THE SEVEN SEALS ( Paralleled by The Seven Churches )

SEAL 1	WHITE HORSE [REV 6:1,2]	Church: Ephesus [REV 2:1]		1st Century A.D. -- The rider had a bow and a crown, and he went forth conquering, representing the church in its apostalic age. White symbolizing purity of faith.
SEAL 2	RED HORSE [REV 6:3,4]	Church: Smyrna [REV 2:8]		A.D. 100 to Constantine, A.D. 313 -- Second horseman portrays conditions under which the church found itself: violent persecutions under the rider's great sword at the hands of Roman Caesars.
SEAL 3	BLACK HORSE [REV 6:5,6]	Church: Pergamos [REV 2:12]		Constantine to Justinian, A.D. 313-538 -- With Constantine the persecutions of Christians slowed, but "black" can show further corruption of faith, i.e. Sunday blue laws and the formation of the Papacy.
SEAL 4	PALE HORSE [REV 6:7,8]	Church: Thyatira [REV 2:18]		The Middle Ages to the Reformation, A.D. 538-1517 -- Pale, the color of fear and death; the Papacy ruled the world and used its power to subdue and dominate any and all who resisted.
SEAL 5	SOULS UNDER ALTER [REV 6:9-11]	Church: Sardis [REV 3:1]		Post Reformation Period, A.D. 1517-1755 -- The souls of marytrs cried out symbolically to heaven for justice (just like Abel's blood cried out from the ground in Genesis); given white robes, they wait to be in the resurrection of the righteous.
SEAL 6	EARTHQUAKE, DARK DAY, FALLING STARS	Church: Philadelphia [REV 3:7]		The Great Awakening, A.D. 1755 to Current Times -- The Great Lisbon Earthquake hit November 1, 1755. The sun and moon darkened on May 19, 1780. The stars fell from heaven November 13, 1833.
SEAL 7	SILENCE IN HEAVEN	Church: Laodicea [REV 3:14]		The Near Future -- There is "silence in heaven" because Christ and all the angels leave the heavenly courts -- they all come to Earth at Christ's second coming.

Now just because the first horseman with the crown carried a bow, that does not necessarily mean he is a blood-thirsty warrior. Arrows can easily carry messages, and the message of Christianity spread fast in the first century. Then the remaining three horsemen that followed after the white one brought death to Christians.

The seven churches cover the same periods of history that the seven seals represent. For us today, the most important church is the final one: The Laodicean church.

Laodicea was a prosperous commercial center in John's day. Christ described the Laodiceans as being "neither hot nor cold."

The tepid spirtual condition of the Laodicean church was more dangerous than if the church had been cold. "Lukewarm Christianity" preserves enough of the form, and even the content of the Gospel, to dull the perceptive powers of the spirit and renders men oblivious to the earnest effort necessary to attainment of the high ideal of a victorious life in Christ.

The typical Laodicean Christian is content with things as they are and proud of the little progress he has made. It is almost impossible to convince him of his great need and of how far he is from the goal of perfection.

Our modern world, with all of its modern conveniences, etc., has made life easy for many of us, and can lull a Christian into complacency, stagnation, and inactivity. Many people are only "lukewarm" Christians.

The events under the sixth seal are major events serving to give notice to all mankind that Christ's return is "imminent." Jesus spoke of these events in Matthew 24:29. But the problem is that most Christians today seem expect to see these things happen the "very day before" Christ returns. They don't realize these events have already taken place.

A spectacular darkening of the sun lasted several hours in the eastern part of continental America. It began around 10 a.m., and that night the moon appeared as blood. Seeing that a great quake was to happen before the "dark day," it had to refer to the Lisbon quake which was without doubt the most terrible earthquake ever recorded. It's shock waves were felt over four million square miles. The final sign Christ gave was the falling stars, the huge meteor shower that rained down for hours over all the United States.

Look at this time-line. It fits. Christ said the says of tribulation would be shortened, and while the 1260 years ended in 1798, Papal persecution had nearly stopped completely a few decades earlier. Then the signs appeared...

Then there is "silence in heaven," and this is caused by all the heavenly host having left the celestial courts to accompany Christ to the Earth when he comes in all His glory. This "silence" lasts for half an hour. Now, if the Angels were only gone a literal half hour, the second coming would take almost no time at all, so, chances that this is a prophetic time. Using "A Day for a Year," a half hour equals One Literal Week.

It makes sense the Second Coming could take a week to do. It will take time for Chirst to circle the globe and gather up the righteous -- and this would give the wicked time to "see it coming," give them time to attempt to "hide." Frankly, if it all took only a half hour, no one would see it happen.

Now there is television coverage, which could explain the 'and every eye shall see.' But not everyone has television. Everyone could be delivered a vision. However, it is reasonable to assume since everything we've 'decoded' so far has matched history, that the mothodology is correct, and the event will last a week in duration. And we know that Christ intends to be "seen" - it won't be happening in secret.