The Seventh Seal of Revelation and the significance of the Number 7?

An in depth look at the Seventh Seal of Revelation, the final seal that is opened mentioned in the Book of Revelation at the beginning of Chapter 8 that states there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. This final seal is opened before the next group of judgements commence (the 7 Trumpet judgements) which again are 7 in number.

This one infamous verse contains just 20 words

Revelation 8:1
And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

That is it!

To most people this verse is self explanatory and states that there was silence in heaven for approximately half an hour after the opening of the seventh seal, END of analysis. BUT there are some significant things mentioned in this Bible verse and as with most Bible verses the meanings can run deeper than the initial first impressions.

An in depth analysis of this Bible Verse at The Twelve Gates You Tube



This Seventh Seal follows after the Sixth Seal which includes dramatic signs in the Cosmos and here down on earth and the Seventh is a complete contrast to the preceding Sixth Seal.

According to my Hard copy of the KJV Bible, this verse has just one cross reference and that is Revelation 6:1

And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.

This is in relation to the First Seal of Revelation and quotes a "noise of thunder" upon the opening of this seal which is in direct contrast to the seventh seal which is "silence in heaven". Is this silence a pre-judgement or pregnant pause before the Trumpet judgements begin? Does this signify "Prayers in heaven" before the Trumpet judgements commence. Is it a pause for people to consider and repent of their sins on this earth? There are a multitude of questions that this raises.

To get a greater understanding of what the Seventh Seal is all about the key words of this verse need to be analysed closer which are the following:

"he", "seventh", "silence" and "half an hour". Heaven is the other prominent word but in the context of this verse is self explanatory.

1. Who is the "He" that is mentioned in Revelation 8:1

"He" is the only person that was worthy to open the Seven Seals on the Scroll or Book mentioned in Revelation 5 and that is the "Lamb" as in Jesus himself.

2. What is the significance of the "half hour" mentioned in Revelation 7:1
A prophetic Week is 7 years as in Daniels 70 weeks Prophecy Daniel 9:24-27 refers to the seven year tribulation period as in the final week being a prophetic week, and Revelation 6 begins the seven years of judgement.

A prophetic Day = 1 Year

A prophetic Hour = 1/24 of 1 year which is just over 2 weeks depending on which calendar you use

A prophetic half hour = 1 week or just over

3. What is the significance of the "Silence"?

Silence is a powerful tool and especially after the turmoil of the first six seals of Revelation. A moment of silence, even very short, is like a holy stop, a sabbatical rest and in this situation this "silence in heaven for half an hour" which could mean a prophetic half hour as in just over a week down here on earth gives time for contemplation about what has happened previously and more important what is next on the horizon.

Three Bible quotes below summarise Silence in Biblical terms

Job 29:21 - Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.

Habakkuk 2:20 But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

3. The Significance of the Seventh Seal and the Number 7 in the Bible

Numerology is not part of the Christian faith BUT the Number 7 does appear an incredible number of times and this is not by accident. The Number Seven appears 735 times in the Bible and 54 times in the Book of Revelation. It is a very significant number in the Bible, and is mentioned many times throughout the Old and New Testament. No more so than the Book of Revelation which mentions the number 7 more than the whole of the other Books in the New Testament combined.

The Number Seven in the Old Testament

If we go back to the very beginning of the Old Testament where God created the world. From the very beginning in Genesis God created this earth and all that dwells in it. He did this in six days and rested on the seventh.

Genesis 2:1-3
1. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
2. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
3. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

The Sabbath Day as mentioned in Deuteronomy 5:12
Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.

The Sabbath Day is for those who follow the "Law" or "The Old Covenant" as in the Jewish people, is the 7th day and is also a day of rest. The number seven has always been regarded as representing fullness or completion and the Sabbath Day in the Jewish Faith represents the completion of a week.

Another example of the number Seven is again in Genesis in the Times of Noah just before the flood. Noah was instructed to take every clean beast and fowls. male and female by "sevens" and pairs and not clean by "twos". The most important statement was Noah had to be inside the Ark for 7 days prior to the flood not a day sooner or later, before the floods came which would last 40 days and 40 nights.

Noah Genesis 7:1-4

1. And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
2. Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.
3. Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.
4. For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.

Joshua is another instance of the Number 7 in action in the Old Testament where he and the Israelites marched round Jericho for Six days and on the seventh day he made seven circuits and then seven priests blew seven trumpets outside the Jericho city walls before the city fell. Not six, not eight but SEVEN

Joshua 6:3-4
3. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
4. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.

The law for animal sacrifice for the Jews is they must be at least seven days old

Exodus 22:30 command for animals to be at least seven days old before being used for sacrifice

Also the Number Seven is referenced when it comes to punishment for sins under the Law in the Old Testament

Leviticus 26:18
And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.

There were seven stems on the lamp stand in the tabernacle
Exodus 25:37. And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it

The Number 7 in the New Testament

Jesus performed seven miracles on God's holy Sabbath Day including healing a mans the withered hand (Matthew 12:9), casting out an unclean spirit that possessed a man (Mark 1:21), healing of Peter's wife's mother of a fever (Mark 1:29)a woman made sick by a demon for eighteen years, is freed from it (Luke 13:11), heals a man with dropsy (Luke 14:2) heals a disabled man who cannot walk (John 5:8) heals a blind man (John 9:14)


With the line beginning "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!" mentioned 7 times in Matthew 23 Jesus mentions seven woes (or judgements) on those who refuse to repent (Matthew 23 Verses 13,14,15, 23, 25,27,29). There are also seven parables mentioned in Matthew 13.

There were seven divine qualities or attributes of the Messiah mentioned in Isaiah 11:2 mentioned below (numbers in brackets inserted)

Isaiah 11:2 And the (1) spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of (2) wisdom and (3) understanding, the spirit of (4) counsel and (5) might, the spirit of (6) knowledge and of the (7) fear of the LORD;

Seven is mentioned numerous times in the Book of Revelation including seven churches, seven Spirits, seven golden lamp stands, seven stars, seven lamps, seven seals, seven horns, seven eyes, seven angels, seven trumpets, seven thunders, seven heads, seven crowns, seven angels, seven plagues, seven vials or bowls, seven mountains, seven kings.

A total of over 50 times the number "seven" is mentioned giving the overall theme of the last Book of the New Testament and the Bible itself of completion and perfection but also judgement.


Summary

The Number Seven is used more than 700 Hundred Times in the Bible. The number seven in the Bible represents divine perfection, totality or completion. Six is representative of Mankind and gives an indication of 1 short of perfection. The Book of Revelation is the summary of many great climatic events that will bring God’s work to completion and perfection and the mention of the Number 7, fifty four times reinforces that message.

So looking at Revelation 8:1 again
And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

This on the surface simple Bible verse contains a very powerful statement within it when scrutinised more closely. The Silence is possibly a contemplative period and/or possibly a period of rest just as God rested on the seventh day after the 6 days of creation mentioned in Genesis. The Seventh Seal represents divine perfection and completion as represented countless times throughout the Old and New Testament and is part of the first group of SEVEN judgements called "The Seals". The seventh itself is not a judgement but instead Silence and represents the opposite of the First Seal (sound of Thunder) and also the silence is the exact opposite of which is to follow which is the 7 Trumpet judgements. It could possibly represent silence via prayer in heaven of the Saints?

