Tribulation- 4
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The 2 witnesses. A dearth of End Time teaching.
Handouts: Events during Day of the Lord & Last days of History (basis of Tribulation studies)
Continuing using handout from last week.
Tonight we continue a series of studies based on Daniel’s prophesied 70th week (or the (Great?)Tribulation
We believe 69 of the 70 weeks of years have been fulfilled.
AND that we are currently in a pause between the 69th and 70th week.
But we look for events such as the chart on your handout portrays.
Tonight the 6 seals being opened
Events of The Tribulation
We have covered…
The faithful in Christ’s churches will be kept from this time of trial
Lk 21:36; Jn 14:1–3; 2Co 5:2, 4; Php 3:20–21; 1Th 1:10; 4:16–18; 5:8–10; Rev 3:10
Will begin after the restrainer is taken out of the way
2Th 2:6–8
Will begin after the mystery (secret power) of lawlessness intensifies
Jonathan Cahn in his latest book: The Josiah Manifesto: The Ancient Mystery & Guide for the End Times
A DARKNESS HAS COME upon the world.
It is an ancient darkness and yet new in its manifesting.
It is, at the time of this writing, permeating our media, our entertainments, our marketplaces, our schools, our corporations, our public squares, our governments, our culture, our lives.
It is setting in motion the transformation of our society, the overturning of ancient foundations, and the destroying of age-old standards of morality, values, perception, and faith.
It is an unrelenting darkness, one that seeks not only to exist and grow but:
to exercise total dominion,
to force all it touches into submission,
to subjugate language,
to alter perception,
and to bend reality into its image.
It is a darkness that requires every tongue to confess its name and every knee to bow down in its homage.
As for those who would defy or resist its conquest, it seeks to assimilate and transform them or else destroy them, even to destroy their will to resist it. It is a totalitarian darkness. It cannot rest until all lights are extinguished.
Will begin after a great rebellion against the faith occurs
Will begin when the Antichrist (the man of lawlessness) appears
TONIGHT…
Will begin with the opening of the seven seals
The circumstances surrounding [the opening of the book] occur shortly after the Rapture of the church. John has been caught up into heaven (Rev. 4:1), where he has been writing about the marvelous things he sees and hears.
A. The Proclamation
Revelation 5:1–14 (LSB) Then I saw in the right hand of Him who sits on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. 2 Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it.
After 6 things John saw in Chapter 4, in Revelation chapter 5 … he now witnesses a seventh event, which causes despair to flood his soul. The crisis of a seven-sealed book is about to begin!
What is this book (really a rolled-up scroll), sealed so securely with seven seals?
Whatever it contained, the scroll was extremely important, for history informs us that under Roman law all legal documents pertaining to life and death were to be sealed seven times.
A number of theologians believe that this is actually the legal title deed to the earth.
Thus the angels' proclamation was, in effect, "Who' is worthy to reclaim the earth's title deed? Who is able to pour out the seven-sealed judgment, to purify this planet, and to usher in the longawaited golden-age millennium?"
Who indeed was worthy?
B. The Investigation
[Already READ] Vs. 3 says: "And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon" (Rev. 5:3).
Let us follow the angel as he begins his threefold search.
1. The search in heaven
Was there any among the redeemed worthy to claim the earth's title deed? There was not!
a. Adam, Noah, Abraham, David, John the Baptist, Peter, Paul,
2. The search on earth
Who could accomplish in the sinful environment of earth what no man could achieve even in the sinless environment of heaven? Preachers and priests might minister to the earth, and kings rule over sections of it, but claim it they could not!
3. The search under the earth (in hades) If no saint or angel could purify this earth, then certainly no sinner or demon would, even if this were possible!
C. Lamentation
Revelation 5:4 Then I was crying greatly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.
Why did John weep? Perhaps because (among other things) he realized that the ultimate resurrection and glorification of his own body was directly connected with the removal of the curse placed upon this earth!
(See Romans 8:17-23.)
D. The Manifestation
Revelation 5:5–7 “And one of the elders said to me, “Stop crying! Behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the scroll and its seven seals.” 6 Then I saw in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. 7 And He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sits on the throne.”
Who is this heavenly Hero who so boldly removes the scroll from the Father's right hand? We need not speculate for one second about his identity, for He is the Lord Jesus Christ himself! The proof is overwhelming.
