WHEN THE SEALS BREAK: Living Faithful in the Birth Pains

🔥Main Text: Revelation 6:1-8, 12-17

Revelation 6:1–8 MEV

I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures saying, with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” And I looked, and there before me was a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow. And a crown was given to him, and he went forth conquering that he might overcome. When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come and see.” Then another horse that was red went forth. Power was given to him who sat on it to take peace from the earth, causing people to kill one another. Then a great sword was given to him. When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there was a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wages, and do not harm the oil and the wine.” When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” So I looked, and there was a pale horse, and the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed him. Power over a fourth of the earth was given to them, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.

Revelation 6:12–17 MEV

I watched as He opened the sixth seal. And suddenly there was a great earthquake. The sun became black, like sackcloth made from goat hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its unripe figs when it is shaken by a strong wind. Then the heavens receded like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the commanding officers and the strong and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains. They 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, for the great day of His wrath has come. Who is able to withstand it?”

Theme Summary: The opening of the seals in Revelation 6 reveals increasing birth pains of the end times—conquest, war, famine, and death—yet these tribulations call believers to faithful endurance, Spirit-filled boldness, and confident hope in Christ's return.

🕊️ INTRODUCTION

Let me ask you a question this morning: Do you ever watch the news and wonder if the world is falling apart?

In just the past few years, we've seen a global pandemic that killed millions. We've watched wars break out across continents. We've seen inflation skyrocket, food shortages spread, earthquakes shake nations, and entire populations flee their homes. Political leaders promise peace but deliver chaos. And every day, somewhere in the world, our brothers and sisters in Christ are being persecuted, imprisoned, and martyred for their faith.

Now, some people say, "It's always been this way. Every generation thinks they're living in the end times." And to some degree, that's true. But Jesus Himself told us there would be signs—not to make us afraid, but to make us alert. In Matthew 24:8, He called them "the beginning of sorrows"—or literally, birth pains.

And here's what we know about birth pains: they increase in frequency and intensity as the delivery gets closer.

So the question isn't, "Are bad things happening?" The question is: What does God want us to do while the birth pains intensify?

Today, we're opening Revelation chapter 6—the breaking of the seals. And I believe the Holy Spirit wants to speak to us about how to live faithfully, boldly, and victoriously in these last days.

Let's dive in.

POINT 1: THE LAMB OPENS THE SEALS—JESUS IS IN CONTROL

Scripture: Revelation 6:1

Revelation 6:1 MEV

I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures saying, with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.”

Before we talk about the Four Horsemen, we need to talk about who's holding the scroll.

In Revelation 5, John sees a scroll sealed with seven seals—representing God's redemptive plan and final judgment. And no one in heaven or earth was worthy to open it. John wept—until the Lion of Judah, the Lamb who was slain, stepped forward. Jesus alone is worthy. Jesus alone has the authority. Jesus alone controls history.

Now in chapter 6, the Lamb begins to open the seals. And here's the first truth we need to anchor in our hearts today: Even when the world seems out of control, Jesus is still on the throne.

🔥 Fire Bible Note:

The Fire Bible notes that the scroll represents "the unfolding of God's purposes in history and His final victory over evil." The breaking of the seals signals the beginning of the end-times judgments, but these judgments are not chaotic—they are purposeful, sovereign, and redemptive. God is bringing human rebellion to its climax so that He can bring His kingdom to its consummation.

📝 Strong's Word Study: "Opened" (Greek: anoigō, Strong's #455)

This word means "to open up, to disclose, to make accessible." It's the same word used when Jesus "opened" the Scriptures to the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:32 “They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the way and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”” ) and when God "opened" Lydia's heart to receive the gospel (Acts 16:14 “A woman named Lydia, a seller of purple fabric of the city of Thyatira, who worshipped God, heard us. The Lord opened her heart to acknowledge what Paul said.” ).

Application: When Jesus opens the seals, He's not unleashing random chaos—He's revealing what's been hidden. He's pulling back the curtain on the spiritual realities behind world events. And just as He opened the Scriptures and opened hearts, He wants to open your eyes to see what's really happening in these last days.

🔗 Thompson Chain Reference: "Sovereignty of God"

Thompson directs us to passages like Psalm 103:19 ("The LORD has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all") and Daniel 4:35 ("He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth"). God is never caught off guard. He is never scrambling for a Plan B.

💡 Illustration:

Imagine you're a child sitting in the backseat of a car during a thunderstorm. The wind is howling, rain is pounding the windshield, lightning is flashing—and you're terrified. But then you look up and see your father's steady hands on the wheel, his calm eyes watching the road. Suddenly, you realize: We're not lost. Dad's driving.

