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“The Wrath Of The Lamb!” • 8.23.20 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- It is difficult to have to leave the throne room of heaven, but that is exactly what is required of us to enter into chapter 6. It will be a jarring and sobering experience for us all.
- Truly, we will begin to have a new understanding of the phrase, "hell on earth!" In heaven, Jesus is holding the document of God's final dealings with mankind, the seven sealed scroll.
- The first three chapters of Revelation cover a span of 2,000 years of history. Chapters 6-19 covers just seven years, the period of Great Tribulation upon the Earth!
- With every seal opened in heaven, a new and awful reality descends upon the Earth. While they are given to us in a sequence, please note that they will happen over the entire 7 year period.
- This chapter will take us through six of the seven seals "Natural Occurring" seals. Let's begin in verse 1.
Text
• Revelation 6:1,2 : "Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, 'Come and see.' And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer." : John is "invited" by one of the four living creatures to come and witness what takes place on the Earth.
- When you are summoned by a living creature with a voice that thunders, you don't hesitate to come and John didn't. As the first seal is opened, a dazzlingly bright white horse emerges.
- The man who rode upon it carried a bow, but without any arrows. He is wearing a victor's crown that was "given to Him." From there, he goes out conquering, a reversal of ancient tradition.
- This person is crowned and then uses that authority to conquer. The NIV puts it this way saying he is "a conqueror bent on conquest."
- Who is this person? Remember that this is relative to God's judgment upon this planet.
- There are those that would have us believe that this is the Lord Jesus Himself, who they say, "conquered and was conquering Earth" through the saving message of the gospel.
- These commentators make this connection because Jesus returns to the Earth in Revelation 19:11, riding on a white horse. They cry "foul" when it comes to hermeneutical consistency.
- I would normally agree with them, but this is most certainly an exception to that rule. I'd encourage you to do a little comparison between this rider and THE Rider in Revelation 19.
- For one thing, the rider of the white horse is on Earth, while the Lamb is opening seals in heaven! Nothing is too hard for God, except where His own laws forbid contradiction.
- Jesus is omnipresent, but never is He separated from Himself or divided into two!
- Additionally, this rider is alone. There are no saints with him. When Jesus does appear, He WILL appear with His saints riding upon a white horse.
- You might also note that this rider has a victor's crown, while Jesus wears "many crowns" or diadems. His weapon is different, as he has a bow without arrows. Jesus comes with a sharp sword.
- It is fitting that this rider appears on a white horse, because this person is the Antichrist, a world leader who will be the accepted substitute by the nations for the true Christ.
- If you think about what is happening upon the Earth "post-rapture," you must understand that the vacuum left by the righteous will easily be filled with virtually any substitute.
- The Devil will have his moment to promote his most sinister servant and there won't be any resistance after the righteous are out of the way! The "Restrainor" will be gone! (II Thes. 2:5,6)
- Men will love him because of his warrior qualities and his "champions" pedigree. He will be a conqueror for a time, but as with most wicked men, he will attempt to conquer beyond his reach.
- Men will finally get the government that their wicked hearts long for. Verse 3.
• Revelation 6:3,4 : "When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, 'Come and see.' Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword." : The second seal coincides with the emergence of a fiery red horse, the second of the "four horsemen."
- Power was given to this rider to seize, to wrest peaceful conditions from the Earth. I find it interesting that you find the word "peace" nearly 400 times in scripture before this and none after!
- Right before the rapture of the church, before the "day of the Lord" begins, the world will be speaking of "peace and safety." (I Thessalonians 5:3) That will be shortlived!
- This rider will given the ability, as Pilate was once given "power" over Christ, to wrest peace from the planet. For a season of time, the world will live in perpetual fear of one another.
- The word "kill" is descriptive of slaying and butchering one another. The rider himself was given a butcher's knife, one that was made for killing animals and carving into flesh.
- What is different between what one might always see and this? This will not be localized violence. The entire planet will be engulfed in widespread violence and war.
