It's the End of the World
Notes
Transcript
S.R.
Cronavirus (Shanghai, other IP, online classes)
Cronavirus (Shanghai, other IP, online classes)
Coronavirus (Shanghai, other IP, online classes)
Learned some new terms, PPE, Level 2, 3 travel restriction, quarantine v. isolation and social distancing. Favorite is “fomite.”
I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest. When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword. When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six pounds of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!” When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth. When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been. I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the 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 their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”
I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest. When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.
Rev
Rev 6
“Lamb” most used designation for Jesus in Revelation. Not “Almighty Most Awesome King” “Great and Awesome Warrior,” etc.
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
In Rev. suffering and death = victory.
First two horses: 1) white horse, bow, crown (not same crown the the rider in ch. 19 wears). Conqueror bent on conquest; 2) fiery red horse, large sword. People kill each other.
Pictures of killing, war, conquest, conflict. Potential allusion to the Parthian army with #1 in that the Parthians were a pretty scary bunch to the Romans and had won a great victory over Rome some years ago. Parthians rode some white sacred horses and were exceptional with the bow and arrow. “Parthian shot.” Also, many OT passages refer to the bow as as weapon of war. God himself is depicted as a triumphant warrior with a bow in and .
Regardless if we have a direct reference to a foreign army, the message is that powerful warriors with powerful weapons are being unleashed upon the earth.
When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six pounds of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!” When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
We move from war and conquest to famine and more death. Lots and lots of death.
The rider on the black horse has scales revealing that the seller and buy of precious commodities are paying close attention to every grain. Each person only gets so much—rations. The good stuff-the wheat is far more expensive than low quality barley. And prices quoted here are very inflationary. Far more than a family could afford to live on for a day’s wage--almost as expensive as hand sanitizer and toilet paper! But inflation doesn’t treat everyone equally. The rich and powerful have access to not just the necessities like grains but the choicer things in life: oil and wine.
The pale (or green) horse is death and the armies of the underworld follow bring a torrent death by various means: sword, famine plague.
It’s likely that these “four horseman” aren’t meant to be be identified separately and deciphered/decoded on their own. I don’t see lots of historical references to each individual rider beyond the general allusions I mentioned. The point is a whole lot of hell is breaking loose and running wild.
If these images seem strange to you and don’t make a lot of sense, just keep them in the back of your mind the next time you listen to the news. Is there any good news? Isn’t it all death, killing, storms, global warming, stock market crashes, oil prices plunging, war and famine and COVID 19 deaths?
The Horsemen may be first century images but the realities to which they point are all too familiar. The world is terrible place where terrible people do terrible things. (Good news: police officers wearing body cameras gave a woman a ride and bought her son a B day cake and went to the party).
But hold on a minute: Is evil unchecked and unmatched? Where is God in all this hell-wreaked havoc? Well he’s guiding and directing all the players in the scene. He’s the director of the performance.
The horsemen scene is first introduced as the Lamb breaking open the first seal of the scroll. The image here is a rolled up scroll. As each seal is broken, another horsemen rides out. Where did the scroll come from?
Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.
Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals.
The scroll is the unfolding of the destiny of the earth as commanded and directed by God and carried out by the Lamb. Only the Lamb is worthy to approach God and take the scroll. As each seal is broken, a loud voice from one of the creatures around the throne calls forth each rider. And before each rider goes forth to run amok on the earth, he is equipped with his tools of destruction. 4x the text says the rider “was given”: a crown, power (2x power to take peace, power to kill), a sword. The authority and the power to unleash destruction is given, it is not inherently theirs.
The scroll is the unfolding of the destiny of the earth as commanded and directed by God and carried out by the Lamb. Only the Lamb is worthy to approach God and take the scroll. As each seal is broken, a loud voice from one of the creatures around the throne calls forth each rider. And before each rider goes forth to run amok on the earth, he is equipped with his tools of destruction. 4x the text says the rider “was given”: a crown, power (2x power to take peace, power to kill), a sword. The authority and the power to unleash destruction is given, it is not inherently theirs.
This dovetails with what we read in some of the prophets:
Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry; though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will destroy them with the sword, famine and plague.”
Harsh. God even says he has “four dreadful judgments”
“ ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Strike your hands together and stamp your feet and cry out “Alas!” because of all the wicked and detestable practices of the people of Israel, for they will fall by the sword, famine and plague.
“For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments—sword and famine and wild beasts and plague—to kill its men and their animals!
Is there any doubt who is in charge of judging the world? Is there any doubt who controls the world’s calamity?
Oh there’s a lot of questions behind that statement. See you in Bible class. I’ll ask one: why? Why does God do this?
Let’s go back to Sunday School. Exodus. The 10 plagues sent on Egypt. Why did God send the plagues? For judgment and salvation. These two concepts aren’t opposites, they’re two sides of the same coin. In the plagues, God Judged Pharoah and Egypt and tried to get him to repent and change his mind. He also then caused the salvation of Israel by securing their freedom in the exodus from Egypt.
In & 9, the Exodus story stands as the backdrop for God’s judgments on the earth. In ch. 9 seals aren’t being broken to unleash hell, trumpets are being blown by angels. Hail and fire mixed with blood fall on the earth, a third of the sea turns to blood, a third of the sea creatures die, a third of ships are destroyed, a star named Wormwood falls from the sky and turns the freshwater bitter, night falls, woe is proclaimed, locusts come to torment and torture. Riders come with more plagues of fire, smoke, and sulphur. And then a sad commentary in
The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk.
God is mad! He’s angry hurt and jealous! After all this, the rest that were not killed, still did not repent of the work of their hands. Pharoah won’t let my people go huh? Try this Moses, try this, try this. What about this? Try blood, frogs, lice, flies, livestock pestilence, boils hail, locusts, darkness and death.
Over and over what was Pharaoh's response? Pharoah hardened his heart. He eventually relented, but then what did he do? Saddle up my horse. Attach the chariots. Let’s ride.
So why does God do this? To get people to turn to him who sends the plague, who holds the keys of death and hades, who calms the wind, who was dead and is now alive, who searches our hearts, who controls the Coronavirus.
Over and over what was Pharaoh's response? Pharoah hardened his heart. He eventually relented, but then what did he do? Saddle up my horse. Attach the chariots. Let’s ride.
The New International Version Chapter 2
who holds the seven stars in his right hand
First two horses:
When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six pounds of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!” When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!”
In Rev. suffering and death = victory.
God simply wants our attention, wants us to acknowledge him, and worship him and not the idols we make with our own hands and skill.
Our hearts are open to hope when disappointment is strong.
“The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.” JRR T. The Fellowship of the Ring.
The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk.
“spare a few”
But I will spare a few of them from the sword, famine and plague, so that in the nations where they go they may acknowledge all their detestable practices. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
In our most recent plague, the plague of economic uncertainty, plunging oil, stock market crashes, and COVID 19, God wants us to fear him and worship him. God wants our attention and devotion. Does he have yours?
“The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.” JRR T. The Fellowship of the Ring.
Our hearts are open to hope when disappointment is strong.
“The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.” JRR T. The Fellowship of the Ring.