The women's study I attend at my church is back from summer break and will be studying Chapter 6 in the Book of Revelation this week. You can do a search on this blog for Chapters 1-5 by typing Revelation in the search column.
NOTES: CHAPTER 6
Rev 6:1 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."
In Chapter 5, Christ was the only One found worthy to open this scroll, which most bible commentators agree, is the title deed to the earth. Here we find Christ, the Lamb opening the first seal. This scroll contains 7 seals...all the judgments of God that will bring about the end of human history. The seventh seal contain the seven trumpet judgments and the seventh trumpet contains the seven bowl judgments. With the opening of the first seal the beginning of God's judgment on mankind begins.
The First Seal: False Peace
Rev 6:2 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.
The first four seals involve horsemen and riders...the four horses of the Apocalypse. The first horse, the white one, brings a false peace. Before the onslaught of real tribulation begins then, the world will be lulled into a deceptive peace. The world desires security and safety....this desire will play right into the hands of the Antichrist. The victory of this peace will not involve bloodshed. He will not conquer by military force but by deceit.
2Th 2:9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 2Th 2:10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 2Th 2:11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
Daniel 9:27 says it will be a peace brought about by agreement or covenant. The world will honor him and elevate him to a supreme leadership position because of what he has accomplished.
The Second Seal: War
Rev 6:3 When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come and see." Rev 6:4 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.
Red is the color of blood...war and judgment has come to the earth. It is important to note here the words John uses..."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. It is clear that it is God who is in control here...it is God who is bringing about these judgments. The use of a great sword indicates the extent and magnitude of the war. The antichrist will obviously figure largely here to preserve his power. Daniel 8:23-24 says this:
"And in the latter time of their kingdom, When the transgressors have reached their fullness, A king shall arise, Having fierce features, Who understands sinister schemes. His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; He shall destroy fearfully, And shall prosper and thrive; He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.
God's people will be among those with whom he makes war. And this is only the beginning of sorrows.
The Third Seal: Famine
Rev 6:5 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. Rev 6:6 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."
Famine...worldwide war is destroying the food supplies The extent and magnitude of the famine is seen in the price of both wheat and barley and in the protection and preservation of other cooking supplies. This is bad but still only the beginning...
The Fourth Seal: Death
Rev 6:7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come and see." Rev 6:8 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.
1/4 of the earth's population through war, famine and pestilence or by the beasts of the earth will be destroyed!
The Fifth Seal: The Prayers of the Saints...Divine Judgment is coming.
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?" 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.
The prayers of the saints. The persecution of believers begins very shortly after the tribulation starts and intensifies here at the midpoint of the tribulation after the antichrist sets himself up as God. Scripture literally says he makes war with them. Why are they slain...They are slain for the word of God and their testimony. The martyrs spoke God's truth to the unbelieving world in hopes of saving some from eternal destruction despite what it meant for their own continued existence. Their testimony to Jesus was loyalty demonstrated through their courage in speaking His word to others.
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? This reminds me so much of the psalms and David crying out to His Lord and asking Him how long would evil continue without the hand of judgment. If the heart truly wants what is right and not vengeance for their own purposes, there is nothing wrong with these kind of prayers. The prayers of the saints here are in alignment with God's will and His purpose. AND GOD RESPONDS...
He gives them a white robe to symbolize their eternal righteousness in Him and then tells them to rest until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was complete. Aaah...enjoy your rest...your prayers have been heard and will be answered without delay.
The Sixth Seal: Physical Destruction
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 prayers of the saints are heard and God acts to bring divine judgment upon the world....shaking both the earth and the heavens and causing the sun to become black and the moon like blood! This seal is so devastating and so terrifying that it can only be attributed to God.
The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.--Joel 2:31
Sadly, even as they acknowledge God's hand in the judgement, the reaction of the unbelieving world is not repentance but fear....overwhelming fear. They would rather die than face the wrath of the Lamb. All that was needed was an acknowledgement of their sin and need for God but their hearts had hardened.
The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. --2nd Thessalonians 2:9-12
Next is the seventh seal...within the seventh seal are the seven trumpet judgments...the last trumpet judgment contains the 7 bowl judgments. The worst is yet to come...John ends chapter 6 by rightly asking the question, "who is able to stand?" NO ONE. I cannot help but be reminded of Jonathan Edward's sermon...Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God or of Hebrews 10:31...It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
ADDENDUM
In reading different commentaries I discovered that Jesus end time message in Matthew 24 seems to fit well with the seven seal judgments described here. The following chart is from John MacArthur.
Matthew 24:4-5 - false peace - 1st seal
Matthew 24:6-7 - worldwide war - 2nd seal
Matthew 24:7 - Famine - 3rd seal
Matthew 24:7 - Earthquakes, death - 4th seal
Matthew 24:9 - Divine judgment - 5th seal
Matthew 24:29 - Cosmic darkness - physical destruction - 6th seal
Matthew 24:37 - Cataclysmic events (the seven trumpets) - 7th seal
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