- Instead of "rumors of war" there will be "reports of war. What you might see in a localized "protest" will be taking place in every city.
- Wherever the "government" isn't, there will be local and well armed militia wandering the streets. There will be no break from this kind of chaos.
- The devaluation of human life will be the ruling ethic of the day. Why will there be such widespread violence? Look at the results of the third seal. Verse 5.
• Revelation 6:5,6 : "When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, 'Come and see.' So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard 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 the wine.'" : A third seal and a third living creature calls John's attention to a black horse whose rider held a balance or scales.
- These are symbolic of the economy. Can you imagine the impact of countless souls being removed from the Earth? There is no economic recovery plan for that!
- Wheat and barley are essential ingredients that will undergo profound inflation. Interestingly, I heard one commentator note that the world's grain is at one year's storage at this point in time.
- If a war knocks out the supply chain, the ingredients to make a single loaf of wheat bread will be worth a day's wage! That's just for the base ingredients!
- Three quarts of barley was the ration for Roman soldiers in a time of famine! The entire Earth will be suffering from scarcity of food. No wonder people will be desperate and murderous!
- Ironically, the oil and wine, the luxury items of the day, will be ignored. Recently, during our time of quarantine, I noticed this phenomena.
- The bread aisle, the paper goods aisle and the dairy freezers were all nearly picked over at any hour. The liquor aisle was untouched! People don't want to drink when they can't eat!
- These luxury items are going to mock the inhabitants of earth, as they stand as a reminder of all the wasted years and values that are no longer applicable to them! Verse 7.
• Revelation 6:7,8 : "When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, 'Come and see.' So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth." : With the fourth seal comes the pale greenish horse whose rider is Death. The word is descriptive of the color of a corpse.
- You might think that murder was already covered. It is, but this is death from various other sources, combined with the "grave."
- The idea here is that men will die and will immediately be lost in an unregenerate position. They will go to the abode of the unrighteous dead before they go to Gehenna!
- The Great Tribulation period will be a time when many unsaved lives will be lost, to the tune of a quarter of the Earth's population will be lost!
- According to Google, there are 7.8 billion people on the planet right now. Imagine a quarter of that number gone, after you remove the untold millions of Christians who had been raptured!
- Many of these deaths that happen here will occur via "the sword," descriptive of the typical sword slung over the Roman soldier shoulder. This reference is to the death penalty.
- When Paul spoke to the Roman church, he instructed them to be obedient to their governing authorities, to offer them the respect that is due to them because they are God's institution.
- To fail in this would be incredibly shortsighted and Paul explains, even life threatening, as the government does not bear "the sword" in vain. (Romans 13:3,4)
- Unfortunately, the sword will be used by the Antichrist against those that are not loyal to his regime. Men will surrender their lives to government sanctioned oppression.
- Those that don't will die from starvation, as families will find it difficult or impossible to find enough food to survive. Death will run rampant and be around every corner.
- Then, John mentions that men will die from the beasts of the earth. This could refer to two outcomes. Genesis 9:2 speaks of the dread that animals have within them of humans.
- That is God's measure of restraint given as a safety measure for men. Will He reverse this in the Great Tribulation?
- The other idea is picked up in some of the other translations, which translate the thought as pestilence from animal born plagues and diseases. Think "mad cow," "swine flu" or "bird flu."
- Today, when there are outbreaks of these types, we immediately send organizations to stop the spread at or near the origin of the outbreak.
- What happens when there aren't enough people to get places or there isn't enough transportation to effectively mobilize a "W.H.O." unit?
- The point is that Men will be terrorized by the thoughts that their lives could end at any moment! Most who are wise, consider this as a truth today. In this day, it will be an expectation! V. 9.
• Revelation 6:9-11 : "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 testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, 'How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?'" There are no living creatures calling for John's attention and there are no further "horsemen." The fifth seal reveals a different and sobering reality.
- The general population of Earth is suffering from the wrath of God, while those that have come to believe upon Christ after the rapture, are still suffering at the hands of men.
