The First Six Seals, Part 2
Revelation, Part 7, Revelation 6:7-17
Introduction
- On Wednesday we began examining a horrific time in Earth’s history
-- The first three seals (from the scroll) have been opened by Jesus
- The White Horse
-- The white horse brings a man of conquest
-- The rider on the white horse is not Jesus
-- He has no ammo to make war, but he signifies war with a weapon
-- FACT: The White Horse rider is a great imitator (anti-Christ)
- The Red Horse
-- The red horse brings with him war and conflict
-- This authority (to bring war) is granted to the horseman by God
-- All this rider must do is take peace from the earth; men do the rest
-- Peace between men is a gift from God; it is not a natural state (Cain/Abel)
- The Black Horse
-- The scales represent the commerce of the world
-- Today the idol of the earth is no longer God but capitalism and success
-- In ancient times, a quart of wheat is what one man would eat in a meal
-- This rider brings with him an incredible shortage of FOOD
- Today we are going to examine the next three seals on the scroll …
-- The importance of knowing what will happen is vital to a Christian today
-- It is in the knowledge that we can warn others, and speak truthfully
Read Revelation 6:7-17
Ω Point 1 – The Pale Horse (v 7-8)
- The pale horse brings DEATH to ¼ of the Earth
- We are constantly reminded of the location of those who died w/o Jesus
-- The dead are swept into Hades or Hell (eternal torment for rebellion)
-- The Greek word for Earth (Gaia) here talks about the livable earth
-- It’s those that are alive during this time is who we are talking about
- The earth’s population is estimated at 7.2 billion
-- Imagine ¼ of the population of the earth dying suddenly
-- APP: This would be well over 1.8 billion people
-- APP: There is no way to say how many will be on the Earth following the Rapture of the church, but consider ¼ of those who are left dying because of these 4 riders
- Horror scenes portrayed in the movies cannot begin to describe the events
-- The tribulation is literally hell on Earth, and this is only the beginning!
- The fourth horse has come to collect the results of red & black horsemen
-- IMP: War causes death; famine causes death; even the beasts of the Earth will kill and destroy as they seek to have their basic need met …. FOOD!
It is no surprise that Jesus said in Matthew 24:21, “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.”
-- Bible confirms that this will be the worst time ever seen
-- 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.”
-- Jeremiah 30:7, “How awful that day will be! No other will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it.”
- APP: If I could tell you anything and have you hear it, it would be this: YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE HERE TO SEE THESE HORSEMEN!
- IMP: Notice that power is given to the horseman; though all hell is breaking loose on the earth, God is still very much in control, but the decision to accept His Son and avoid this time is solely yours.
Ω Point 2 – The 5th Seal (9-11)
- These under the altar are those who have been martyred for their faith
- Probably what confuses so many is the writing in Revelation has several things happening simultaneously … this is one of those times
- Why is John now seeing these under the altar?
-- The 5th seal shows us that just after the rapture and the establishment of the rule and power by the Antichrist (the rider on the white horse)
-- This world will enter a time of persecution for all who believe in Jesus
-- During this time, there will be one world religion established
-- IMP: To believe in anything but the Antichrist makes you his enemy
- Jesus died for your sins; ONLY through His shed blood can you be saved
-- Humanity will have to decide once and for all who to serve in this time
- Today you have time and an option to choose the grace God provides
-- During this horrible time, the clock will be running
-- APP: You will be martyred for your faith if you choose to live for Jesus
- Here Christ reassures the believer not to fear death
-- Death for those who know Christ, should not be an event of fear but joyful
-- Like those killed for their faith today, or any Christian who dies, the Bible tells us we enter the presence of the Lord in Heaven
-- Christ assures the new believers of the tribulation, who immediately come under testing (v10)
-- IMP: Their home is in heaven, they do not fear death
- There is a special significance for those who die after the rapture for Christ
-- Those who die in Christ before rapture are in front of the Throne (Ch. 4/5)
-- Those who die after are under the altar and will be resurrected later
-- John 14:3 says, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”
-- APP: These saints (Rev 6:9) under the altar of the Lord have died because of their belief in the Word of God … they WILL have incredible testimony!
