Rev.#18~6:1-8 JESUS BEGINS TO OPEN THE SEALS 8-15-09
Today we’ll continue our study of Rev. we’re here in 6: and the Lamb is beginning to open the seals.
The worship described in Revelation 4—5 is preparation for the wrath described in Revelation 6—18. God is long-suffering, but eventually He must judge sin and vindicate His servants.
Ø Jesus will sovereignly judge this world
The first four seals seem to belong together (6:1-8).
(1) They are introduced by one of the four living creatures (6:1, 3, 5, 7).
(2) Each seal is preceded with a call to “Come.”
(3) Each seal contains the image of a horse and rider (6:2, 4, 5, 8).5
(4) In each of the seals there is a progression of meaning given for each of the four seals: and they are-- conquering, making war, famine, and death.
(5) Each of these seals is opened by the Lamb, Jesus Christ.
John sees the whole process of judgment under the control of God. The conqueror**[antichrist] has only what power Almighty God allows him to have. God is completely sovereign so we need not to worry; He has every thing under control.
The fifth and sixth seals seem to be distinct as we’ll see, (6:9-11, 12-17) and the seventh seal introduces the trumpet judgments (8:1).
Ø Listen as I read verses 1-8
1And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. 2And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
3And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. 4And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
5And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
6And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
7And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
The First Seal (6:1-2):
1And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
2And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
John was an eyewitness of this revelation, much as you and I might view a film. It was a vision sent to John and then given to you and I.
When the Lamb broke the first of the seven seals on the scroll that He had received from God the Father in chapter 5: one of the four creatures that we read and talked about in chapter 4:-7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
The 1st beast, or living creature, called out with a voice as it were of thunder.
~~The “voice of thunder” is symbolic of judgment, as a coming storm. It is a voice of terror, majesty, and judgment! The command given is, “Come.”
Each of the 4 beasts gave this command [come], and each time a horseman on a horse came forth.
In 6:2, a rider came riding on a white horse with a bow and a crown for the purpose of conquering. This is the great political leader, the Antichrist.
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Daniel states that there is a "prince* [means ruler] that shall come," who will make a covenant with Israel for 7 years to protect her from her enemies.
Dan. 9: 27 27And he shall confirm**the covenant with many for one week:* and in the midst of the week* he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,--
In other words, the future world dictator begins his career as a peacemaker!
“White” symbolizes righteousness and holiness. The bow, mentioned here in verse 2 without a reference to arrows, does not necessarily mean, that the rider is going about in “peaceful conquest”, and by using diplomacy there is no bloodshed. –That is what most of us have been taught down through the years, I have thought that my self, but not so, listen,
The bow in scripture is seen, as a symbol of hunting or of warfare, just because we see it mentioned here alone with out arrows does not mean that he’ll not go forth with a violent conquest.
Isaiah 41:2 says
2Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow. Notice nothing is said about arrows, only his bow.
Ø Listen, it carries the same idea and meaning as a ”gun or rifle”
Those of us who go Deer hunting from time to time, and we often talk about what kind of weapon we went hunting with, some might say, {I carried my 3006} , some might say, {I carried my 308} but few would add any thing to do with what kind of bullets he took, I mean it ---goes without saying, that we’d not carry our weapon and no bullet to go hunting, some of us might forget our ammo, but that would be unintentionally.
I believe this carries the same thought here to do with this rider on the white horse, we’re told that he had a bow, arrows are not mentioned, but no one would carry his weapon without proper ammo. The bullets—and likewise the arrows—are assumed.
He also has a “crown.” God allows him to receive this crown. The sovereign God is the only One who can give rulers authority to rule.
Romans 13:1-- For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
This crown represents his world dictatorship.
The Greek word for crown in verse 2 is Stephanas, which means "the victor’s crown."
The Greek word for crown that Jesus Christ wears is diadema, "the kingly crown" (19:12). Antichrist could never wear the diadem, because it belongs only to the Son of God.
Jesus returns to earth in 19: and He will be seated a “white horse” literally.
This rider represents a conquering power that no one can resist. This person has the semblance of Christ but he is not Christ. He comes as a deceiver.
This Antichrist is “anti, against” every thing the True Christ is and stands for. And so he come promising peace and safety, and for a brief period after the true Church is taken up there will be a false peace on earth. The nations will federate to end all war under him. –The 1st 3 ½ years will be a false peace.--
The Tribulation Period is to be 7 years. The Great Tribulation covers only the last three and a half years of the 7 years, The 1st 3 ½ years of the 7 will be a false peace.
The first four seals are broken in connection with the four living creatures; it is only the Lamb who has the power and authority to break the seals. And as He does so, more of the contents of the scroll are made known to us.
These 4 horses that we read about here are not real horses; these horses symbolize conditions and not individuals, although the rider on the white horse is a reference to the Antichrist.
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We are moving today in the direction of a world dictator. We see it every day on the world news, it seems as though no hope is in sight for a lasting peace in the neighborhood of Israel, all of Israel’s neighbors had rather she not exits. It seems to become worse with each passing day.
Ø But guess what, God has already spoken on the matter and it’s settled.
Isaiah 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
Isaiah 60:21 Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever
I have said many times that if the leaders of our nation turn against Gods chosen people Israel, He will with draw His hand of blessing and protection from this nation, and it saddens me to say that from what we see the current administration doing today regarding Israel it may already be under way.
The tight knit group of apostates we have today running things in our government is not only ruining our nation, but will bring Gods wrath on the entire nation.
Ø Achan is the cause of Israel’s defeat at Ai— Joshua 7:
During the Israelites’ destruction of Jericho, Achan took a Babylonian garment, 200 shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold and hid them in his tent.
Before the battle, the Lord had designated everything in Jericho an “accursed thing” and commanded that everything be destroyed, lest Israel also become cursed because their camp contained Canaanite spoils. The Israelites were defeated near the city of Ai because Achan had brought the “accursed thing” into their camp.
So God will punish the entire nation because of corrupt leaders as well, He is no respecter of persons or nations, He says what He means and means what He says.
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I recall a man saying one time, that we should preach the word and stay out of the happenings of the world, but I believe the happenings of the world are nothing more than prophecy coming to pass, there is no way we can teach what the Bible says will be going on in the last days and not from time to time mention current events.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 +13 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent,*[no self control] fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. – 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.**[it seems as though people are blinded as what is so obviously taking place, their deceived]
All the nations of the world are disturbed by what’s going on in and around Israel. Lawlessness abounds even here in our own country; governments are not able to control, as they should. This is all preparing the way for this individual, the world ruler, the Antichrist.
When the church is raptured away, he’ll come on the scene with what will seem to the earth dwellers as finally a solution for all the world problems.
Daniel tells us that he will guarantee peace and protection for Israel and the others in that area.—with many--
Dan. 9: 27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:--
Antichrist does not appear as a villain. Even Satan’s angels appear as angels of light. He is not going to have horns and a forked tail with a red suit on, people will welcome him with open arms for the 1st 3-½ years. He is going to be the most attractive man the world has ever seen. He’ll have a way with words that the people will gladly believe. They’ll be deceived.
Antichrist will seem to have the answers to the world’s problems and be received as the Great Liberator.
1And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
2And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
We would expect the Antichrist to resemble the Christ, because Antichrist is Satan’s great imitation! Even the Jews (who ought to know the Scriptures) will be deceived by him.
Jesus said in John 5:43 I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
