Revelation 6:1–17 - BibleStudy.ph

These are the original teaching notes from this passage.

Review…

The Throne of God…
- AFTER these things – with the sound of a TRUMPET – John was in the spirit…
- Called up to Heaven – where he would see what happens AFTER the church is RAPTURED!
- John saw the THRONE of God – TWENTY four elders – the Spirit of God – and FOUR angels…
- The FOCUS of ALL was worshiping God – HOLY – HOLY – HOLY!
- The Scroll in Heaven…
- In the right hand of the Father – was a SCROLL – sealed with SEVEN seals…
- The question was – who is WORTHY to break the SEALS – and open the SCROLL…
- No one in HEAVEN or on EARTH or UNDER the earth was WORTHY…
- Except the LAMB – and when He took it – ALL of heaven broke out in PRAISE…
- EVERYONE worshiped – in HEAVEN – on EARTH – UNDER the earth…
- He is WORTHY – because He was SLAIN – and redeemed the church [who is in heaven]
- Out of every TRIBE – TONGUE – PEOPLE – and NATION!

The Seven Seals…

The Outline… vs. 1
- 1^st – Set of Three…
  - THREE sections – Revelation 1:19
    - PAST – John wrote the things he HAD seen – vison of Jesus – Revelation 1
    - PRESENT – the things which ARE – the SEVEN churches – Revelation 2-3
    - FUTURE – AFTER these things – Revelation 4-22
  - THREE events…
    - The RAPTURE – Revelation 4-5
    - The WRATH – Revelation 6-18
    - The RETURN of Jesus Christ – Revelation 19-22
  - THREE judgements…
    - The seven SEAL judgments – Revelation 6-8
    - The seven TRUMPET judgments – Revelation 8-14
    - The seven BOWL judgment – Revelation 15-18
- 2^nd – The SEVEN seals…
  - Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals!
    - Picking up where we left off in Chapter 5 – Jesus [the Lamb] has the scroll in His hand…
    - He is WORTHY to open the SEALS – to REDEEM the lost world…
    - And to REVEAL the plan of God – written down before the world began – Revelation 13:8
    - From the perspective of John – this must have been an exhilarating moment…
    - But what he likely would NEVER have imagined – is the DEVASTATION that came with it…
    - For the opening of the SEALS – is the beginning of the SEVEN years of TRIBULATION!
  - The last SEVEN…
    - Beginning with the command to Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem [445 B.C.] – Nehemiah 2:1
    - Israel was given 490 years before God would establish His Kingdom – Daniel 9:24-27
    - But after 483 years – the Messiah came and was killed [32 A.D.] – Luke 19:41
    - Leaving SEVEN final years left on the CLOCK – before God brings an END to SIN!
    - We have been living in this PAUSE – for over 2000 years – the CHURCH age…
    - But the CLOCK is getting ready to restart – the final SEVEN years is ready to begin!
1^st – The FIRST seal… vs. 1-2
- 1^st – The FOUR horsemen… vs. 1
  - I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder – Come and see!
  - When Jesus broken the SEAL – NOTHING happened in heaven…
  - But one of the CHERUBIM [four angels] commanded John to go and SEE [imperative]
  - Something was taking place on EARTH – the FOUR horsemen of the Apocalypse!
- 2^nd – The White Horse… vs. 2
  - I looked – and behold – a white horse!
  - When John LOOKED – what he saw he also wanted us to SEE [imperative]
  - A WHITE horse – the FIRST of FOUR that come when the SEALS are broken…
  - There is some DEBATE over the identity of this FIRST horseman…
  - The fact he comes on a WHITE horse – lead some to believe this is Jesus…
  - Although Jesus will RETURN riding on a WHITE horse – Revelation 19:11
  - This is NOT Jesus – he is an IMPOSTER – a FALSE Christ – he is the ANTICHRIST!
- 3^rd – The Antichrist… vs. 2
  - He who sat on it had a bow – and a crown was given to him!
    - Unlike Jesus who has a SWORD – the Antichrist has a BOW [only here NT]
    - And he is GIVEN [passive] a CROWN – he is allowed [by God] to RULE!
    - He will be a leader [crown] who will rise out of Europe – the little horn – Daniel 7:8
    - He will make a treaty with Israel for SEVEN years after the Magog invasion – Ezekiel 38
    - There is a good chance he will have Jewish heritage – God of his fathers – Daniel 11:37
    - He will make PEACE by offering to rebuild the THIRD Temple for Israel – Daniel 9:27
    - North of the Dome of the Rock [monument] – in a place called the Dome of the Spirit…
    - He will rebuild the Temple – and Jews will embrace him – John 5:43
    - The rise of the Antichrist – is the KEY event the starts the Tribulation!
