The Seals of the Lord
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 16 viewsNotes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Good Evening Turn with me in your Bibles to . Now we have come in our study of the book of Revelation to the part where God begins opening the seals and we really get into some of the nitty gritty things of the book of Revelation. Into the actual events of the last days, everything up until this point has pretty much been introductory.
so let’s dive right in
Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.”
This Lamb is none other than Jesus Christ our Lord was was the sinless spotless Lamb who died for the sins of the world, and here in this text He is speaking and His voice is so loud it booms like thunder, and He calls the apostle John’s attention to something. He says come and see.
Revelation 6:2
And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
Now I believe that this rider on the white horse is the AntiChrist, and so you might say well how did you get that just by looking at a few words there?
Well the reason I believe that is that if we compare with , , and it is amazing how the events lineup exactly and we can very clearly see how the events that are described in are the same exact events of , thats why they culminate witht he sun and moon being darkened and the stars falling because it is the same event.
So once we see that the chronology of events lineup then we have to then understand that everything else in context should match up as well.
But if you look He says in verse 2 I looked and behold there was a white horse, well first of all we need to know that when Jesus Christ rides in on a white horse in then it would make sense then that the AntiChrist is someone who is a poser He is someone who claims to be Christ. The Bible tells us that He will decieve many into believing He is the actual Messiah. So He comes as a counterfiet impersonating Jesus Christ in this way.
It also says He had a bow, a bow is a weapon of warfare, and it says a crown was given unto Him, and then He went forth conquering and to conquer. Well if you’ll remember talks about the AntiChrist, it says that the dragon gave him his power and his seat and great authority. Here we see a crown is given unto him he is being given authority by someone else.
Now what I want you to do is put your finger in and turn over to , we can also do this with or but we might as well just do and its easier to stick with one book.
Let’s look at
Matthew 24:3-
Now 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?”
And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
Now let’s think about this when you ask someone when do you believe Jesus Christ is returning. Immediately they jump to thier safe zone, which is a smart thing to do. What is the safe zone?
“No man knows the day nor the hour of Christs return”
Very Biblical very good, but just because we dont know the exact day and the exact hour doesn’t mean we cant recognize the season as it get closer to the return of our Lord.
Notice when the disciples ask thier Master what will be the sings of the end of the age, Jesus didn’t say no man knows the day nor the hour, HE began explaining to them the signs that will take place before His return.
Now what is the first thing Jesus says as He begins to describe the events that will progressively lead up to His return?
False Christ
Jesus says many will come in my name and profess to be the Messiah, and you says now wait a minute He said many, well in
1 John 2
Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
So here in we see Him saying here many will come in the last days in my name saying I am the Messiah, and shall deceive many.
Then He says in verse 6
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.
So first Jesus brings up false Christs, the next things He brought up was wars and rumors of wars. Now flip back to the first seal opened was the AntiChrist riding on a white horse. Look at the second seal
Revelation 6:3-
When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.
So that matches up perfectly with what Jesus was saying in about nation rising against nation and wars and rumors of wars. Now let’s look at the 3rd seal.
Revelation 6:5
When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard 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 the wine.”
So what we see here in the third seal is that prices of food brought out. He says a measure of wheat for a denarius. Well how much is a denarius? Well if you study your Bible there was a parable about day laborers who worked all day a 12 hour day, and they agreed with the master of the house that they would each be paid a denarius.
This teaches us that a denarius is equal to a days wages of hard labor. Well if we were to think about that in terms off the economy of the Us if somebody goes to the labor ready place and gets a job for one day, and they were to work a 12 hour day, they are gonna walk away with probably 100-150 bucks but let’s just say they make 100 bucks....
Now can you imagine going to the store and paying 100 dollars for a loaf of bread?
Now thats a pretty steep price for food, and what that shows is that there is famine going on, because when your paying 100 bucks for a loaf of bread, this means that the demand is alot larger than the supply obviously there is a shortage of food.
Which is why the food is so expensive. So the first seal is the AntChrist going out to conquer he is not totally in power yet oh no he is just going out to conquer, the second seal next thing we see… warfare, we see nation rising against nation. Thats the second seal, the third seal we see these really high food prices.
well go back to
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
Notice there is the famines do you see how it falls in exact sequence? Now lets look at what comes after the famines.
Flip back if you will or look on the screen at now
Revelation 6:7
When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.
So what do we see in the fourth seal? basically death power was given unto them to kill how? SWORD HUNGER, AND WITH THE BEASTS OF THE EARTH
Its talking about alot of people dying through disease and natural disasters.
everytime there is an earthquake there is death.
we have discussed this before so I won’t go in depth into it but the rate and intensity of Earthquakes has tripled over the last 20 years to a rate never seen before in human history.
Revelation 6:9
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 testimony which they held.
So these are people who are being martyred for the cause of Christ, Billy Graham evangelistic society reported that more Christians were slain for their testimony of the gospel than ever before in history over the last 10 years.
