SEEK THE REFUGE
Revelation 6
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: GAS SHORTAGE
It was the start of a holiday weekend and the last "full-service" gas station was crowded. Finally the attendant hustled up to the local minister who had been waiting in line some time. "I'm sorry for the delay, pastor," he apologized. "Seems like everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a trip they knew they were going on." "I know what you mean," said the pastor. "I have the same problem in my business."
B. REVELATIONS CONTINUED
1. Today we’re continuing our series on “What God Says About the Future” part 6. We’re looking at the Book of Revelation chap 6.
2. In this chapter, the Lord Jesus is holding the Scroll of Destiny and begins opening its seven seals. Each time He opens a seal, John receives a revelation about what’s contained in the scroll. The seals are only anticipatory; nothing is happening on the earth yet. The scroll is still sealed until the seventh seal is opened, which doesn’t happen until Ch. 8:1. So the events decreed by the scroll are not yet released to happen.
3. The Title of this message is “Seek the Refuge.”
I. THE SIX SEALS EXPLAINED
A. THE HORSES & THEIR RIDERS: Rev. 6:1-11
1. TEXT (1ST) “Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a WHITE horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest” (2nd) “When the Lamb opened the second seal....Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword” (3RD) “When the Lamb opened the third seal...there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand” (4TH) “When the Lamb opened the fourth seal...there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.”
2. HANDOUT* ANSWERS: 1. Horses 2. Spirit of Conquest 3. War 4. Famine 5. Yellow-green 6. Tribulation Martyrs 7. Resurrection 8. Temporary 9. Second Coming.
3. The First Four Seals are judgments that will fall on the world AFTER the scroll has been opened. These are the former or earlier plagues hinted at in Rev. 15:1. When the Time of Jacob’s Trouble begins (Jer. 30:7, identical with the 70th week of Dan. 9:27), a spirit of conquest and war will sweep the Earth, followed by famine and death.
B. THE FIFTH SEAL
1. 6:9, “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.” They ask for vengeance.
2. This is not a judgment, but a revelation for comfort. These are tribulation martyrs whose souls are kept under the altar (the brazen altar was made hollow, Ex. 27:8), until they receive their resurrection bodies. They are given temporary coverings.
C. THE SIXTH SEAL: THE 2ND COMING OF CHRIST
1. TEXT: 6:12-17; “I watched as he opened the 6th seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They 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! 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”
2. This is a pre-vision of what happens in Rev. 19:11-21. One of the unique aspects of this description is that it not only tells the signs of Christ’s coming – His explosion across the universe – but it also shows the effect on mankind as they see Him coming.
3. There is evidently a period of time between when Christ is first sighted (by telescopes?) and when He arrives at Earth. The inhabitants have time to travel to caves and other places to try to hide from Christ.
4. They are all seized with remorse for their sins and terror at the expected judgment. This is a great vision for us, to remind us that we too will face Christ in all His power and glory, and no excuses for disobedience will be accepted. Even though we’re saved, we need to carefully consider how we’re conducting our lives! So let’s see what the Bible says about our responsibility before God.
II. WE WILL ALL STAND BEFORE CHRIST
“For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Rom. 14:10
A. EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE THERE!
1. Can you imagine when God takes hold of history and empties it?! When every man who ever walked the streets of ancient Babylon or Corinth with all its lusts, must account for himself? When “What happens in Las Vegas doesn’t stay in Las Vegas!”
2. Every king over England, the caliphs of Baghdad, the maharajas of India, the emperors of China, the Presidents, the billionaires -- are all going to stand before God one day! Can you imagine that?
3. Even the Supreme Court justices will stand that day before the Infallible Judge.
4. There are 2 different judgments: one for believers (Bema) and the last for unbelievers (GWT) separated by 1,007 years -- after the Rapture, the 7 years of tribulation, and the 1,000 reign of Jesus Christ.
5. The lost will suffer punishment in the lake of fire; but believers will be spared because of the blood of Christ. Christians will be safe from eternal death.
B. IT WILL BE A DAY OF EXPOSURE
1. “For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither anything hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.” Luke 8:17.
2. “In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel” Rom. 2:16.
3. Someone once said to that great scholar, Daniel Webster, "You have a colossal mind. What is the greatest thought that you have ever had?" He said, "I've thought about many things, but the most awesome, the most terrifying, the most shattering thought I've ever had, is my personal accountability to God one day."
4. In Rev. 6:16-17, the people “said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
5. Even believers will tremble when they appear before Christ to be scrutinized. The same apostle John who used to lean his head on Jesus and hear that divine heartbeat, said, "And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as a dead man" (Rev. 1:17). If John responded like that, what do you think you and I are going to do?! Paul said, “Therefore, knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…” 2 Cor. 5:11.
C. HOW WE’LL BE JUDGED
“Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” 1 Cor. 3:13-15.