    - II Thessalonians 2:3 – “Let no one deceive you by any means – for that Day will not come unless… the man of sin is revealed…”
    - Yet he cannot be revealed until the church is RAPTURED – II Thessalonians 2:7
    - If he revealed himself now – we would all know who he is – tell the world not to follow!
  - He went out conquering and to conquer!
    - What is the GOAL of the Antichrist – he goes out [νικάω] CONQUERING [present] the world…
    - But there is no guarantee he will have [νικάω] VICTORY [subjunctive]
    - In fact – he ONLY gets SEVEN years – his time is LIMITED…
    - Because he is only ALLOWED [passive] to RULE for as long as God lets him!
    - COMMUNISM was founded on the idea – men do NOT need God [opium for the masses]
    - It sought to be the SALVATION of men – giving them a perfect life [utopia]
    - But what they actually got – was a ruthless regime – that controlled their lives…
    - They got a homicidal maniac in Stalin – who slaughtered millions!
    - It turns out people do not learn their lessons well – history is quickly forgotten…
    - The world is still looking for a SAVIOR – anyone other than Jesus Christ…
    - The Antichrist will be God giving them what they SAY they want…
    - But what they will find again – is a brutal dictator – the worst in all of HISTORY!
2^nd – The SECOND seal… vs. 3-4
- 1^st – The Red Horse… vs. 3-4
  - When He opened the second seal – I heard the second living creature saying – Come and see!
  - Another horse – fiery red – went out!
  - RED [πυρρός] – 2x in NT – also used to describe SATAN [dragon] – Revelation 12:3
  - It is likely this is the SAME rider – we are still talking about the Antichrist…
  - Who is just like his MASTER – he has the same COLOR as SATAN…
  - And AFTER the Antichrist begins to RULE – the RESULT is WAR!
- 2^nd – No Peace… vs. 4
  - And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth!
    - It was GIVEN [passive] to the Antichrist – to take PEACE [εἰρήνη] from the earth…
    - Following the chaos of the RAPTURE – and the MAGOG invasion…
    - The Antichrist will rise to power on a message brining PEACE!
    - I Thessalonians 5:2 – “They say – Peace and safety! [But] then sudden destruction comes!”
    - He takes PEACE – by removing the worship of Jesus…
    - He will demand to be WORSHIPED as the ONLY god – Revelation 13:8
    - But the moment Jesus is removed – there can be NO peace – Ephesians 2:14
  - That people should kill one another. and there was given to him a great sword!
    - The RESULT of not having Jesus – is men KILL [subjunctive] one another…
    - The whole world erupts in VIOLENCE – men live by the [μέγας] sword!
    - The moment fruit is cut off from the branch – it begins to ROT…
    - It can be slow at first – but eventually it become rancid – foul – terrible!
    - Psalm 14:1 – [Men] are corrupt… there is none who does good!”
    - The moment men are cut off from God – their true nature come through…
    - The result of REJECTING Jesus – is hey become decayed – rancid – foul…
    - What God created to be GOOD – ROTS spiritually apart from Him!
    - John 15:5 – “For without [Jesus] – we can do nothing.”
3^rd – The THIRD seal… vs. 5-6
- 1^st – The Black Horse… vs. 5
  - When He opened the third seal – I heard the third living creature say – Come and see!
  - I looked – and behold – a black horse!
  - BLACK [μέλας] – 3x in NT – specifically of permanent black ink…
  - Again this likely this is the SAME rider – we are still talking about the Antichrist…
  - But this speaks of another RESULT that will come from the rejection of Jesus – FAMINE!
- 2^nd – Famine… vs. 5-6
  - He who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand!
    - SCALES [ζυγός] – usually refer to a YOKE used to bind animals together – Matthew 11:30
    - But here it carries the idea of a BALANCE used to weigh out FOOD…
    - Because God knows how to get our attention – and NO food works if an effective way!
  - 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.
    - But do not harm the oil and the wine!
    - One of the Cherubim declared what FOOD would COST…
    - A KILO [liter] of rice [wheat] will COST – an entire days wage [δηνάριον]
    - THREE kilos [liter] of barley [tastes like dirt] will COST about the same amount…
    - But do not HURT [raise the cost] of the OIL and the WINE [people still need to get DRUNK]
    - The COST of FOOD will be VERY high during the TRIBULATION…
    - Because without the BLESSING of God – there is no guarantee we have enough to EAT!
    - Luke 12:31 – “But seek the kingdom of God – and all these things shall be added to you.”
4^th – The FOURTH seal… vs. 7-8
- 1^st – The PALE horse… vs. 7-8
  - When He opened the fourth seal – I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying…
  - Come and see – I looked and behold – a pale horse!
