Second Seal
Links to other articles in the seriesThis article is one in a series of studies on the Seven Seals - you are currently on the topic that is in bold:
Each seal opens a new chapter in the book sealed with seven seals. The contents of the book under the first seal are revealed in symbol form in the first two verses of Revelation Chapter 6. Revelation Chapter 6 Verse 3
The Lamb worthy to open the SealsOnce again it is the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who opens the seal as he is the only one worth. The Second BeastThe second six-winged beast, which looks like a calf, says "Come and see." Like the Gospel of Mark (the second of the four books protecting the testimony of Jesus Christ, and giving witness to the book of Acts), the calf testifies of the labour of Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, a calf was one of the sacrificial animals. Under the anointing of the calf (or ox), the Medieval Christians laboured against the persecutions of papal Rome to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, and often laid down their lives for their convictions. Revelation Chapter 6 Verse 4
A red horse, and him that sat thereonA horse represents a power, and red represents bloodshed. The rider is the same rider that rode the white horse of deception. Crowned with power, he demands the blood of any person opposed to his Nicolaitan spirit. Power to remove PeaceWhen Jesus was born, Angels declared his presence by singing "Peace on earth" (luke 2:14). Paul taught that the kingdom of God was "Peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Romans 14:17). To take peace from the earth is to take the Holy Ghost from the earth. The only way to remove the Holy Spirit from the earth is to remove Christians from the earth, and remove access to the Holy Spirit (i.e. the scriptures) from the people.
Power to kill, and the gift of the swordJesus spoke of those who did not teach the truth when he said "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." (Matthew 15:14) Saint Augustine of Hippo wrote on the same subject, but concluded "Why ... should not the Church use force in compelling her lost sons to return, if the lost sons compelled others to their destruction?" (The Correction of the Donatists, 22–24, d. 430 A.D.). Just like the rider in the first seal was given a crown (but didn't start out with a crown), the rider in the second seal was given a great sword (but didn't start out with a sword). Inspired by the theology of teachers like Augustine, the Roman Church first courted kings, emperors and princes to do its bidding, and eventually acquired its own military. Charlemagne, the first Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, converted the Saxons with the sword and enforced the doctrine of the Roman Church. Other kings loyal to Rome followed similar "evangilism" campaigns against the pagans in Northern Europe, and against the Saracenes (Muslims) in the south of Europe - all the while enforcing Rome's doctrine. After the split of the Eastern Church in 1054 A.D., Pope Urban II launched the first crusade to reclaim the Holy Land from the Seljuk Turks in 1095 A.D. These crusades marked the start of Rome's own military might, including the following Orders:
After practicing on pagans and Muslims, the Roman Church launched inquisitions against "heretics" (anyone who opposed the official doctrine of the church) in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and India. The brutality of the Spanish exporers in South America and the Carribean must also be remembered. According to Smucker's Glorious Reformation, 68,000,000 Christians were martyred at the hands of the Catholic church.
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