The Seals, Part 1

We will look first of all at an introduction that will somehow set the tone for our study of Revelation 6 verses 1 to 8.

And then we're going to identify each of those first four seals for you. And then, by way of implication, understand what that means for you and me this evening. But first of all, by way of introduction, we need to understand that these seven seals are representative of divine judgment that are going to be poured out upon the earth.

And these seven seals encompass the entire seven-year period of the tribulation that all culminate with the return of Jesus Christ. Now, for some of you, you're going to be lost here. I don't want you to feel like you're going to be lost. We're going to take you through this very system. So, you understand exactly what is being presented. But please understand this: that the first four seals that we studied this evening.

Are basically the first part of the tribulational period, the first three and a half years. When you come to the fifth seal, that is going to stretch. Into the second half of the tribulation, which is called the Great Tribulation, or the last three and a half years or 42 months.

When you come to seal 6 and seal 7, then you come to the greatest part of the tribulation. And out of the seventh seal will come. Seven trumpets. And out of the seventh trumpet, then will come seven bowls. So these seven seals encompass what's going to happen during the great and terrible day of the Lord. Now it's important to note that these seals in Revelation chapter 6 parallel the teaching of Christ in Matthew 24 and Mark 13 in a sermon commonly called the Olivet Discourse. So, I want you to turn back with me to Matthew 24 just for a moment.

It says in verse 3: And as he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, Tell us when will these things be? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? And Jesus answered and said to them, See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and will mislead many. We'll stop right there. Revelation 12, 9 says, the great dragon, the old serpent, called devil and Satan, who deceiveth the whole world.

Satan has a master plan, and it's in operation even today, as he seeks to gain control of the world. But read on Matthew 24. And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. There's going to be international disorder. There's going to be wars. There's going to be plenty of wars. When we see the second seal this evening, we will see war.

War like the world has never seen before. And once the war begins to surface during the tribulational period. It will continue on through till the end. And it will escalate to a greater degree as the tribulational period moves through. And then it comes to verse number seven. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And in various places, there will be famines and earthquakes. There's going to be inevitable devastation. That parallels with seal number three.

There's going to be famine. Famine in the land. We'll talk about that this evening. There will be international disorder like the world has never seen. There will be natural disaster as the world has yet to see. And then it says, Verse number eight, but all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. Christ says, This is just the beginning.

And tonight we're going to see the beginning. This is not the end. This is the beginning of birth pangs in those of you who have had children. Understand that the birth pangs come and they begin to come more frequently as you get closer to the delivery. That's the way it's going to be during the tribulational period. And then down in verse number 9, then they will deliver you to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on my account. That parallels the fifth seal. Because over in Revelation chapter 6, it says this about the fifth seal.

Verse number 9: And when he broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain. Because of the word of God and because of the testimony which they had maintained. And they cried out with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, how holy and true, wilt thou refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth? Christ said in Matthew 24, what's going to happen during the tribulational period is that people will rise up against you and they will kill you on account of me.

And the fifth seal parallels that by these souls who have been slain because of their testimony with the Word of God. Crying out, How long, O Lord? And verse 11 says, And there was given to each of them a white robe, and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer until the number of their fellow servants. And their brethren who were to be killed, even as they had been, should be completed also. That's the fifth seal. Incredible massacres by those who hate God upon those who claim to love God.

Tremendous. And then over in verse number 29 of Matthew 24, it says, But immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky. And the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Incomparable disaster. Disaster as if the world as the world has never seen. And the most unbelievable thing is that it's not until the sixth seal. That the world finally recognizes that Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, is behind the judgments upon the earth.

And even when they finally recognize it, they will not submit. And C 6 is about the catastrophe upon the earth. And then, of course, in verse number 30, and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming. On the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet. And they will gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

That will be the final catastrophe, destruction from trumpet and bold judgments that lead to the second coming of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Matthew 24 sums up the tribulational period. Revelation chapter 6 sums up the tribulational period in seven seals. The seventh, of course, opening and introducing to us the seven trumpets. And upon the seventh trumpet blowing. It introduces us to the seven bowls of judgment that come in rapid succession, one after another, as the birth pangs increase with intensity and frequency. Until the coming of the Son of Man. But tonight, our desire is to just look at the beginning of the birth pangs, the first four seals.