  - PALE [χλωρός] – 4x in NT – every other time translated as GREEN…
  - Perhaps with the idea of SICKLY – MOLDY – DECAY…
  - Again this likely this is the SAME rider – we are still talking about the Antichrist…
  - But this is the heaviest of all the judgements – it reveals the END result of following him!
- 2^nd – Death… vs. 8
  - The name of him who sat on it was Death – and Hades followed with him!
    - The name of the Antichrist is THE [ὁ] death [θάνατος] – the SECOND death…
    - Because wherever he goes – he brings people with him to HELL [ᾅδης]
    - There is ONLY one SALVATION – one victory over DEATH and HELL – I Corinthians 15:55
    - But for those who reject the LAMB – turn their backs on Jesus…
    - There is NO hope – only the terrifying judgment of God – and the Lake of Fire!
    - Hebrews 10:27 – “A fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.”
  - First HALF…
    - These first FOUR seals that are broken – the FOUR horsemen…
    - Are thought to represent the FIRST half of the TRIBULATION…
    - Covering the first 3 ½ YEARS – or 42 MONTHS – or 1260 DAYS…
    - But even in this SHORT period time – a LOT of devastation comes!
  - Power was given to them [four horsemen] over a fourth of the earth!
    - To kill with sword – with hunger – with death – and by the beasts of the earth!
    - POWER [ἐξουσία] – permission to do as they please…
    - GIVEN [passive] to kill FOURTH of the earth during the SEAL judgements…
    - By war [sword] – famine [hunger] – death [suicide?] – and wild beast [no food]
    - And additional THIRD of men will die during the TRUMPETS – Revelation 9:18
    - The population of the earth today is almost EIGHT billion…
    - And let us assume that at least ONE billion are RAPTURED [perhaps hopeful]
    - Then almost TWO billion [fourth] will die during the SEALS judgments…
    - Another TWO billion [third] will die during the trumpet judgments…
    - Meaning by the HALF way point of the TRIBULATION – half of the world is DEAD!
5^th – The FIFTH Seal… vs. 9-11
- 1^st – Tribulation saints… vs. 9
  - When He opened the fifth seal!
    - There is a CHANGE with the FIFTH seal – no angel has to tell John to LOOK…
    - Because what takes place is not on EARTH – it is in HEAVEN!
  - I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain…
    - John saw under the ALTAR – the souls of those who had DIED…
    - There will be MANY people who come to Jesus during the Tribulation – Revelation 7:9
    - But the COST for holding onto the FAITH – will be their lives!
    - Revelation 13:7 – “It was granted to [the antichrist] to make war with the saints and to overcome them.”
  - For the word of God and for the testimony which they held!
    - There is an ALTAR in heaven – much like in the Tabernacle – Exodus 27:1
    - It had been a place where the PRICE was paid – to allow men to come close to God!
    - For those who HOLD onto the WORD of God – the Bible…
    - To those who have a TESTIMONY [μαρτυρία] – where we get the word MARTYR…
    - Although they will LOSE their heads for their faith – Revelation 20:4
    - They will end up in HEAVEN – they will be SAVED!
    - But how much better to believe NOW – and be taken in the RAPTURE…
    - We have everything to GAIN – and nothing to LOSE – II Corinthians 6:2
- 2^nd – How Long… vs. 10
  - 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!
  - The LOUD [μέγας] and constant [imperfect] CRY of these tribulation MARTYRS …
  - How long – would the MASTER [δεσπότης] hold off and not JUDGE the world…
  - When was Jesus going to come RIDING out of HEAVEN – to execute JUSTICE…
  - When would God AVENGE the death of His people!
  - It is in our NATURE to WANT justice – the world is WICKED – why does God wait…
  - Although we LOOK for VENGEANCE – it is NOT ours to give…
  - Only the Lord has the right to JUDGE – because He is HOLY – what He decides is the TRUTH!
  - Romans 12:19 – “Beloved – do not avenge yourselves but rather give place to wrath. For it is written – Vengeance is Mine I will repay – says the Lord.”
- 3^rd – White Robe… vs. 11
  - Then a white robe was given to each of them.
  - It was said to them that they should rest a little while longer!
  - A WHITE robe was given [passive] to each of the tribulation saints…
  - The did not EARN them – they were a GIFT – forgiven and CLEAN through the blood of Jesus…
  - They were told to REST [ἀναπαύω] for a LITTLE [μικρός] time – Matthew 11:28
  - When we see them again – they will be worshiping [resting] in Jesus – Revelation 7:9
- 4^th – More time… vs. 11
  - [God was waiting] until their fellow servants and their brethren…
  - Who would be killed as they were – was completed!
