In PROPOSITION J, we looked at a four point parallel that exists between what Jesus warned of in the opening of His Olivet Discourse (e.g., Matt. 24:4-9) and what was revealed to John in The Revelation with the opening of the first four seals.  If what John saw connects with what Jesus warned of, and if what Jesus warned of pertained to the Church, the Church needs to take notice.  Seeing that what Jesus warned of has been observed to occur throughout the Church Age, is it not entirely logical to reason that this may be because the first four seals were opened nearer the beginning of this age?  Meaning, not long after John received The Revelation?  If this is so, what would this mean?

     Here would be a good place to pause and stress that Almighty God is the Sovereign Author of the book that is sealed with seven seals.  What is allowed to take place in this world is His call and is under His divine oversight.  As revealed in Revelation 5:1-14, what takes place relating to this book has been granted by Him to be set in motion by the Lamb, Jesus Christ.  In regard to the seals, whereas these are commonly interpreted to be judgments of God upon the world, I submit that the first four represent certain liberties that were granted to Satan to continue the plying of his craft into and throughout the Church Age.  I can almost envision Satan negotiating with God for these liberties.  It needs to be remembered that he would be powerless to do anything unless granted some liberties by Almighty God.  This is the way it was in the Garden of Eden and the way it will be until he is bound for the thousand years of Christ's Reign, as revealed in Revelation 20:1-6.  Right after this, he will be loosed long enough to exercise his last liberty, after which he will meet his eternal destiny, as revealed in Revelation 20:7-10.

     For those who may wonder why God would grant to Satan any liberties, simply put, the realm of evil, and Satan's activity therein, is a necessary element in the trying of mankind's faith and the decisions of mankind's will, especially in response to God's offer of salvation.  For those who accept His offer of salvation, I think Peter sums it up pretty well with these words from I Peter, chapter one:

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  7   That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

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     Back to the subject of the first four seals possibly having already been opened, it cannot be denied that this interpretation fits the introduction of The Revelation, that it was given for the purpose of showing Christ's servants "things which must shortly come to pass" (1:1).  Moreover, it is plainly conveyed that the time was "at hand" (1:3).  As we have seen, the first thing John was shown that really met this criteria had to do with these seals.  When this is understood, it seems to me that any way one cuts it, it was being conveyed that the Lamb was going to begin opening some seals pretty soon.  While these things have already been touched upon, remember the fact that over 1900 years of history have come and gone since Jesus spoke to His disciples on the Mount of Olives and John received The Revelation.  With this much time having passed, what real sense is to be made of the words "things which must shortly come to pass" and "the time is at hand" if none of the seals are even going to be opened until after the yet to happen rapture?

     The Revelation's introduction alone supports the validity of my present proposition.  But, we also have the testimony of history, even to our present generation.  World history for the past 20 centuries so attests to the fact of deceivers and false Christs, wars and rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes, and the persecution and martyrdom of Christ's followers that research is not even necessary to sustain my point.  What Jesus said would happen has happened and is still happening.  God's children talk about it all the time!  And what is still happening is going to keep on happening as I see it, because Satan will surely continue to exercise every liberty he has been granted for as long as he can.

     I realize that a hang-up some may have with this direction is that it is at odds with the common pre-trib view that holds that the Church will be raptured by Revelation 4:1, before the opening of any of the seals.  I do understand, for this is the view I grew up with.  But, I also grew up listening to men of God preach on the things we see happening in our world and how that these are in fulfillment of what Jesus warned of in those opening verses of His discourse.  I cannot, however, remember them making a tie-in between these things and the seals.  As far back as I recall, the seals have been viewed as being part of that future Seven Year Tribulation Period, with seemingly no thought being given to the possibility of them relating to the things we presently see happening.

     Whatever one's conclusion, abundant evidence of the things happening of which Jesus warned can be found in every era of history since the time of the apostles.  Something that should strengthen our faith is that everything has happened (and is happening) in strict accord with Jesus' words!  Furthermore, if what has happened truly connects with the first four seals, what John beheld with the opening of these seals was merely the activity responsible for what has taken place.

     So, what has been the activity responsible for what has taken place?  The first four seals describe the activity of four horsemen.  If these seals were opened early in the Church Age, this would mean that these horsemen went forth from their corral at that time and arguably are still riding.  Let me put it this way:  I submit that there are four "somethings" out there that have long been on a mission to trample under foot everything that has to do with true Christianity.  These four somethings, I am convinced, are the four horsemen John saw and gave an account of in Revelation 6:1-8.  Ever since creation, Satan has been granted certain liberties (again, he would have none otherwise!), and relating to the Church Age, I believe these liberties are being exercised by the horsemen of the first four seals.  I can't help but be reminded of what Paul said in his letter to the Ephesians, in chapter six:

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 12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, BUT AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES, AGAINST POWERS, AGAINST THE RULERS OF THE DARKNESS OF THIS WORLD, AGAINST SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS IN HIGH PLACES.

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     I would not argue that the first four seals were already open at the time Paul spoke these words, but I would put forth that what he was here describing will fit the four horsemen as much as any of Satan's forces.  If this direction proves to be correct, these horsemen bolted from their corral (the pits of Hell and the limits of their prior activity) as early as late in the first century, and have been riding down through the corridors of history ever since, doing just what they have been insatiably bent on doing.  It seems to me that they have left quite a trail.  If you look back over the course of the Church Age and contemplate those things of which Jesus warned and what has happened, also contemplate this:  Which horseman's activity might it have been that was behind this or that that took place?

     Again, it cannot be denied that the foregoing view is in keeping with the stated purpose of The Revelation, that it was given to show unto Christ's servants "things which must shortly come to pass."  Moreover, as pointed out previously, for most anything that is going to come to pass, there is the time when it will begin to come to pass.  If the four horsemen headed out of their corral gate in the first century, what John saw began to come to pass a lot sooner than has been realized.  But, the common view has these horsemen still corralled.  Can we know more assuredly what their present state is?  Maybe it would be helpful to take a closer look at them---one by one.

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