The time period on first inspection looks to be as stated in Revelation 8:1 to be "about the space of half an hour" but this could be a "Prophetic Half Hour" in Heaven which equates down here in earth time to just about over a week. A minutes silence when observed seems like a long time, a half hour would be incredibly more so, but a week would seem like an eternity. Just like everything in the Book of Revelation, the signs and wonders and events that occur are stated as things that have never been seen before and will never be seen again as mentioned in Matthew 24:21

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

These events which will form the Tribulation are designed to make the world sit up and take notice and take action before it is too late. They cannot be normal everyday events, they have to be something unmistakable that is mentioned in the Bible. The silence you could say is a pause and warning of more to come and the fact that it is prolonged gives ample time to think, reflect and take corrective action before the next round of judgements begin which are the very loud and even more dramatic 7 Trumpet Judgements.

The Fifth Seal of Revelation Prophecy and Martyred Christians

The Fifth Seal of Revelation is one of the last three seals that come after the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse and is contained in 3 verses in Revelation Chapter 6 Verses 9-11 listed below. This article will go into detail on what this Fifth Seal represents and how it differs from the others, but it will be kept simple and to the point because this topic has the potential to balloon into an article that is absolutely monumental in size.

The First Four Seals are according to my interpretation dark forces released onto the earth in the form of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse. They take place right here on earth. There are a vast number of other interpretations out there, but these are what I think these Horseman represent. The Sixth Seal heralds natural disasters on this earth and the effects on certain groups of people (elite non believers) and unmistakable signs in the Cosmos. The seventh seal is out there on it's own and is purely "silence in heaven" and needs no further explanation.

After the Fourth Seal, there's no announcement by any beast or animal or power for the Fifth, Sixth, or Seventh Seal of Revelation and it's the fifth Seal that is the focus of this article.



The Fifth Seal has very strong connotations in relation to Christians on first reading, but is it? This fifth seal also brings up other possible topics such as the Rapture especially the Pre-Tribulation Rapture which again is another whole topic entirely. See Is the Rapture Pre or Post Tribulation. It also ties up with Mystery Babylon but again that is a separate topic. See Who or What is Mystery Babylon. The main theme on first reading of the Opening of the Fifth Seal which is being opened by the Lamb (Jesus) himself is the Bible promises us that large-scale persecutions and martyring of the saints will take place before Christ's return. No numbers are mentioned here but Martyrs in the millions looks to be the general indication.

The Fifth Seal also raises the question whether the souls that were slain under the altar are the result of Jesus opening the fifth seal or were the result of the Four Seals or Four Horseman of the Apocalypse that were opened preceding this Fifth Seal. The main emphasis of the First Four Seals are death by famine, war, pestilence and the Beasts it is not made clear whether Christians are targeted during the First Four Seals.

Here are the three infamous verses that reveal what the Fifth Seal of Revelation is all about.

Revelation 6:9-11 The Fifth Seal of Revelation
9. And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11. And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

This has strong parallels with Matthew 24:9-10 mentioned during the Olivet Discourse and these are the words of Jesus to his disciples saying what will happen before his Second Coming

9. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
10. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

Afflicted and kill are the words that stand out in these two verses.

Questions that the Fifth Seal raises within these three verses mentioned in Revelation 6:9-11

1. What is the Fifth Seal about in General.
2. Who are the souls slain for the word of God and what is the altar?
3. Why do these souls sound unchristian and ask God when will their blood be avenged?
4. What is the significance of the White Robes.
5. What is meant by the term "they should rest for a little season" and how long is that in time terms?
6. Who are the fellow servants and their brethren that will get killed just as they were?

This article will attempt to answer those questions.


Question 1 Answer: What is the Fifth Seal all about?
The fifth seal in no uncertain terms makes it clear that mankind will go through a great test and this will apply to believers and non believers alike. The growing anti-sentiment towards Christianity and probably Jews as well (Anti Semitism) will give rise to an increase in Persecution (which we are seeing now) Those who truly believe will choose something more precious than life and will be willing to lose their life for their faith and testimony of Jesus. Those loyal to God and His Word will choose death rather than submit to anything else. The saints will do this because their faith in God will be more important than their love for life as demonstrated in Revelation 12

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Death, Loved not their lives and the "word of their testimony" being paramount here.

Testimony can be further summed up in Luke 21 where it is mentioned the destruction of the temple and what will happen in the End Times .

Luke 21:12-19
12. But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.
13. And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
14. Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
15. For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
16. And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
17. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
18. But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
19. In your patience possess ye your souls.

Question 2 Answer: Who are the souls slain for the word of God under the Altar and what is the altar?

In Revelation 6:9 the souls mentioned are underneath the altar. Some say The word “souls” is to be taken as the equivalent of “lives”; the vision tells that their lives had been sacrificed. Some say this possibly suggests that sacrifices were killed on the altar that is located in Heaven. Is this the case? and who were the souls?

There are many interpretations for these souls that are under the altar mentioned in Revelation 6:9. Sacrifices were made frequently as part of the Jewish faith and were part of the law that the Jews were under under in the Old Covenant mentioned in the Old Testament in Leviticus but this was in relation to animal sacrifices.

Leviticus 4:7. And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

When an animal sacrifice was killed on the altar, its blood flowed down to the bottom of the altar and under it. The soul of the flesh is in the blood as mentioned in Leviticus 17

Levticus 17:11. For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

What Revelation 6:9 implies is that the Martyred Saints all were offered to God as sacrifices on the altar in heaven and that their blood, their life, was shed there and the result is their position is under the altar.

An altar is mentioned an additional seven times in the book of Revelation, and in six of them, it refers to the golden incense altar that stands before the throne of God in heaven (see Revelation 8:3-5; 9:13; 14:18; 16:7). The only exception to this appears in Revelation 11:1.

And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

This interpretation leads to the possibility that these under the Altar may have been Jewish or Jews that turned to and believed in Jesus? However there is one indication that runs contrary to this theory that sacrifices were made in heaven and that is Revelation 6:10

And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

Avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth suggests that they were Martyred for their belief and faith on earth and not in heaven which is the conclusion which would be reached if Revelation 6:9 was read in isolation.

Moving onto the souls that were slain. Before martyrdom sets in; persecution must have started to occur. In our present times professing Christians are suffering and dying for their beliefs in predominantly Muslim and Communist nations. This will spread when the Fifth Seal is opened and will become global. Current headlines are suggesting that this seal is close to be being opened or is slowly being opened now. The view that Souls in the vision of Revelation equates to "lives" has an element of truth here.

The question that is raised is, are these souls slain for the Word of God under the altar actually Christians or Jews? Why were these people slain? They were killed or sacrificed for their belief in the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held. Some say these are the saints awaiting the resurrection prior to the opening of the Fifth Seal but in reality it is difficult to fathom who these souls really are.

Question 3 Answer: Why do these souls act unchristian like and ask God when will their blood be avenged?

On first impressions with the tone that these martyrs or souls under the altar cry out does not sound like Martyrs of the Christian Church. Christians are all about "Forgiveness" and would not cry to be "avenged". A good example of this is the First Christian Martyr mentioned in the Bible which is Stephen. If we take the situation of Stephen mentioned in Acts when he was stoned to death for his faith and this was witnessed by Paul (then named Saul) Stephen said these words before he died:

Acts 7:58-60
58. And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
59. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Jesus at Calvary on the cross said a similar thing

Luke 23:34
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
In the Christian Faith this is called "Forgiveness" a major character trait of any Christian. However both Jesus and Stephen were on earth at the time and alive, the souls mentioned in the Fifth Seal of Revelation are not alive in human form and are in heaven and not on earth. Some say these cries from these souls are from Jews and not Christians. This is difficult to prove. The other side of the argument, many others say, these cries were from souls that knew their blood would be avenged but needed to know when their blood would be avenged. The fact remains we don't really know.


