|
When the fourth seal is opened in the throne room of God a pale horse (death) is released. We remember this is the Lamb reveling things that are part of human history. Wars, famine, plagues, and wild beasts which are capable of killing people will be with us until Christ returns. John isn’t telling the people of his time these things so that they will despair but so that when these things happen they can know that God is aware. Hades follows death closely so that the people who die have a place to wait until the final judgment and an opportunity after the final judgment to share in paradise. I know that there are places in the Bible that indicate when someone dies they go directly to heaven and there are places that indicate a waiting for the return of Christ. The important thing is the end result. If people are waiting is a sleep like state time is meaningless. Revelation seems to indicate that martyrs go directly to heaven while others may have to wait but we don’t really know and any waiting is insignificant compared to eternity. This pale horse which is released only has power over a limited portion of the people of the earth (1/4). That gives others a time to repent before their death and judgment.
|
