We are continuing to look at the book of Revelation.  We are in Chapter 6 and we will be looking at the opening of the second through sixth seal.

Jesus is the only one who is worthy to open the seals

  1. The seals are the beginning of the end for evil in the universe
  2. It will all culminate with Jesus returning and His kingdom being set up on this world. (Revelation 19)
  3. The first seal is the person of the anti (instead of) christ.

Second Seal (Revelation 6: 3 – 4)

A release from the Being by his saying “Come”

  1. This horse is Red and it is Lawlessness and war
  • This horse was able to take peace from the earth
  • We are not dealing with a God that is finally mad enough to do something about evil
  • World has always want to live without its creator. (No man does righteous, all have sinned, all have went our own way. See Romans 3: 10 – 19)
  • By allowing man to go his own way, we will see the natural results of his decisions

2. Peace is a gift from God
3. Peace taken away and what is the natural result?

  • Over 150 armed conflicts in the world since World War II.
  • Over $1 trillion spent on military in the world each year.

4. This doesn’t just mean war though. It also means lawlessness

  • People will be killing each other.

Third Seal (Revelation 6: 5, 6)
1. The Being says “come”
2. This is a black horse which is scarcity or mourning
3. Balance in its hand. Need to carefully ration food that is being given out to people.

  • Life will come down to being able to afford the necessities.
  • A days wage for food.
  • Not all food will be destroyed. (Barley, wine and oil will still remain)
  • Even in release of mans wishes to live a life without God, he puts limits on what we are able to do to ourselves.

Fourth Seal (Revelation 6: 7, 8)
1. The Being says “Come” (control in the midst of chaos)
2. This horse is pale and it is called death

  • Kill 1/4 of mankind (limits)
  1. No wonder Jesus said for then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time,no nor ever shall be Matthew 24: 21
  2. 1/4 Dead at todays population is 1.7 billion people.
  3. Killed how?
  • Sword
  • hunger
  • death (through disease)
  • Wild beast (because of the war and famine)

Fifth Seal (Revelation 6: 9 – 11)
1. The beings are no longer releasing these powers.

2. Incredible murder of believers.

3. Scene changes here.

  • The four horsemen are allowed to go and show what the world looks like when God steps back to a certain extent and lest man do what man does best.
  • Now focus is in heaven and what has happened to believers.
  • More believers martyred last year than ever before Persecution
  • Why killed?
  1. Commitment to word of God (profession of faith in Jesus)
  2. Testimony means they were living it out in front of others
  3. Written in imperfect tense which means that there was a constant repetition of these two things.
  4. When The Lord tells us in Acts 1: 8 “you shall be my witnesses” It literally means witnessing to the point of martyrdom.
  5. Luke warm christianity will be a thing of the past. (See Matthew 24: 9, 10)

4. Cry for vengeance from the Martyrs goes up to heaven.

  • Justice rather than get back at them for what they have done to us.

5. White robes given which stands for righteousness (Church of Sardis Revelation 3: 5)
6. Rest awhile until the number is full

  • Some more martyrs are still to be killed.
  • This is a calling from God.
  • word can have two meanings here
  1. those who are killed is fulfilled
  2. character of those on earth is completed. (The way one lives is what makes them a martyr not the way they die)

The Sixth seal is opened (Revelation 6: 12 – 17)
1 Cosmic disturbances begin to happen. (See Zephaniah 1: 14 – 16; Joel 2: 10 – 11)
2.Thought this was man being let to go his own way?

  • All creation groans under weight of sin (See Romans 8: 19 – 22)

3. These things will happen in places that they have not happened before or like before.
4. Is this real or poetic?

  • John is just trying to describe what he saw happening in front of him.
  • Was it nuclear?
  • Was it divine?
  • We don’t know.

5. What we do know is that these events will cause people to run for the hills
6. There have always been antichrist, famines, wars, natural disasters, and the such. now we are seeing them magnified that people are noticing what is happening in the world and they recognize that it is supernatural.
7. The ungodly now become fearful. Who can stand?

  • Romans 5: 1, 2 We have been made right with God…we have come to a place of undeserved privilege where we now stand
  • 1 Corinthians 15: 1 Let me remind you of the Good News…you stand firm on it.
  • 1 Peter 5: 12… to assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace”

Jesus already bore our wrath on the cross