Who Will Stand - The Opening Of The 5th And 6th Seal (Parts 1 & 2) Series

Dr. Bradford Reaves

Crossway Christian Fellowship

Hagerstown, MD, USA

www.mycrossway.org

View this and other messages at: https://mycrossway.churchcenter.com/channels/8118

Introduction

It’s been a couple of weeks since we’ve held our study on the Book of Revelation. The last time we were together, we covered the opening of the first 4 of the Seven Seals opened in Revelation Chapter 6. So before we get back into the study, let us do a quick review of where we are at.

You will remember that the Apostle John is in the Throne Room of Heaven. He was translated up to the Throne Room of Heaven after writing the 7 letters to the 7 churches in Asia Minor. I think it is important for us to understand that there is a direct link between the letters to the seven churches and John’s vision in the throne room of heaven. It was a wake-up call to the churches then and it should be a wake-up call to the churches today.

Now, John is in the throne room and he witnesses the awesome and mighty power of God. It is a fearful and dreadful sight as John describes the flashes of lightning and peals of thunder coming from the throne and all of heaven surrounding the throne and giving continuous worship to God. In chapter 4 we see the ongoing worship of God the Creator and Sovereign.

In Chapter 5 we see from the throne is the emergence of a scroll sealed with 7 seals. This is consistent with a legal document and likely nothing less than the title deed to the universe. And as the scene unfolds in the throne room the heavenly beings ask, Revelation 5:2-3 “2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it,”

It is at this point we see the Lamb of God revealed, who was slain and is now alive. This is obviously Jesus. And it is he and he alone that can open the seals of the scroll. And as the resurrected Lord emerges onto the scene all of Heaven worships the Lord Jesus Christ. With that, we witness the commencement of the opening of the seals. Understand that the opening of the seals is the commencement of the execution of God’s judgment on the earth. As Jesus begins to break each of the 7 Seals, a judgment is released.

In every release, judgment, and verse, God is in control. This is not the prophecy of satan’s diabolical plan. These are not events that will happen ‘willy-nilly.’ This is God’s judgment on the world for the purpose of redeeming the entire world and extinguishing the damning effects of sin and evil forever. This is God’s plan, God’s power, and God’s sovereignty. The four horsemen are released because God commands it so. The seals are opened because God opens the seals. Therefore, our faith and our hope must always remain steadfast in Him and Him alone.

Now the last time we met we looked at the opening of the first 4 seals as they are opened one by one. With the opening of each of the 4 seals, a horse and horseman are released into the world. The first is a white horse and he concurs the entire earth gives a false peace (Rev 6:2). This is likely the antichrist or a world leader who will bring false peace to the earth. He has a crown, although not a diadem but a Stephanos or victor’s crown (Rev 6:2). This rider is going to bring false peace to the world. Perhaps because the world will be in such chaos after the rapture. He is going to do it through power, deception, and satanic worship.

The second seal is broken and a red horse appears. This horse will now bring war to the world that was enjoying a false peace. The third seal is opened and a black horse emerges, bringing famine and tremendous inflation. And then we concluded with the fourth seal being opened and a pale green horse emerging bringing death to the earth, killing 25% of the population. War follows false peace, Famine/Inflation follows war, and death follows famine.

What I want you to understand is that these are just not tragic events, but they are means of deception and control unleashed by the antichrist and his systems (and ultimately God's judgment on a world that has rejected Him). The same way we saw world control over the COVID pandemic. The same kind of manipulation we are now seeing through control of energy, the environment. The global stage is being set. Every single one of these seals is set up for opening at this very moment: Conquest, War, Famine, Death. This is a progression into the final judgment in a depraved and rebellious world that hates God.