed it.
The next day, Leopard went to Sheep and said, "Please give me your other daughter, that the three of them may be friends in the fatting house together."
Sheep agreed, but she told her daughter to play a trick. When the second sheep reached the fatting house, she took a bottle of rum and gave it to Leopard's daughter, who drank it and fell asleep. When she was asleep, the two sheep took Leopard's daughter and put her in in one of their own beds. At night, when it was very dark, Leopard came in and took her own daughter and ate it, thinking it was one of Sheep's daughters. The next morning, Leopard went out very early to get palm wine.
The two sheep left the house after her. One of them went home, but the other followed Leopard. When Leopard was in the palm tree, the sheep shouted, "You tried to kill me, but you killed your daughter instead!" Leopard jumped from the tree and chased after the sheep, but she got away.
As she ran, the sheep came across an old woman with a Juju tied around her waist. The woman was tired, and Sheep offered to carry her Juju. When they arrived at the woman's house, the woman was tired and her head hurt. Sheep said, "Let me get you some water."
The woman was thankful. When the young sheep had done as she promised, she went into another part of the house. There she saw the woman's medicine, which she rubbed over her wool. The next morning, the woman asked Sheep for the medicine. Sheep answered, "Last night, I used that medicine!"
The old woman sprang up and chased after the sheep. In her hurry, the Sheep ran into the door of Mouse's house, which broke. All of Mouse's stories ran out, and Mouse could not get them to come home. Now, all of the stories of earth roam up and down the land and all over.
-From the Ekoi people of Africa
The most interesting part of this story is the belief that all men, all cultures, share a common source for their primal stories. What I think is also interesting is the fact that the overall story makes no sense. The bit with Leopard and Sheep really play very little part in the bit with the Sheep and the Old Woman with the Juju. It's almost as if the belief in a common origin for stories (a pre-Tower of Babel world, perhaps?) remained, but the means of dispersion for them was lost to this culture. So, somewhere along the way, they made up an entirely different story. I can't prove this, of course, but it's just an observation.
In the old times long ago, she wove a story child of everything she saw, and to each of her story children she gave a cloak - one white, one red, one blue, and one black. The stories lived in the house and served her, and she treated them as her own children.
Now, as it so happened, a sheep and leopard lived in a village, and the two of them bore children. Sheep had a daughter and Leopard had a son. There was a famine in the land, and Leopard went to Sheep and said, "The only way for us to survive is to kill our children and eat them." Sheep thought to herself, "If I do not agree, she will kill my child anyway," so she answered, "Good."
But Sheep did a deceitful thing and hid her child, took everything she owned, sold it for dried meat, cooked the meat, and brought it before Leopard. Both of them ate together, and Leopard killed her own child and ate that also.
A year passed, and Sheep and Leopard both became pregnant again. The people of the village were hungry, and Leopard once more told Sheep, "Let us kill our children and eat them." Sheep agreed, but, like last time, she hid her child safely away, bought some dried meat, cooked it, and set it before Leopard.
Many years later, Leopard came to Sheep and said, "Come. Let us feast."
Sheep saw a table prepared with a great feast - greater than she had ever imagined. Beside the food were three spoons. Sheep asked Leoaprd, "Why are there three spoons, when there are only two of us?"
Leopard laughed and opened the door to her home. "Come, daughter, and let us eat together." Her daughter came out, and the three of them ate supper. The Leopard explained, "Because I was hungry, I killed my first child and ate him. Then I learned how you had saved your first child, and I thought, 'I, too, will play this trick on Sheep.' So I kept my daughter alive."
Sheep went home and took care of her two children. Over time, her daughters grew, and so did Leopard's daughter. Leopard put her child into the fatting house, and she went to Sheep and said, "Please, give me one of your daughters so that our children may be in the fatting house together."
Now, as it was, Sheep and her daughters were both black, but they had servant Goats who were white. So Sheep took one of the goats and dyed its wool black. She covered her own daughter with white chalk, and sent them to the fatting house together. When they arrived, Leopard thought that the goat was Sheep's daughter, and during the night she entered the room, took the Goat, and killed it.
The next day, Leopard went to Sheep and said, "Please give me your other daughter, that the three of them may be friends in the fatting house together."
Sheep agreed, but she told her daughter to play a trick. When the second sheep reached the fatting house, she took a bottle of rum and gave it to Leopard's daughter, who drank it and fell asleep. When she was asleep, the two sheep took Leopard's daughter and put her in in one of their own beds. At night, when it was very dark, Leopard came in and took her own daughter and ate it, thinking it was one of Sheep's daughters. The next morning, Leopard went out very early to get palm wine.
The two sheep left the house after her. One of them went home, but the other followed Leopard. When Leopard was in the palm tree, the sheep shouted, "You tried to kill me, but you killed your daughter instead!" Leopard jumped from the tree and chased after the sheep, but she got away.
As she ran, the sheep came across an old woman with a Juju tied around her waist. The woman was tired, and Sheep offered to carry her Juju. When they arrived at the woman's house, the woman was tired and her head hurt. Sheep said, "Let me get you some water."
The woman was thankful. When the young sheep had done as she promised, she went into another part of the house. There she saw the woman's medicine, which she rubbed over her wool. The next morning, the woman asked Sheep for the medicine. Sheep answered, "Last night, I used that medicine!"
The old woman sprang up and chased after the sheep. In her hurry, the Sheep ran into the door of Mouse's house, which broke. All of Mouse's stories ran out, and Mouse could not get them to come home. Now, all of the stories of earth roam up and down the land and all over.
-From the Ekoi people of Africa
The most interesting part of this story is the belief that all men, all cultures, share a common source for their primal stories. What I think is also interesting is the fact that the overall story makes no sense. The bit with Leopard and Sheep really play very little part in the bit with the Sheep and the Old Woman with the Juju. It's almost as if the belief in a common origin for stories (a pre-Tower of Babel world, perhaps?) remained, but the means of dispersion for them was lost to this culture. So, somewhere along the way, they made up an entirely different story. I can't prove this, of course, but it's just an observation.
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