Revelation 6 Study Guide
Hall Street Baptist Church
Wednesday Sept 13, 2006
M. Blankenship
The seals are broken by the lamb before the book is opened. Notice the events of the seals are not the ending of time; they are however, the events which proceed toward the end of time. The seals must be opened prior to the opening of the book. The Disciples in trying to find out when the end of time would occur ask Jesus two distinct questions (Matthew 24:3).
1. When will the temple be destroyed?
2. What will be the sign of the Lord’s coming and the end of the world?
Jesus our Lord provides nine distinct signs in Matthew 24:5-14. He calls this time the beginning of sorrows. After these things He says, “The end shall come” by the end of this teaching he is saying the “Great tribulation”.
THE END TIME FRAME CORRESPONDS TO:
Sorrows, trouble, evil in societyend doesn’t occur all at once And world wide evangelism REV 6:1
Continues to occur Matthew 24:5-14
Great tribulation unparaled trials Seven trumpets /bowls/beast
Matt 24:15-28 REV 8:1-18, 24 SON Of MAN COMING Final triumph of Christ REV `19:1-22:21
As the seals of God’s books are broken the writing under the seals leaps from the page and acts out the future vents for John and the heavenly host.
Horses in scripture often symbolize war and conquest of a nation or peoples.
1. THE FOUR HORSEMEN
A. White Horse- Implies that the rider wins victory without blood shed. He acquires victory by deception Matt. 24:5, 2 Thess 2:8-11.
Bow- Far reaching objectives in view, military power and prowess Psalm 46:9, Jeremiah 51:51, Hosea 1:5.
CROWN- symbolizes success of rider in conquest; it is unlike the crown worn by Jesus in Rev 19:
STEPHENOS (Gk) REV 6
DIADEME (Gk) REV 19
B. Why would rational men turn all the governments of the world over to one man? The rational is an age old process. Notice the cycle:
-Multiplied false prophets weaving pipe dreams Matthew 24:5-7
- Multiplied Natural Disasters
BLANKENSHIP-2
C. THE RIDER ON THE WHITE HORSE
ANTI-CHRIST –offers peace to all those who will follow him 1 John 2:18, 1 John 4:3. Demonic forces are behind the Antichrist’s teachings and activities.
II. Second Seal Red Horse
A. Will divide neighbors, husbands/wives, religions, and nations.
1. Truce breaking shall be the rule 2 Timothy 3:1-3
2. Wars and Rumors of wars. Book: “Report from Iron Mountain” by Leonard Levin 1967~ Romans 3:17 “ The way of peace have they not known” Isa 57:21 “There is no peace to the wicked”
Study results:
Wars would cease if the will to make them cease were in the heart of man.
~No better substitute is known in the stabilization of national economies.
~War provides a nation with the means to control its youth.
~Provides nation with means of controlling overpopulation.
~Greatest single stimulant to scientific research.
~If war were eliminated some form of slavery would be necessary to
control destabilizing social elements.
Conclusion of Study:
War is essential to society, as it is now constituted, and it would be irresponsible to remove the war system until it is know what would be implemented in its’ place (Levin)”.
III. THIRD SEAL BLACK HORSE
A. Symbolizes mourning and famine, the rider has a set of scales to measure and ration food. A days’ wages to buy a quart of wheat. Today scientists are working to find a supplemental food supply. 1965 Dr. George Bard storm experiment with domestification of Kangaroo herds to supplement meat supplies to hungry peoples. He determined then (1965) that the world was approximately two years away from starvation/famine at anytime.
B. God says to the rider-don’t harm wine/oil why?
IV Fourth Seal PALE HORSE
a. The rider is Death; ashen in color (Mark 6:39 color used to describe vegetation).
DEATH WILL USE FOUR TOOLS: Sword-Famine-Pestilence-Disease
Wild beast.