These are facts, these are not sermon illustrations.
Let’s see if martyrdom fits in with
9
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.
And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.
Now let’s look again at
Revelation 5:10
And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.”
Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,
These martyrs are saying that their blood has not yet been avenged and that God is not yet judging the Earth. Obviously the fifth seal is not the wrath of God thats the devil thats the AntiChrist, this is why the rapture cannot have happened yet. So its very clear by what these sould are crying out to the Lord they are anxious for God to begin pouring out His wrath, but He hasnt done it yet, He is about to He says just a very little season and then it will be fulfilled.
What do we have next the opening of the 6th seal
Revelation 6:12
I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.
This is a very key event that precedes the coming of our Lord and were gonna cover that in a moment.
But go back to if you would. Now in what has become known as Daniels 70th week, we have firs the Anti-Christ comes in to conquer then we have wars then we have famines then we have death in large scale, then when we get to the fifth seal we have the people being martyred ...
Matthew 24:10
Then many will take offense, betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be delivered. This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations. And then the end will come.
“So when you see the abomination that causes desolation, spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place” (let the reader understand ), “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains! A man on the housetop must not come down to get things out of his house. And a man in the field must not go back to get his clothes. Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days! Pray that your escape may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. For at that time there will be great tribulation, the kind that hasn’t taken place from the beginning of the world until now and never will again! Unless those days were limited, no one would survive. But those days will be limited because of the elect.
He says these things are the beginning of sorrows, so the question arises where are we in history right now?
Have the seals begun being opened, in my study of the word of God, since the seals are not God’s judgement upon the Earth, but rather just hard times on the Earth I believe we can look to the words of Jesus to say yes the seals have begun being opened already.
Let’s look at what Jesus said right before the disciples asked the question, what will the sign of the end of the age be?
What prompted them to ask this question?
As Jesus left and was going out of the temple complex, His disciples came up and called His attention to the temple buildings.
Then He replied to them, “Don’t you see all these things? I assure you: Not one stone will be left here on another that will not be thrown down!”
This is the beginning of the list of what Jesus refers to as the beginning of sorrows. He is talking about the destruction of the temple as being the first in a long line of events that lead up to His return so we can establish that what kicked off this chain reaction was when the Temple fell to the Babylonians in 70 A.D. this began the opening of the seals just as Jesus said it would and as time has passed wars rumors of wars, worldwide hunger, earthquakes, price of living and food martyrdom have all increased in frequency and intensity. This falls right in line with the plagues God sent on the Egyptians when the Israelites were held captive and HE sent Moses to free them.
The plagues were gradual and increased in frequency and intensity until finally God poured His wrath out upon Egypt by sending the death angel, but remember those with the blood of the Lamb over their doorposts were spared from this terrible and final outpouring of Gods wrath. In the same way the seasl are much like the plagues they increase in frequency and intensity until the time comes when the church is taken out of this old world and God pours out His wrath full strength on those who are left on the Earth.
So just like the Egyptians endured the plagues Christians will endure the trials mentioned here by Jesus in both increasing frequency and intensity, until the Lord says enough and sends His wrath down for the wicked.
So we see nations rising against nation world warfare, then we see famines, then we see death on a mass scale, Earthquakes and all of these are the beginning of sorrows.
Then He gives us another key into understanding why we believe the church will still be here through the tribulation, He tells His followers they will see the abomination of desolation! He says when you see the abomination of desolation then there will be a GREAT TRIBULATION
Now we can already say that the first part of this is tribulation but when the abomination of desolation takes place thats when we enter the GREAT TRIBULATION, and at that time the persecution of Gods people will intensify, Christians will begin to be persecuted on a massive scale. BUT FOR THE ELECTS SAKE
Elect=Church
Elect=Church
Always it never means anything else, so the time of the great tribulation will be shortened for the sake of who? The church, those who are disciples of Jesus Christ. the reason why is because if you study it covers in great detail the events of the tribulation and the persecution against Gods people and you will see that your not going to buy or sell at this time, unless your willing to accept the mark of the antiChrist. Anyone who will not worship him will be killed.
That’s going to be great, great tribulation
Many believers will survive this time but many will be killed
Now there are those who see this passage where it says those who endure to the end will be saved, and they would say that somehow we have to make it through all of that and if we do then we will go to Heaven. But thats not really what its saying at all let’s look at
:
But we have to remember we are not justified or saved because of our actions or inactions we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ according to romans 12
Unless those days were limited, no one would survive. But those days will be limited because of the elect.
Acts 2:19
I will display wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below:
blood and fire and a cloud of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the great and remarkable Day of the Lord comes.
Then everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.
What this is saying specifically in it is referring to another passage in
Joel 2:32-
Then everyone who calls
on the name of Yahweh will be saved,
for there will be an escape
for those on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,
as the Lord promised,
among the survivors the Lord calls.
