Revelation Chapter 6 the Four Horseman June 28, 2015

SLIDE 1 Revelation 6:1-8 The seven seals on the scroll will be removed one at a time. Today we will study only the Four Horseman. copyright Pat Marvenko Smith

SLIDE 2 Before we start I would like to introduce or clarify some terms I will be using in this lesson. These are my opinions after studying several different commentaries and mostly follow the CBS view. My teaching on the Rapture comes from 1 Thessalonians.

·        Church Age-from Christ’s ascension until the Rapture

·        Rapture-When Christ’s returns for His Church

·        Tribulation-Seven Weeks (years) of Daniel- God’s judgment on unbelievers

·        The Day of the LORD- a day when God pours out vengeance on the adversary

Zechariah 6:1-5 Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains. And the mountains were mountains of bronze.²The first chariot had red horses, the second black horses,³ the third white horses, and the fourth chariot dappled horses---all of them strong.⁴Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, "What are these, my lord?"⁵And the angel answered and said to me, "These are going out to the four winds of heaven, after presenting themselves before the LORD of all the earth.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. Our God of Love is also a God of Judgment

Looking back to the Old Testament it compares these chapters to Zechariah and Ezekiel’s warning of judgment.

SLIDE 3 Revelation 6:¹Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, "Come!"

²And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.

Remember each seal is opened by the worthy Lamb and announced by the four living creatures before the throne discussed in Chapter 4.

My first thought was “This is Christ.” Then I thought “Which of these is not like the other?” When we look at his companions, they are permitted to bring pestilence and famine to the earth just as Satan was permitted to test Job.

If the crown was given him, he’s probably not Christ, but a counterfeit of Christ. Remember Satan masquerades as an angel of light. Many will be deceived.

SLIDE 4 David Guzik reminds us Jesus returns on a white horse in Revelation 19:11-16; Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. …He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.

SLIDE 5 A.R. Fausset “For it is the Lamb who has just loosed the first seal sending this horseman out. It violates all logic for the same person to be opening the seal and sending himself forth. If Christ rides forth here, who is it that remains in heaven to open the remaining seals?”
This initial emergence of the antichrist could be connected with what we know about this leader in Daniel 9.

SLIDE 6 Revelation 6:3-4When (Christ) opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" ⁴And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.

My friends peace is a gift from God. Man left to his own devices will kill and steal and lie. When the peace of God is removed from the earth, wars will break out. God had been patient wanting that none be lost. Our God of Love is also a God of Judgment

Let’s compare Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24 with these verses of scripture.

SLIDE 7Matthew 24:⁵For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray.⁶And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. ⁷For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom,
 SLIDE 8 Revelation 6:5-6 …the third seal… a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. The rider on the black horse will bring famine and scarcity of the basics of life. 6 And I heard what seemed to be 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 wine!"

Walvoord “These prices are about twelve times higher than normal. It means that it would cost a day's wage to buy the ingredients for a loaf of bread. This describes "a time of famine and inequity when life will be reduced to the barest necessities." Oil and wine represent the nicer things of life which will be available to those who have the means to purchase.”

SLIDE 9 Matthew 24:7 there will be famines, and earthquakes, (and pestilences,)KJV in various places.⁸All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

Amos 8:11-12"Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord GOD, "when I will send a famine on the land--- not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it.

SLIDE 10 Revelation 6:7-8…the fourth seal … ⁸ a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth,

·        to kill with sword

·         with famine

·        with pestilence and

·        by wild beasts of the earth.

Our God of Love is also a God of Judgment

SLIDE 11 The word “pale” in Greek actually chloros is a sickly green-representing infectious diseases, such as MRSA, C. diff, other blood and airborne diseases.

Jeremiah 21:6 And I will strike down the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast. They shall die of a great pestilence.

Isaiah 51:19 These two things have happened to you--- who will console you?--- devastation and destruction, famine and sword; who will comfort you?

SLIDE 12 Today were read about the first 4 seals. We have three more to go.
Revelation Chaper 6 Questions 

1) What are the main points of this chapter?

2) Who opens each of the seals in this chapter? (1,3,5,7,9,12)

3) What is seen when the first seal is opened?  What was given to him?   (1-2)

4) What is seen when the second seal is opened? What was given to him?    (3-4)

5) What is seen when the third seal is opened?  What is heard?  (5-6)

6) What is seen when the fourth seal is opened?  What was given to them?   (7-8)

7) What is seen when the fifth seal is opened?  What are they saying?

   (9-10)

 8) How are they consoled? (11)

9) What is seen when the sixth seal is completed? (12-14)

10) What do the people on earth try to do?  What do they say? (15-17)

Revelation Chapter 5- the Lamb and the Scroll June 21, 2015

SLIDE 1 LIST the sevens in Revelation

SLIDE 2 Caves /jarsThe Dead Sea Scrolls, are a collection of some 981 different texts discovered between 1946 and 1956 in eleven caves from the immediate vicinity of the West Bank.  

