The Seven Seals
The Lamb opens the seven seals, unleashing conquest, war, famine, death, martyrs crying out for justice, and cosmic signs of God's judgment on a rebellious world.
Revelation 6:1-17, Revelation 7:1-17, Revelation 8:1-5
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The Story
As the Lamb opened the first seal, one of the four living creatures thundered, 'Come!' A white horse appeared, its rider holding a bow and wearing a crown, going out conquering and to conquer. The second seal brought a rider on a red horse, taking peace from the earth so that people would slaughter one another. The third seal revealed a black horse, its rider holding scales—famine and economic devastation. The fourth seal loosed a pale horse, its rider named Death, followed by Hades, given authority to kill with sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts.
When the fifth seal was opened, John saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the Word of God and their testimony. They cried out with a loud voice, 'O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before You will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?' They were given white robes and told to rest a little longer until the number of their fellow servants and brothers should be complete.
The sixth seal brought cosmic upheaval—a great earthquake, the sun becoming black as sackcloth, the full moon like blood, stars falling from the sky, the sky vanishing like a scroll, and every mountain and island removed from its place. Kings, generals, the rich, the powerful, and everyone else hid in caves and among rocks, crying to the mountains, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?'
But before the next judgment fell, four angels held back the winds of the earth while another angel sealed the servants of God on their foreheads—144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. Then John saw a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing before the throne in white robes with palm branches, crying out, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'
An elder asked John, 'Who are these?' John replied, 'Sir, you know.' And the elder said, 'These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.'
When the seventh seal was opened, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour—the calm before the trumpet judgments. An angel took a golden censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it on the earth. There were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. The prayers of the saints had ascended before God, and judgment was coming.
The Sealed Scroll Opens
Kids Version
Remember that special scroll Jesus took? Now He started to open it, one seal at a time. Each time He opened a seal, John saw something happen on earth.
First, a rider on a white horse came out—conquering things. Then a red horse came out, bringing fighting and war. A black horse brought hunger and not enough food. A pale horse brought sickness and death. These were hard, sad things.
But then Jesus opened the fifth seal, and John saw something different. He saw people in heaven—God's people who had been hurt for loving Jesus. They asked God, 'When will You make everything right?' God gave them beautiful white robes and told them to rest a little while longer.
When the sixth seal opened, big earthquakes shook the earth, the sun turned dark, and the moon looked red like blood. Everyone was scared and tried to hide. They knew God was going to judge the bad things people had done.
But wait! Before more hard things happened, God sent an angel to put a special mark on His people's foreheads—like an invisible protective seal. This meant God knew who belonged to Him and would keep them safe!
Then John saw a huge crowd in heaven—so many people he couldn't count them all! They came from every country and spoke every language. They were all wearing white robes and holding palm branches. They shouted, 'God saved us!'
Someone told John, 'These people went through really hard times. But Jesus saved them, and now God will take care of them forever. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.'
Even when hard things happen, God takes care of His people!
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Characters in This Story
Scripture — Revelation 6:1-17 (KJV)
1And 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.
2And 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.
3And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
4And 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.
5And 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.
6And 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. A measure: the word choenix signifieth a measure containing one wine quart, and the twelfth part of a quart
7And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8And 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. unto them: or, to him
9And 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:
10And 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?
11And 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 fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
12And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. untimely figs: or, green figs
14And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Memory Verse
“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.”
— Revelation 6:1 (KJV)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the story of “The Seven Seals” in the Bible?
The Lamb opens the seven seals, unleashing conquest, war, famine, death, martyrs crying out for justice, and cosmic signs of God's judgment on a rebellious world. This story is found in Revelation 6:1-17, Revelation 7:1-17, Revelation 8:1-5.
Where is “The Seven Seals” found in the Bible?
“The Seven Seals” is found in Revelation 6:1-17, Revelation 7:1-17, Revelation 8:1-5, in the book of Revelation.
What can children learn from “The Seven Seals”?
This story teaches children about Judgment, Persecution, God's justice, Patience of the saints. Jesus the Lamb opened the seals on the special scroll. Hard things happened on earth—war, hunger, and sadness. But God promised to protect His people and wipe away all their tears one day.