Revelation 5-6 The Opening of the Seven Seals

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The main question at the end of Revelation 6 is so important. “Who shall be able to stand?” (Revelation 6.17)

What is the book with seven seals that the Lord has in his hand in Revelation 5-6? Joseph Smith had this same question. In D&C 77 we read the following:

6. Q. What are we to understand by the book which John saw, which was sealed on the back with seven seals?
A. We are to understand that it contains the revealed will, mysteries, and the works of God; the hidden things of his economy concerning this earth during the seven thousand years of its continuance, or its temporal existence.

7. Q. What are we to understand by the seven seals with which it was sealed?
A. We are to understand that the first seal contains the things of the first thousand years, and the second also of the second thousand years, and so on until the seventh.

“A book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals… who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?” (Revelation 5.1-2)

In our podcast, Bryce talks quite a bit about how this is the story of the earth, and that only God can open up this story. He likens this to our lives, and that there is a story that is our life, and God can unlock this, revealing to us how and why things are the way in our lives, and yet, only God can unlock this for us. And for some of us, the answers to the “why” do not always come in this life. His comments are worth listening to!

I also talked a bit about the symbolism of the right hand.

This slide was shared by Brent Schmidt in his presentation on Pistis at BYU.that you can access here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fuCgx4JHQs

The human right hand in the form of a handclasp symbolized sacrifice and complete reciprocity in obligations through its close connection with Fides. Through fides nuptial rituals Roman women traditionally entered the authority (manus) of her husband through the hand when married. The Roman historian Tacitus uses the phrase “renew right hands” as a synonym for “to renew a treaty,” because the right hand may be exchanged for fides or foedus (a treaty) which originally were the same word.[1]Brent Schmidt discusses this in his excellent book Relational Faith: Pistis’ Theologically and Linguistic History from a Restoration Perspective. If you like this work, you may want to check out … Continue reading

Apparently, it was actually possible for Romans to send right hands, clasped right hands in effigy before entering into a contract, in order to invite the other party to a renewed handclasp signifying a renewal of an alliance relationship.[2]See Tacitus, Historiae I, 54, II, 8; quoted in Per Gustaf. G. Hamberg “Concordia and Fides” Studies in Roman Imperial Art, with special reference to the state reliefs of the second … Continue reading

In later imperial times Romans considered Mithras a god who watched over oaths and contracts confirmed by the shaking of hands in sustaining fides.[3]J. H. W. G. Liebeschuetz “Religion” pp. 984-1008in The Cambridge Ancient History XI: The High Empire AD 70-192 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000), 997. First-century Gentile readers must have been impressed with the relationships among the apostles to actively sustain each other’s work in Galatians 2:9 when Peter, James, and John gave Paul and Barnabas the “right hands of fellowship” to lead the Gentile mission. Right hands are often used in Revelation to demonstrate one’s faithful relationship with Jesus.[4]In the Book of Revelation we see Jesus using His right hand throughout like “in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven … Continue reading Jesus also taught that the faithful will enjoy the blessing of sitting at his right hand as they endure (Mark 10:37-41). Peter performed a miracle as he healed a lame man when he took him “by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength” (Acts 3:7). The Apostle Stephen saw Jesus on the right hand of Heavenly Father (Acts 7:55-56). There are 166 biblical uses of the right hand that demonstrate fidelity, strength, and power and that have parallel meanings to the covenant significance of the right hand or right handclasps as already commonly understood and practiced by Gentiles. One well-preserved, Christian catacomb drawing of a woman matron faithfully entering through the veil by the right hand.[5]Temples of the Ancient World Edited by Donald W. Parry (Provo: Deseret Book, 1994), 103.

For Manichaean Christians, the right hand was used for bidding farewell to heavenly parents upon leaving their primeval home and the greeting with which all shall be received when all return to it.[6]Hans Jonas, The Gnostic Religion (Boston: Beacon, 1963), 222-23; quoted in Hugh W. Nibley, “Sparsiones,” Classical Journal 40 (1945): 515-43; See Temples of the Ancient … Continue reading Fides was also associated with the concept the deified marriage of the Roman emperor and his wife, adding on to the concept of proper manus Roman marriages. One second-century AD coin depicts the emperor Antoninus Pius’ right hand extended in a handclasp with his wife, Faustina the Elder, while two smaller-sized figures beneath and between them repeat the same clasping of right hands over an altar.[7]See figure 1 in Per Gustaf. G. Hamberg “Concordia and Fides” Studies in Roman Imperial Art, with special reference to the state reliefs of the second century (Vol. Copenhagen Per … Continue reading One scholar has interpreted the two larger, emperor and empress figures as a divine model in front of whom newly-married couples were offering signs of faithfulness and peace on their wedding day.