Fire Bible: When John looks, he sees not a lion but a “Lamb” that bears the marks of having been killed as a sacrifice.
This is the picture of Christ’s giving of himself on the cross for the sins of the human race (cf. Isa 53:7; Jn 1:29), and means that Christ’s ultimate victory comes from His sacrificial death (vv. 9–14).
The “Lamb” is Revelation’s primary symbol for Christ (e.g., vv. 6–7; 12:11; 15:3; 17:14; 21:22; 22:1, 3; see 5:12, note).
“The wrath of the Lamb” (6:16) will come upon those who do not accept him as Savior, rejecting his sacrifice as the Lamb of God (6:16–17).
Revelation 6:16–17 “and they [ vs. 15 … the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man] SAID TO THE MOUNTAINS AND TO THE ROCKS, “FALL ON US AND HIDE US from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great DAY OF their WRATH has come, and who is able to stand?””
The “seven horns” represent the power and strength of a ruler (1Ki 22:11; Da 7:24);
The “seven eyes” - represent His omniscience. (Hayford, J.) Seven eyes represent complete and perfect knowledge and insight.
for “seven spirits,” see 4:5, note.
Seven spirits of God.
The seven spirits of God represent the presence of the Holy Spirit at God’s throne.
The language may come from the sevenfold (i.e., seven-aspect) expression of the Spirit in Isa 11:2.
Isaiah 11:1–2 (LSB) Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of Yahweh will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and might, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of Yahweh.
(1) the Spirit of Yahweh(v. 1),
(2) wisdom (v. 2),
(3) understanding (v. 2),
(4) counsel (v. 2),
(5) power (v. 2),
(6) knowledge (v. 2)
and (7) the fear of the Lord.
The number seven represents the perfection, the fullness and completeness of the Spirit and His work
Jack Hayford in the Spirit filled life study Bible says:
The description of the Holy Spirit as “the seven Spirits of God” (1:4; 3:1; 4:5; 5:6) is distinct in the New Testament.
Revelation 1:4 (LSB) John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from the One who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,
The number seven is a symbolic, qualitative number conveying the idea of completeness and, when related to God, the idea of perfection.
The Holy Spirit is thus denoted in terms of the perfection of His dynamic, manifold activity.
The “seven lamps of fire” (4:5) suggest His illuminating, purifying, and energizing ministries.
Revelation 4:5 “And out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.”
That the seven Spirits are before the throne (1:4; 4:5) and simultaneously are the seven eyes of the Lamb (5:6) signifies the essential triunity of God who has revealed Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
This is a mutual indwelling of the Persons without dissolving the distinctions of essential being and function.
Each of the messages to the seven churches is from the exalted Lord, yet the individual members are urged to hear “what the Spirit says” (chs. 2; 3). The Spirit only says what the Lord Jesus says.
The Spirit is thus the Spirit of prophecy.
Every genuine prophecy is inspired by the Holy Spirit and bears witness to Jesus (19:10).
Revelation 19:10 “10 Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow slave with you and your brothers who have the witness of Jesus. Worship God! For the witness of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”” (KJV, NKJV, NASB, For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”)
The prophetic visions are communicated to John only when he is “in the Spirit” (1:10; 4:2; 21:10). The content of these visions is nothing less than “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” (1:1).
All genuine prophecy demands a response.
“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ ” (22:17).
Everyone either hears or refuses to hear this appeal.
The Spirit is working continuously in and through the church to invite those who remain outside the City of God to enter.
Only by the empowering of the Spirit is the bride enabled to witness and “patiently endure.”
The Spirit thus penetrates the present experience of those who hear with foretastes of the kingdom’s future fulfillment.
1. He has the characteristics of a lamb.
Our Lord is referred to as a lamb twenty-nine times in the New Testament. In all but one instance (1 Pet. 1:19) it is the Apostle John who employs this title. Furthermore,
a. It is a pet lamb.
There are two words for "lamb" in the Greek New Testament. One is amnos (a lamb in general) and the other is arnion (a special household pet lamb). Here in Revelation 5:6 the second Greek word is used. For a related Old Testament passage, see 2 Samuel 12:1-4.
