On Guard: Discerning Truth in End Times
A call to awaken Christians about deception in these end times while also sharing the truth about Jesus Christ and His promises to both Christians and all others who will hear. We want believers to be aware of what the Bible says. Topics will include Revelation, Daniel, Great Tribulation, Biblical Prophecy, the Rapture, the Antichrist, God’s Wrath, etc.
On Guard: Discerning Truth in End Times
Breaking the Seals - Jesus Unrolls the Scroll
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In this episode, Gordon and Mark guide listeners through a major turning point in the book of Revelation. After laying the theological foundation in chapters 1–5, the narrative now moves into action. Revelation 6 begins as Jesus opens the seals of the scroll, signaling the start of Daniel’s 70th week and the seven-year period commonly known as the Tribulation.
The hosts remind listeners of three foundational truths established earlier in the series:
- Jesus is present with His Church (Revelation 1).
- The Church has real weaknesses that must be addressed and refined (Revelation 2–3).
- God is sovereign, reigning from His throne over all events (Revelation 4–5).
These truths frame everything that follows, ensuring believers understand that the coming judgments unfold under Christ’s authority.
Revelation 5 is closely connected to Daniel 7 and Ezekiel 2. Daniel and John were shown the same heavenly courtroom where dominion is given to the Son of Man—Jesus Himself. Ezekiel’s scroll of lamentation, mourning, and woe parallels Revelation’s scroll, which contains both judgment and redemption.
The seven-year Tribulation period begins with the opening of the first seal, likely aligned with or shortly following a peace covenant involving Israel described in Daniel 9:27. Importantly, the seals do not precede the Tribulation; they initiate it. Through this period, God fulfills the six divine purposes outlined in Daniel 9: finishing transgression, ending sin, atoning for iniquity, bringing everlasting righteousness, sealing vision and prophecy, and anointing the Most Holy.
In Seals 1–5, God does not yet pour out His final wrath. Instead, He progressively removes restraint, allowing Satan greater freedom to operate. The seals reveal what the world becomes when God’s restraining hand is lifted. It exposes human rebellion, violence, and corruption.
The Four Horsemen are rooted in Zechariah chapters 1 and 6. They are real spiritual agents operating under God’s authority, reshaping global conditions rather than representing isolated or symbolic events.
- Seal 1 – The White Horse: Widespread deception and false peace prepare the world for the Antichrist.
- Seal 2 – The Red Horse: Peace is removed, and violence erupts as people turn against one another.
- Seal 3 – The Black Horse: Economic collapse, famine, and severe inequality dominate society.
- Seal 4 – The Pale Horse: Mass death through war, famine, disease, and chaos forces humanity to confront eternal realities over physical survival.
Seal 5 shifts the focus from earthly devastation to a heavenly scene. Rather than introducing another horse, it reveals faithful believers who were killed during the earlier seals because they refused to deny Christ. These martyrs are told to rest until their full number are complete which demonstrates that the Church remains present, witnessing, and faithful during the Tribulation.
The episode concludes by reinforcing a sobering yet hopeful truth: the opening of the seals does not signal chaos out of control, but judgment under Christ’s authority. Even as restraint is removed and the world descends into darkness, God’s redemptive plan continues to unfold exactly as He promised.