Revelation 5~ The Scroll and the Lamb  

SLIDE 3 Angel V.2

·        5:1-4 Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. ² And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” ³ And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, ⁴ and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 

Scribes wrote on scrolls which were rolled up papyrus or other materials.

The breaking of the seals would reveal the message inside each part of the scroll. Scrolls SLIDE 4 SCROLLS normally had writing on only one side. This book that is filled to overflowing and has something even on the back could mean the fullness of time.  Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Daniel each wrote of a scroll.

·        Ezekiel 2: 9-10 And when I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me, and behold, a scroll of a book was in it.¹⁰ And he spread it before me. And it had writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe.

·        Isaiah 29:11                And the vision of all this has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed. When men give it to one who can read, saying, "Read this," he says, "I cannot, for it is sealed."

·        Daniel 12:4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."

Perhaps on the reverse side of this scroll with seven messages would be "it is finished" since the number 7 is the number for completion. Each of which has been sealed with the authority of God "sealed with seven seals" means that it is closed in its entirety.  Isaiah and Daniel tell us the book is sealed until the time of the end. Have you ever read a mystery book? Have you been tempted to flip to the back of the book to see “who done it?” All of us are waiting for the return of the LORD.

SLIDE 5 JESUS What do you think it would take to be worthy enough to open up the scroll? “The seven-sealed scroll is thought to be the title deed to the earth. It seems God the Father holds this title deed, awaiting the return of His Son, Jesus Christ, to the earth. This powerful scene in heaven indicates that only Christ, who died to redeem mankind back to God, is qualified to open the seals of this scroll and claim His kingdom over all the earth.

The book will be opened by Christ Jesus of the tribe of Judah and lineage of King David.

·        Revelation 5:5  And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

·        Isaiah 11:1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

·        11:10 -12 In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples---of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.¹¹ In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, …and from the coastlands of the sea. ¹²He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

SLIDE 6 MAN READING SCROLL

1948 the Nation of Israel was born by declaration of the United Nations during the year of the discovery of Dead Sea Scrolls. Do you think that is coincidence?  In our lifetime we have seen Israel gain their independence and Jews returning to their homeland. Sounds like the LORD is getting ready to do something. Watch the newspaper and take note of the events happening in the Middle East. As we move through chapters of the prophesies in Revelation see how they line up. And you can know from the scriptures if we are nearing the end times.

SLIDE 7 OF LAMB

·      Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

·        Revelation 5:6-8  And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷ And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.

Why do you think the lamb has seven eyes? Seven horns?

·        Zechariah 4:10 "These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range through the whole earth."

SLIDE OF ELDERS

·        Revelation 5:8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 

Last week we peeked into heaven’s throne room and who was seated at the right hand of the Father? No matter how strong or how loud the angels and heavenly beings were, NO ONE could open the scroll.

Do you ever look up at the sky and watch the clouds? Remember when we lay in the grass on our backs and exclaimed what creatures we can see in the clouds? As we ride along Miss Rachel looks at the clouds and wonders what heaven will be like? Here the angels and living creatures are not merely floating along on clouds but actively falling on their faces and worshipping the LORD.

SLIDE OF GOLD BOWL Pastor Allen has a prayer basket for our prayer request. At CBS we have a prayer box and our ST prayers for those written requests every week. Our ladies have a prayer chain that passes the needs of those who call and ask.  Can you imagine that every prayer that you have sent up to heaven is caught in a golden bowl and offered to the Lamb with songs of praise.

Let’s read aloud the New Song

⁹ And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
    from every tribe and language and people and nation,
¹⁰ and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
    and they shall reign on the earth.”

SLIDE 10 praise 11 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, ¹² saying with a loud voice,

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”

¹³ And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

¹⁴ And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

 

1)      What is revealed about the Lamb (Jesus), and what His death accomplished

2)      The impact this scene would have had on the persecuted Christians in Asia

 

Revelation 5 Questions

1)     What are the main points of this chapter?

2)     What did John see in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne? (1)

3)     What did a strong angel proclaim with a loud voice? (2)

4)     How did John react when it seemed none was worthy to open the scroll? (3-­‐4)

5)     What did one of the twenty-­‐four elders then say to John? (5)

6)     What did John see? (6)

7)     Where was the Lamb?  What did He do? (6-­‐7)

8)     What happened when the Lamb had taken the scroll? (8-­‐9a)

9)     What did they proclaim in this “new song”? (9)

10) Why did they deem the Lamb worthy? (9-­‐10)

11) What did John then see and hear? (11)

12) What were they saying? (12)

13) What does John hear next? (13)

14) What happens then? (14)