Let’s have a look at the lyrics of “Seals”, the third song of the album “Revelation”. The seals of the scroll from song 2 (“Scroll”) are opened. This is described in Revelation Chapter 6, verses 1-17.
We remember the Lamb of God in song 2 “Scroll”. Noone was found to open the scroll until the narrator John beholds the Lamb of God on the throne. The 24 elders declare that the Lamb is worthy to open the seals.
In this song each of the seals is opened thereby bringing destruction to the world. The infamous Horsemen of the Apocalypse are realeased on mankind. They are four horsemen, one on a white horse to conquer the world, one on a red horse to plunge the world into war and destruction, one on a black horse bringing a massive famine with food prices skyrocketing, and finally the fourth horseman named Death riding on a pale horse. In another verse it says that a fourth of mankind will be wiped out by the Four Horsemen. War, famine, fatal plagues and brutal attacks by wild animals are just the beginning.
The Lamb opens the fifth seal. Martyrs – people who were executed for their faith in Jesus Christ – appear before God. They ask him in a loud voice when he would avenge their blood. What an incredibly sinister image that God will avenge the blood of his children! Then the sixth seal is opened and the world is further consumed: a terrible earthquake, the sun darkens, the moon turns red as blood, and stars fall from the sky. Every mountain and island is removed from its place. The people – kings, rulers, generals, the mighty, every slave and every free man – hide in caves and among the rocks. The horror is so immense so that they call to the mountains and the rocks to fall on them to hide them from the wrath and the face of God. The dreaded day of God’s wrath has come!
Here are the complete lyrics:
The Lamb opened the first seal, the creatures thundered, “Come.” A rider on a white horse, with crown and bow. Rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest. The Lamb opened the next seal, the creature said, “Come!”. A rider on a red horse, with a sword and power to take peace from the earth and make men slay each other. The Lamb opened the third seal, the creature said, “Come!”. A rider on a black horse with a pair of scales. “A quart of wheat for a day’s pay and do not damage the oil and the wine!” The Lamb opened the fourth seal, the creature thundered, “Come!” Death on a pale horse, followed by Hades with power to kill by sword, and famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth. The fifth seal, the souls of the martyrs called out. “Oh Lord, how long, until, you judge the world and avenge our blood?” The sixth seal, a great earthquake, the sun turned black, the moon turned red, the stars fell from the sky. Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks. They called to the mountains, “Fall on us and hide us from the face on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For their wrath has come and who can stand?”
