Revelation 6:1-17   Four Riders on the Horizon

 

Intro: As we come to Ch. 6 – we come to that section of the Book of Rev. that deals w/ the time Known as the Tribulation

A)   Some of you might being thinking – Well it’s about time – now we can make sense of this stuff

 

B)   I want you to know that I don’t necessarily feel that way – Though the things we are going to look at in ch.s 6-19 are Fascinating

1)                 I personally find it to be very Sobering /That  This is what is going to happen to those who are  left on planet earth

 

A)   What we have in this section is the  Horrific DETAILS of what is going to happen when God’s wrath is poured out upon a World that rejected J.C

 

 

We noted that a Key to understanding the Book of Rev. is given to us I  GOD’S DIVINE OUTLINE Ch.1: 19 "Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, &  the things which will take place after this.

 

A)   Key to understanding this book – HAVE SEEN / VISION IN CH.1

1)                 ARE – letters to 7 Churches – ( complete Church age)

 

A)   AFTER THIS :  after what ? After the Church age is completed - 

 

B)    Ch.  4:1  After these things  ( Same word – Metatauta – After the Church age is completed John says

 

I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this."

 

C)   We noted that the Language here is very similar to 1 Thess. 4 in describing that event known as the Rapture of the Church –

1)                 Voice like a TRUMPET – the Church is caught up into Heaven –

A)   Also noted that the Church is mentioned – 19 times in the first 3 Ch’s but is not scene again until – Ch. 19 when we are seen returning w/ the Lord

 

Outline

Ch. 1 Vision of the Lamb

        Ch. 2,3  – The Letters of the lamb to the Churches

             Ch. 4,5 We see the Glory of the Lamb in Heaven/ Church in Heaven

                           Ch. 6-19 – The Wrath of the Lamb being Poured out

                                   Ch. 19-22 The Reign of the Lamb

 

B)   Today we are beginning Wrath - Only Comfort is we are not going to be here – NOT APPOINTED UNTO WRATH !!!!/ But to obtain Salvation –

1) This time is going to be Radical – You won’t want to be here !!!!

 

 

When You look at the World today it is hard to Believe that – it could get any worse – but its is going to

A)   A man was in a toy store where he saw this toy that looked really complicated – what is that ?

 

B)   It is a New Educational toy – it is supposed to teach kids about life & prepare them to Cope &  adjust to living in the Modern World/  You see no matter  how they put it together it doesn’t work

 

 

C)   It seems that no matter who is trying to put the World back together again it just doesn’t work

1)                 BUT when Jesus comes it is going to Work / it will COME TOGETHER WHEN HE RETURNS

 

A)   But Prior to His coming  things are going to get very Dark - / And the Lord doesn’t pull any Punches in Warning man about this time

1)                                          Read v. 1-8

 

 

What we see here almost resembles a Western – 4 RIDERS are seen riding into Town !!!!

A)   But this isn’t Clint Eastwood / John Wayne & James Arness ( Gunsmoke / And Chuck Conners

 

B)   Nor is this the Good the Bad & the Ugly – ( More like the Bad / the Ugly & the Ugliest – ( FEW QUICK OBSERVATIONS)

 

C)   1ST Important to note that – this scene – what takes place on the Earth originates from Heaven – Jesus opens a Seal on the Scroll

1)                 And An Angel is Dispatched - / Result is a Rider appears on the Scene

 

A)   2ND Also Important to note that – these are not a series of Haphazard Random events – but there is a Purpose to all of this

1)                 Cowboy was applying for some Insurance – He was being interviewed by the Agent who asked if he had any accidents

 

Cowboy replied No I haven’t had any accidents – though a steer kicked me in the ribs once & broke 2 of my ribs & a rattlesnake bit me on the Ankle

 AGENT REPLIED Well wouldn’t you call those accidents ?

