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Message
Revelation 6:1-8:1
Protection of the Church in This Broken World.
When I was on long service leave we went to Movie World – there is a great roller coaster ride there called the Superman Escape Ride.
Show quick video clip of ride (find on youtube or relate a similar experience).
When you go on the ride you know it is going to be scary, yet there is something about going on a ride like that really entices you. You just know at the end of the journey that you are going to have a sense of triumph.
In the same way being part of God’s history in this world can also feel like that.
On the one hand there is a sense of dread, mixed emotions, and fear.
On the other hand there is something exciting about the whole journey.
And there is a really good Biblical reason why this is the case.
Let’s read Revelation 6:1-8:1.
The scroll contains a Revelation about the unfolding of history. As the horsemen go out to help unfold history it is very evident that there is a lot about history which is broken.
Seal 1:- 6:1-2
The undoing of this seal unleashes a white horse whose rider has a bow and a crown; he is a conqueror determined to have control over others. History is full of such people.
Roman Emperors.
British Kings.
French Monarchs.
African Leaders.
Middle East Dictators.
American Presidents.
There is not one country in the whole world that has not been involved in a war at some time in its history.
Everyone wants to have the riches that others have. Leaders send their soldiers into battle, willing to make the cost the lives of men and women. Battles are fought over small pieces of land that seem to have some a strategic significance. A decision made in a war room seems so sterile on paper – but the tragedy that will unfold will impact hundreds and even thousands.
Behind it all is a mood of discontent and greed. The rider of the white horse is succeeding – right through history he is breaking our world.
Seal 2:- 6:3-4
Leaders of nations are not the only ones making life difficult – the rider of the red horse sees to that by removing peace at every level. Just this week a man stabbed his wife to death in Bracken Ridge – that is just up the road. And this is just one story of thousands where there is a lack of peace.
Homo sapiens are biologically so similar that we all come under the same biological name.
Eye colours differ.
Hair colours differ.
Body types differ.
But you pick two people from anywhere in the world and you put them next to each other … and you can see they are the same. Yet we bash, knife, shot, abuse, rape, maim, manipulate destroy each other.
Peace is constantly being taken away. The rider of the red horse is succeeding – right through history he is breaking our world.
Seal 3:- 6:5-6
The rider of the black horse has a different role.
Ordinarily a day’s wage could buy enough wheat to feed a family for 4 days.
And a day’s wage could buy a family enough barley for 3 weeks.
The black rider brings his scales and changes the economics. Now all you can get is enough wheat for one person, for one day; and enough barley for one family for three days. No one can afford items like oil and wine.
Famine.
Nearly a billion people suffer from hunger in the world today. That is 1 in 7 people.
Worse still, 19 million of those are children under the age of five at immediate risk of dying.
This risk results in 3.5 million child deaths every year. That is the same number as all the people in Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast – and all in between. Each year, children under 5 years only, dying from hunger.
The scales for food distribution have always been unfavourable to some as the black rider causes hunger right through history – it is a broken world.
Seal 4:- 6:7-8
Death and Hades always go together. Death is the instrument which is used to cause our breath no longer to be with us. Hades is the place where the dead are gathered. The result is a huge amount of destruction which is allowed to take place as a result of the opening of this one seal – their reign of terror is one fourth of the whole earth. These are not ordinary deaths; but catastrophic ones.
By the sword – deliberate and calculated taking of life.
By famine – slow, painful, indiscriminate.
By plagues – extensive, sever, no respecter of status or class.
By wild beasts – unpredictable, unexpected, brutal.
Death – it causes fear.
Deep down there are very few people who really want to die.
Given the choice most people wouldn’t choose death.
Certainly we all see ourselves peacefully dying in our sleep, or perhaps being a 100 years old and just stopping life.
Nightmares are made of deaths which are calculated, deliberate, painful, unexpected and brutal.
But right through history death has come through these means many times. The rider of the pale horse is doing his part to make this a broken world.
It is such a dismal picture which can cause even the most faithful saint to take a deep sigh and wonder at what it is all about. Indeed, as Jesus opens the fifth seal, that is exactly what we see. Through the fifth seal we are now taken to the throne room of God. We discover that some of the parts of the throne room have similarities with the Jewish temple. For here, in the throne room, is an altar. Under the altar are the souls of the saints who have died because they were not willing to compromise their faith.
They were faced with a choice, say that you belong to Jesus and die; or renounce Jesus and live. They all chose death.
Some people call them martyrs.
There is no doubt they have stood against great opposition.
They looked to God for their strength – and trusted their souls into His hands.
These are not spiritual babies; they are spiritual giants. They are not pencil-pushers they are warriors. Their names appear even in our historical records today.
Which makes what they say very significant.
How long, Sovereign Lord?
When the martyrs who are spiritual giants and warriors start saying, “How Long” … well that is when you know the journey has been more than a little tough.
“God you are Sovereign, Holy and True … but God we are tired. We are worn out by the spiritual battle. The historical impact of the four horseman has been like a cavalry against us. Lord do something – take drastic measures if need be – but please finish this soon.”
