Revelation Chapter 6‏

Hello Friends!

Welcome back! During this week’s fellowship time, we’ll continue our study of Revelation.

Revelation Chapter 6

This week we will investigate chapter 6 in which is the prophecy of the first six of the Seven Seal Judgments that will come upon the earth and its inhabitants during the Seven Year period of judgment upon the earth and sinful, unbelieving mankind known as the Tribulation Period.

Throughout the entire time of the Tribulation Period there are twenty-one judgments – "three sets of seven" – that unfold. These twenty-one judgments get progressively worse and will intensify as the Tribulation Period unfolds. These initial six judgments in Revelation 6 are the beginning of the terrible time to come upon the earth.

A brief overview of the first six judgments reveal how the seals are broken on the "sealed scroll" by the "Lamb":

Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see” – Revelation 6:1

When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see” – Revelation 6:3

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 – Revelation 6:5

When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see” – Revelation 6:7

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 – Revelation 6:9

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 – Revelation 6:12

The "Lamb" of course is the person of Jesus Christ, who will bring these judgments upon the earth in the seven year Tribulation Period. These judgments are released upon humankind on the earth – after the Rapture of the Church. All six of these judgments happen in the first three and a half years of the seven-year long judgment period.

The First Seal reveals a man on a "white horse", who is the future world leader known as "Antichrist" in the Bible:

And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer – Revelation 6:2

This satanically energized person is the one who will deceive the world into believing that he is the long awaited Messiah.

The Second Seal reveals a man on a "fiery red" horse who comes to take peace from the earth, it's the judgment of "war" released upon humankind:

Another horse, fiery red, went out. 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 – Revelation 6:4

The Third Seal reveals a man on a “black horse” who is the judgment of famine:

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. 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” – Revelation 6:5-6

When it calls for a "quart of wheat" for a "denarius" that is referring to enough wheat to make bread for a family of four for one day at the cost of a day’s wages – a "denarius" in the times of the writing of Revelation.

The Fourth Seal is depicted as a man on a "pale horse" of death:

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 – Revelation 6:8

When this judgment is released "over a fourth of the earth" is killed which in today’s numbers will mean over 1.5 billion people will be killed as a result of this judgment. A very sobering prophecy indeed.

The Fifth Seal describes those who will be "slain" or "martyred" for their testimony:

 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled –Revelation 6:9-11

These martyrs are not Christians, they are Jews and Gentiles who will come to faith in Jesus Christ after the Rapture – during the Tribulation Period. These believers are know as "Tribulation Saints" in the Bible.

The Sixth Seal will be "ecological" judgments upon the earth and in the heavens:

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. 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. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place – Revelation 6:12-14

The Seventh Seal will be opened by Jesus Christ in the beginning of chapter 8 and will be the “inauguration” of the second “set of seven” judgments of the Lord’s wrath – The Seven Trumpet Judgments.

These seal judgments that will take place early in the Tribulation Period are events that are seemingly in the process of coming about very soon. Jesus said when we see these “birth pangs” happening…

And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.  For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places – Matthew 24:4-7

Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near - at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place – Matthew 24:32-34

…we can recognize that this is the time of His soon return to the earth – Halleluiah!

The fact that we can see the stage being set for these seal judgments to take place, indicates that the Rapture could too happen at any moment – perhaps today... Maranatha Lord Jesus!

With this information as a foundation for your studies, please read through Chapter 6 of Revelation.

Thank you for reading! Don’t miss next week’s edition as we investigate chapter 7 of Revelation…

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!

We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

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