              COWBOY ANSWERED – No I  think they did it on Purpose

 

A)   Well what we are reading about here is not an Accident – there is a Purpose to all of this / God is behind the scenes

1)                 Allowing these events to Transpire ( What is happening here / results in 2 responses in the hearts of people who encounter this – See minute)

 

 

Let’s look at who these riders are & what they represent

A)   The First Rider  seen is what I would call a Triumphant Counterfeit

 

B)    If you were going to the store & tried to pass off a $20 dollar bill that had the face of Bill Clinton on it – You wouldn’t get very far

1)                 No if You really wanted to pass off some Counterfeit money – you would try to make it look as much like the real thing as Possible

A)   As this first seal is opened up – there is such a good Counterfeit that many commentators have mistaken this rider to be Jesus Christ

 

B)    They say – look He is riding on a White Horse - / Remember the Westerns Good guys white Horse / white Hat /

1)                 Bad Guys Black horse & a Black Hat

 

 

Before we make that Distinction – we need to take a closer Look / turn to Ch. 19 ( We Know this is Jesus )

11  Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.

12  His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.

13  He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

14  And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.

15  Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

16     And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

 

Now there is no Question as to who this rider is – None other than Jesus

A)    1st – Called Faithful & true – title given to Jesus / Plus matches the Vision is Ch. 1 : Eyes as a Flame of Fire / Mouth Sharp Sword

 

B)   John referred to Jesus in Gospel as the Word of God / Robe dipped in Blood Speaks of His Death

1)                 Paul in Phil. Ch. 2 – Declared the day is coming when – Everyone is going to bow – Declare King of Kings & Lord of Lords

 

C) So it is Obvious that this is Jesus !!!!

Note the Contrast / Jesus is wearing many crowns – Diadems

That is the crown of a Sov. Ruler

A) Rev. 6 one Crown – Stephanos Crown – Temporary Crown of a Victor

 

B) Jesus comes w/ a Sword -  This one in Rev. 6 comes w/ a Bow

1)                 Eph. 6 -  Flaming Arrows of the Wicked one

 

A) In Rev. 19 – the Church is w/ Jesus - / But the rider in Rev. 6 comes w/ War / Famine & Death following behind

 

This rider in Rev. 6 is not the Lord Jesus Christ – but AntiChrist

A)   A false Christ / a counterfeit Christ – / The World today is desperately looking for a rider on a White Horse – ( Embraced)

 

B) Consider this Scenario - Rapture / Mass Chaos – 1 Billion People missing

1)                 The World is going to be in a state of Panic / & Shock -  People are going to Riot / Looting / Robberies

 

C)Police Departments around the World – short of Men – ( The World is

      going to be Looking for answers

1)                 This man is going to appear on the Scene w/ some Answers / w/ Some solutions -  ( Bring men together )

 

A) He is immediately going to Solve – a major Problem in the World – constant – source of Conflict – last 50 yrs / Israel / Arab

1)                 We are told in Dan. 9 / He Makes a Cov. W/ Israel for 7 yrs / - That is going to win some Big time Supporters

 

A) Jews today – Looking for Messiah –

1)                 Ask how Know ? Recognize  Who the Messiah will be? – the one who Helps us Build our temple Which He is going to do !!! Part of Cov.

 

F) But That Cov. Is going to be Broken in the Middle of the trib / Abomination of Desolation -   Goes into that temple …… Peace & Safety

Been said that this man is going to have the Charisma of a JFK

A)  Oratorical skills of a Winston Churchill / the Determination of a Joseph Stalin / the Vision of a Carl Marx / the respectability of a Ghandi

 

C) The Military Prowess of a Douglas MacArthur & the Charm of a Will Rogers

1)                           He is going to Appear to be the real Deal – but in Reality people are going to find out that He is a Big Counterfeit

 

 

A man who was who was traveling on a dinner flight, w/ a particular AIRLINE – was startled when he opened his prepackaged meal, & right on top of his salad he saw an enormous cock roach.

 

When he got  home, he wrote an indignant letter to the president of that

  airline. A few days later, a special delivery letter came from the president.

 

He was all apologies. "This was very  unusual, but don't worry. I want to assure you that that particular airplane has been fumigated. In fact, all the  seats and upholstery have been stripped out. We have taken disciplinary action against the stewardess who served you that meal, and she may even be fired. It is highly probable  that this particular aircraft will be taken out of service. I can assure you that it will never happen again. And I  trust that you will continue to fly with us."

            

Well the man was very impressed by such a letter until he noticed that by accident, the letter he had written had stuck to the back of the president's letter.

   When he looked at his own letter he saw a note at the bottom  that said,    

             "Reply with the regular roach letter."-

 

 

 

When the AntiChrist comes on the Scene He is going to have Great Words & Great Ideas People are going to think –

A)   Wow this guy is Wonderful They are going to be Impressed – but it is going to end up TO BE one Big Deception

 

B)   Jesus made a remarkable Prediction in Speaking to Israel – ( Jn 5:43)

43     "I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.

