Seek The Refuge Series

SEEK THE REFUGE

Revelation 6

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: GAS SHORTAGE

It was the start of a holiday weekend and the last "full-service" gas station was crowded. Finally the attendant hustled up to the local minister who had been waiting in line some time. "I'm sorry for the delay, pastor," he apologized. "Seems like everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a trip they knew they were going on." "I know what you mean," said the pastor. "I have the same problem in my business."

B. REVELATIONS CONTINUED

1. Today we’re continuing our series on “What God Says About the Future” part 6. We’re looking at the Book of Revelation chap 6.

2. In this chapter, the Lord Jesus is holding the Scroll of Destiny and begins opening its seven seals. Each time He opens a seal, John receives a revelation about what’s contained in the scroll. The seals are only anticipatory; nothing is happening on the earth yet. The scroll is still sealed until the seventh seal is opened, which doesn’t happen until Ch. 8:1. So the events decreed by the scroll are not yet released to happen.

3. The Title of this message is “Seek the Refuge.”

I. THE SIX SEALS EXPLAINED

A. THE HORSES & THEIR RIDERS: Rev. 6:1-11

1. TEXT (1ST) “Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a WHITE horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest” (2nd) “When the Lamb opened the second seal....Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword” (3RD) “When the Lamb opened the third seal...there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand” (4TH) “When the Lamb opened the fourth seal...there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.”

2. HANDOUT* ANSWERS: 1. Horses 2. Spirit of Conquest 3. War 4. Famine 5. Yellow-green 6. Tribulation Martyrs 7. Resurrection 8. Temporary 9. Second Coming.

3. The First Four Seals are judgments that will fall on the world AFTER the scroll has been opened. These are the former or earlier plagues hinted at in Rev. 15:1. When the Time of Jacob’s Trouble begins (Jer. 30:7, identical with the 70th week of Dan. 9:27), a spirit of conquest and war will sweep the Earth, followed by famine and death.

B. THE FIFTH SEAL

1. 6:9, “When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.” They ask for vengeance.

2. This is not a judgment, but a revelation for comfort. These are tribulation martyrs whose souls are kept under the altar (the brazen altar was made hollow, Ex. 27:8), until they receive their resurrection bodies. They are given temporary coverings.

C. THE SIXTH SEAL: THE 2ND COMING OF CHRIST

1. TEXT: 6:12-17; “I watched as he opened the 6th seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”

2. This is a pre-vision of what happens in Rev. 19:11-21. One of the unique aspects of this description is that it not only tells the signs of Christ’s coming – His explosion across the universe – but it also shows the effect on mankind as they see Him coming.

3. There is evidently a period of time between when Christ is first sighted (by telescopes?) and when He arrives at Earth. The inhabitants have time to travel to caves and other places to try to hide from Christ.