2 Samuel 12:1–4 (LSB) Then Yahweh sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said, “There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor. 2 “The rich man had a great many flocks and herds. 3 “But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb Which he bought and nourished; And it grew up together with him and his children. It would eat his morsel of bread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom, And was like a daughter to him. 4 “Now a visitor came to the rich man, And he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd, To prepare for the traveler who had come to him; Rather he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
b. It is a slain lamb.
Here the Greek word for slain is sphatto, and refers to a violent death of some sort.
The same word is found in the following passage: ". . . we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother" (1 John 3:11, 12).
The word sphatto is found only seven times in the New Testament, and four of these usages refer to the death of Christ (Rev. 5:6, 9, 12; 13:8).
c. It is an all-powerful lamb.
The lamb is pictured as possessing seven horns, which in biblical symbolic language refers to power and authority.
d. It is an all-knowing lamb.
As we have already seen The lamb is pictured as possessing seven eyes, referring to perfect knowledge and wisdom.
2. He has the characteristics of a lion.
John calls him "The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David," and so He is. Three key Bible chapters explain this title.
a. In Genesis 49 the dying Jacob predicted that Judah, his fourth son, would be like a lion, and that the later kings of Israel, including Christ himself, would come from his tribe (Gen. 49:8-10).
b. In 2 Samuel 7 God told David (who was of the tribe of Judah) that his kingdom would be eternal and that his household would rule forever (2 Sam. 7:8-17).
c. In Luke 1 the angel Gabriel explained to Mary (who was of the house of. David) that her virgin-born son would inherit all the Old Testament promises as found in Genesis 49 and 2 Samuel 7 (Luke 1:30-33).
Thus John sees Christ as a Lamb, since He once came to redeem His people. This was His past work.
John also sees Him as a lion, for He shall come again to reign over his people.
This will be His future work.
The source of His claim to the earth's scepter is therefore related to his slain Lamb characteristics while the strength of his claim is due to his mighty Lion characteristics!
E. The Adoration
Revelation 5:8–14 (LSB) And when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slain and purchased for God with Your blood people from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 10 “And You made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth.” 11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.” 13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be the blessing and the honor and the glory and the might forever and ever.” 14 And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.
The Book of Revelation prophetically describes the depth of penetration the gospel will have on the nations.
1) In vv. 8-10 John’s vision assures people out of every tribe, tongue, people and nation will be redeemed by the blood of Christ; and
2) that they will learn their role of intercession and authority as believers as they function as kings and priests, reigning “in Christ” while on Earth, in His kingdom authority (vv. 8, 10).
Further, Rev. unveils the fact that the spiritual war will continue until …
Revelation 11:15 “Then the seventh angel sounded, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.””
The messenger (the evangel) is to go to all who dwell on Earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people (14:6, 7).
Revelation 14:6–7 “Then I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who inhabit the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people. 7 And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.””
Rev. 7:9-12 forecasts the ultimate consummation of the Great Commission at work as a countless number from every people gather at God’s eternal throne.
Revelation 7:9–17 (LSB) After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; 10 and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen, the blessing and the glory and the wisdom and the thanksgiving and the honor and the power and the strength, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” 13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These, clothed in the white robes, who are they, and from where have they come?” 14 And I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 “For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His sanctuary; and He who sits on the throne will dwell over them. 16 “THEY WILL HUNGER NO LONGER, NOR THIRST ANYMORE; NOR WILL THE SUN BEAT DOWN ON THEM, NOR ANY HEAT; 17 for the Lamb at the center of the throne will shepherd them and will guide them to springs of the water of life. And God WILL WIPE EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES.”
Let this profound prophetic vision motivate us as we embrace Jesus. We are destined for triumph!
The Seals Opened
Revelation 6:1–8 (LSB) Then I looked when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come.” 2 Then I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sits on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out overcoming and to overcome. 3 And when He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come.” 4 And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sits on it, it was given to him to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him. 5 And when He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come.” Then I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sits on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard something like a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “One choinix of wheat for one denarius, and three choinix of barley for one denarius, and do not harm the oil and the wine.” 7 And when He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come.” 8 Then I looked, and behold, a pale horse; and he who sits on it had the name Death, and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.
6:1 The first of the seven seals.