 

A)   He is going to set up a World Govt. 10 nation Confed.  /  He is going to establish a Global Currency – talk about more in latter studies

1)                 For the first Part of the first 3 ½yrs / things are going to seem great Going to Fix things – Bring Stability / but it will be Short Lived

 

A)   Clinton – Set up for this Guy – Ethics/  Morality / truthfulness don’t matter/  all that matters is the be Bottom Line  ECONOMY

1)                 Don’t You want to know the truth – all I need to know is Economy is doing well

 

A)   ( Gene Scott – Taylorsville Calif – 350 – the economy) Bunnies

 

 

Before World WII people were convinced that Hitler was into Peace !!

A)   Neville Chamberlain the Prime Minister of Britain – met w/ Hitler almost a yr. Before WWII started – Returned to Britain – Peace

 

B) But they soon found out it was Just a Lie !!!!!- The same thing is going to

       be True of this man – come in the Name of Peace

1)                 Not going to be all Nice – Note it says He Comes Conquering & to Conquer – FORCED PEACE

 

C)Comes in the name of Peace – but is going to Knock out of the way those

      who oppose Him

1)                 He will have no Choice but to Resort to War Himself in order to Preserve his power & Authority ( Dan. Little Horn – removes 3)

So the opening of the 1st Seal signals the Arrival of the AntiChrist –

2nd seal in v.3,4 When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come and see."4  Another horse, fiery red went out.

fiery red =  WAR & BLOOD SHED 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.

 

A)   This sword = assassin’s sword -  The red horsemen ( AntiChrist – coming against those who oppose Him)

 

B)    June 4th – 1989 Massacre of Students in Beijing China / Kosov are small examples of what is going to take place on a Large scale

 

3rd seal – Famine – Which usually follows War !!

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.

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."

 

A) Scales” = rationing of food.

 

B)Normally a days wage(Denarius)would buy 10 quarts of wheat, 30quarts  of barley

1)                           During this famine you’d only get 1 Qt./wheat, 3Qt. /barley.

     {Or, 1/10 the normal supply of food!}

 

A)   Been said that 1/3 of the world is well fed – US /

 

D)  In the U.S. we throw into our garbage cans every day enough food to

       feed a family of 6 in India.

    1)In fact The average Amer. dog has a higher protein diet than many  

        people  in other parts of the World  

 

SO 1/3 is Well fed / 1/3 is poorly fed / 1/3 is starving to death

A)  More than 1/2 of the world goes to bed hungry./ 460 Million people on the Brink of Salvation .

 

B) While we sit down to dinner, 400 people will starve to death.

 

C)  Malnutrition stalks the globe. It claims 10,000 lives every day.

 

D) But The Famine THAT STRIKES  during this time is going to be even Worse – EVEN More Devastating !!!!!

 

But notice the Phrase  “Do not hurt the Oil & Wine” / Idioms for Luxury Items

A)    In  an ironic twist TO this terrible situation -  luxury food items will not be in short demand...{Russia/Caviar}

 

B) The result of the War & Famine is seen in the next Seal – Death

7  When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come and see."

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.

 

C)Death comes Knocking – ¼ of the earth’s Population – If we Estimate that there are  4 Billion  people on the earth after the rapture –

1)                 1 Billion people who are going to lose their Lives / By the Sword or War / By Hunger / Death – natural causes & by the Beast

 

Last method that is really horrifying /  Beast – think of Lions tigers & Bears / but they are not the most destructive – RATS

A) Rats follow famine - Rats are “clever, adaptable & very destructive!”

 

A)    Did You know that if you went to an area heavily Pop. Destroyed  97% of a Rat pop. It would only take one Year for it to  replace itself . 3% left

B)   Rats are extremely Prolific – producing 5 or more litters of 8 to ten babies each year

 

D) And Rats have killed more people than all the wars of history

1)                           They carry as many as 35 diseases. Their fleas carry Bubonic plague (which killed a 3rd of the pop. of Europe in the 14th cent.)