How long, sovereign Lord? But the end is not here just yet, so we all wait a little longer.
The faithful martyred saints are give a white robe – a sign of their holiness. And the souls under the altar watch as more souls are added to their number. History keeps unfolding as the four horseman keep up their charge.
Conquerors keep conquering.
Peace between people keeps being taken away.
Famines still rage.
Death and Hades are making a killing.
Then the sixth seal is opened
This seal is an historical turning point – for it is the seal that reminds us all of something that is still to happen even for us in the future – it is called judgement day. We know it is judgement day because of the language which is used to describe the events which are happening.
In earthquake is an integral part of the day of the Lord and his coming.
A black sun and a blood red moon mark the impending judgement.
The heavens collapsing and the displacement of masses amounts of land – it is all connected to the signs of the end.
Will it happen exactly like this when Jesus comes back? Well even if one star literally fell to the earth that would be the end of human existence wouldn’t it. So I would say no to an exact literal fulfilment. But be sure of this – when Jesus comes in judgement you are going to know. We are all going to know.
And a pitiful group of people called homo sapiens will be trying to get away from it all.
Kings, princes, generals, rich and mighty.
Beside all the slaves and all the free men.
You know they are scared when they are wishing for some sort of avalanche to come and cover them. There is so much fear as they try and hide from the wrath of the Lamb.
As they huddle in fear everyone, from every social class, is asking the same question.
Who Can Stand?
... ... ...
Who Can Stand?
That is the big question isn’t it?
Who can stand when death and destruction is all around?
Who can stand when a famine takes a young life?
Who can stand when wars rage?
Who can stand when peace is shattered?
Who can stand when our world falls apart?
Because that’s what’s happening isn’t it. Our world just keeps on falling apart.
Sometimes it is all just too overwhelming.
Can we really get through?
Who can stand?
With all these questions in our head we get to chapter 7.
Now if you were here last week you might remember that I told you about that literary devise called narrative progression. That is where a story is being told, and after I tell you one part of the story I might tell you a different part of the story. However I might start in the middle, then go to the beginning, then tell you something that links through my whole life. That is what happens a lot in Revelation and the trigger phrase is … after this. Look at Revelation 7:1 and we see it there. After this.
So what we are reading about is not something that happens after the sixth seal is opened.
Rather we are given a different perspective.
One perspective involves those who are sealed – the 144,000.
The sealing is not literally for 144,000 people. What we are looking at is highly symbolic situation.
We know it is symbolic because this seal is to be put on the servants of our God; not some of the servants, or a specific class of servant, or a specific race of servant.
Also the list of Israelite tribes is symbolic – we know this is the case because two tribal names are missing; Ephraim and Dan.
The fact that the number is exactly 12,000 from each tribe is an indicator of a figurative meaning as opposed to a literal meaning. 12 is a number of completeness, as is 1000. The total number is 12 x 12 x 1000.
So what we have here is a number which symbolically represents all the servants of God who are part of his chosen family.
Four angels hold back the winds – and nothing can be harmed until they let go.
The four horseman have to wait their turn.
Another angel goes out with the seal of the living God – setting people aside.
Even before the horsemen get out of the gate God the angel who has the seal of God has reached the finish line. That is one part of the picture.
The other part of the picture is this great multitude that no one can count.
You don’t need me to tell you that this is a picture of heaven, and a reminder of the fact that God is going to gather his family together after the judgement day.
They are crying out salvation to God and the Lamb.
They have been washed with the blood of Jesus.
From all nations, peoples, languages.
How many are there?
Revelation 5:11 talks about the angels in heaven.
“Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.”
That is a large number, but one that can still be counted.
No-one can count the multitude. These are the ones who have endured the history – the broken history – where the four horseman have caused so much problems. These are the ones who have overcome because they trusted in Jesus. This is a reminder that after judgement day many will be standing with God. The time of the horseman has come to a close, and they have overcome.
So we have two parts of the picture.
The 144,000 – representing all of God’s servants – sealed before the reign of terror by the four horseman.
The great multitude – showing us all of God’s servants – overcoming despite the time of the horseman.
They are the ones who can stand.
Yes they have gone through incredible difficulties and even persecution. It was happening basically as soon as Jesus went to heaven. It is still happening today. Every generation of Christians goes through tribulation.
Every Christian faces the impact of the four horseman.
Every Christian finds themselves crying, “How long Sovereign Lord”.
Every Christian wonders, “Who can stand”.
We live in a grief-stricken, sin-stained, faith-sapping, spirit-quenching, doubt-causing, God-hating, broken world.
But before it all went to the horses – God made sure we would be ok.
And when we get to eternity – God will show us just how big His family is.
No matter what this world throws at us, we are protected.
Which brings us to the seventh seal
The Lamb opens it – and heaven is silent for ½ hour.
At this stage we are not told what it is that can cause all of heaven to be silent for ½ hour.
But whatever it is – and we will find out eventually – never lose this perspective.
Nothing in this world will stop the impact of God’s seal on you.
Nothing.
Prayer