So what this is saying is that anyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved and delivered at the time the sun and moon are darkened. Thats when Jesus Christ comes in the cloud and thats when those of us who remain will be rescued from the GREAT TRIBULATION AT THAT TIME.
You kno were going to go through some hard days but thank God He is going to cut those days short for His church. He is going to come in the clouds and take us home thats a good thing because it gets way worse when God begins to pour out His judgement on the Earth.
Matthew 24:26-
So if they tell you, ‘Look, He’s in the wilderness!’ don’t go out; ‘Look, He’s in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the carcass is, there the vultures will gather.
So this is a ver clear scripture that is telling us that when Jesus Christ comes we wont have to wonder if this is really Him or if He is really here, every eye shall see Him.
reve
Look! He is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see Him,
including those who pierced Him.
And all the families of the earth
will mourn over Him.
This is certain. Amen.
So Jesus says when you have someone who claims to have a hidden knowledge of Jesus he says don’t listen to them, when He comes He will come as the lightning that shines from one end of Heaven to the other. Youll know that its Him, thats why the doctrine of a secret rapture is so false. because they claim that Jesus Christ came secretly everybody didnt see it, He said no youll know!
You know and in the movies they make from their viewpoint there is always someone who leaves behind a video tape that says if your watching this and I am not here then you need to know Ive been raptured and.... basically when you look at the Bible you should be able to see very clearly that this idea is not true. Because Jesus is gonna light up the sky from one end of Heaven to the other.
Then He makes this wierd statement.
For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.
Now what in the world does that mean?
well He just finished talking about CHrist coming in the clouds then He uses the conjunction FOR whever the carcass is there the eagles will be gathered together.
Luke 17:
I tell you, on that night two will be in one bed: One will be taken and the other will be left.
Luke 17:34-37
I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left. Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.”
And they answered and said to Him, “Where, Lord?”
So He said to them, “Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.”
Now if we were to look at that scripture right there i believe its talking about the rapture you have people being taken others left. If we look at and we look at it in context.
For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.
Were looking at Jesus Christ coming in the clouds, the coming of the Son of Man
then He said
Where ever the carcass is the eagles will be gathered together
Carcass is singular= body right?
Eagles is plural
Now why would eagles gather together at a carcass?
to eat it right?
Because eagles are birds of prey and Eagles and they are unclean the Israelites were told not to eat this animal because it was a predator.
it is something that eats a corpse
So when He says wherever the carcass is there the eagles will be gathered, and people think well this is a negative gathering I mean come on its weird right I mean a dead body?
Yeah but not when your an EAGLE, I MEAN WHEN YOUR AN EAGLE A CARCASS IS A BUFFET RIGHT?
But Jesus talks about how He will come in the clouds and one will be taken and the other left, and they says where Lord?
Then in the same passage of Jesus replies wheresoever the carcass is there the eagles shall be gathered.
If we look up the word Eagle in the Bible there is a scripture when they are leaving theland of Egypt and He says:
‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.
You know its very similar to the wording here.
So for some reason He chooses to use this odd illustration about Eagles feasting on a carcass, but basically He is saying the Eagles will be brought together to the carcass and it is symbolic of the fact that we will be gathered together unto Jesus Christ.
Matthew 24:29
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
So we have Jesus coming in the clouds as lihgting shining from one end of HEaven to the other thats in verse 27, in verse 30 we have the son of man in the clouds again and then in verse 31 we have the elect being gathered together unto Him. This is the rapture of the church.
Revelaiton
for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Now you might say well thats a bizarre illustration and interpretation were not going to eat JEsus, oh realy?
Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.
Now we got to get into the day of the Lord
Matthew 24:29
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Revelation 6:12-
I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and 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, and who is able to stand?”
Now what is the day of the Lord?
i believe it is a literal day on the calendar, its an actual day I dont believe it refers to a frame of time, I believe it is a specific day that only the Lord knows about. that day is characterized by total darkness of sun, moon, and stars. its also characterized by Gods wrath being poured out.
When the sun moon and stars are dakrened we have already seen that were outta here so is this a good day for us or a bad day?
good day
Listen to the reality for them who will be left.
So these people are afraid of the wrath of Jesus Christ and they want to be hidden from His face.
You say ok thats great but where do you find the rapture in Revelation well you find it in the next chapter
Now remember John is seeing the throne room of Heaven at this point. Now watch what happens in chapter 7
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever.
Amen.”
Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?”
And I said to him, “Sir, you know.”
So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Revelation 7:9-
Explain
Isaiah 13:6-
Wail, for the day of the Lord is at hand!
It will come as destruction from the Almighty.
Therefore all hands will be limp,
Every man’s heart will melt,
And they will be afraid.
Pangs and sorrows will take hold of them;
They will be in pain as a woman in childbirth;
They will be amazed at one another;
Their faces will be like flames.