 

E)Their fleas also carry Typhus which has killed an estimated 200 million 

     people in 4 centuries

 

 

So by the opening of the 4th Seal – ¼ of the earth’s Population is going to be Killed – Heavy time

A)   Now this Causes 2 reactions in the Hearts of those left on the earth – Which are seen in our remaining verses

 

B)   LOOK AT MORE NEXT WEEK –

 

1st – v. 9  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.

10  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?"

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.

 

A)   Here we are taken back into the Heavenly scene – where we are introduced to a New Group in Heaven ( Martyrs)

 

B)   These are those who will lose their lives for Christ during the Trib.

1)                 See there are those who sit here like today – who say in their hearts I don’t know if I am buying all this Jesus stuff / Rapture/ trib

A)   It all seems a little out there for me ! All seems a little far Fetched – a Little – Sci fi / X flies – ( Or those who say I’m Just not ready)

1)                 People that you have been witnessing to : Who say – ( That is good for You but not me !!!)

 

d)    When the Rapture – happens –when you don’t show up at work – when you aren’t home at the end of the day ! 1 Billion people missing

1)                they are going to turn to Christ in Mass #’s / They were RIGHT!!

 

A)   They are going to go to Abandoned Churches –– for Bibles – Tapes on Rev. / Prophecy -  ( I need to know what is going on !!!!)

1)                 They are going to come to  Christ – But they will have to die for their faith

 

E) They will  be one of the groups that the Anti-Christ seeks to Conquer

       Because they know the Truth !!

 

F) So some are going to get saved during this time - / But will be Killed

 

Now There are those who say – that is when I will get saved – I want to have my fun now – I’ll give my life to Christ after Rapture – ( Die)

A) Stupidest Mentality –2 REASONS / 1ST  HOW can you ever think that you will have the courage to do die for Jesus at THAT time?

 

A)   If you aren't able to live for Jesus TODAY with the strength of the Holy Spirit and the Body of Christ to encourage you,

1)                 What makes  you think you would be willing to die for Him then

             

2ND If You are thinking that this is your ace-in-the hole & Now  you can live for yourself today.  BETTER THINK AGAIN

1)               Understand  every day that you reject the work of the Holy Spirit       

      drawing you to Jesus, your heart becomes more hardened.

 

A)   And that is the 2nd Reaction that we see here – Not a turning to Christ but a Fleeing – Morbid rejection / Magnifies the Hardness of the Heart / V.12

12  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. ( Possible effects of Nuclear Holocaust)

13  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. ( Meteor Showers)

14  Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.

15  And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man,(Covers the whole Gamut) hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,

16  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!

17  "For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"

 

A)   Note this Reaction-  They recognize that all of this stuff going on is the Result of the Wrath of God .

 

B)   Him who sits on the Throne & from the Wrath of the Lamb –

 

 

But Note they are not Crying out – Forgive us – We Repent –

A)   But Mts Rocks – Fall on us - & hide us from the Wrath of the Lamb

 

B)   Here we see major Hardness of Heart –

1)                 So some are going to turn & Repent – others are going to just Harden their Hearts even more ( Same 2 Reactions Today)

 

A)   There are those who say – I can’t believe in a God who would send people to Hell – How could a Loving God do that ?

1)                 ANSWER IS – He doesn’t – Men Choose to go there of their own free will by rejecting – God’s Gift of Salvation in His Son

 

A)    You want to go to Hell- fine but Know this it will be over my Dead Body

 

 People every day make that Choice – ( Not God’s Heart – not Now – Not then

A)   In fact in trib. – God goes to great lengths as we shall see – great effort to give men Chance to repent – 2 Witnesses /3 ½ yrs repent

 

B) Angel  ( never seen before–flying w/ ever lasting Gospel to declare to

     those on the earth 

1)                            plus 144,000 Jews sealed – ( I believe for this purpose Also)

 

A)    God’s Heart is to Save – But at the same time – His Wrath is going to be poured out – ( But now He waits – desiring None Perishes

 

B)    Don’t Know Him – Don’t Resist Him today

 

 

CHRISTIAN: Realize not the most uplifting message / not Memorize

Though we ARE NOT appointed unto wrath and ARE NOT a part of this scene on earth there are THREE applications for us

 

1.) Seeing what is going to happen to the earth we ought not be living with a mind on the material

 

     We ought to be SPIRITUALLY minded

           We ought to be investing in SPIRITUAL and ETERNAL things

 

2.) We ought to recognize just HOW GREAT our salvation is

 

3.) We ought to be concerned for the lost