Question 4 Answer What is the significance of the White Robes?

White robes are a symbol of purity and of salvation. The souls that are crying out are not yet resurrected bodies but they are given White Robes none the less. According to Ellicotts Commentary

They are robes of righteousness (Revelation 19:8); they are robes of honour (Revelation 4:4), for those who wear them are like God, seeing Him as He is, reflecting His image; they are acknowledged to be His, as they have acknowledged Him to be their God. Persecuted on earth, they are honoured in heaven.

According to Benson Commentary white robes were given:
As a token of their justification, and favourable acceptance with God; of their victory and triumph over death, their joy and glory.


Question 5 Answer What is meant by the term "they should rest for a little season" and how long is that in time terms?

No one really knows how long a season or a little season is. Some say it could be months, others say it could be years. A season can mean many things but literally it can mean a period of 3 months as in the Seasons of the Year. Taking a "little season" literally could mean a month but taking into account the number implied by the statement "until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled" mentioned in Revelation 6:11 which could mean millions, 1 month or so sounds a relatively unrealistic time period.

Question 6 Answer: 6. Who are the fellow servants and their brethren that will get killed just as they were?

Until their fellow servants also, and their brethren (Jews) that should be killed, as they were, should be fulfilled" mentioned in Revelation 6:11. Some say this promise is fulfilled in Rev. 20:4-6 and also seems to be indicated in Revelation 7:9 with the multitude that is mentioned there which are described as coming out of "great tribulation" 8see video). Some views say that these are those that are Raptured and not Martyred, others say this multitude were Martyred and not Raptured. These are the Saints that Daniel foresaw would receive the Kingdom in Dan. 7:27.

Daniel 7:27
And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
Other theories include the mentioning of the word "avenged" in Revelation 19 in connection with Mystery Babylon mentioned in that Chapter.

Revelation 19:2
For true and righteous are his judgements: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.

There are other points throughout Revelation where "fellow servants" that get martyred could be applied including Revelation 13

Revelation 13:15. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

Those that would not worship the image of the beast it can be safely said must be Christians who were in the faith for some time or are new believers as a result of the Tribulation Period.

Summary

There are a huge number of interpretations for the Book of Revelation and even the Fifth Seal but most are in agreement that that Fifth Seal is the Martyring of the Saints. The opening of the Fifth Seal marks a watershed in the Christian faith between those that were martyred in the past and those that have yet to be martyred. It is difficult just by using the three verses of Revelation 6:9-11 to fathom whether the souls under the altar are Jews or whether they are Jews that became Christians and were martyred, or whether they are Martyred Christians from the past?

But the overwhelming evidence is that The Fifth Seal of Revelation is about the "sacrifice" of a persons life for the belief in God's word and having the "Testimony of Jesus". It is all about Martyrdom. This Bible verse sums up the Christian faith in a nutshell.

Luke 14:26. If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
If Jesus was the human sacrifice on the cross for our sins as in John 3:16 then it can be guaranteed that as Christians we are carrying our very own cross to our very own personal Calvary and we will become a sacrifice for our faith in God's Word and Witness and Belief in Jesus Christ.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Acts 1:8
8. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Who is the mysterious First Horseman of the Apocalypse?

Who or what is the mysterious rider on the white horse mentioned as the First Horseman of the Apocalypse in the Book of Revelation in Chapter 6? Not much is mentioned about this character which leaves this character wide open to all sorts of interpretation. There are just a few distinguishing signs but not much else. There are answers out there but none seem to nail this character.

This article will take an in depth look at the First Horseman of the Apocalypse which is the First Seal of Revelation to see who it is (if anybody), or what it is (maybe not a person). Also what does it represent and what does it bring. This is the First Horseman that is part of the other three that make up the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse. Has the First Seal of Revelation been opened, or is it in the process of being opened, or is the seal still closed. Has it been opened recently or has it been opened in the past as in nearly 2000 years ago. Some say this First Seal was opened when the very beginnings of the Institutional Church was created?

The relevant Bible verse mentioned in Revelation Chapter 6 is as below

Revelation 6:1-2
1. And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
2. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

This video from The Twelve Gates You Tube Channel goes into great detail on this character using Bible Software performing a Bible Study and Bible Prophecy Analysis.




This picture I think sums up who his character is. This rider rides on a White Horse and carries a bow and he uses this bow but without any arrows. He wears a crown and the picture seems to depict people at his feet seemingly in adoration?


The current theories on the First Horseman of the Apocalypse?
Some have the theory that this rider on the White Horse is Jesus because Jesus rides on a White Horse in Chapter 19 when he arrives as the Second Coming or The Return of the Messiah moments before the Battle of Armageddon and before the creation of the Millennial Kingdom. Others say it is the Anti Christ also known as The Beast. Others say it represents the Spirit or Force of the Anti Christ as in not him in person but the force or spirit of Anti Christ instead.

Yet others think it is something else completely different maybe the rise of False Prophets and False Preachers we are experiencing in our modern times. Some say it could be the False Prophet himself. Some say it could be the Institutional Church . Some say this rider comes in the name of peace, some others say he comes in the name of war, signified by the bow and the words conquer and conquering. Others say he comes in the name of deception and falseness. This article will take a look at all these possible theories, to see which theory ties in with scripture.

All these questions are tackled to see what the Bible says about this mysterious character and how this First Horseman of the Apocalypse represented by The First Seal of Revelation plays a crucial role in the Revelation Prophecy penned by St John the Divine and how it possibly relates to the Second Horseman of the Apocalypse and the rider on the Red Horse.

Who is the Rider on the White Horse?
There are many interpretations on the Book of Revelation out there on the web and in book and video form, each comes up with a convincing argument. Whether this is correct remains to be seen?

Very limited information is given about this rider on the White Horse which means it is open to all sorts of interpretation:

1. he has a bow but no arrows are mentioned?
2. He comes conquering and to conquer but there is no mention of war or killing.
3. He wears a single crown which suggests he has or is given authority over many people.
4. He rides on a White Horse which is very similar to the one that Jesus rides ,on his return or Second Coming mentioned in Revelation 19.

The key elements with this character are the "bow with no arrows" and the "single crown", the white horse and he comes "conquering and to conquer". Unlike the second horseman on the red horse which comes to remove peace and releases forces where "they shall kill one another", this rider on the white horse there is no mention of killings, war or anything associated but he does conquer but it appears not with war or force. This one I think uses a different kind of weapon which if you watch the video you will realise that it is deceit, lies and falseness.

The weapon he uses is the "Bow" which is mentioned many times in the Bible but the Bow always seems to have negative connotations rather than positive, whereas the sword is associated with war, God's judgement and righteousness. Here are a couple of examples below of the bow mentioned as a weapon as "a deceitful bow":

Psalms 78:57
But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

Hosea 7:16
They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

See the video for 5 more examples.

PART 1. Is the First Seal of Revelation Jesus?
Many say that this First Horseman could be Jesus but many Bible verses say otherwise.

During the Return of Jesus or the Second Coming, Jesus is described as below.

Revelation 19:11-12
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
12. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

Revelation 19:14-15
14. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

In contrast the Rider on the White Horse that is the First Horseman of the Apocalypse comes on his own, with no army, no sharp sword but instead a bow and no arrows and wears one crown instead of multiple crowns. Jesus comes to judge and make a righteous war. This First Horseman of the Apocalypse comes conquering and to conquer and no war is mentioned and he has no army. This rider on the white horse is also part of the other 3 riders that make up the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse. These Four Horseman are not actual events but demonic forces unleashed onto the earth. Would Jesus be riding or leading these 3 other Horseman?

