Читать книгу Apocalypse. Interpretation of the XXI century - Valeriy Sterkh - Страница 15

The opening of the book of life, sealed with seven seals, will reveal the names of those who will be saved in the last days. But before this happens, all the seals must be removed. The removal of each seal from the book of life signifies a certain milestone in the history of the world, which must occur prior to these events. Let us read about the removal of the first four seals:

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. 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. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. 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. And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth (Rev 6:1—8).

The rider on a white horse is a symbol of the Christian monarch. He holds the spiritual bow to defeat the enemies of the Church, and God granted him the crown of absolute authority.

The removal of the first seal pertains to a prophecy concerning the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great (4th century). When Constantine was a pagan, he saw a miraculous sign in the form of a cross in heaven, just before entering an important battle, and heard a voice saying: “With this you shall win”. Constantine commanded that the sign of the cross be depicted on all the banners of his army, and he rode out victorious, ready to win. His army won the battle, and since then Constantine put his faith in Jesus Christ and stopped persecuting Christians. Later he became the first Orthodox Christian monarch. After the fall of Byzantium, the Eastern Roman Empire, Russia assumed the role of the world Orthodox Christian monarchy. This tradition was interrupted only with the collapse of the Russian Empire following the February coup and the subsequent events.

The rider on the red horse is the symbol of the first Antichrist, who is identified in the Apocalypse as the Beast rising out of the sea (Rev 13:1). He came to plunge the world into fratricidal wars, and he was given a great spiritual word-sword – an abominable slander against God.

The removal of the second seal pertains to a prophecy about the communist dictator Vladimir Ulyanov-Lenin, who usurped power in Russia after the October Revolution.

The rider on the black horse represents the second Antichrist, identified in the Apocalypse as the Beast rising out of the earth (Rev 13:11). He came to bring hunger and persecutions to the Church.

The removal of the third seal contains a prophecy concerning the second communist dictator Joseph Dzhugashvili-Stalin, who came to power after the death of the first one.

The rider on the pale horse is the symbol of the third Antichrist, identified in the Apocalypse as the Beast rising out of the bottomless pit (Rev 11:7). He must come and bring great tribulations.

The removal of the fourth seal contains a prophecy of the coming of the false messiah, who is the man of sin [and] the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God (2 Thess 2:3—4).

Excursus 2:1. The Antichrists

The word “Antichrist” means “the enemy of Christ”. This is how John referred to all the non-Christians who deny Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Savior, who died and rose again for our salvation:

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist (2 Jn 1:7).

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error (1 Jn 4:1—6).

Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him (1 Jn 2:18—29).

From among the antichrists, the Holy Scriptures single out the three greatest sinners, the three beasts who are allowed to inflict the most damage on the Church, and many believers will suffer martyrdom at their hands.

In Christian theology, special attention is given to the last beast, typically referred to as the Antichrist. Although the world knows about the misfortunes that the Beast from the bottomless pit will bring, people will still accept him, and the Church will again be persecuted. The reason for this is the spiritual blindness of those lost in false teachings.

The blind world will not recognize the Antichrist. This is what happened with the first two beasts, and this is what will happen in the last days when the third beast is revealed.