Revelation for Now & Future Part 14
Revelation for Now & Future • Sermon • Submitted
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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.
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?”
Seal 5
Seal 5
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.
“Slain” = the second Horseman
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.
There is here a persecution to which John is alluding. The idea is certainly of those spiritually persecuted, but also those who are persecuted by their fellow man.
Let’s also be aware of the reality of the place of these martyrs.
“under the altar” v 9
The altar, the Heavenly altar, is the place of the sacrifice of Christ.
Which would make this an analogy.
Under the altar as a place of protection.
Under the protection of the one who is able, the only one who is able.
Why were they slain?
“for the word of God”
“for the witness they had borne.”
Faithfulness to the Truth in belief and action.
Thus, we call these “Martyrs”
“Died” = the fourth Horseman
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.
There is a rest here, as they are protected.
Yet, this does not diminish their sacrifice.
They cry for the avenger of their blood.
Think of Joshua
Think of the avenger of blood
Their is no city of refuge for the one who is outside of the blood of Christ.
There would be yet some time.
Here is where we can again look and see their is a former, present, and future fulfillment of parts of Revelation.
Some were dead and had been slain as Chapters 2 & 3 spoke about, but there were martyrs to come.
In essence, there is a number that has not yet been reached.
Seal 6
Seal 6
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?”
Before we dive further into the text, let’s remember the passage we read about the fifth seal.
In vv. 9-11, the martyrs are seeking the avenging of their blood.
Here, the judgement spoken of must be a time warp beyond the previous verses.
Remember, the martyrs were to rest until all their number had reached completion, in order that the judgement might come.
The Final answer to the saints plea.
Rev. 6:12-15 is the answer.
Vs. 12 - “a great earthquake”; “the sun become black”; “full moon like blood”
Here we begin to see to some of the comparisons of Judgement spoken of by the prophets.
31 The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
Notice this is exactly what happened on the day of the Crucifixion.
But here we see the end of days and repeat of the significance of what is taking place as judgement begins to be poured out and fulfilled.
Do not miss their is a time between vs. 11 and 12.
This passage is also seen at the least the earthquake in Rev. 11:13 Rev. 16:18.
13 And at that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
18 And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake.
We can also see the connection between Is. 34:12 and the Judgement of Rev. 6:15
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,
12 Its nobles—there is no one there to call it a kingdom, and all its princes shall be nothing.
18 And the idols shall utterly pass away.
19 And people shall enter the caves of the rocks and the holes of the ground, from before the terror of the Lord, and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth.
20 In that day mankind will cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats,
21 to enter the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs, from before the terror of the Lord, and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth.
Let’s compare these to the references of those given over to worship of the evil.
18 to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.”
19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army.
16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead,
15 And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.
There we see they have given themselves over to the worship of the beast.
What will come of these idolaters...
16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.
compared to the idolaters of Hos. 10:8
8 The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed. Thorn and thistle shall grow up on their altars, and they shall say to the mountains, “Cover us,” and to the hills, “Fall on us.”
Reflection for Today:
Reflection for Today:
Rebellion and Idolatry started in Eden and will continue until final judgement, but will increase.
Remember that all of this is to make the reader of aware, not cause fear.