This is a first major indicator that this First Horseman of the Apocalypse is not Jesus.

The second indicators are mentioned below:

Revelation 5:1-3 & 6-7 before the opening of the Seven Seals
1. And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
2. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
3. And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

Who was worthy to Open the Seals?

Revelation 5:6-7
6. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
7. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

The Lamb (Jesus) is the only one worthy that can open the Seven Seals and he opens the First Seal and releases the First Horseman of the Apocalypse and the three others onto the earth, he does this whilst in heaven. If the First Horseman of the Apocalypse is Jesus how can be going forth conquering and to conquer here down on earth if he is opening the other six seals in heaven?

The First Horseman of the Apocalypse quite clearly is not Jesus in any shape or form, but possibly could be a misleading or counterfeit representation of him.

PART 2: Is the First Seal of Revelation The Anti Christ?
There is no mention of the Anti Christ often referred to as "The Beast" until Revelation 13. The opening of the Seals of Revelation takes place in Chapter 6.

Here are two Bible verses that give a good indicator of the character of the Beast or Anti Christ.

Revelation 13:6-7
6. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

The Beast blasphemes God and makes war with the Saints and he achieves global power through what sounds like force. Power was given unto him.

In contrast here is The First Horseman of the Apocalypse Bible Verse

Revelation 6: 2. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

In contrast this character on the White Horse above that appears after the opening of the First Seal of Revelation comes conquering and to conquer, but no force or power is mentioned possibly signified by the Bow with no arrow. This character seems to either conquer via peaceful methods or by some other means but force and war and certainly power are not mentioned here.

There is mentioned something about Peace in connection with the Second Horseman of the Apocalypse below.

Revelation 6:4
And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

There is mention of a "Peace" that this Second Horseman takes by unleashing the forces of war which possibly suggests that the First Horseman does in fact come in "Peace" and Conquers via peaceful methods?

So is this First Horseman of the Apocalypse the Anti Christ? It certainly bears no relation to the Beast mentioned in Revelation 13 but it could be the Anti Christ arriving with a Christ like appearance to fool and deceive many?

PART 3 Is the First Seal of Revelation the Spirit or Force of Anti Christ
This is a third theory that is out there in Prophecy Circles at present and that is The First Horseman of the Apocalypse is the Spirit of Anti Christ. If you subscribe to the theory that the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse are dark forces released onto the earth that are creeping in nature and are not actual events then this First Horseman the Rider on the White Horse could be the dark forces of Deception going forth conquering not with force or war but with more peaceful methods such as falseness, lies and deceit signified by the weapon he is carrying......the Bow.

Two Bible Verses from the New Testament focusing on Matthew 24 which form part of the Olivet Discourse give a possible hint as to who this character could be. These are the words of Jesus answering his disciples when they asked him when they would know of his return


Matthew 24:5 & 11
5. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

11. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

Both verses contain the word "and shall deceive many". Could it be that this rider on the White Horse actually comes in the name of Jesus, but is not Jesus but a false representation of him. Is this a Force of deception rather than a bodily person as in The Anti Christ?

2 Thessalonians 2:3
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Some are saying that this First Rider on the White Horse represents falseness, lies, deceit and could indeed be "the man of sin" but does not reveal himself until Chapter 13 in Revelation. Some say that he is the Dark Force or Spirit of Anti Christ and not the Anti Christ himself and is represented by False Prophets, False Preachers and False Teachings which we see in abundance today which will cause a falling away in the Christian faith. Some even say it could be "THE False Prophet" that is also mentioned in Revelation 13.

Second Thessalonians further on in the same Chapter goes onto say this

2 Thessalonians 2:11
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

Conclusions:
The Book of Revelation has many interpretations and you can spend a lifetime trying to understand it(many do and still don't understand it). Many have written books that claim to have the "correct interpretation" but in reality the only entities that have the correct interpretation are St John the Divine who received the vision and wrote the Book of Revelation and The Lord who gave him the Vision in the first place.

Above are just my views, opinions and interpretation of what I think the First Horseman of the Apocalypse could be. It can be safely said that Jesus is not The First Horseman of the Apocalypse. Too much in the way of scripture as noted above says otherwise, but that notion cannot be dismissed entirely.

It could be The Anti Christ, but in my opinion (and it is just an opinion) this First Horseman of the Apocalypse represents the Force or Spirit of Anti Christ, which is deceit, falseness and lies represented by False Prophets, False Preachers and False Teachings. The conquering that takes place is by peaceful means but again the peace is deceitful. The weapon is deceit and I think it is aimed at Non Believers and Christians alike but especially focused on breaking up "The Church" and causing either a "falling away" or "believing a lie". The warfare that he brings his spiritual warfare. There are no physical deaths but instead "spiritual deaths" where people end up as stated in 2 Thes 2:11 above "that they should believe a lie".

This I think paves the way for the Anti Christ who appears later in Chapter 13 as "The Beast" and makes his job easier to achieve is ultimate aim and that is to declare himself as God (abomination of desolation) so everybody worships him and he takes control of the earth. In some ways the arrival of this mysterious First Horseman Character could be likened to a False Second Coming. The White Horse gives the appearance of Righteousness but the absence of the sword and the weapon of choice being a Bow, is the giveaway that something is amiss.

Has this First Seal of Revelation been opened? I would say it most definitely has!

Catch the video below on the First Horseman which goes into great detail using Bible Software. See the other related videos also.



The Twelve Gates You Tube Channel Related Videos:

Who is the First Horseman of the Apocalypse? The First Seal of Revelation Explained


War and The Second Seal of Revelation Prophecy


Famine and The Third Seal of Revelation Prophecy


The Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse The Fourth Seal of Revelation Bible Prophecy Explained


The Sixth Seal of Revelation and Bible Prophecy Explained

How to Read the Bible and Understand It. Part 1 Introduction to BibleStudy

How to read the Bible and Understand

This article takes a look at the rather bizarre question of "how to read the bible?". This is one of the most important parts of the Christian faith but the how to part is often overlooked. The most important thing is this, it's what works for you that matters. Some tips on what techniques, if you can call them that, which will peel away the layers of the Bible and reveal a second dimension that is not seen by most. This is Part 1 the Introduction. There will be a Part 2 which will go into more advanced forms of Bible study which will be an eye opener.

Is the Bible just another Novel or Book?

You have to remember that the Bible is not really one book but is made up of many parts. There is the Old Testament and Old Covenant or The Law that applies to the Jews and the New Testament and New Covenant that applies to Christians or "The Church". Many say the New Testament is then "rightfully divided" into the Pre Church Age as in the 4 Gospels and the Church Age after that, which runs from Acts (some say it starts in the Gospel of John) through to the final Book where it is mentioned in the beginning and that is the Book of Revelation.

The Bible also sub divides into 66 "Books", so is not really 1 book but a book made up of 66 books. Each one has a different writer but the author is always the same. Each book has it's own character and was written in a certain time period which spans many thousands of years. In the Old Testament it features Books that cover the following categories "The Law", History, Poetry, the Major Prophets and the Minor Prophets. The first five books also forms The Torah which is the foundation of the Jewish faith.

The New Testament covers the 4 Gospels, History, Paul's Letters, General Letters and Prophecy which is contained in the final Book... The Book of Revelation.

