The Revelation of Chaos Pt. 3
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Last Sunday, we began looking at the wrath of the Lamb as Jesus is opening the seals that bind the book, or scroll in chapter 5 that He and He alone is worthy of taking and opening...
I want to remind you today that in the book of Revelation, we are looking into the future…
I don’t know the future, the devil doesn’t know the future. All we know is what God has revealed to us concerning the future and we have it in our hands this morning.
One of the things that God has revealed to us in His precious Word is that this world is on a collision course with judgment!
There’s coming a time that the Bible calls “the great tribulation” or “the wrath of the Lamb.”
When Jesus walked this earth, He warned about the great tribulation:
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
When the church is raptured, or caught up, out of this world, the world will move into this time known as the tribulation period...
In chapter 6 as the Lord opens each seal, there are events that unfold on earth.
The first four seals are commonly referred to as the four horsemen of the Apocalypse...
The first - White horse - Deception - False peace
The second - Red horse - Destruction - War
The third - Black horse - Destitution - Famine
The fourth - Pale horse - Death - 1/4 of the world’s population is killed
This brings us to the fifth and sixth seal, which we will look at today...
As the fifth and sixth seals are opened, terrible things take place on the earth. Many are depressed by the events of Revelation. However, we must consider what this world has done and continues to do to God and His Son Jesus Christ. God has every right to judge mankind and He will exercise that right during the Tribulation. Let’s look into the Word as the Lamb opens these two seals.
The Fifth Seal - Destruction of the Saints
The Fifth Seal - Destruction of the Saints
9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
John’s focus moves from the tribulation on the earth to the vision of the martyrs in heaven.
There is a shift back to heaven at the breaking of the fifth seal.
The four horsemen went out conquering and to conquer, riding and bringing division, destitution, and destruction with them.
John tells us what he sees in heaven. He sees the altar in heaven—and his vision goes to under the altar.
Now, what he’s seeing here is not the saints who have been raptured and taken to Heaven.
He sees the martyrs of the tribulation...
They are identified as the souls of those who had been slain.
There will be souls saved during the great tribulation.
These people will pay a great price when they turn to God during the great tribulation.
When they refuse to take the mark of the beast, they will become the objects of Satan’s hatred and wrath.
They were not killed for their misbehavior, but for the message!
They were not slain for their sin, but for the scripture!
They did not die for their wickedness, but for the Word!
Their lives were not taken because of they were a burden on world, but because of their belief in the Word!
It will be a time of great persecution for the saints in the tribulation.
The main weapon that Satan will use during the tribulation will be decapitation.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Satan may destroy their bodies, but he cannot destroy their souls.
28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
We will learn more about these martyrs in chapter 7, but let me go ahead and clarify something: anyone living in the church age who thinks they can put off salvation until after the rapture will not be saved during the great tribulation.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
Anyone who has heard the truth and turned from the truth will believe a lie. That is an apostate - we’ve been studying them on Wednesdays - We find out here that these people will be sent a strong delusion, and they will believe a lie!
These souls under the altar had lived at one time on earth—they had been killed—there bodied had been decimated, but their souls had departed!
Their souls were being kept under the altar in a place near the Lord God! The “soul” of a man is the person—the inner consciousness, the living being in the body of men and women. Every person has a soul...
These martyrs have a soul and their souls will be taken to heaven and given a place under the altar.
They cry out for vindication! - by the way, when you sincerely pray, “Thy kingdom come!” - you are echoing their petition.
These martyrs ask the Lord how long it will be until He judges and takes vengeance on those who had killed them. The evil men who had shed the blood of the saints because of the Word of God and the testimony they held will be held accountable for their killing!
They receive a white robe (this speaks of their saved condition) and then they are told to wait and rest! God’s day of Judgment is coming—we do not know when, but we do know what is coming!
He tells these saints - “You just be patient for a while; this thing is winding down and it’ll be better after while!”
There are many things we do not understand in this world today. Why do the wicked prosper while God’s children seem to suffer? Why are there such injustices in this world? Why does God allow these things?
We must learn to take our comfort from the fact that our God is working out an eternal plan. It will be better down the road. He will balance all the accounts one of these days. Our duty now is to remain faithful even when we don’t understand what He is doing. He knows best!
The Sixth Seal - Disaster and Devastation
The Sixth Seal - Disaster and Devastation
12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
These verses describe a universe caught in the grip of a terrible cataclysm.
Earthquakes will rip through the earth with devastating power. Great clouds of dust and ash will the thrown into the atmosphere, dimming the powerful light of the sun.
“Sackcloth of hair” refers to the black garments worn by mourners. The moon will take on the appearance of blood as it tries to shine through a ravaged atmosphere.
The word “star” in this passage has the idea of a heavenly body.
Stars will fall to the Earth. Asteroids will hit the Earth.
There is no stability as the heavens above appear to roll up like a scroll and as the mountains and islands are moved out of their places by the devastating geological occurrences that are unleashed upon the earth in those tragic days.
Every person on earth will be subject to God’s great wrath! (v. 15)
Notice this: when these people begin to pray, they do not pray to God. They call on this natural world. That is where their faith is and this world will fail them in that day. There is no cry for grace or mercy from God. There is no confession of sin. There is only a desire to be free from wrath. Even in the midst of judgment, lost sinners are still selfish and unchanged!
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The martyred saints in Heaven are praying for God to judge sin.
The lost sinners on earth are praying to be delivered from the unflinching gaze of God.
The saint’s prayer will be answered the sinner’s prayers will not!
The Great Tribulation is coming! But there is a way out!
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
Come to the Lamb today and obtain salvation, while He is still dealing with men in mercy, come today!
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
Call upon Jesus today to save you…Repent of your sins, and turn to Jesus.
Believe in Christ today!