Revelation 6 (2)

Chapter 6 Introduces the seven years of tribulation talked about within the pages of Scripture.

For those who believe in a pre tribulation rapture. This is the time directly after the Rapturing of the Saints When God's wrath is poured out on the world. And he deals with the Jewish people.

You see, as of now, as spoken about in Matthew 21:45 and in Romans 11:25, we are living in the fullness of the Gentiles, which specifically talks about the Gentiles are leading the religious and spiritual aspects of God's Kingdom.

However. After the Rapture, the Jews will once again step into the forefront as the world's religious leaders.

6 Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.

Who is the first 2 verses of Revelation Chapter 6 speaking about?

It is important to remember that Jesus is the one who is opening the seals. He is the only one who has the right and the authority to open the book

And so, it should not surprise us to learn that while Jesus is busy performing God’s ordained task that there's an imitator of Christ at work.

People assume the rider in Revelation 6 to be Christ because he rides a White Horse, wears a crown, and goes out to conquer… but that is not so, we read about Jesus's entry on a White Horse in revelation 19.

It's important for the believer to know it's important for the believer to know that for every truth that God has Satan has a counterfeit.

And it is here in chapter six that we get our first glimpse of the false Christ, the anti-Christ, who is called the beast in chapter 13.

So, while Jesus is opening the scrolls, Satan is busy about positioning the Antichrist to rule over the lives of people here on earth.

Initially the Antichrist will have the type of personality that people simply love to follow, they will willingly have him rule over their lives

3 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.

In these two verses we begin to read of the fatal conflict that is beginning to unfold

Red is the symbolic color of blood. And the sword symbolizes war in the text.

The peace that the Antichrist promises will collapse in the middle of the tribulation. For the first 3 1/2 years the Kingdom of the Antichrist will appear to enjoy peace, but then destruction will come.

1 Thessalonians 5:3 (ESV)

While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

The false Christ has come and brings with him a brand of peace that is not real and cannot last this will be followed by the war that ends all wars.

Then economic crash - the world economy fails…

5 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!”

Scholars and theologians have projected that the cost of a loaf of bread during this time will equal a day's wage.

To get an idea of what this will be like - quickly divide your weekly income by 7… The amount that you come up with will only be enough money to buy one loaf of bread - much less feed your family or pay for other necessities.

The text goes on to say that oil and wine are not to be touched - and this could mean one of two things:

1. The cost of bare essentials as represented by the bread will leave no money to buy luxuries, 2. Sure or that the wealthy will not suffer as much as the common people…

no matter which option is the correct interpretation… I think we can all relate and identify to the reality of what the situation will be…

The 4th seal reveals the fearful reality of calamities that wait on the horizon…

7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” 8 And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth.

The beasts of the earth - whether that be animals or evil rulers will bring death by various sources upon 25% of earth's population.

If you have ever heard a reference to the four horsemen of the apocalypse this is the text that is being referenced.

Horseman: Sword, Famine, Pestilence and Beasts

9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

Verse 9 -11 is our evidence that there will be people who give their life to Christ during the tribulation.

In the church age, Christian martyrs are told to turn the other cheek, to love their neighbors, to bless those who curse you, to do good to those who hate you, to pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you (Matthew 5:44)

we are told not to retaliate against evil done to us

however during the tribulation.,, we see the Saints praying for retribution crying out for vengeance and for justice, and for the power of God and his wrath to be poured out on those who have brought death and destruction

The tribulation Saints wait their resurrection in which there are three parts that correspond to the harvests of the Old Testament.

The resurrection of Christ was the first fruits - the general harvest is represented by the rapture/resurrection of church-age Christians In the gleanings are represented by the Saints of the tribulation.

Lev. 23:22 - And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.”

12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14 The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

Verse 12 spells out the final condemnation in that our earth will experience physical convulsions.

Sometimes you hear of meteorologists talk about asteroids or meteorites hitting the earth - but in verse 13 the Bible tells us that heaven will fall to the earth…

the prophets of old told us that this would happen… Joel 2… Isaiah 13… tell about a final condemnation that will come to those who stand against the Lord..

Jesus tells us in Matthew 24:29 - Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

In the book of Exodus the sun was darkened during God's judgment... Once again in Matthew 27 as Jesus hung on the cross

There will be cataclysmic events and topographical changes brought upon the earth - in fact the trauma on the earth is so great that at the conclusion of the 6th seal people are begging to die but they cannot.

What are they saying in verse 16… they begged the rocks to fall on them and hide them and yet they persist to refuse to allow Jesus to be the Lord of their life…

how hardened can a human heart become - it's sad to see the future of humanity - as pharaoh's heart was hardened against Moses so will the people's heart of the tribulation be hardened against Christ

perhaps they could be saved but they will choose not to be... they would rather die to give their life to Jesus