Some books you can say can be read in isolation, in facts all the books can, but to truly understand the whole Bible you have to read the whole Bible. But where do you start? Is it best to start at the beginning or to start somewhere else. Is there a short cut? In a word NO!

You have to realise that the Bible is not really a novel written by one author but contains stories, lessons, doctrine and theology written by many, some of which defies human logic. You have to approach the Bible which is a Holy Book, with an open mind and with no pre conceived theories otherwise the knowledge it contains will not be imparted to you. This is a spiritual book and it needs to be treated as such. It's God's word and he doesn't think the way we do!

What version?

I personally use the King James Version (KJV) or New King James Version (NKJV). The NIV is easier to read, but I don't recommend it. See a whole article I wrote on that called The KJV V NIV. Which is the best version? It really does boil down to what version you get on with. If you are wrestling with thev King James Version then try an easier version and maybe progress onto that version at a later stage. The Message Bible is recommended by many for novices as a lighter version that is easier to read and get the general idea of what is happening in each chapter. Designed for all ages. It is designed to be a reading Bible. The KJV is a heavier read and is more of a word for word accuracy Bible that can be used as a reading Bible but is more of a Study Bible to find deeper meanings and is designed for closer scrutiny. Many have a problem with the Elizabethan style English language delivery but you do get used to it.

There are other easier to read versions out there such as the English Standard Version which many use or the International Version. Again these are easier to read but I think the KJV version slows you down and disables the ability for it to be speed read and you will end up seeing more being revealed. That's just my experience. Some people recommend The Message, a very readable and dynamic translation that is aimed more at general overall meaning than word-for-word accuracy.

The version of the Bible is important.......... but again it's what works for you.

What format?

There are numerous formats of the Bible available these days including online, PDF download, software to use on a PC or laptop, app for tablet or phone and of course the good old hard copy. Here's some recommendations what I use

PDF Download: If you are just after a PDF Version of the Bible to read page by page and keep things simple then PDF is a good place to start. They normally are about 9-10mb in size and can be carried on a phone or tablet, read on a pc or laptop, pretty much anything really. The functionality will be pretty basic, but it's a good place to start and a good backup to anything else out there.

Online Bibles: Bible Hub and Bible Gateway are good starting places and staples and will give you the ability to cross reference. They will show a brief outline of what each chapter is all about, sometimes even a summary part way through a chapter as well. They may give you commentary and extra information such as Bible Encyclopedia and much more.Online Bible's are more designed for in depth research on a particular topic. Another recommended site is the King James Bible Online.org. There are many others out there but these are the three main ones that I keep bumping into.

Bible Software: Bible Software can be used for just reading but is designed more with Bible Study in mind. There are a number of Bible Softwares available for Windows, Mac and Linux. I personally use Linux after getting fed up with windows many years ago. A couple of Bible Softwares that work on Linux that may worl on the other operating systems which I recommend are Bible Time (Free) and Xiphos (Free). Of the two I would say Bible Time looks better but for me Xiphos seems to offer more for doing Bible study presentations such as I do over at You Tube. The downside it doesn't look as pretty, which I can live with. Anything that is based on the Sword Project is your best bet.

Xiphos is split into different modules including Biblical Texts, Commentaries, Dictionaries, Glossaries, Daily Devotionals, General Books, Maps, Images, Cult/Unorthodoxa nd Prayer List Journal. I use it with the Strongs (Greek and Hebrew) modules and the TSK (Treasury Scripture and Knowledge) and has Morphology capabilities. There is a bewildering array of add ons including books, commentaries, biblical maps and much more. Another even better software is Bible Analyzer 4 but I had trouble getting this thing to work. A lot of the additional modules are free but a lot of the good ones are not. In short Xiphos seems to be the best in my opinion, everything is free, but again it really is down to what works best for you.

A nice simple one I use for scooping up verses and inserting into text on this blog/website is Wide Margin. It's basic, has a basic search, daily bible verses, what they call "Daily Readings" and a few other features, but is quick to use, lightweight and does the job for simple bible analysis. The only downside it has no cross referencing or Strongs which is essential for research of the Bible especially in Prophecy. It's designed more for reading rather than studying, but is a simple lightweight software that is a breeze to use and is in the King James Version.

Hard Copy: You can't beat a hard copy of the Bible even in this day and age of hi tech. Granted an electronic form gives you the ability to search and study in finer detail and much more quickly but sometimes the slower nature of a hard copy of the Bible just seems to drive the message home as it was intended all those thousands of years ago.

Hard copies of the Bible are available in a bewildering number of versions, sizes, paperback or hard back and from a number of sources including places such as Amazon and other online bookstores, regular bookstores in your town but the best way to get them is for free or very little cost. Churches normally will give you a copy for free (normally NIV) but the best places where I get mine are Boot Sales. I pick them up for about a pound or so, they are well used but sometimes that is better than new. With the low cost you can highlight relevant verses and phrases and even have multiple versions. I have two Bible's one is leather bound and rather antique looking that has Roman Numerals for Bible Verse numbers and the other is a bit more modern and hard bound and a similar size. You can also get them on Ebay if you are after something a bit more collectable. The advantage of a hard copy is it doesn't need any power or batteries to read it.

How Did I first read the Bible?

Before I was "Saved" on October 6th 2015, all I had read was a Childrens Bible as a kid the PDF Version of the Book of Revelation....that was it. I do not recommend starting with this Book of the Bible. Nor do I recommend starting with Isaiah which again is a difficult Book of the Bible to fathom. I started reading the Bible on October 6th 2015 and finished on 6th February 2016. 4 months to read the Bible from cover which is a monumental undertaking. This was read pretty much non stop during that period such was the hunger to read the word. This is common amongst New Borns in the faith. Again I don't recommend reading the whole Bible in that timescale, maybe a year is better. The order in which I read it was Genesis the first 7 days of creation then the New Testament followed by the the Old Testament. For the 40 days of Lent I read the New Testament again and again during those 40 days. Since then I have adopted various ways of reading the Bible using any of the following below, either one or a combination.


Suggested ways to read the Bible.

1. From Cover to Cover. Start from Page 1 and finish on the last page. In effect you are starting with the Old Testament and finishing with the New Testament. Many people get about half way through and give up with the Old Testament, it's a tough read. If you think you will finish by reading this way then go ahead. A better suggestion is 2 below

2. Start with the New Testament which is what the Christian faith is based on. Then when finished move onto the Old Testament. You will have a good grounding in Christianity and will have a much better chance to finish the larger Old Testament. You will have completed about 25% of the Bible before you even start the Old Testament.

3. Search the scriptures. There are other ways to read the Bible, one is to search the scriptures. Have a question for the Bible? Search for anything and the Bible will reveal a massive amount of information on that search. Best done with a Bible App on phone or Tablet or on PC/Laptop. This will take you on a journey through the Bible. Here's one of my favourites to get you going type in this in any Bible App "living waters" and go from there!

4. Cross reference the Scriptures. Sometimes reading the Bible especially the hard copy you will see little notes and corresponding letters appearing in the text. These are cross references that will take you to a different part of the Bible which has a similar topic, theme or meaning. Again this is something that will take you on a journey to different parts of the Bible and reveal another dimension.

5. Read a particular topic or Chapter. Maybe you just want to read Genesis and understand that, everything at the beginning. Maybe read all 5 of the first books of the Old Testament known as the Torah. Maybe you are just interested in reading about the women mentioned in the Bible and what role they had to play. Maybe you are just interested when angels appeared throughout the Bible. Maybe Sodom and Gomorrah has some interest. Maybe David or Daniel. Maybe just focusing on Paul in the New Testament and the early Church. The list goes on.