Let's look at them together. Let's identify them. Revelation chapter 6, verse number 1. Then I saw when the lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying, as with a loud voice of thunder, Come. The moment the Lamb opens one of the seals, one of the cherubims, one of the four living creatures, speaks with a thundering loud voice: Come! Seal number one.

And I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering. And to conquer. That's seal number one.

We're going to call that one de peace. False peace. It's not true peace. Who is this white horse? And who is it that sits? On the white horse. Some believe it's Christ. There are many people who like to interpret Revelation 6: as Christ because Christ comes in Revelation 19 on a white horse. The only problem with that is that in Revelation chapter 6, the writer comes with a bow. In Revelation chapter 19, Christ comes with a sword. In Revelation chapter six, The crown that is being worn on this rider of the white horse is a crown, a St, that was given to him.

In Revelation chapter 19, the crown that Christ has. Is a diadem. It's a crown of royalty. So there's a distinct difference between the one who comes in Revel 19 and the one who comes in Revelation chapter 6. Who is this? What is this? This is false peace. It parallels Matthew 24 about the immeasurable deception that will take place during the tribulational period. How do we know it's peace? Well, it says in verse number four: And another, a red horse went out, and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth.

So the first horse brings peace, the second horse takes peace away. It's a false peace. If you read through Daniel 7, Daniel 8, Daniel 9, as you realize the history of the Antichrist, he makes a covenant pact with Israel. Israel buys into the Antichrist, buys into what he's doing, believes in what he's doing. And when you get through Daniel 9, 27, you begin to realize that in the middle of the 70th week of Daniel's prophecy, In the middle of the tribulational period, the Antichrist commits what is commonly called as the ab of desolation, where he desecrates the temple.

He sets us. Heart on destroying the nation of Israel. He already has their loyalties. How did he get their loyalties? He won them over. How did he do that? Through delusion, through offering false peace, by giving them something. You see, he was able to ride in on a white horse. He was a savior of the world. He was a so-called Messiah of the world. He doesn't have to shoot his arrows. He doesn't have to use his bow. He was given a crown. Why? Because he gave the world what they wanted: a unified government, a unified religion, a peaceful society.

And is it not true today that there are people looking for some semblance of peace? But without Jesus Christ, there is no calmness of soul, no inner tranquility. Because Jesus said, I came that you might have peace. Not as the world gives, give I unto you. But I give unto you my peace, his peace, the kind he had, he demonstrated as he lived. Upon earth. Back to Revelation chapter 6, verse number 3. And when he broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, Come.

And another, a red horse went out, and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth. So you see, peace has already been established. But the rider of the red horse has the authority that has been what granted to him to take peace from the earth. That's pretty powerful stuff. That which has been established has now been snatched away by the rider of the red horse. And that men should slay one another, and the great sword was given to him. When you think of a red horse, you think of Revelation 12, verse number 3, of the fiery red dragon, Satan himself.

And he is behind all wars. He is behind all struggles anyway, because he is the prince and ruler of this world. But realize it was granted to him. Notice the phrase in verse number two, a crown was given.

Verse number four. It was granted to take peace. Verse number 6: a voice in the center of the four creatures. And verse number 8: and authority was given to them. It all helps you understand that what they had, are you ready for this? God g them. God gave them permission. God gave them authority because this is the wrath of God being poured out on the world. Satan can't do anything. Antichrist can't do anything unless God allows him. The power to do so. What's going to happen? Peace will end. That's number one.

Number two, men will slay one another. Terrible violence. We don't necessarily know the details, but we know that when the red horse appears, peace ends and people are killed. It might be through battles, it might be through assassinations, it might be through massacres. It might be through rebellion, but people will be killed because war will be pre. Seal number three.

And when he broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, Come. And I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard, as it were, a voice in the center. Of the four living creatures, saying, A quart of wheat for a denarii, and three quarts of barley for a denari, and do not harm the oil and The wine. The black horse. What is that? What does that represent? It represents famine. How do we know? Lamentations 5, verse number 10: Black is associated with famine and star.

