Good morning! Please open your Bibles to Revelation 6.
Some of you may find this hard to believe, but back in the olden days—the 1970s—there was no streaming, no DVDs, and definitely no pause button.
VCRs existed, but they cost over a thousand dollars, so nobody you knew actually had one.
If you wanted to watch a favorite movie, you had to wait for one of the three channels on your TV to show it.
Fortunately, there were a few you could count on every year.
One of them was The Wizard of Oz.
I remember how much it scared me as a kid. I’d run and hide behind the couch when the flying monkeys showed up, only to find out my brother and sisters were already there.
And when Dorothy and her friends crept through the haunted forest, do you remember what they were chanting?
“Lions and tigers and bears—oh my!”
But here’s the thing: Dorothy couldn’t get home without walking through the scariest part of the journey.
That’s what Revelation 6–16 feels like.
It’s the part of the Bible most people would rather skip. Only instead of lions and tigers and bears, we’re facing seals and trumpets and bowls—oh my.
But just like Dorothy, we find that home is on the other side of the scary parts.
When we reach the other side of these chapters, John will show us our true home.
We’ll see that God’s judgment isn’t chaos—it’s justice.
The seals, trumpets, and bowls aren’t about destruction; they’re about redemption.
They pave the way for a new heaven, a new earth, and a new you.
And when we get there, we’ll say what Dorothy said:
“There’s no place like home.”
So we are going to read Revelation 6:1-8 together— one of the scary parts— to begin our teaching time . Let’s stand to honor the reading of God’s Word.
[READ REVELATION 6:1-8]
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Let’s pray.
[pray]
Father, even in judgment, You are just. As we open Your Word, open our hearts. Help us to see Your control, even when the world feels out of control.In Jesus’ name, amen.”
1. The Seals: God’s Justice is Measured (Revelation 6-8)
Each time the Lamb breaks a seal, one of the four living creatures thunders a single word: “Come.”
The first four seals unleash what we’ve come to call the four horsemen of the Apocalypse.
The first rider appears on a white horse. He carries a bow, wears a crown, and goes out “conquering, and to conquer.”
Many see this rider as a counterfeit Christ—a spirit of deception that foreshadows what John elsewhere calls the spirit of the antichrist.
Then comes the rider on the red horse. He represents war.
He’s followed by the rider on the black horse, who carries a pair of scales—symbolizing famine and economic collapse.
Finally, there’s the rider on the pale horse. His name is Death, and verse 8 says a fourth of the earth’s population perishes.
A few things to keep in mind as we look at this:
First, this has been the pattern of human history. A conqueror rises up, promising peace—but it’s a counterfeit peace because it isn’t grounded in the Prince of Peace. Then comes war. War brings famine. Famine brings disease and death.
So yes, Revelation points toward a final fulfillment, but it also describes a cycle that has repeated again and again throughout history.
Rather than looking for clues about the end of the world, look for evidence that God is still in control.
Heaven is perfectly ordered. The Lamb opens the seal; the creature cries “Come”; and the rider appears.
Even the forces of chaos move only at heaven’s command.
Every seal reminds us that nothing happens until heaven says so.
God’s justice isn’t chaotic—it’s choreographed. Measured. Precise. Purposeful.
And notice: these are all permitted judgments.
• Verse 2: “A crown was given to him.”
• Verse 4: “It was granted to take peace from the earth.”
• Verse 8: “Authority was given to them.”
Each rider acts only by permission. Nothing gallops free of God’s authority. Even when evil seems to run unchecked, God still holds the reins.
In verses 9–11, we see the martyrs under the altar crying out,
“How long, O Lord, before You judge and avenge our blood?”
And heaven’s answer is simple: “Rest a little longer.”
That delay is not neglect; it’s mercy.
God’s judgment is sure, but God’s mercy delays it.
Then comes chapter 7—a pause between the sixth and seventh seals.
Four angels stand at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of judgment, waiting for the order to unleash the storm.
But the order doesn’t come—not yet.
First, God seals His servants—144,000 from the tribes of Israel.
I believe this represents faithful Jewish believers—those from Israel who have placed their trust in Jesus as Messiah.
It’s God’s way of saying, Before the storm breaks loose, make sure My people are safe.
The world may be unraveling, but God will still preserve those who belong to Him.
I love what happens next: Let’s read Revelation 7:9–12: [READ]
So added to the 144,000 faithful Jews is a vast multitude from every tribe and tongue and nation—all worshiping God together.
