Satan's War Against God Series

Revelation 6:5-8; 12:4-9

Purpose: To expose Satan’s nature.

Aim: I want the listener to be more aware of Satan’s tactics and oppose him more aggressively.

INTRODUCTION: Why does God call for the brutal killing of so many people in the book of Revelation? Have you ever wondered why God told the Jews to completely wipe out certain groups of people in the OT? Doesn’t God love? How could a loving God take such drastic measures?

The answer will become apparent when we understand the nature of sin. Sin is a cancer in God’s creation. For example, the people that God told the Jews to kill were extremely wicked. They were involved in immorality, including homosexuality, and human sacrifice. Many of them worshipped the god Moloch by burning babies alive.

Humans are not the only ones who are suffering the effects of the sin of Adam and Eve. All of God’s creation is suffering too. This is why we have hurricanes, earth quakes, tornadoes, fires, and vicious animals. Romans 8:19-22 19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. (NAU)

Would your doctor be very loving if he told you that you had cancer growing in you, but that he didn’t want to remove it because that required some cutting? Sin is a cancer in God’s creation that must be removed.

One by one, the four living creatures, which represent all of creation, step forward and call for a horse to come to earth which begins a cleansing process for a world that is polluted with sin. [Picture of the four horses]

Go back and notice how these creatures were described: Revelation 4:7-8 7 The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. 8 And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come." (NAU) These creatures love the holiness of God so much that they are calling for everything that is unholy to be removed.

The first two seals show Satan’s war against creation. The second two seals show his war against God Himself.

REVIEW:

1:1-20 I. John’s Vision of the Past "the things which you have seen"

2:1-5:14 II. Christ’s Vision of the Present "the things which are"

2:1-3:22 A. The testimony of the church on earth

4:1-5:14 B. The throne of God in heaven

Ch.6-22 III. John’s Vision of the Future "things which will take places"

6-7; 12-14 A. Satan’s war against God’s creation

1. The first seal

6:1-2 a. Heaven’s view: false peace from a white horse

12:1-2,6a b. Earth’s view: Israel deceived

2. The second seal

6:3-4 a. Heaven’s view: a red horse

(1) Satan’s nature is revealed "take peace"

(2) Human nature is revealed "slay one another"

(3) Destructive power is revealed "great sword"

12:3-4a b. Earth’s view: a red dragon

Vs.3a (1) Satan’s ultimate kingdom "seven heads...diadems"

Vs.3b (2) Satan’s united kingdom "ten horns"

Vs.4 (3) Satan’s spirit kingdom "third of the stars"

LESSON:

➽ 3. The third seal

➽ 6:5-6 a. Heaven’s view: a black horse- world famine

Vs.5 The balances in the hand of the antichrist shows that he has control of the food supply. Maybe he got this power because the countries of the world centralized world trade in one organization or person.

Vs. 6 This verse explains that the world economy will suffer a shortage of food. It will take one day’s wage to buy one meal. Barley is low nutrition grain that was usually reserved for cattle.

Food will be scarce. Luxuries like oil and wine (which can’t stop a famine) will still be available, but only the wealthy can afford them. Maybe this is picturing a world where laptop computers, condos, corporate jets, space stations, satellite communications, TV’s, DVD’s, and fast cars are available, but not much food. Unless we think that this is unlikely, remember that it would only take a week where eighteen-wheelers didn’t run before we started being hungry.

➽ 12:4b-6 b. Earth’s view: a dragon-Israel’s oppression

There are three mentioned here: a dragon, a woman, and her son. We know that the dragon is Satan because of verse 7. The woman must be Israel because of verse 1 which refers back to Joseph’s dream in Genesis 37. The child must be Christ because He is to rule (or shepherd) with a rod as it says of the Messiah in Psalm 2:7-9 7 "I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, ’You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. 8 ’Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. 9 ’You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.’ " (NAU)