6. Look for the answer to a particular question. Maybe you have questions about life, morals, behaviour, prayer, belief, lifestyle, faith, God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit.

7. Read the Best or most informative stories first. Maybe before you read the whole Bible from cover to cover, maybe you really want to read about Solomon before reading anything else, or maybe just about Moses. Maybe the well known David and Goliath, maybe the crucifixion or birth of Jesus OR Read one of the 4 Gospels in the New Testament. Each one is a story of the life of Jesus, each has it's own style and narrative.

8. Re-reading many times is understanding. Sometimes a verse or Chapter will not reveal itself on the first read, but after multiple reads finally opens itself and reveals the meaning. Meditate on what you have read helps, not New Age meditating just staring out of the window with a cup of tea or coffee a sort of contemplative meditation with your eyes open.

9. Read chronologically. Read the books in the order in which they were written This will give you a greater comprehension of the changing times and seeing how the ideas changed over time which amounts to many thousands of years.

10. Make sure you take notes. Note take on everything you read in a separate book and not on the Bible itself otherwise it will get cluttered. You will have trouble remembering everything you read and notes will provide memory triggers.

11. Don't read the Bible all the time on your own, sometimes read it with friends in the faith and bounce ideas of one another and you will get a greater understanding and maybe find out something that you may have missed on your own.

12. Use a Bible Study Guide along with the Bible. which gives a brief outline of Chapters and Verses that cover various topics. I use The Bible Readers Handbook which you can download in PDF form. It is based on the NIV version but just for outlining the Bible this is not a problem.


How to NOT read the Bible.

1. Do not approach the Bible as merely a novel, story book, literature or an Encyclopedia. The Bible is beyond this. It is the word of God and a Spiritual book that will come alive in the right hands demonstrating the right mind set

2. Do not approach the Bible with pre-conceived notions or theories or ideas you have read or heard or seen somewhere else. Clear the mind, pray if needs be before reading and it will open itself to you and come alive in the process.

3. Do not approach the Bible with any advanced human logic, a MENSA or scientific level of intelligence, it will reveal nothing to such a person.

4. Do not try to get answers from the Bible that are not there. There is a saying "if you torture a person long enough, they will give you the answer you are looking for". The Bible is no different, torture it long enough and it will give you the answer you are looking for, that fits in with your what you are expecting........ but it will not be the right answer. Read 2 above again

5. Most importantly whatever is written in the Bible no matter how far fetched it sounds, BELIEVE what it says and it will open itself up to you and reveal another dimension that most will miss. Many people call this a "coming alive". If you don't believe in it, then it will be a closed book and will read just like a mere novel.

6. Don't try to read the KJV Bible in 4 months like I did. You will have a headache fo 4 months and a headache for a couple of weeks afterwards when you finish! A little but often and regular as in daily is probably best


Bible Quotes about Reading the Bible (Old and New Testament)

Job 23:12
Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17. That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Romans 10:17
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Nehemiah 8:3
And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.

Joshua 1:8
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Mysterious Mass Animal Deaths Headlines Jan-Mid February 2017

Hosea 4:3 and the Mass Animal Die Offs around the globe?

This is the latest global update of mass animal deaths around the world at the beginning of 2017. These are incidences classed as Mass Animal Deaths or Mass Animal Die Offs. Scientists still have no real explanation of what is causing these deaths around the globe amongst many varied species of animals on land, in the sea and in the air. As yet humans have not been affected.

This is part of a NEW category at this website called "Prophecy News"

Causes being cited vary from virus or bacterial infection, extreme weather, rising pollution and contaminants, Fukushima and general climate change maybe being too rapid for animals to adapt??

Mass Animal Deaths caused by culling of animals due to Bird Flu and trying to contain that disease, or deaths from pollution or contaminants, these incidences have not been added to this list as they are man made events.

Many say these mass animal deaths are definitely Biblical in nature defying any rational explanation. Are we seeing End Times Bible Prophecy unfolding in our times before our very eyes? Hosea and Ezekiel warned about such times, with the infamous verses by Hosea 4:1-3 and also Ezekiel 38:19-20 and Zephaniah 1:3 giving details thousands of years ago.

Hosea 4:1-3
1. Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
2. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
3. Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

Ezekiel 38:19-20
19. For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;
20. So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.

Zephaniah 1:3
I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked: and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD.

And finally Mass Animal Deaths are mentioned in the Book of Revelation last Book of the Bible in Revelation 8

Revelation 8:9
And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.

Some say this prophecy has been fulfilled and a third of sea life has been destroyed others disagree including myself, but Revelation 8 along with the other prophecies looks to be manifesting itself around the globe for sure. A third of the ships destroyed? No evidence of that yet?

January and February 2017 Recorded Mass Animal Deaths (up to 11 Feb 2017)


January Information and Full list available at InfiniteUnknown.net and February Information courtesy Google

February 2017 (via Google) no links

Latest recorded incidents of mass animal deaths (10 or more and not man made events such as culling or pollution) for the complete month of January 2017 via Google Animal Deaths

2017-02-11 17:15:00 - Marine Life Incident - Farewell Spit, Tasman, New Zealand - NEW ZEALAND - 200 More Whales Stranded On Notorious New Zealand Coastline

2017-02-10 00:00:00 - Marine Life Incident - Farewell Spit, Tasman, New Zealand - NEW ZEALAND - New Zealanders Race To Save Whales After 400 Stranded

2017-02-09 00:00:00 - Animal Incident - Brasilia - BRAZIL - Worst Yellow Fever Outbreak In Decades Kills Hundreds Of Rare Monkeys In Brazil

2017-02-08 19:14:00 - Marine Life Incident - Piura, Peru - PERU - Hundreds Of Dead Fish Appear On Sechura Beach

2017-02-08 11:40:00 - Animal Incident - Ulaanbaatar - MONGOLIA - Deadly Virus Causes Another Mass Die-Off Of Endangered Saiga Antelopes

2017-02-08 00:00:00 - Marine Life Incident - Los Lagos, Chile - CHILE - Toxic Algae Detected In 149,000 Dead Salmon Smolt In Chile

2017-02-06 18:26:00 - Bird - Avian Incident - Tri-Cities, WA, United States - WASHINGTON - Nearly 3,300 Birds Dead In Disease Outbreak Near Tri-Cities

2017-02-06 10:47:00 - Animal Incident - Huanchaco, La Libertad, Peru - PERU - More Than 200 Dead Birds On The Coast Of Huanchaco

2017-02-06 07:12:00 - Marine Life Incident - Livingston, Mont, United States - MONTANA - Fish-Killing Parasite Found In Two More Montana Rivers

2017-02-06 00:00:00 - Marine Life Incident - Alaska, United States - ALASKA - Sea Lice Are Killing Salmon On The Other Side Of The Atlantic. What’s That Mean For Alaska?

