The Second Seal

Let us now find out the events in the second seal and its fulfillment.  What happened when the Lamb broke the second seal in the Book of Revelation?

Revelation 6:3-4

“When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.”

 

When the second seal was opened, Apostle John saw a red horse. The horseback rider was given the power to take peace from the earth; his purpose was to kill and he was given a large sword. What is this peace on earth that will be taken by the man riding on the red horse?

Romans 5:1

”Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

 

The peace referred to is the peace with God, made possible through our Lord Jesus Christ. Which peace with God did Apostle Paul mention?

Romans 5:8-10

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

 

The peace being referred to is the rescinding of God’s wrath from His former enemies. The blood and death of our Lord Jesus Christ reconciled them with the Father. As to how peace was brought about by our Lord Jesus Christ, it was explained by Apostle Paul.

Ephesian 2:13-17

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.:”

 

The sin that separated man from God was broken down by Christ when he formed a “new man”. That “new man” comprises Christ as the head and the Church as his body. Our Lord Jesus Christ did this in accordance with the laws and statutes of sin. Christ addressed the law of sin and redeemed the sins of his church through his blood. Through this means, Jesus brought God’s peace to people; the people who were united with him and who also pleased the Father.

 

That peace will be taken away by the man riding the red horse. Apostle Paul gave his forewarning as to how this peace will be taken out.

Acts 20: 28-30 Lamsa

″Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood. For I know this, that after I have departed fierce wolves will attack you, which will not spare the flock. Also from among yourselves, men shall arise, speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them.”

 

When Apostle Paul said this, he was talking with several bishops in the Church of Christ. What did he forewarn that would happen after he had left? (1) fierce wolves will attack them and will not spare the flock, (2) from among them, men shall arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them (apostasy). They will be made to turn away from the true faith and to follow false doctrines. Hence, the salvation brought about by Christ will be lost. This will take place after Apostle Paul has left them.

 

Which departure is he referring to?

Acts 20:25, 37-38 NKJV

“And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more.”

“Then they all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.”

 

They would never see him again after this departure, which was his death. Therefore, after the death of the apostles (1) fierce wolves will attack them and will not spare the flock; (2) from among themselves, men shall arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them or turn them away from the true faith (apostasy). These two events forewarned to them will happen to a great extent to the early church after the death of the apostles.

 

Let us remember that according to the book of Revelation, the rider of the red horse has the power to take away the peace. He was also given a great sword to kill people; but the people will also kill one another. Hence, it is not surprising if the faithful and true members of the church were completely decimated after the death of the apostles.

 

Who were the fulfillment of the fierce wolves that attacked the church and did not spare the flock?

Ezekiel 22:27 NIV

“Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people to make unjust gain.”

 

The officials referred to are leaders. A great persecution began against the early church [Acts 8:1,3] even during the time of the apostles. Let us remember the forewarning to them, the flock would not be spared.

 

Aside from severe persecution, what else would pose as a great danger to their faith? Apostle Peter attested that false teachers would arise from among them and would bring false teachings that would turn them away from the true faith.

II Peter 2:1-3 NLT

“But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teachings and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will be delayed.“

 

This corresponds to the forewarning of Apostle Paul regarding false prophets that would teach them perverse things. Therefore, after the time of the apostles, the faithful and true members of the church were lost. If they did not suffer death from severe persecution against the church, they were turned away from the true faith to follow false doctrines.

 

How can we be certain of the fulfillment of this prophecy? We can delve deeper in our study by taking into account the events that were recorded from history. Through it we can have a clearer vision about the fate of the first century church.  Here is the sequential period of time given to us by historians.

 

The Apostolic Era from 30 AD to 100 AD.

The Period of the Persecuted and Apostate Church from 100 AD to 313 AD.

Note: During the time of the great persecution from the Roman Empire, the Medieval Church arose from the apostate church.  But in the succeeding period, it became an Ecumenical Church after it was made the state religion of the Roman Empire.

The Medieval Church in the Dark Ages from 313 AD to 476 AD.

The Period of inquisition which began in 476 AD.

 

What is proof that many members of the early church died during the great persecution from the Roman Empire? We can read this from the book, “How The Great Religions Began” written by Joseph Gaer, page 214.

“Even the early Christians, before Constantine, who were tortured and killed and fed to the lions in Rome, and who are known to us as martyrs, were not treated more cruelly than the non-Christians during the Inquisition.”