Church, the storm is real. The birth pains are real. But the Lamb who was slain is holding the scroll. Your Father is driving.

✅ Application:

This week, when anxiety tries to creep in—when you see another alarming headline or hear another doomsday prediction—pause and say out loud: "Jesus is opening the seals. He is in control. I will not fear."

POINT 2: THE HORSEMEN RIDE—BUT GOD'S PEOPLE ARE SEALED

Scripture: Revelation 6:2-8 (summarized; see full text above)

Now let's talk about the Four Horsemen. These are some of the most iconic and terrifying images in all of Scripture. Let me walk you through them quickly:

(v. 2): Conquest. A rider with a bow and a crown, going out to conquer. This isn't Christ—it's a false peace, a counterfeit authority, the rise of deceptive powers. White horse

(v. 4): War. Peace is taken from the earth. A great sword is given. People kill one another. Blood flows. Red horse

(vv. 5-6): Famine and economic collapse. A quart of wheat for a day's wage—survival costs everything. The rich are untouched ("don't harm the oil and wine"), but the poor starve. Black horse

(vv. 7-8): Death and Hades. A sickly green horse, representing plague, pestilence, and death by sword, famine, disease, and wild beasts. A fourth of the earth is affected. Pale horse

Now, here's where it gets personal. Jesus said in Matthew 24:6-8:

"And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows."

"Beginning of sorrows"—literally, birth pains (Greek: ōdin, Strong's #5604).

🔥 Fire Bible Note:

The Fire Bible explains that the Four Horsemen represent "the increasing intensity of divine judgment as the age draws to a close." But it also emphasizes that these judgments have a redemptive purpose: to bring humanity to repentance before the final day of wrath. God is patient, "not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).

📝 Strong's Word Study: "Sorrows" / "Birth Pains" (Greek: ōdin, Strong's #5604)

This word specifically refers to the pains of childbirth—the contractions that signal something new is about to be born. Paul uses this same word in Romans 8:22, saying "the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now."

Application: Birth pains are uncomfortable, even agonizing—but they're not the end. They're the prelude to new life. The world is groaning, but it's groaning toward the birth of a new heaven and a new earth. And the church is groaning too—but we're groaning in hope, because we know what's coming.

🔗 Thompson Chain Reference: "Signs of the Times"

Thompson connects this passage to Joel 2:28–32 “And it will be that, afterwards, I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. Even on the menservants and maidservants in those days I will pour out My Spirit. Then I will work wonders in the heavens and the earth— blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awe-inspiring day of the Lord comes. And it will be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors whom the Lord calls.” (the outpouring of the Spirit before the Day of the Lord), Luke 21:25–28 ““There will be signs in the sun and the moon and the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men fainting from fear and expectation of what is coming on the inhabited earth. For the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption is drawing near.”” (cosmic signs and the nearness of redemption), and 2 Timothy 3:1–5 “Know this: In the last days perilous times will come. Men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, slanderers, unrestrained, fierce, despisers of those who are good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying its power. Turn away from such people.” (perilous times in the last days). The message is clear: Watch. Be ready. Stay faithful.

💡 Illustration:

I heard about a missionary couple serving in a war-torn region. Bombs were falling. Supplies were running out. They were exhausted and scared. One night, the wife turned to her husband and said, "Should we leave? Should we go home?" He looked at her and said, "Honey, Jesus told us there would be wars and rumors of wars. He didn't say, 'Run.' He said, 'Don't be troubled.'"

They stayed. And in the next six months, they led more people to Jesus than in the previous three years combined. Why? Because when the world panics, the church shines.

✅ Application:

Don't let the birth pains paralyze you. Let them energize you. The darker the world gets, the brighter your light needs to shine. This is not the time to retreat—it's the time to rise up in the power of the Holy Spirit and declare, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus!"

POINT 3: THE CALL TO ENDURANCE—HOLD FAST UNTIL HE COMES

Scripture: Revelation 6:9-11

Revelation 6:9–11 MEV

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 testimony they had held. They cried out with a loud voice, “How long, O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then a white robe was given to each of them, and they were told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers should be completed, who would be killed as they were.

Now we come to the fifth seal—and this one is deeply personal.

John sees the souls of martyrs under the altar. These are believers who were slain for the word of God and for their testimony. They're not in torment—they're in the presence of God. But they're crying out, "How long, Lord? How long until You make things right?"

And God's answer? "Just a little while longer. Rest. Wait. There are more coming."