Do you see the pattern?
• Every time judgment builds to a breaking point, heaven pauses for mercy.
• Before the wrath, there’s worship.
• Before destruction, there’s deliverance.
• Before the end, there’s evangelism.
When the seventh seal finally opens in chapter 8, there’s silence. Half an hour of holy hush.
All heaven stands holds its breath—not because God is uncertain, but because His justice is awesome.
Before the trumpet sounds, there’s a reverent pause.
2. The Trumpets: God’s Justice Is Merciful (Revelation 8–11)
After the half hour of silence, seven angels are given seven trumpets. Then another angel appears with a golden censer, and verse 3 says he is given “much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints.”
It’s easy to miss that line. Sometimes we wonder whether our prayers really make any difference to a sovereign God.
If He has already ordained all of history, why pray?
But turn back to the opening of the fifth seal in Revelation 6:9–11, where the martyred saints cry out:
“O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
And they are told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants is complete.
I believe the trumpet judgments are God’s response to the prayers of His people.
Before judgment begins, prayer rises.
Every act of judgment in Scripture follows the cries of God’s people—Exodus. The Book of Judges. And now Revelation.
Our prayers matter. We may not see immediate results, but heaven is always listening.
• The first angel sounds his trumpet. Hail and fire burn up a third of the earth.
• The second strikes the sea, turning a third of it to blood.
• The third poisons a third of the rivers.
• The fourth darkens a third of the sun, moon, and stars.
Each blast intensifies what the seals began. But what do you notice? Every judgment touches only a third of creation.
God’s justice here is partial, not total.
His warnings are merciful, not final.
Even in wrath, God remembers mercy.
When we reach chapter 9, the fifth trumpet unleashes demonic forces from the abyss. The imagery is terrifying—locusts with scorpion tails, riders with fire-breathing horses.
But even then, notice: they’re on a leash. Revelation 9:
English Standard Version Chapter 9
4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
And they weren’t to kill them, but to torment them for five months.
The lesson? God is still holding back. He still hasn’t given up. He still wants people to repent.
Which makes verse 20 one of the saddest lines in all Scripture:
“The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent.”
I want to ask you, what will it take for you to repent of the sin you are holding on to? Do you need to get lung cancer before you stop smoking? Does your wife have to catch you looking at porn before you stop looking at porn? Do you need to get audited before you stop fudging the numbers on your tax return?
I mean, we look at “the rest of mankind” in verse 20, and we ask, “Well, how could they be so hard hearted?” But take a look in the mirror. I am willing to bet that there are a lot of people in this room who aren’t going to let go of a particular sin until they are facing the consequences from that sin.
So understand that God’s judgment is measured and it is merciful. 2 Peter 3:9 says,
2 Peter 3:9 ESV
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
There is a reason the trumpet judgments only affect a third of creation. It is to give the other two-thirds a wake up call.
There are a lot of other things that happen in the next few chapters, but time won’t allow us to cover them all.
• In chapter 10, A mighty angel wrapped in a cloud appears, with a rainbow over his head and a little scroll in his hand.
• There are the two witnesses in Chapter 11.
• There’s the worship break when the seventh trumpet is sounded in 11:15-18. Look at it:
[Sing the Hallelujah Chorus]
“The kingdoms of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,
and he shall reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15)
Now technically, the Greek says ‘the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.’
It’s singular — one kingdom, not many — and it uses the past tense as a way of saying the future is already certain.
But I can’t let go of the poetry of the King James: ‘The kingdoms [plural] of this world is become [present tense] the kingdom [singular] of our Lord.’ Because that’s exactly what’s happening — all the rival powers of the earth collapsing into one reign, and heaven announcing it as if it’s already done. God’s victory isn’t pending — it’s proclaimed.
Now, I know that Revelation 13 is probably the most mysterious chapter in the whole Bible.
Some of you may have come this morning hoping I’d finally tell you what 666 means.
But remember — this whole series is about looking at Revelation through one lens: God Wins.
So I’m not going to spend a lot of time on the Antichrist’s area code.
Here’s what I will tell you: the number stands for human power raised to its fullest, yet still falling short of divine perfection.
So it’s six, not seven.
And yes — I realize this whole six-seven thing is giving our culture fits right now. Honestly, it might be the dumbest cultural moment since the pet rock.
But Scripture’s really simple here: seven is the number of divine perfection, and six falls short of it—always has, always will.
