Revelation 6:1-8: The First Four Seals
Revelation - The Lamb is Victorious • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
Scripture
Scripture
1 Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.
3 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 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.
5 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard what seemed to be 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 wine!”
7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” 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.
Outline
Outline
Revelation 1 - Introduction
Revelation 1 - Introduction
Revelation 1:1-3 - Prologue & Benediction
Revelation 1:4-8 - Epistolary Introduction
Revelation 1:9-20 - A Vision of the Son of Man
Revelation 2-3 - The Seven Churches
Revelation 2-3 - The Seven Churches
Revelation 2:1-7 - The Letter to Ephesus
Revelation 2:8-11 - The Letter to Smyrna
Revelation 2:12-17 - The Letter to Pergamum
Revelation 2:18-29 - The Letter to Thyatira
Revelation 3:1-6 - The Letter to Sardis
Revelation 3:7-13 - The Letter to Philadelphia
Revelation 3:14-22 - The Letter to Laodicea
Revelation 4-5 - The Throne Room
Revelation 4-5 - The Throne Room
Revelation 4:1-11 - A Vision of the Throne Room
Revelation 5:1-14 - The Lamb is Worthy
Revelation 6-8:1 - The Seven Seals
Revelation 6-8:1 - The Seven Seals
Revelation 6:1-8 - The First Four Seals
Revelation 6:1-2 - The First Seal
Revelation 6:3-4 - The Second Seal
Revelation 6:5-6 - The Third Seal
Revelation 6:7-8 - The Fourth Seal
Purpose of Book
Purpose of Book
The purpose of Revelation is to challenge/encourage believers, who are expectantly awaiting the reign of Christ, to live faithfully for Him despite worldly circumstances, persecution, and the cosmic battle between God and Satan.
The purpose of Revelation is to challenge/encourage believers, who are expectantly awaiting the reign of Christ, to live faithfully for Him despite worldly circumstances, persecution, and the cosmic battle between God and Satan.
Main Point
Main Point
The Lamb, who alone is worthy, opens the first four of the seven seals and four horsemen are sent to bring destruction upon God’s enemies
The Lamb, who alone is worthy, opens the first four of the seven seals and four horsemen are sent to bring destruction upon God’s enemies
Seven Seals Introduction
Seven Seals Introduction
Two groupings into 4 and 3
The first 4 are the four horseman who we see in Zechariah
1 Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains. And the mountains were mountains of bronze. 2 The first chariot had red horses, the second black horses, 3 the third white horses, and the fourth chariot dappled horses—all of them strong. 4 Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5 And the angel answered and said to me, “These are going out to the four winds of heaven, after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The chariot with the black horses goes toward the north country, the white ones go after them, and the dappled ones go toward the south country.” 7 When the strong horses came out, they were impatient to go and patrol the earth. And he said, “Go, patrol the earth.” So they patrolled the earth. 8 Then he cried to me, “Behold, those who go toward the north country have set my Spirit at rest in the north country.”
In Zechariah the chariots and horses imposed God’s will upon His enemies who are oppressing His people with His heavenly army
In the first four seals we will see the same, God imposing His will against His enemies with His heavenly army
Revelation 6:1-2 - The First Seal
Revelation 6:1-2 - The First Seal
1 Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.
Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!”
Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!”
I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals
6 And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.
Jesus is sovereign over these events
The horsemen respond to the living creatures who are submissive to the Lamb Himself
I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!”
And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.
And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.
A white horse
Messiah
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.
Anti-Christ
7 And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them,
7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation,
Military force
Bow
Mounted archer
Crown
Anticipates the victory of the rider
Given to the rider by God
Conquering, and to conquer
Revelation 6:3-4 - The Second Seal
Revelation 6:3-4 - The Second Seal
3 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 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.
When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!”
When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!”
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.
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.
Bright red
Violent bloodshed
Permitted to take peace from the earth
God gives the rider permission to take peace from the earth
The Lamb does not incite war, but just removes the ability for peace - nature instincts take over
Again, the Lamb is sovereign over history
So that people should slay one another
Civil war and unrest
The province of Asia had known violent civil disturbance in 88 BC; more Jews were killed by other Jews than by Rome in the revolt of AD 66–70.
Given a great sword
Issuing judgments against His enemies
Revelation 6:5-6 - The Third Seal
Revelation 6:5-6 - The Third Seal
5 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard what seemed to be 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 wine!”
When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand.
When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand.
Black horse
Represents famine and economical hardship
Pair of scales in his hand
Measuring device used for commercial sales
And I heard what seemed to be 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 wine!”
And I heard what seemed to be 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 wine!”
Voice in the midst of the four living creatures
Most likely the Father sitting on the throne
A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius
Denarius was wages for a day - 8-16x greater than normal prices signifying a significant famine
Quart of wheat is enough for one person a day
Three quarts of barley enough for three people a day
Basic foods are now rationed at an extremely high price
Do not harm the oil and wine
Revelation 6:7-8 - The Fourth Seal
Revelation 6:7-8 - The Fourth Seal
7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” 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.
When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!”
When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!”
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.
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.
A pale horse! Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed him
Death and Hades
Realm of the dead where humans are held captive, but here they are personified and bring people into their domain
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
They were given authority
Once again, Christ is sovereign over this entire process including the devilish realm of the dead
Fourth of the earth
Not a literal geographic quadrant, but reveals the limited power of the rider to kill 1/4 of the people
Kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth
21 “For thus says the Lord God: How much more when I send upon Jerusalem my four disastrous acts of judgment, sword, famine, wild beasts, and pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast!
God issues judgment on unbelievers, but there is suffering for the true remnant - both suffer
Main Point
Main Point
The Lamb, who alone is worthy, opens the first four of the seven seals and four horsemen are sent to bring destruction upon God’s enemies
The Lamb, who alone is worthy, opens the first four of the seven seals and four horsemen are sent to bring destruction upon God’s enemies