First Four Seals Series

As we have already seen in this study on Revelation the resounding message of which is God is in control despite the fact that there are such cataclysmic things going on around everywhere. These seals (seven in number) can be directly related to the Olivet Discourse given by Jesus Himself. As we have also already seen these seals, vials and judgments cannot take place with those who are already born again today. God’s wrath has not been appointed to believers. The picture we have seen in the last two chapters (Chapter 4 and 5) paint a picture of God’s people in heaven. The remaining remnant those who were as Jesus said “lukewarm” will remain until the Glorious Appearing. Should you be reading this during these intense judgments God is trying to get your attention. Pay heed to His Voice, and don’t harden your heart. Repent of yours sins and turn to Him so that you can enter into a relationship with Christ. These judgments get worse as we will see throughout this book.

If you are in a relationship with Jesus during this period it will not be easy. The judgments get worse, but rest assured God is under control. You may be wondering why I am writing like this today but it is because of the seriousness of these judgments. These judgments are very serious and anyone to come to them without such an attitude of seriousness is a plain fool. These judgments are for real they are going to take place, but at the same time God is in control.

You don’t have to fear these judgments if you are a believer, if you are living during these times (and you are reading this) you will be going through some intense stuff in the up and coming years, but it will all end you can rest assured. You will see the day when the earth will groan and moan, and then Jesus will appear and every tear will be wiped from every eye by the Lord Himself! The problem is that we come to these judgments with such an attitude of fear for most believers that we fail to see that God is absolutely in control of it all. He is the One after all orchestrating this whole affair. With that said with the Lord is on the Throne in Revelation 4&5, we have now entered the Tribulation which will include all the major events that you hear regularly about in newspapers, etc… the Descretation of the Temple Mount, Armageddon, the treaty with Israel and the Glorious Appearing. All of these events are taking place to get people’s attention to turn them from self and turn them towards God. I believe that if you are living in these times there will be no doubt as there is today right now as I write this sermon, absolutely no doubt that there is a God in heaven and we can accept His Son into our hearts, be born again by His Spirit and have eternal life in His Son.

With that said today we will take a look at the first four seals, and then in the next two days we will look at the remaining three. The first four seals are false peace, war, famine, and death.

Revelation 6:1-2, “As I watched, the Lamb broke the first of seven seals on the scroll. The one of the four living beings called out with a voice that sounded like thunder, “Come!” I looked up and saw a white horse. Its rider carried a bow, and a crown was placed on his head. He rode out to win many battles and gain the victory.”

The focus has shifted here from praise to judgment. The people depictated in Revelation 4&5 praising God are now silent, for the judgment has begun. The scene shifts from heaven to earth which will be the focus of events through the return of Christ in Chapter 19 and the establishment of His earthly kingdom in Chapter 20. <

Having received from His Father the title deed to earth (5:7) the Lamb (the Lord Jesus Christ) broke the first of the seven seals. Immediately John heard one of the four living creatures (cherubim; an exalted order of angels-Ezek10:15) saying with a powerful, shattering voice of thunder, “Come.” In response to the angelic summons, a white horse came forth bearing its rider. The first four seals involve horses and riders. Horses in Scripture are associated with triumph, majesty, power and conquest (19:11, 14; Job 39:19-25; Prov 21:31; Isa 43:17; Jer 6:23; Zechariah9:10

That the rider had a bow but no arrows, and that he was honored with a crown that these judgments was freely given to him, reveals that his conquering will involve bloodless victories. The word here used for crown is stephanos not diadema. Stephanos is used of a winners crown while diadema is used of the many crown’s Christ will wear upon His Glorious appearing. This rider is no real King but a crown from the world for his triumphant achievements leading to world peace. He will not conquer by military force but by cunning and deceit (2 Thess 2:9-11). His victory will have the appearance of peace, but it will not be lasting (Daniel 9:24