Some ways to look at the seals in the text of Revelation 6 is to see this as a way to see the history of the world as told through the lens of the understanding of John, a Jewish Christian in the first century. He would have been well versed in the text of the Old Testament (the New Testament wasn’t textualized yet) as well as Enoch literature. This text is highly symbolic and certainly not a detailed history of the earth. Read through this lens as well as D&C 77, we can see it this way:

Notes

  1. All of this (and much more!) will be laid out exquisitely by Brent Schmidt in an upcoming book entitled Relational Faith: Pistis’ Theologically and Linguistic History from a Restoration Perspective. If you like this work, you may want to check out Brent’s book on Grace entitled, Relational Grace: The Reciprocal and Binding Covenant of Charis. On Tacititus’ comments, see: Tacitus Annales II.58; quoted in Per Gustaf. G. Hamberg “Concordia and Fides” Studies in Roman Imperial Art, with special reference to the state reliefs of the second century (Vol. Copenhagen Per Gustaf; 1945), 18-31, 22.
  2. See Tacitus, Historiae I, 54, II, 8; quoted in Per Gustaf. G. Hamberg “Concordia and Fides” Studies in Roman Imperial Art, with special reference to the state reliefs of the second century (Vol. Copenhagen Per Gustaf; 1945), 18-31, 22.
  3. J. H. W. G. Liebeschuetz “Religion” pp. 984-1008in The Cambridge Ancient History XI: The High Empire AD 70-192 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000), 997.
  4. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christiancrier/2015/06/13/what-does-the-right-hand-symbolize-or-mean-in-the-bible/#OAVfJb1mqDjPfsGf.99 accessed 2/13/2018; In the Book of Revelation we see Jesus using His right hand throughout like “in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals” (Rev 5:1), and having taken “the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne” (Rev 5:7), He held the “scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea” (Rev 10:2), and “In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength” (Rev 1:16) of which the stars represented the seven churches. The right hand and the right foot both symbolize sovereignty and authority.Read more at http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christiancrier/2015/06/13/what-does-the-right-hand-symbolize-or-mean-in-the-bible/#OAVfJb1mqDjPfsGf.99
  5. Temples of the Ancient World Edited by Donald W. Parry (Provo: Deseret Book, 1994), 103.
  6. Hans Jonas, The Gnostic Religion (Boston: Beacon, 1963), 222-23; quoted in Hugh W. Nibley, “Sparsiones,” Classical Journal 40 (1945): 515-43; See Temples of the Ancient World Edited by Donald W. Parry (Provo: Deseret Book, 1994), 557.
  7. See figure 1 in Per Gustaf. G. Hamberg “Concordia and Fides” Studies in Roman Imperial Art, with special reference to the state reliefs of the second century (Vol. Copenhagen Per Gustaf; 1945), 18-31, 26.



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References

References
↑1 Brent Schmidt discusses this in his excellent book Relational Faith: Pistis’ Theologically and Linguistic History from a Restoration Perspective. If you like this work, you may want to check out Brent’s book on Grace entitled, Relational Grace: The Reciprocal and Binding Covenant of Charis. On Tacititus’ comments, see: Tacitus Annales II.58; quoted in Per Gustaf. G. Hamberg “Concordia and Fides” Studies in Roman Imperial Art, with special reference to the state reliefs of the second century (Vol. Copenhagen Per Gustaf; 1945), 18-31, 22.
↑2 See Tacitus, Historiae I, 54, II, 8; quoted in Per Gustaf. G. Hamberg “Concordia and Fides” Studies in Roman Imperial Art, with special reference to the state reliefs of the second century (Vol. Copenhagen Per Gustaf; 1945), 18-31, 22.
↑3 J. H. W. G. Liebeschuetz “Religion” pp. 984-1008in The Cambridge Ancient History XI: The High Empire AD 70-192 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000), 997.
↑4 In the Book of Revelation we see Jesus using His right hand throughout like “in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals” (Rev 5:1), and having taken “the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne” (Rev 5:7), He held the “scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea” (Rev 10:2), and “In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength” (Rev 1:16) of which the stars represented the seven churches. The right hand and the right foot both symbolize sovereignty and authority. Read more at Patheos: What does the right hand symbolize in the Bible?
↑5 Temples of the Ancient World Edited by Donald W. Parry (Provo: Deseret Book, 1994), 103.
↑6 Hans Jonas, The Gnostic Religion (Boston: Beacon, 1963), 222-23; quoted in Hugh W. Nibley, “Sparsiones,” Classical Journal 40 (1945): 515-43; See Temples of the Ancient World Edited by Donald W. Parry (Provo: Deseret Book, 1994), 557.
↑7 See figure 1 in Per Gustaf. G. Hamberg “Concordia and Fides” Studies in Roman Imperial Art, with special reference to the state reliefs of the second century (Vol. Copenhagen Per Gustaf; 1945), 18-31, 26.