2017-02-04 04:54:00 - Marine Life Incident - Mon Repos, Queensland, Australia - AUSTRALIA - Turtle Hatchlings Dying In Extreme Heat At Mon Repos

2017-02-03 20:08:00 - Marine Life Incident - Deception Bay, Queensland, Australia - AUSTRALIA - Thousands Of Blue Jellyfish Invade Australian Shore

2017-02-03 01:11:00 - Marine Life Incident - South Cotabato, SOCCSKSARGEN, Philippines - PHILIPPINES - Massive Fish Kill Wipes Out Lake Sebu’s Tilapia Stock

2017-02-03 00:00:00 - Marine Life Incident - Bozeman, MT, United States - MONTANA - Parasite That Caused Large Fish Kill Found In Big Hole

2017-02-03 00:00:00 - Bird - Avian Incident - Salem, OR, United States - OREGON - Report Dead Ducks To ODFW Hotline, Possible Outbreak Of Avian Cholera

2017-02-03 00:00:00 - Marine Life Incident - Porthcawl Harbour, Porthcawl, United Kingdom - UNITED KINGDOM - Dead Fish In Porthcawl Harbour ‘Not Pollution’ Says Council Watchdog

January 2017 (via Infinite Unknown) with links to articles

Latest recorded incidents of mass animal deaths (10 or more and not manmade events) for the complete month of January 2017

January 2017 – 400 dead monkeys found in the forests of Espirito Santo, Brazil. Link

28th January 2017 – Masses of dead fish washing up again on beaches in Florida, America. Link

27th January 2017 – 3,700 dead birds found in the waters of Sacramento, America. Link

26th January 2017 – Hundreds of birds dying from disease in Washington, America. Link

25th January 2017 – MILLIONS of dead sardines wash up on the coast of Quemchi, Chile. Link

25th January 2017 – 400 dead turtles found in a dried up dam in Quixada, Brazil. Link

24th January 2017 – 106 dead turtles found along the coasts of Sergipe and Bahain, Brazil. Link

24th January 2017 – Hundreds of crabs and fish have died in Queensland, Australia. Link

23rd January 2017 – Thousands of dead herring found washed up in Bjorndal fjord, Norway. Link

23rd January 2017 – Mass die off of fish in the waters of Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhone, France. Link

19th January 2017 – Tens of thousands of dead fish wash up on a beach in Kvarnakershamn, Sweden. Link

19th January 2017 – Mass death of wild birds reported around Lake Victoria, Uganda. Link

17th January 2017 – 81 dolphins (false killer whales) dead after stranding in Florida’s Everglades, America. Link

17th January 2017 – Hundreds of dead fish wash up on Hindmarsh Island in Australia. Link

17th January 2017 – Dozens of pelicans are dying in Riviera Bay, St. Petersburg, Florida, America. Link

17th January 2017 – Hundreds of dead fish found in a lagoon in Petrolina, Brazil. Link

14th January 2017 – Mass die off of fish in the waters of Wilhelmshausen, Germany. Link

13th January 2017 – Thousands of fish die in a lake in St. Petersburg, Florida, America. Link

13th January 2017 – Thousands of dead fish wash up along a lagoon in Patagonia. Link

13th January 2017 – Hundreds of dead fish wash up along a river in Manzhou Taiwan. Link

12th January 2017 – Hundreds of TONS of fish have died in Lake Toba, Indonesia. Link

12th January 2017 – 30+ dead turtles found washed ashore in Chennai, India. Link

12th January 2017 – 10,000 birds dead due to avian flu in Odessa, Ukraine. Link

11th January 2017 – Massive fish kill found washed up on a lake in New South Wales, Australia. Link

10th January 2017 – Thousands of animals/cattle dead due to wildfires in La Pampa, Argentina. Link

10th January 2017 – Thousands of fish die in farms, ‘due to flooding’ in Kelantan, Malaysia. Link

10th January 2017 – 700 fish die in a lake, ‘due to drought’ in Sinigo, Italy. Link

9th January 2017 – Hundreds of dead lobsters, starfish and crabs found washed ashore in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Link

9th January 2017 – 80 swans have died due to avian flu in Dorset, England. Link

9th January 2017 – Hundreds of fish dying in a lake in Pozzuoli, Italy. Link

9th January 2017 – Thousands of dead fish, plus dead birds found in a quarry lake in Basiglio, Italy. Link

8th January 2017 – Thousands of fish die suddenly in a dam in East Java,, Indonesia. Link

5th January 2017 – 350,000 birds to be killed due to avian flu in Quilpue Chile. Link

5th January 2017 – 20,000+ chickens killed due to avian flu in Yunlin, Taiwan. Link

4th January 2017 – Large number of dead sea birds found washed up in the Bay of Gibraltar, Spain. Link

4th January 2017 – Hundreds of dead fish found in a lake in Bundaberg, Australia. Link

3rd January 2017 – Dozens of birds fall dead from sky in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, America. Link

3rd January 2017 – Dozens of dead turtles washing up on beaches in Jagatsinghpur district, India. Link

1st January 2017 – 5 Humpback whales have washed ashore in recent weeks in Hawaii, America. Link

The Twelve Gates Website News February 2017

The Twelve Gates Website News Feb 2017

The latest News and Developments concerning The Twelve Gates website for February 2017. changes that may be taking place over the coming weeks and months that will be of interest to regular visitors and new visitors alike.

The website/blog was started November 2015, so is now 1 year and 3 months old, still a baby in internet terms, but she is now starting to spread her wings and the End of Year news update stated that in 2017 it will be "business as usual" and "why change a winning formula".

A recent article covering those swarms of Black Birds in Houston Texas on the day before the US President Inauguration on 19 January 2017 as a result of watching a recent Last Messages Video on You Tube, (something I missed in the news) got absolutely hammered for a week or so, so much so it has gone straight to Number 1 on the all time views on the website. It's still getting interest, but it was a short article that took 30 minutes to produce and as a result, this has got me scratching my head at this end and the old brain cogs set into motion.

At present the website is purely focused on the Book of Revelation, Bible Prophecy and Christian Spirituality with in depth articles covering those topics. Update frequency is at present 3 times a week with updates on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday OR Wednesday, Thursday and Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Friday depending on what else is going on with the other channels such as social media and You Tube and what is coming up in the news at the time. sometimes it's busy and other times it's quiet. That's just the way it is.

These normal articles done since the launch of the website, take a lot of time to research and take a long time to produce. They are getting a lot of interest from all quarters as they are just a little bit different to what you normally see out there. Had some interest from a couple of Universities in the US recently, which was an eye opener? Enough information is contained within the article to keep Christians interested, but also enough information for those who are not in the faith who are just curious about such topics and do not want to be bashed over the head with a bible repeatedly. In short the articles can be read by everybody. That is the motto of this website. I'm not here to convert people, that's a route you decide to go on yourself! I'm here to warn peopl of what is cominge. I'm just a Watchman on the wall, not a preacher or a prophet.

These articles and the frequency of updates will not be changing, about 3 times a week on the week days mentioned. No updates on the weekends as I'm normally researching topics for the following week. Also on these days I am also researching and working on producing videos for The Twelve Gates You Tube Channel for the following week.

Which brings me finally onto the new development that could be happening on a trial basis over the coming weeks and that is Prophecy in the News. This currently features over at The Twelve Gates Twitter using content written by other websites. The idea being on trial is producing shorter Prophecy News style headlines but produced by The Twelve Gates and not using other peoples material. This will not be for all headlines, as I don't have that sort of time, but for some headlines which are interesting, these articles will be put out there and will add another dimension to The Twelve Gates website.

Currently some articles focus on a particular headline but they tend to be days after the event, rather than hours, changing some of the posts to a more "Prophecy in the News" style will enable this website to react much quicker to emerging stories as and when they arise.

These trial smaller "Prophecy News" blog post/articles should be appearing in the next couple of weeks........maybe earlier. This is not turning into a News or Media website, everything stays the same but with just a few extra additions when things get busy and this year could prove very busy indeed.

As always....watch for further news!

Increasing Tornado Outbreaks in 2017 and Tornadoes in the Bible?