** Many may be pretenders (today) who found Christ after the rapture!!!
- The moments following the rapture will see many come to Christ
-- But … Why would anyone want to wait?
-- Why would anyone want to pretend to be saved?
-- APP: How exhausting pretending to be saved / have grace must be!
- God assures these martyrs who are crying out for justice of one thing
-- They must remain a little while longer until the number is complete
-- It might seem odd that God’s people would cry out for vengeance, but even “the blood of Abel cried out to God” in Genesis 4:10
- APP: There are still more who must die, and God commands them to wait
-- IMP: Before the Lord’s judgment on the Earth begins the number of those who must die needs to be completed
-- God is sovereign; His thoughts are not our thoughts … (Isaiah 55:8)
Ω Point 3 – The 6th Seal (v 12-17)
- When 6th seal opens we see the beginning of the destruction on the Earth
-- Before this we have seen the death and destruction of some kind of war
-- Now, we see an earthquake shake the foundation of the Earth
- During a lunar eclipse by the sun, the moon has a reddish glow about it
-- It is changed in appearance which is what John could be seeing here
-- John’s vision is that there is a cataclysmic shift in how things appear
- EX: When Mount St Helen’s erupted in 1980:
-- Those who were witness to it say it was dark for days/weeks afterwards
-- Volcanic ash is shot thousands of feet into the air literally covering the sky
-- So, if we’ve seen the destruction that one volcano can cause …
-- APP: Think of this kind of eruption on a global scale!
- Scientists have proven that volcanic ash is launched miles into the air
-- This soot could cause the sun to not shine b/c the air will be so cluttered
-- The prophet Joel predicted this reaction as well: Joel 2:10-11, “The sun and moon grow dark, and stars diminish their brightness . . . for the day of the Lord is great and terrible; who can endure it?”
- The bible says (v13) that even the stars will fall from the sky!!
-- John could be seeing meteors falling and crashing into the Earth
-- The damage from meteors is widely known, and this is on global scale
- Mountains shake, cities topple, houses crumble, and souls will take note!
-- Still, there will be those who are convinced that there is no God
-- These will strengthen the allies and positions of the Antichrist
- IMP: Note how those here cry out for mountains to fall on them!!!
- The Wrath of the Lamb is just that, God’s justified wrath
-- Why? Because we have chosen to constantly disobey Him
- IMP: The final outcome of the day of the Lord will be: “… the arrogance of man will be brought low and the pride of men humbled; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day” (Isaiah 2:17)
-- HUGE: Of all the terrible things this world has done; it ALL comes down to the same thing … our total disobedience to God who is to be praised
-- IMP: Adam started it and we not only continue it … but reproduce it
-- No one will be able to stand or match the awesome power of God
-- And this is ONLY the begging of the end!
- APP: So, what does this all mean to you and me, in February of 2014?
Ω Big Ideas
Ω - The first six seals unleash only the beginning of the judgment of God
-- IMP: ALL things are under God’s control but He isn’t playing games
- Think about the events that are unfolding in the world
-- Think about the prophecy of what is to come upon this world
-- Think about where you want to spend eternity?
Ω - The application for us today is this: Do we want to go through this?
-- Do we want our friends and family to go through this?
- If this is only the begging. How much worse will it get?
-- The answer is … FAR worse than you and I could even comprehend
-- Example: The fourth seal kills ¼ of the population (v8)
- Pray
- The Bible says that today is the appointed day of salvation
-- Without Jesus as your Lord and Savior you will see these times
- Today is the day to pray for strength from the Lord to ask Him to give you the boldness to witness to others.
- If Jesus came today, would you be ready?