1. DEEDS, ACTIONS, WORKS.
2. MOTIVES. “He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.” 1 Cor. 4:5.
3. WORDS. “But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” Mt. 12:36.
4. THOUGHTS, ATTITUDES. “For the Word of God…judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Heb. 4:12.
5. As it says in 1 Cor. 3:15, many Christians good works will be completely burned up: we’ll “suffer loss.” Let’s don’t let that be true of us!
D. MANY WILL BE SURPRISED THAT DAY
1. The Lord said there’s going to be surprise at the Judgment Seat. People will be saying, “But Lord, there must be some mistake!” In Matt. 25:1-13, five of the “virgins” waiting for Christ were shut out of the Wedding Banquet. They were shocked, "Lord, Lord, open to us." But Jesus answered, "I don’t know you."
2. On that day people will say, “I was a good parent for my kids. I taught Sunday school. I paid my tithes. I was a good citizen. I went to prayer meetings. I was a regular member of the church. Surely there’s a mistake! I must be one of the ones You approve!”
3. But the Lord will answer, “But the one thing that really mattered you didn’t do. It’s all about relationship! You never tried to get to know Me. I don’t know you. Go away from My presence.”
4. IT’S NOT ABOUT GOOD WORKS; THE KEY IS KNOWING JESUS. Matt. 7:22, “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you.’”
III. SEEK THE REFUGE!
A. PREPARING FOR WHAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT
1. Why were they people in Rev. 6:16-17 trying to hide? Because they didn’t listen to Prov. 22:3; “The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple [fools] keep going and pay the penalty.” (NIV)
2. We’re so careful to prepare for the future. People finance their vehicles for 70 months; their houses for 360 months. We have health insurance, life insurance and “Gap” insurance. Since we can plan ahead for things like that, why don’t we plan ahead for eternity also? For our souls?
B. WHAT IS THE REFUGE? JESUS CHRIST
1. David said, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” Ps. 46:1. The word refuge means “safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble. Something/one providing shelter.” If anyone can be a refuge, it’s God! God has made His Son THE Refuge.
2. “God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled “for REFUGE” (KJV) to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf” Heb. 6:18-19, NIV.
3. Jesus is the Refuge. When tornadoes or storms come, people go into storm shelters. In time of war, they go into bomb shelters. If you want to survive the Judgment of God, you must go into God’s shelter – Jesus Christ! He’s the ONLY way you’re going to survive. Seek the Refuge!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: “Where the fire has already been”
1. Pioneers were making their way across one of the central states to a distant place that had been opened up for homesteading. They traveled in covered wagons.
2. One day they were horrified to see a long line of smoke in the west, stretching for miles across the prairie, and soon it was evident that it was a huge grass fire, sweeping toward them rapidly.
3. They had crossed a river the day before but it would be impossible to go back to that before the flames would be upon them.
4. One man knew what must be done. He gave the order to set fire to the grass behind them. Then, when a space was burned over, the whole company moved back onto that spot.
5. As the flames roared toward them from the west, a little girl cried out in terror, “Are you sure we shall not all be burned up?”
6. The leader replied, “My child, the flames cannot reach us here, for we are standing where the fire has been!”
B. THE CALL
1. It’s the same with the judgment of God. When Jesus went to the cross, He took all the world’s sins and their punishment on Himself. The fire of God’s judgment for sin fell on Him.
2. The fire can’t burn where it’s already been. Since Jesus already suffered for our sins in our place, if we trust in Him, we’ll be spared the wrath of God for our sins, because it’s already fallen on Him!
3. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [But] If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8-9.
4. How many of you want to flee to God's Refuge, Jesus Christ? How many of you would say, "I need a relationship with Jesus?" PRAYER. Let’s determine to live for God more obediently and zealously than we ever have before.
*REVELATION 6 Handout
1. The first four Seals reveal four _________ corresponding to Zechariah 6:1-8, 1:8-17.
2. The first seal (6:2) brings a vision of a white horse and its rider interpreted as: a. Christ; b. the Antichrist; c. the Spirit of Conquest.
3. The second seal (6:3-4) loosed a fiery red horse representing _______________, or possibly anarchy.
4. The third seal (6:5-6) envisions a black horse and rider, holding a pair of scales in his hand representing __________.
5. The fourth seal (6:7-9) releases the specter of a pale horse, in the Greek, a ___________ __________ pallor, like a corpse.
6. After the fifth seal (6:9-11), the _______________ ___________ are pictured, crying for vengeance.
7. Why are these martyred souls “under” the altar? Because they don’t have a ________________ body yet.
8. The martyrs are given white robes, ______________ coverings of blessedness and purity.
9. The tearing of the sixth seal (6:12-17) gave John a vision of the ___________ __________ of Christ, the breaking up of the earth, the shaking of the heavenly bodies, and the earthly judgment of those who ignored God.