With the recent Tornado Outbreaks in the US causing extensive damage and loss of life late January and Early February this year, this article takes a closer look at what Science has to say about these recent events and also what the Bible says about Tornadoes and even if they are they mentioned at all? Do Tornadoes form part of End Times Prophecy? Does science have the answer for the recent rise in multiple tornadoes known as tornado clusters that have been occurring in the US, or is it just business as usual in Tornado Alley?

Tornadoes happen all the time especially in the US. 75% of global Tornadoes occur in America many in the infamous Tornado Alley! What becomes a concern is when headlines appear of increasing tornado outbreaks and when New Orleans experienced it's first EF3 tornado, the FIRST EVER in the history of the city since records began, this is when you have to sit up and take notice.

Tornadoes do have a Biblical quality about them, how they arrive, leave a trail of destruction then leave just as quick as they came and leave mysteries behind such as why 1 house out of hundreds that was in it's path remains untouched not affected in the slightest?

Scientists and Meteorologists don't seem to have any answers as to why Tornadoes are starting to show increasing signs of clustering. There doesn't seem to be any explanation why this recent rise in Tornado clusters is taking place. The actual number of Tornadoes on a yearly basis is remaining stable per year but they are showing an increased tendency towards clustering or what I call swarming where many will touch down over a large area and spread over more than just a couple of hours, more likely running into days or several days.

Here's some facts from recent events and headlines over in the US that have showed that tornadoes are starting to show an increased tendency towards becoming Tornado Clusters




But what is a Tornado? Here's the dictionary definition

noun, plural tornadoes, tornadoes.
a localized, violently destructive windstorm occurring over land, especially in the US Middle West, and characterized by a long, funnel-shaped cloud extending toward the ground and made visible by condensation and debris.

And what is a Tornado Cluster?
Tornado clusters are outbreaks of twisters that span several days. One terrifying example is the April 25-28 outbreak in 2011, when some 350 tornadoes ripped across the south-central United States, killing more than 300 people.

Michael Tippett an associate professor of applied physics and applied mathematics at Columbia University had this to say about the increase in Tornado Outbreaks commonly known as Tornado Clusters

"Either the recent increases are not due to a warming climate, or a warming climate has implications for tornado activity that we don't understand,"

Part 2 Tornado Outbreaks 2017 Stats and Photos. Tornadoes in the Bible and Bible Prophecy



The three mainstream reasons that are being touted are listed below:
1. The World Climate is Changing and is affecting Tornado activity via Global Warming or El Nino or whatever other theory is out there at present
2. New Technology has made it easier to track tornado activity than in the past.
3. With the increasing global population, people are now moving into more remote areas where Tornado activity is prevalent hence the increased exposure to them.

The problem with these three theories is, if global warming is affecting tornadoes it would also affect the number with an increase being shown in yearly numbers. The number of tornadoes per year though have been pretty consistent going back as far as the 1950's? If new technology makes it easier to track tornado activity, again, there has been no corresponding increase in the number of tornadoes on a yearly basis? Read the same for Point 3.

The problem is not the number or even the individual intensity, but the swarming activity, forming clusters that can last at least a day or even several days causing massive devastation and loss of life far higher than is associated with a normal tornado storm.

Tornadoes and the Bible
Like many things in the Bible, God always warns with signs. God uses weather and other events such as Natural Disasters and occurrences in the Cosmos to try to get people’s attention. God's intention is not to harm people..... but to warn and get them to turn to him.

Tornadoes are not directly mentioned in the King James Version of the Bible (either KJV or NKJV) but are mentioned in other versions of the Bible such as The Message Bible. In versions such as the King James Version, Tornadoes are referenced as Whirlwinds which is basically another name for a Tornado.

One of the famous verses is from Nahum 1:3 A prophecy concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. The Lord’s Anger Against Nineveh

Nahum 1:3
The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

A hint that the Lord is everywhere and controls the elements and is actually part of the elements.

Another famous Bible verse is when God confronts Job out of a whirlwind and severely lectures him and gives him a long list of things of the world (spreading over a number of chapters) that he understands and has control over whereas Job does not.

Job 38:1-2 The Lord Reveals His Omnipotence to Job
1. Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
2. Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge

Bible quotes where Tornadoes are mentioned as whirlwinds in the KJV either as actual events or future events that will form Bible Prophecy.

Judgement
Amos 1:13-14 Judgement to the Children of Ammon which lay to the East of Jordan
13. Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border:
14. But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind:

Psalms 58:9
Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.

Proverbs 10:25
As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.

Zechariah 7:14 God's judgements upon Israel of old for their sins, were written to warn Christians.
But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.

Prophecy
Hosea 13:15-16, Judgement on the Ephraim and Samaria. Prophecy Fulfilled
15. Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the wind of the LORD shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.
16. Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.
Isaiah 41:16
16. Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.

The verses below taken from Hosea 8 are referring to the descendents of Israel, including Ephraim and Samaria

Hosea 8:6-9
6. For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
7. For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
8. Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.
9. For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.

Jeremiah 23:19-20
19. Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.
20. The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly.

Jeremiah 30:23-24
23. Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked.
24. The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.

Isaiah 29:6
Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.

Isaiah 40:23-24
23. That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
24. Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.

Jeremiah 25:32
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.

Jeremiah 30:23
Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked.

Summary
Tornadoes as can be seen above are mentioned many times as whirlwinds in the Bible but with regards to Revelation Prophecy, they are not directly mentioned in the Book of Revelation, but prophets in the Old Testament especially Jeremiah (as noted above) does mention that in the last days there will be tornadoes in some shape or form mentioned as whirlwinds. Sometimes these storms are mentioned as Tempests and can refer to something like a Hurricane such as Hurricane Matthew which is a much larger storm but with similar tendencies and nature to a tornado although when forms at sea whilst the other other forms on land.

Although tornadoes are a form of judgement and a sign, the signs that we should be focusing on in these end times should be, as mentioned many times before, the Middle East, Israel and more to the point developments in Jerusalem especially the Building of the Third Temple and The Abomination of Desolation (if we are still here). Those are key amongst others such as The Seals in Revelation.

Maybe this event has the answers mentioned by many Prophets in the Old Testament and also in Revelation. The Coming Magnetic Pole Shift and Earth Axis Tilt mentioned in Bible Prophecy?


Finally something to think about. A Bible survived a tornado and was found undamaged in the rubble of a house damaged after a tornado strike in Oklahoma which was strangely open at Isaiah 32 which contains the following verse amongst others:

Isaiah 32:2
And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

Food for thought!

Other Bible Quotes mentioning Tornadoes as Whirlwinds (KJV)

2 Kings 2:1
And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
2 Kings 2:11
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

Job 37:9
Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north.

Job 40:6
Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

Proverbs 1:27
When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

Isaiah 5:28
Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind:

Isaiah 17:13
The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.

Isaiah 21:1
The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.

Isaiah 41:16
Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 66:15
For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

Jeremiah 4:13
Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled.

Ezekiel 1:4
And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

Daniel 11:40
And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.

Amos 1:14
But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind:

Habakkuk 3:14
Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly.

Zechariah 9:14
And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.

Recommended Videos over at The Twelve Gates You Tube

Tornado Outbreaks 2017. Are Tornado Clusters increasing? Part 1 Intro

Tornadoes in the Bible and Tornado News 2017. Part 2 Stats and Bible Prophecy Analysis


The Coming Magnetic Pole Shift and Earth Axis Tilt mentioned in Bible Prophecy?

Tornado Storms, Waterspouts, Tornadoes Up Close and Survival Stories