The logical consequences of worldwide war is famine because food supplies are destroyed and those involved in producing food are destroyed. And in Matthew 24, verse number 7, we read it at the outset of our time together this evening. Christ predicted at the end times there will be famines and there will be earthquakes. And it says, I looked, and behold, the black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hands. What's that? The scales were used for measuring. Measuring what? They demonstrate the rationing that will take place.

Because there will not be enough food to go around, people will be famished and they will stand in line to receive their rations. And John hears a voice coming from the center of the four living creatures. And who's in the center of the four living creatures? But God Himself. God is speaking. And God is saying, What's going to happen? Because God is in control of what's going to happen. There's going to be a devastating famine upon the face of the earth, unlike the world has ever seen before. And God speaks as a reminder that his famine is a direct result of his judgment upon the world.

Devastating famine. In the light of these conditions, God cautions. He says this: Do not harm the oil and the wine. He cautions that the commodities used in the preparation of food is so valuable and so scarce and so rare, be careful you don't harm it because this is all you got. There's not much there at all. Deceptive peace, followed by destructive war, followed by devastating famine. Yet this is not the worst. This is just the beginning of the birth pangs. And then it says in verse number 7, And when he broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, Come.

See all the living creatures, all four of the cherubim, all four of those living creatures are involved in the breaking of the first four seals.

This is the fourth living creature. Says, Come. And John says, I looked, and behold, an ashen horse. And he who sat on it had the name death. And Hades was following with him. And authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth. To kill with the sword, and with famine, and with pestilence, and by the wild beasts of the earth. This color of the horse is the word chlorus, in which we get our English word chlorophyll. Chlorine. It refers to the sickly pale yellow-green color. It's the color of a corpse.

Fitting for the rider who sits upon this horse is named Death. And Hades, of course, follows death. Hades, of course, is the grave, the place of the dead. And so you have mass Death taking place during the opening of this fourth seal. And it says that authority was given to them, that is, death and Hades. Over a fourth of the earth. That means that a fourth of the world will die just as a result of this seal. Others would have already died because of the wars. Others would have already died because of famine and starvation.

But at the opening of this seal, a fourth of the world dies. Now, We have a little over six billion people in the world. That would mean that 1. 5 billion die at the open. And the ongoing of the fourth seal. How will they die? Sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts. The sword refers to murder or governmental action against citizens. We've already looked at that. The Antichrist has the power to wield the great sword. It was given to him to do so. Massive diseases. Will cause death. It could encompass natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods.

But as you go through the scriptures, you realize that in 1 Chronicles 21 and 2 Chronicles 20, Ezekiel. 14 verses 12 to 21 that pestilence and death and famine are used together throughout the scripture. It's part of God's judgment upon man. And so there will be many people who die because of disease. Throughout human history, disease has killed people on a far more massive scale. than all of our wars together. More Union and Confederate soldiers died from disease during the Civil War than were killed in battle.

An estimated 30 million people died during the great influenza epidemic of 1918 and 1919. And then it says, they will be killed by wild beast. What are wild beast? Do you know what the most deadly be on the face of the earth is? It 's a rat. Did you know that? A rat is the most deadly animal force. In the world. Annually, just in America alone, billions of dollars are lost because of what rats do to destroy the food. I'm not saying that that's exactly what the wild beasts are with the opening of the four seal, but History tells us much about the eff that rats can bring upon people through their ability to destroy food and to carry and spread.

Dise. This is just the beginning. I 'm reminded of Hebrews 10:3, where it says, It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands. Of the living God. So today, as the writer of Hebrews said, if you hear his voice, don't harden your heart as in the day of provocation in the wilderness. Don't do that. But say, Lord, I need to fall to you. I need to serve you. When I was 14 years of age, I heard a man come to our church and preach. On the eternal destiny of the unbeliever. And all that was going to happen to those who never gave their life to Christ.

It was after those series of messages that I realized I had no future without Jesus Christ. I had no guarantee that I would spend eternity with him. And I realized that hell was a horrible place. And that what God was going to do in the tribulational period. Was unbelievable. I didn't want to be a part of that. I gave my life to Christ. That was when I was 14 years of age. I'm 42 now.

Haven't regretted a day of it yet because God has proven him faithful. If you're here tonight, never giving your life to Christ, do so. Don't leave in an unconverted state. Don't leave still dead in your sins. Let's pray together.