Church, let me be straight with you: Persecution is increasing. Right now, more Christians are being martyred for their faith than at any other time in history. In places like North Korea, Nigeria, China, Afghanistan, and Iran, believers are being imprisoned, tortured, and killed. And even in the West, the cultural hostility toward biblical Christianity is growing.

But here's the promise: God sees. God remembers. And God will judge.

🔥 Fire Bible Note:

The Fire Bible emphasizes that the martyrs' cry is not for personal revenge but for divine justice. They are asking God to vindicate His name and fulfill His promises. The white robes they receive symbolize their victory and righteousness through Christ. Their deaths were not in vain—they are honored in heaven, and their reward is eternal.

📝 Strong's Word Study: "Testimony" (Greek: martyria, Strong's #3141)

This is where we get the English word "martyr." It means "witness" or "evidence." These believers didn't just believe in Jesus—they testified about Him, even unto death. Their lives were evidence of the gospel's power.

Application: You may never be called to die for Jesus. But you are called to live for Him—and in today's culture, that can feel like a form of martyrdom. When you stand for biblical truth at work, in your family, or on social media, you're giving martyria—you're bearing witness. Don't back down. Your testimony matters.

🔗 Thompson Chain Reference: "Perseverance of the Saints"

Thompson points us to passages like Hebrews 10:36 “For you need patience, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive the promise.” ("You have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise"), James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he is tried, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” ("Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life"), and Revelation 2:10 “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tried, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” ("Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life").

💡 Illustration:

In the 1950s, five young missionaries—Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Pete Fleming, and Roger Youderian—went to reach the Auca tribe in Ecuador. They were speared to death on a riverbank. The world called it a tragedy. But their widows returned to that same tribe with the gospel, and the very men who killed their husbands came to Christ. Jim Elliot's journal said it best: "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."

That's the spirit of the fifth seal. That's the spirit of the martyrs. And that's the spirit we need today.

✅ Application:

Maybe you're facing pressure to compromise your faith—to stay silent, to blend in, to go along to get along. Hear the word of the Lord today: Hold fast. Don't trade your testimony for temporary comfort. The white robe is waiting. The crown of life is promised. "He who endures to the end shall be saved" (Matthew 24:13).

CONCLUSION: THE GREAT DAY HAS COME—WHO CAN STAND?

Let's bring it home.

We've seen three truths today:

No matter how chaotic the world looks, the Lamb holds the scroll. History is His story. Jesus is opening the seals—He is in control.

We are not appointed to wrath. We are appointed to witness. The darker it gets, the brighter we shine. The birth pains are intensifying—but God's people are sealed.

The martyrs are crying out, "How long?" And the answer is, "Just a little while longer." Your faithfulness matters. Your testimony matters. Don't quit now. The call is to endure—hold fast until He comes.

In Revelation 6:17, as the sixth seal breaks and the sky rolls back like a scroll, the people of the earth cry out in terror: "The great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"

That's the question of the ages. When Jesus returns in glory, when the heavens shake and the earth trembles, when every eye sees Him and every knee bows—who will be able to stand?

And here's the answer: Those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb. Those who are filled with the Spirit. Those who have kept the testimony of Jesus.

Altar Call

Church, I want to ask you today: Are you ready?

Are you living in such a way that if Jesus came back tonight, you could stand before Him with confidence?

Some of you have never surrendered your life to Christ. You've been putting it off, thinking you have more time. But beloved, the birth pains are increasing. The seals are breaking. Time is short. Romans 10:9 says, "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Today is the day of salvation.

Some of you are believers, but you've grown cold. You've let fear, busyness, or compromise steal your fire. The Holy Spirit is calling you back. Acts 3:19 says, "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord." Come back. Be refreshed. Be refilled.

And some of you need the baptism of the Holy Spirit. You need power. You need boldness. You need a fresh anointing to stand strong in these last days. Acts 1:8 says, "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me." If you've never been filled with the Spirit and spoken in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance, or if you need a fresh infilling, I want to pray for you.

If you need to respond today—salvation, rededication, or Spirit baptism—I want you to stand right where you are. Don't let this moment pass.

🙏 Closing Prayer

Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank You that the Lamb is worthy. We thank You that You are in control, that You see us, that You have not forgotten Your promises. Lord, we ask for courage to stand strong in these birth pains. We ask for boldness to share the gospel. We ask for the power of the Holy Spirit to rest on us afresh. For those who are standing, meet them now. Save the lost. Restore the weary. Fill the hungry. We give You all the glory. In Jesus' mighty name, amen.

📖 Benediction: Jude 24-25 (NKJV)

"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen."

Go in the power of the Spirit. The Lamb is coming soon. Be faithful. Be bold. Be ready.