It’s six repeated three times — not seven, not seven, not seven.
Falling short, falling short, falling short.
Humanity trying to be God without God.
The point isn’t who the beast is; it’s whose you are.
And that’s why this middle section of Revelation reads like a cosmic nativity story.
The woman gives birth to the Christ, the dragon rages but cannot devour Him.
The beasts rise up as Satan’s imitation of the Trinity — false rule, false religion, false resurrection.
But while the world chases the beast’s mark, heaven seals the Lamb’s people with His name.
There will always be pressure to conform to the powers of this world, but there will always be protection for those who belong to the Lamb. One mark brings wrath; the other brings worship.
So it’s time to stop obsessing over what the number means, and start rejoicing over what it means that Christ came into the world to save you from your sins.
Because every one of us falls short of perfection — but Jesus came as the perfect sacrifice to redeem us.
And on the day of judgment, you will either be stamped “falls short” or sealed by the Lamb, covered in His righteousness.
But some of you in this room—and some watching online—can’t rejoice yet.
Because you’ve never trusted Jesus to save you from your sins.
You’ve admired the Lamb, maybe even sung about Him, but you’ve never been sealed by Him.
So before we close, I need you to hear this last section.
Because there will come a moment when it’s too late to repent—too late to be sealed for redemption.
And that’s what the bowl judgments are about: not God losing His temper, but God closing the window of mercy.
3. The Bowls — God’s Justice Is Complete (Revelation 15–16)
By chapter 15, heaven is done pausing. The restraint that held back the winds now gives way to the full and final judgment.
Seven angels hold seven golden bowls “filled with the wrath of God.”
The bowls come swiftly:
• sores on those who worshiped the beast (16:2)
• seas of blood, (16:3)
• poisoned rivers (16:4)
• scorching sun (16:8)— and notice that the people still refused to repent.
• darkness (16:10)
• Finally the sixth bowl sets up the final battle between good and evil at Armageddon. We will deal with that next week.
For now, notice: Every bowl is full—no more “a third of this, a third of that.” No more pauses. These bowls represent the final judgment.
And in Revelation 16:5-7 , the angel says,
5 “Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments. 6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve!” 7 And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!”
Evil isn’t the last word. Judgment is. The prayers of the martyrs are finally answered.
The bowls don’t just destroy; they purify. They make room for renewal. They prepare the way for a world where there will be no more curse, no more beast, no more night.
For those in Christ, wrath is not your destiny—it’s your deliverance.
The same fire that consumes evil refines the redeemed.
The same justice that judges sin secures your peace.
And when the final bowl is poured, a voice from the throne declares: “It is done.” Revelation 16:17 echoes John 19:30
John 19:30 ESV
“It is finished,”
The same words Jesus cried from the cross now close the story of judgment.
The story that began with mercy ends with mercy.
Conclusion: When God Wins, We Win
The seals, the trumpets, the bowls—
they’re not three different stories.
They’re three camera angles on the same truth:
God is setting all things right.
When God wins, we win.
When justice tolls down, joy rises up.
So we can sing Hallelujah! Because the God who sits on the throne is making all things new.
And when the last seal breaks and the final bowl is poured, the people of God will finally go home.
And there’s no place like home.
[Response time]
Friends, Revelation doesn’t end with the judgment — it ends with a new heaven and a new earth.
These scenes are not meant to scare the hell out of you, but to draw you to Him while there’s still time.
Every pause, every “wait a little longer,” every partial judgment, is heaven’s reminder that God is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
But the story also reminds us: The window of grace is open wide today, but one day it will close.
And on that day, you will not be able to say, “I didn’t know.”
If you’ve been running from God, stop running.
If you’ve been standing on the fence, stop balancing.
If you’ve been wearing the name of the Lamb but living like you belong to the beast,
stop pretending.
This is the moment to look up and see the open door of heaven.
This is the moment to anchor down in the One who holds the scroll of history.
This is the moment to sing out — not in fear, but in faith.
Because the same voice that says “It is done” over judgment
once said “It is finished” over your salvation.
The blood that satisfies justice is the blood that secures mercy.
If you’ve never trusted Jesus as your Savior, today is your day.
If you’ve wandered, today is your way back.
If you’ve grown weary, today is your reminder that God has not lost the script — and He has not lost you.
So as we sing, come.
Come to the altar, come to the Lamb, come home.
Before the door closes.
Before the silence breaks.
Before mercy gives way to justice.
Come — while the invitation still stands.
