7 seals indicate a pre-wrath rapture|6th seal rapture

The Scroll with Seven Seals

September 2025

Bible passages are copied from the Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV),

Background

A seven-year period is discussed in Daniel 9:27 and indicates that an ‘abomination that causes desolation’ will occur at the midpoint of that seven-year period. We often refer to the person responsible for this ‘abomination’ as Antichrist. With the help of Satan (Revelation 13:2), Antichrist will initiate a period of Tribulation that will last for three and a half years from the ‘abomination that causes desolation’ until the end of the seven years. Jesus confirms that this Tribulation begins at the time of the ‘abomination’ (Matthew 24:15-21).

The person we call commonly call Antichrist is mentioned three times in the book of Daniel. In Daniel 7:25, we see him oppressing the people of Israel for three and a half years. In Daniel 9:27 we see that he, “will confirm a covenant with many” for the seven years. He is also called a ‘king’ in Daniel 11:36-45 where we see him attacking a number of countries, including Israel. This ‘king’ is different from the other kings in Daniel chapter 11 inasmuch as he does not appear elsewhere in the biblical history of Israel. This king shows up after the mention of, “time of the end” in Daniel 11:35. To this present time this prophecy has not been fulfilled.

We are also told in Revelation 12:7-9 that Satan is hurled to earth by the archangel Michael, and we see this stated between Revelation 12:6 and Revelation 12:14, both of which mention the three and a half years and which, in turn, allows us to place this event at the middle of the seven years. We know from Revelation 13:2 that Satan and Antichrist are working together; and we can deduct from Revelation 12:13-17 that oppressing Jews and Christians will be a priority of Satan and Antichrist after the middle of the seven years. This oppression of Jews and Christians will be the time of ‘great distress’ spoken of by Jesus (Matthew 24:15-21). This ‘great distress’ is what we commonly refer to as the Tribulation.

The Scroll with seven seals

A Heavenly sealed Scroll is introduced in Revelation chapter 5. This Scroll in Revelation is similar to the scroll of indictment of the Jews in Ezekiel 2:9. A reasonable guess of the contents of the Revelation Scroll would be that it is a written indictment the sin manifested by the people of the entire earth.

Picture copied from the Internet article at:

http://mdrministries.com/author/admin/page/34/.

Scrolls have been found with multiple seals that are all on the outside of the scroll as seen above. All of the seals must be broken before the scroll can be opened. It is most likely that the seals of this very important Scroll are around the outside of the Scroll. This is even more likely as we are told that the Scroll is written on both sides (Revelation 5:1).

There are some people who believe that Jesus is causing Tribulation events (Revelation 6:1-17, Revelation 8:1) to happen as He breaks the seals. This cannot be. It should be obvious to unbiased readers that the events seen at the opening of the first five seals could not be caused by Jesus. This is most obvious in the opening of the fifth seal. At the opening of this seal we see martyred Christians. They call out, “How long, Sovereign Lord holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood” (Revelation 6:10). God allows suffering and martyrdom of righteous people for reasons we may not understand, but He does not cause them. Why would these martyrs ask God to avenge their blood if God was the one who caused their martyrdom?

As Jesus breaks the seals on the Scroll, we are shown scenes that are happening on the earth.

First Seal--Antichrist the King and Warrior (Revelation 6:1-2)

Antichrist is seen going forth into the world as a king and a mighty warrior.

This may happen at the beginning of the seven years, but that is not a necessary condition. The Bible does not link the opening of the Scroll to the beginning of the seven years.

Second Seal--War (Revelation 6:3-4)

The breaking of the second seal shows a portion of the world at war. Antichrist is very powerful, but he is not the dictator of the world at this point. If he were the dictator of the world there would be no need for war.

Third Seal--Famine (Revelation 6:5-6)

Famine is not surprising in a time of war. Getting food can be very difficult for besieged or defeated people. We are told not to damage the oil and the wine—this may be a reference to the rich and privileged having plenty of provisions and not being directly involved with any the wars.

Fourth Seal--Death and Hades (Revelation 6:7-8)

Obviously, there is much death in a time of war. After the devastation of war, death may continue in the form of illness or in the form of unrestrained and hungry animals. The fact that a fourth of the world is affected indicates the seriousness and the extent of these wars. The ‘fourth of the earth’ may refer to the of land affected by the wars, or it may be the actual number of casualties.

Everything that has happened this far has not specifically targeted Jews or Christians. As horrible as the wars described at the breaking of the first four seals may be, this is not the time of unequaled distress as described by Jesus in Matthew 24:15-21. This is not the biblical Tribulation, this is not the time of Jacob’s Trouble (Jeremiah 30:7). If a fourth of the world has been devastated, that still leaves three fourths of the world outside of these horrors.

Fifth Seal--Christian Martyrdom (Revelation 6:9-11)

When the fifth seal is broken, we now see a time of Tribulation. We can see that the ‘abomination’ has happened following the events of the fourth seal and before the breaking of the fifth seal. This aligns timewise with Satan being tossed to earth by the Archangel Michael at the midpoint of the seven years (Revelation 12:7-9) and Satan’s hostilities against Jews and Christians (Revelation 12:13-17).

Some Christians will be protected during the time of Tribulation (Revelation 3:10). Two groups of Jews are also protected by God: the 144,000 sealed Jews (Revelation 7:1-8) and the Jews who escape from Israel as Antichrist is invading (Revelation 12:6). We can be sure that Satan and Antichrist will oppress all other Jews and Christians except for those who express allegiance to Antichrist. Please note and remember that no one who accepts the mark of Antichrist can be saved (Revelation 14:9-11)

Sixth Seal--Jesus Returns to Claim His Own (Revelation 6:12-17)

The Name of Jesus is not mentioned in this passage, but the events listed and the reaction of the population left on earth can leave no doubt but that Jesus has made a very public Appearance and has Raptured His followers (Matthew 24:29-31). God’s Wrath has not begun, but the people of the earth know that it is at hand (Revelation 6:17).

Seventh Seal--God's Wrath (Revelation 8:1-9:21)

Once this last seal is broken, the Scroll will be opened and the sins of the people will be laid bare. Harsh punishment will be decreed and applied. This is the Wrath of God.

God’s Trumpet Judgments (Revelation 8:1-9:21) will last to the end of the seven years. The Bowl Judgments (Revelation 16:1-21) will begin after the end of the seven years and continue for the Gentile world until the Battle of Armageddon. This Battle is shown to the Apostle John in two separate visions (Revelation 16:17-21, Revelation 19:11-21). The Battle of Armageddon will end the Wrath of God, but the separating of the sheep and goats (Matthew 25:31-46) will still take place.