 

The rise and growth of the apostate religion can be traced in the record of the Catholic Church councils after the true and faithful members of the early church were totally lost.

 

According to Catholic authorities themselves, the apostles did not use the term council or synod in the meetings they conducted in Jerusalem (50 AD). But even if it is not written in the Bible [Acts 15:4-6], the Catholic authorities still insist on relating the councils and locales they established in different places and different times to that of the Apostles’ meetings in Jerusalem.

 

• the Council of Rome of 155
• the Council of Rome of 193
• the Council of Ephesus of 193
• the Council of Carthage of 251
• the Council of Iconium of 258
• the Council of Antioch of 264
• the Councils of Arabia of 246–247
• the Synod of Elvira of 306
• the Council of Carthage of 311
• the Synod of Neo-Caesarea of c. 314
• the Synod of Ancyra of 314
• the Synod of Arles of 314

 

(Sources:  “Catholic Encyclopedia“, “Church History” by John C. Dwyer, “Cyprian: His Life, His Times, His Work” by Edward Benson, “His Broken Body: Understanding and Healing the Schism Between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches”, “Encyclopedia of Theology” by Karl Rahner at “A History of the Councils of the Church: from the original documents” by Karl Joseph Von Hefele.)

 

The gap between each period of time shown in this record is apparent. From the first council (?) in Jerusalem (50 AD), 105 years have elapsed before it was followed by what they termed as the pre-ecumenical council. (This pertains to the locale meeting of some bishops in the same area or adjacent areas to resolve issues concerning the teachings or doctrines that they will teach and uphold.)

 

History attested that the early Christians were severely persecuted by Roman Emperors (Domitian, Trajan, and Marcus Aurelius) during the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th century. According to Catholic authorities, members of the 1^st century church that spread in several regions were totally exterminated with the exception of Rome. (Comm. On the official cathecism of the Phils. P. 133) It is also evident in the recorded history that false doctrines pervaded the early church in the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th century.

 

The apostles themselves testified that before the end of the 1^st century, false doctrines among the members were already germinating within the church. Let us not forget that apostasy happens every time a commandment of God is being transgressed. The book “The World’s Great Events Vol. 2“, in p. 163, attested that false doctrines flowed like a brook among the church members which poisoned their faith. The outcome of poisoning was death.  The remaining members of the 1^st century church, after severe persecution from the empire, ‘died’ spiritually by turning away from the true faith. Hence, the result is a church-wide apostasy. The organization started by Christ continues but it is no longer the pure and pristine church that he founded.

 

After this period, an apostate church arose. This apostate church carried on propagating the organization around the world. What religion metamorphosed from this organization? The Roman Catholic Church.

 

Ignatius (saint), a bishop from Antioch, first used the term Catholic in his letter to Smyrna in 110 AD‒ the term meaning ‘universal’. From then on the term gained popularity, but history attests that the term has been accepted and used widely in the early part of the 3^rd century.

 

False doctrines upheld by the apostate religion slowly accumulated within the organization. Foremost among them is acknowledgement of the “true nature” of Jesus Christ; Endless debate concerning this dogma began in the 2^nd century.  Tertulian (155 AD – 240 AD), considered to be one of the early church father, promulgated the concept about the Trinity. But it was Emperor Constantine who ended the controversy regarding the true nature of Christ by enacting the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. (First Ecumenical Council)

 

Later, pagans and Romans were converted to Catholicism, bringing with them their pagan beliefs and practices such as the use of relics, rosary, graven images, and medallions. Bless-giving with the ‘sign of the cross’ was popularized and later became a church dogma.

 

Constantine (272 AD – 337 AD) was the first Roman emperor converted to Christianity. During his reign, Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire. The church became a political organization within the essence and system of the Roman Empire. They were later called the Imperial Church of Rome or the Catholic Christians.

 

In the 4^th century, the title “Pope” became a distinctive title for the Roman pontiff, who is the designated head of the Roman Catholic Church. As a result of the adulterous relation of the Roman Catholic Church and the Roman Empire, the Pope secured for himself secular and spiritual power.

 

If the 1^st century church suffered from great persecution, the apostate church became the persecutor, driven by its ambition to become a powerful ‘universal’ church. In the succeeding period of time, the Catholic Church carried out the ‘Inquisition’, to persecute everyone who do not accept her doctrines and authority within the domain of the empire.

 

The message of the red horse is now clear. After the true members of the 1^st century church were wiped out, apostasy of the early church followed.  It is the reason why the blessed peace with God was also lost.