Revelation 6:1-8
Notes
Transcript
Handout
INTRO
What do you believe about the end days?
Rapture
15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
Divine Protection Through Tribulation
Noah
Joseph
Moses
David
Jesus
3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Ichabod Crane
Headless Horseman
4 Horsemen
How are we to live in light of todays text?
READER
Joel Patchet
1 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.
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.
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!”
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.
PRAYER
A - LORD God in heaven we praise your name. Praise be to the Lamb who is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals. Praise be to He who sits on the throne, and praise be to the Holy Spirit of God which does dwell in our hearts by the blood of that same Lamb. To you who is worth of all honor, and praise , and glory, and power, and dominion, and riches, and majesty, and authority.
C - Forgive us LORD for taking our eyes off of the promise of the lamb to never leave nor forsake us. Forgive us for our unbelief and doubt and fear.
T - Thank you Jesus for your testimony of this revelation of who you are.
S - Strengthen our resolve we pray. Give us wisdom and discernment on how to live in these evil days. Let us be drawn to you and your purposes in our lives and prepare us we pray for facing all that you have planned.
MESSAGE
REMEMBER
Revelation of Jesus Christ
Worthy to Take Scroll & Open Seals!
Exalting Jesus in Revelation Deception Is under God’s Control (6:1)
Warren Wiersbe notes, “Events will now take place because of God’s sovereign direction in heaven” (Be Victorious, 62). The riders come because God sends them.
The Horseman of Deception
The Horseman of Deception
1 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.
Opinions include (1) Jesus Christ (see Rev 19:11–16), (2) the advance of the gospel, (3) Apollo (representing false religion), (4) the antichrist, (5) the spirit of conquest, (6) government persecuting Christians, and (7) Satan’s servants in general.
Cannot be Jesus…
Antichrist… ?
2 Thessalonians 2:3–12 “3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. …7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. …9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
1 John 2:18 “18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.”
2 John 7 “7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.”
Secular Humanism has taken deep root in the Western world.
Evolution. There is no real evidence that God exists. The universe is the result of chance. Life forms gradually emerged over millions of years.
Situation ethics. Man is the final authority for his own actions. There are no absolute rules.
Moral freedom. Everyone (including children of any age) should be exposed to all viewpoints that are “realistic,” including profanity, immorality, and perversion—all seen as acceptable methods of self expression. The Christian gospel is not realistic, so has no place in the system.
Self sufficiency. Man is not accountable to any higher power. He is responsible to himself.
Sexual permissiveness. All forms of sexual expression are acceptable and should be taught in schools free from biblical bias.
Anti-religious bias. Religion is harmful. It is either meaningless or irrelevant to the question of the survival and fulfillment of the human race.
Socialism. Government ownership or control of the economy should replace private enterprise and private ownership of property. There should be an all-pervasive welfare state.
One world government. “Global citizenship” should replace national self determination. There should be a system of world law, enforced by an international police force transcending national federal government.
Death education. There is no life beyond the grave. Euthanasia should be employed and suicide endorsed as acceptable ways to terminate life. Population control.
Human destiny. Man should take charge of his own future and realize that he has within himself the power to achieve the world of his dreams.
Matthew 24:4–5 “4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.”
This Deception is Coming to Conquer… therefore prepare
Christ is the Conquering King… Rejoice !
Exalting Jesus in Revelation Deception Will Come to Conquer (6:2)
God sends this rider to reveal that which is true and that which is false, the real from the inauthentic.
The Horseman of Discord
The Horseman of Discord
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.
Imagery
Bright Red - natures warning
dragon / scarlet beast
Great Sword - (Pax Romana) - 18’’ Short Sword - dagger
Slay one another - civil war - international - world
Luke 12:53 “53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.””
Matthew 24:10 “10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.”
Mark 13:7–8 “7 And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom...These are but the beginning of the birth pains.”
Look at our world today and wonder !!
World War II General Omar N. Bradley delivered “An Armistice Day Address” in Boston.
“Our knowledge of science has clearly outstripped our capacity to control it. We have many men of science; too few men of God. We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount. Man is stumbling blindly through a spiritual darkness while toying with the precarious secrets of life and death. The world has achieved brilliance without wisdom, power without conscience. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war than we know about peace, more about killing than we know about living. This is our 20th century’s claim to distinction and to progress.”
Matthew 24:6 “6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.”
This Discord is Inevitable… Christ has foretold it
This Discord is Immense… beware and be warned
Christ is the Prince of Peace… Rejoice !
The Horseman of Deprivation
The Horseman of Deprivation
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!”
Imagery
Scales - common in determining costs
Proverbs 16:11 “11 A just balance and scales are the Lord’s; all the weights in the bag are his work.”
sacristy / inflation
Denarius = days wage
10-15 times normal price !!
food for one person
Oil / Wine
Rich / Poor
natural limitation - deeper roots - no one to work fields
Domitian AD 92 - edict
Saints to be delivered…
Outcomes
…
This Deprivation is Unstoppable
This Deprivation is Unbearable
Christ is the Living Water and Bread of Life… Rejoice !
Matthew 5:6 “6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
John 6:35 “35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
Revelation 7:16 “16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.”
The Horseman of Destruction
The Horseman of Destruction
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.
Imagery
Pale Horse - Green - (chlorus) - sickly
Personification of Death / Hades (sheol)
Outcome
given authority - 1/4 earth
In 1800 the world reached 1 billion in population.
In 1930 the world reached 2 billion in population.
In 1960 the world reached 3 billion in population.
In 1974 the world reached 4 billion in population.
In 1987 the world reached 5 billion in population.
In 1999 the world reached 6 billion in population.
In 2011 the world reached 7 billion in population.
By 2044, the projection is 9 billion.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ The Fourth Seal: Death (6:7-8)
By any standard of comparison this is an awesome judgment. If one-fourth of the world population is destroyed in the fourth seal, it would represent the greatest destruction of human life ever recorded in history.
one-and-a-half billion, more than all the wars of the 20th century combined… Where would all the bodies go??
This Destruction will be Extensive
Christ offers Life Eternal !
18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
CLOSE
Headless Horseman - galloping of hooves… Ichabod Crane… cross the bridge !!
Head of the Horseman = Jesus Christ !!
Deception is coming
Discord is coming
Deprivation is coming
Destruction is coming
So is the Christ, the living one, the king of kings and the Lord of lords!!
Come LORD Jesus come!
Group Questions
What might it mean that the “shadows of all four horsemen” are readily seen on the earth today?
Read Matthew 24:1–8. What parallels do you see between Jesus’ teaching and Revelation 6:1–8?
Why is dogmatism about the precise interpretation of this passage unhelpful? What are the most important lessons that are the clearest?
Why is it significant that the Lamb is the One who opens the scroll? Why would God unleash these judgments on the world?
How have you seen the Lord use evils like the ones in this passage for His purposes?
How can you see elements of the red horse already at play today?
What other biblical passages speak of famine? How has God used famine throughout Scripture?
How should Christians respond to the numbers of those who will die at the hand of the fourth judgment?
These verses reveal God’s mysterious providence, even through judgment and trial. Are there any trials that God is leading you through? How are you trusting in Him?