Some interpreters understand the opening of the first seal as the beginning of the seven-year tribulation the future time of unprecedented suffering and judgment leading up to Christ’s second coming to destroy the forces of the antichrist and reign on earth (see Da 9:27; cf. Jer 30:7; Da 12:1; Rev 6:17; 7:14; see article on The Great Tribulation).
Others believe that the seals describe the final three and one-half years of the seven-year tribulation, often called the great tribulation.
Still others see the seals as the beginning of the sequence of God’s judgment toward the end of the age.
God’s judgments are revealed in three successive series.
The first series is the seven seals (ch. 6);
the second, the seven trumpet judgments (chs. 8–9; 11:15–19);
and the third, the “seven bowls of God’s wrath” (ch. 16; see 8:1, note).
Note, however, that while the releasing of the various plagues and judgments is described in sequence, these descriptions are not necessarily meant to convey a strict chronological order of events.
That is to say, the visions do not mean that each plague lasts only until the next is released or that each catastrophe follows the completion of the one before it.
Once unleashed, it is likely that the effects of several plagues or disasters are going on at the same time and may linger throughout much of the tribulation period.
Some of the events described with the opening of the seals (e.g., the fifth seal) clearly seem to anticipate or preview things that will be fully revealed or executed in later judgments.
The sixth seal actually appears to give an overview of the entire period of judgment yet to come.
It is quite possible that nothing is actually happening on earth until the seventh seal is broken.
Up to that point, as each of the preceding seals is broken, John simply receives a vision of what will happen after the final seal is broken and the entire scroll can be opened, revealing what is to come.
From that point on (see 8:1, 7, notes), God’s direct judgments will begin to throw the visible universe out of its natural order, eventually leading to the destruction of the present world system and ushering in Christ’s millennial (thousand-year) reign of peace on earth to close out time as we know it (see Da 2:34–35, 44–45). See v. 12, note, for further comments on how the series of judgments fit together.
6:2 A white horse.
Four horsemen appear as the first four seals are opened (the imagery of the horsemen relates back to Zec 1:8–17; 6:1–8), representing God’s judgment on the corrupt and evil world system and the ungodly people who are part of it.
The rider of the white horse is thought by many Bible interpreters to be the antichrist (1Jn 2:18), the future world ruler who is to begin his activity at the beginning of the last seven years of this age (see article on The Age of the Antichrist).
God will permit him to deceive all who oppose Christ.
His initial conquest will be accomplished without open warfare since peace is taken from the earth beginning with the second horseman (v. 4; cf. Da 9:26–27; 1Th 5:3).
Yet, all the other horsemen are personifications (i.e., abstract concepts described with human traits, such as “Death” as the fourth horseman), so the rider on the white horse may simply represent conquest or a strong spirit of antichrist let loose in the end time.
Even so, the strong desire for conquest that has dominated every dictator in the past will certainly characterize the antichrist.
6:4 Horse … fiery red one.
The red horse and its rider represent war and violent death, with the “great sword” symbolizing war’s destruction, which God will allow as part of his wrath on the world (cf. Zec 1:8; 6:2).
The word “they” refers to the people of the earth.
The Greek word for “kill” does not carry the straight forward meaning of death in battle, but brutal killing of all kinds.
The tribulation will be a time of violence, murder and war.
6:5 A black horse.
The black horse and its rider symbolize great famine and its disastrous effects of hunger and suffering (cf. Jer 4:26–28; La 4:8–9; 5:10).
Basic necessities of life will be scarce and prices extremely high.
Hunger will spread throughout the world.
The oil and wine refer to the olive tree and grapevine, which are not hurt as much by drought as the grain and field crops.
Though famines have occurred throughout history and the church age (Mt 24:7), this passage is dealing with a specific famine at its maximum destruction during the tribulation period.
6:8 A pale horse.
The pale horse and its rider, named “Death,” symbolize a terrible intensifying of war, famine, death, plagues, disease and evil beasts.
This judgment will be so terrible that one-fourth of the human race will be killed.
The Bible does not specify exactly when this great devastation will take place (see v. 1, note).
The severity of the judgment, however, seems to suggest that it will take place well into the great tribulation.
Some believe that it will be toward the beginning of the last half of the seven years, when the judgments are beginning to wipe out large portions of the world population.
Rev 6:1 - 8:1