“The Seven Seals of God’s Wrath”
Scripture: Rev. 6:9-14; 7:1-14
Introduction:
In the studying for this sermon there will be another group redeemed from the earth a little after the Mid Tribulation 1,335 days to be exact.
Perseverance reveals genuine believers. To believe in Jesus and stand “firm to the end” will take perseverance, because our faith will be challenged and opposed. Severe trials will sift true Christians from fair-weather believers. Enduring to the end does not earn salvation for us, but marks us as already saved. The assurance of our salvation will keep us going through the times of persecution.
Perseverance reveals genuine faith. Because Christ lives in us, we can remain courageous and hopeful to the end. We are not saved by being steadfast and firm in our faith, but our courage and hope do reveal that our faith is real. Without this enduring faithfulness, we could easily be blown away by the winds of temptation, false teaching, or persecution. The Handbook on Bible Application, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. WHEATON, ILLINOIS
Transitional:
The last of the seven seals occur during the whole tribulation period. Some people will be martyred during the first 3 ½ years the numbers will be few, the last 3 ½ years the number will be catastrophic.
I. The Martyr’s Are Told to Wait :
1. Revelation 6:9 - 11 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. 10They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” 11Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.
2. There is no salvation in being a martyr.
3. For Paul says, 1 Corinthians 13:3 if I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4. If we as people do not love the Lord we gain nothing by being a martyr.
5. Those who get saved during the Tribulation period must be born again just like the rest of us.
6. We must believe and repent of our sins.
7. There must be a life change.
8. In order for their martyrdom to mean something.
9. Those saved during the first 3 ½ years are not likely to be martyred like those who are saved during the last 3 ½ years of the Great Tribulation period.
10. God tells those under the altar to wait a little longer till the rest of their fellow brothers in Christ were to be killed.
11. Then God will avenge them all at once.
Transitional:
The sixth seal occurs at the end of the Tribulation.
II. A Great Earthquake:
1. Revelation 6:12 - 17 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. 14The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.15Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16They 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! 17For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”
2. These events will happen on the final day of the Tribulation period.
3. Another description of the same event in Matthew 24:29 - 31 29“Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’30“At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. 31And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
4. From one end of heaven to the other all the Christians will gather for the Millennium.
Transitional:
The story of heaven is described in chapters 4, 5, 19, 20 and the story of earth is described in chapters 6, 8, 9, 16, 19, and 20. All other chapters in between are informational chapters regarding the stories in heaven or earth.
III. 144,000 Evangelists:
1. Revelation 7:1- 4 1After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. 2Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3“Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” 4Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.
2. God does not turn the seven year tribulation period over to Satan and the Antichrist.
3. During this time period God works in all of his greatness.
4. When the church is taken up to heaven at the beginning of the tribulation he replaces the church with a very powerful vehicle the one hundred forty-four thousand Jewish evangelists.
5. In chapter 7 begins their ministry.
6. They will win to the Lord many souls for the kingdom of God.
7. Jeremiah 30:7 How awful that day will be! None will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it.
8. In Revelation 12:7 - 9 And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
9. In Revelation 12:13 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.
10. In Ephesians 2: 2 the devil is known as, “ruler of the kingdom of the air.”
11. In John 14:30 he is known as, “the prince of this world.”
12. The devil’s domain is the heaven that surrounds this earth.
13. Revelation 12:12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.”
14. He will attack and destroy anything or anyone who stands for Christ.
15. Revelation 7:9 After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
16. Revelation 7:13 - 14 13Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”14I answered, “Sir, you know.”And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
17. This group is a mixture of Jews and Gentiles.
18. Zechariah 8:23 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “In those days ten men from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’”
19. Revelation 14:3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
20. Daniel 12:1 “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.
21. They are redeemed from the earth 1,335 days after the tribulation begins.
22. Daniel 12:11 - 12
11“From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.
Rapture of Christians dead and living [tribulation begins-------144,000 sealed Evangelists -----Mid tribulation 3 ½ years (1,260 days Jewish calendar 360, 30 days per month) Rev.9:5 when the scorpion creatures are released they are told not to hurt those who have the seal of God------- (1,335 days) the 144,000 Jesus takes them to heaven.
We need to persevere, persist, keep on, and never give up as believers in Jesus Christ. We need to stand firm to the end.
When our faith is challenged and opposed we need to persevere by sheer determination. The severe trials we will face will sift true Christians from fair weather Christians.
Our faith is the victory that overcomes the world.
