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