- John's vision is of the altar in heaven where the prayers of the saints are offered, according to Revelation 8:3. Underneath it are the souls of people who had been martyred for their faith.
- The fact that these souls are accounted for under the altar reminds us of Leviticus 4:7 and the consideration that their blood, like the blood of the sacrifice, is a worship unto the Lord.
- These tribulation saints were slaughtered because of their loyalty to the word of God and for the witness that they repeatedly held onto. This vision must have been encouraged those listening.
- Here are these martyrs who are safe in the presence of the Lord though they are not without complaint. They wailed with a loud voice.
- They led the way, even as the prayers of the saints, the incense of heaven, was being poured out before the Lord!
- Even there in heaven, there is a repeated "call," the word can be translated "screamed," for justice! These souls, living in the presence of God, still cry out to the Lord for their brethren!
- They continually petition there, but never without a true understanding of why things have taken place. Notice that they petition the Lord, but they don't slander His character!
- They ask "how long," but they don't follow that up with an accusation against the Lord! He is "holy and true." On this planet, it is easy to lose sight of His character as we are surrounded by evil.
- Many of us have been guilty of impugning His character while in pain, not realizing that because of Satan's dominion, our planet leans heavily toward wickedness and random outcomes.
- On Earth, I have heard believers question God's love, His power and His honor. Glorified martyrs have a better view from their vantage point and aren't guilty of the same mistake.
- They know that real life isn't experienced here on Earth. Their real life began when they died in faith. Their perspective is heavenly and Jesus centered, therefore, they call Him "holy and true!"
- Yet, they also continue to acknowledge an injustice. "How long until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" There is a righteous expectation in their hearts.
- If the Kingdom that they gave their life in service of is real, then they will be vindicated.
- God will judge. He will decree a sentence against those that have harmed His people. He will separate the wicked from the righteous and reveal what side of history was correct!
- He will also avenge, which refers to executing a sentence. One word that is descriptive is to "retaliate" though, that in our day, that has negative connotations.
- The point is that God will take vengeance upon those that have harmed His people. Vengeance after all, is His to dispense and it was coming soon! Verse 11.
• Revelation 6:11 : "Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed." : Remember that the seven churches are listening. The church in Sardis was told that if they overcame, they would be clothed in "white garments." (Revelation 3:5)
- As these are petitioning, the Lord grants each of them a white robe, speaking of righteousness, as well as royalty. To these present in heaven, there is an answer.
- They would have to wait just a little longer. God conveys to them that they are to relax themselves, not to put them off or cause them to believe that their cause isn't right.
- The Lord will answer, but there is a grisly truth that will precipitate His action. There will be more that will join them. This is a very challenging moment for us.
- The Lord knows that more will be martyred and He even knows the number. That is difficult to consider. There are people living on Earth that will be captured and executed for their faith.
- Perhaps you look at this through a negative lens. "How could God allow any to perish?" You could also look at it this way: "He knows the very number and won't allow one more than that!"
- Either way you look at it, God knows what will happen and will allow it to take place! One thing that we can take comfort in is the regard that the Lord holds them in.
- These that have been saved after the rapture are not second class citizens. God sees them as fellow servants. They are colleagues. Associates. Servants of the same King!
- They will have a part to play in God's redemptive work. They are fellows and family! They are God's children as much as any member of the Church!
- In the end, it will bring God the most glory for their earthly lives to end in martyrdom. Only a Christian can have that perspective now!
- We understand that if it came to it, it would be better to surrender our own lives, than to lose our true life in Him! It is better to die in Him than to die without Him!
- These men and women of the Great Tribulation will speak far more clearly of their Messiah's glory than most of our death's will speak!
- They will have had to surrender their lives for the sake of their walk with the Lord, during the most intense period of human existence upon this planet!
- This doesn't take away from the glory that we share with the Lord, but it does give them a platform that will seemingly be far greater than ours! Why do I say that? Verse 12.
• Revelation 6:12-14 : "I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place." : The opening of the sixth seal brings celestial disturbance on a scale that has never been seen before. It begins with profound planetary seismic activity. It is one mega "seismos!"