  - But it was NOT yet time for Jesus to return – there were MORE to be SAVED…
  - The phrase – both the number of – is in italics and not in the original text…
  - God was not waiting for a NUMBER – He was waiting for other BELIEVERS…
  - Who would ALSO be killed for their FAITH in Jesus!
  - The PURPOSE of the TRIBULATION is not to JUDGE the world – it is to SAVE it…
  - All of the TRIALS that come as a RESULT of the SEALS being broken…
  - They are GIVEN [passive] by the LORD – so people can see the WORLD is not the answer…
  - A failed ruler – who promises peace – but ultimately bring destruction…
  - A failed morality – where we see the true violent nature of man…
  - A failed economy – where they have to work all day just to be able to eat…
  - A failed life – where all people see all around them is DEATH…
  - And God does not STOP – until He saves as many as He can!
  - II Peter 3:9 – “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise … but is longsuffering toward us not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
6^th – The SIXTH seal… vs. 12-17
- 1^st – Great Earthquake… vs. 12-14
  - I looked when He opened the sixth seal – and behold – there was a great earthquake!
    - When the SIXTH seal is broken – John sees the result instantly…
    - LOOK [imperative] there was a GREAT [μέγας] earthquake…
    - This even is spoken of throughout the Bible – Joel 2:31 – Ezekiel 32:7 – Matthew 24:29
    - It is appropriate we call natural disasters – and ACT of God…
    - There is no one else we can blame for an EARTHQUAKE than God…
    - If people are NOT willing to look to God after the first FIVE seals…
    - Perhaps a NATURAL disaster will get their attention!
  - The sun became black as sackcloth of hair – and the moon became like blood!
    - This was NOT an ordinary EARTHQUAKE – this was unlike anything seem before…
    - The suggestion is there is also VOLCANIC activity [two are connected]
    - VOLCANOES can shoot millions of tons of ASH – over 30km into the sky
    - It is has been well documented – that when there is enough DUST in the air…
    - It can BLOCK out the sun [black as night] – and turn the moon RED!
  - The stars of heaven fell to the earth – as a fig tree drops late figs when shaken by a mighty wind!
    - The EARTHQUAKE was not limited to the earth…
    - There will also be METEORS [stars] that come along with it…
    - They fall from the sky – like unripe figs when the tree is shaken by a STRONG wind!
    - It is possible – this is what CAUSES the seismic activity…
    - If there was a major collision of a multiple meteors – it would do unspeakable damage…
    - The kind of event Hollywood has made countless disaster movies about!
  - Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up!
    - HEAVENS [sky] were SPLIT in two [used when Paul and Barnabus split] – Acts 15:29
    - The scene looked to John like the gap in the middle of a rolled up SCROLL!
    - We do not often think of the SKY being effected by an EARTHQUAKE…
    - But the emphasis here – is there is NO where to hide from this DISASTER!
  - Every mountain and island was moved out of its place!
    - ALL [πᾶς] of them mountains and Islands on earth will be MOVED [passive]
    - This earthquake will reshape the landscape of the world!
    - Earthquakes are measured on what is called the Richter scale…
    - Every tenth of a number is double the intensity – 5.1 is twice as bad as 5.0
    - The strongest earthquake every recorded was in 1960 in Chili – 9.5
    - This will be far GREATER – the big 10.0 – nothing will be left standing!
- 2^nd – Hiding from the Lamb… vs. 15-16
  - Kings of the earth – great men – rich men – commanders – mighty men – every slave and free man!
    - Hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains!
    - When the EARTHQUAKE happens – ALL men will run and HIDE…
    - From the KINGS of the earth – to the RICH and powerful – to ALL the SLAVES…
    - What is ODD – is WHERE they chose to go and HIDE – under ROCKS!
    - The first thing you learn as a KID – is do not go inside in an EARTHQUAKE…
    - It is far more dangerous – because in the AFTERSHOCKS – it might collapse!
  - [They] 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!
    - These MEN who did not learn from the first FOUR seals…
    - They are NOT afraid of the EARTHQUAKE – they want to RUN from the LORD…
    - They command the rocks to FALL [imperative] on them…
    - So they can HIDE from the FACE of the FATHER – and the WRATH of the Lamb!
    - By the time we get to the SIXTH seal – those who are LEFT – do NOT want Jesus…
    - They are so in LOVE with their sin – they would rather DIE – than REPENT!
    - John 3:19 – “This is the condemnation… men loved [ἀγαπάω] darkness rather than light – because their deeds were evil.”
- 3^rd – The Day of Wrath… vs. 17
  - For the great day of His wrath has come – and who is able to stand!
  - Which brings us to the DAY of the LORD – the great [μέγας] DAY of his WRATH…
  - And by the time He is done – NO one will have the POWER [δύναμαι] to stand [passive]!