- This is not a localized quake. This is a planet wide event unlike anything the world has ever seen! Please read Isaiah 13:9-13 and Joel 2:1-11 later on today and note the consistency.
- Some have believed that this will occur as part of an Earth axis tilt or a "Chandler Wobble." One thing for sure is that it will be the TRUE "big one!"
- The cosmos will also take on an eerie characteristic, as the sun will be blocked out of view as if a piece of sackloth hung in front of it.
- The supernatural darkness of Exodus 10 and the same that occurred at Christ's cross will terrorize men, even as the grey moon turns blood red! How will this occur? Look at the next phrase.
- Even the "stars" seem to have lost their orbits! This more than likely refers to "asteroids" or "meteors." During the Great Tribulation, the Earth is going to be pummeled by repeated impacts!
- The Earth's islands and mountains all head for cover, while the heavens above will have departed from sight.
- This dramatic geological re-ordering is why I'm convinced this doesn't take place at one point in time. For a while, there are recognizable geographic locations that will remain untouched.
- Toward the end however, this Earth will be a very different place to inhabit. I wonder why any would want to live for it!
- Doesn't it make you grateful for the faithfulness of God to have protected humanity from these realities for so long? At this point in time, all His previous protections have been removed.
- How do you think the world of unbelievers will respond when this happens? Verse 15.
• Revelation 6:15-17 : "And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and 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 His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?'" : Observe who is impacted by these acts. Every socio economic strata, from Kings to slaves, from great men to free men, from the wealthy to the mighty.
- The brave commanders will be crouching alongside of the draft dodgers, fighting one another for the only real estate that will matter.
- Every one of them, regardless of their station in life, will find themselves looking for any hole that they can find. Judgment and wrath will be the great equalizer!
- Now, here is an interesting thought. There are many who believe today that they will delay their commitment to Christ, leaving the Great Tribulation and even a martyr's death as their moment.
- This is a fallacious and foolish way to live for at least, three good reasons.
- First, you can't be assured that you will have the next breath or that you won't die unexpectedly. Most people die on this planet without warning.
- Second, you have no way of knowing what your true pain and fear tolerances are! Some of you will be tickled today and you'll give up your Grandmother's location!
- In a day of unrestrained wickedness, what measures do you think that they will take to force your confession? But here is the interesting thing.
- All of these people that we have just discussed reveal that it's not in their heart to confess! There is no call for mercy. No desire to repent!
- All they can think about is hiding themselves away! That has been and will ever be fallen man's response to God! "Well, maybe they just don't know yet that this is God's wrath." Wrong!
- By this time they are CONVINCED that what has transpired has a supernatural origin in Jesus! There is no guesswork. There aren't alternate explanations given by scientists.
- The media is not spinning a counter narrative. Those that have lost their lives for Jesus have spoken clearly about their God! They have called it the Lamb's! These men know who their enemy is!
- They know that He sits on the throne and that this is His wrath, the wrath of the Lamb Himself! They know that they have no power to stand against Him! Do you know who does?
- The person who has believed upon Jesus Christ! We have been given the power to stand in His presence and gratefully, that is exactly where the church will be when men ask this question!
Conclusion
- Chapter 6 is a sobering
look at the measured and deserved wrath of God upon this God rejecting planet!
Think about what we have seen.
- It's as if God has said, "You don't appreciate the blessing of an ordered and predictable universe? Let me take that from you!"
- "You aren't grateful for the health and peace that my governing and restraining hand has given you? Let's see how you like life without it!"
- "You reject my Messiah, my Son in whom I am well pleased, who offered His own blood to take away your sins and lead you to life? Fine. Here's the leader your actions deserve!"
- I'd much rather have Jesus, know His perfect peace, be satisfied with the life that He has given me and be assured that when I cry out to the Rock, He will hear me and hide me in Him!
- The Lamb has already taken the wrath that was due my sins when He died on the Cross. I pray that you will be able to say the same!
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