Sermon Tone Analysis

*Rev 6:7-17*

* *

*Layaway Not Accepted*

 

*Intro:*

 

Last week we discussed the opening of the seals which represented the judgment of God on the inhabitants who dwell or the earth.

This dwelling not only represented a geographical dwelling but one which denotes a allegiance to the world's system and religion of self and hatred for the things of God.

John has written for us the vision of the Lamb of God opening seals of judgment on those who have rejected His great gift of mercy and salvation.

The Lamb is pouring out judgment on those who have continued to put off life with Christ  and decided death without Him was indeed life.

Scripture attest that as merciful as God is, He is also righteous.

In order for Him to be righteous He must judge and punish wrong doing and sin.

·                     What has been put off.

·                     What has been giving grace  

·                     What has been giving time to pay up

 

Has not come to the end.

Only the blood of the Lamb can cover the bill and the invoice due.

Capital One commercial asks a question of What’s in your Wallet?

Christ , the Lamb of God, is now requiring payment for rebellion, pride, and rejection of such a great salvation where

·                     Payment is due

·                     Credit lines has been over extended

·                     The Heavenly courts has declared them bankrupt and unable to set up a payment plan

·                     It is time now for them to pay

·                     It is time now for the Lamb to repay them to their face for their eternal decision to reject the One in whom God has sent

 

It is time now; for The Lamb is requiring payment right here and now in which there is "No Layaway accepted."

*background:  *In Rev 6:1-6 we have saw the opening of the seals of wrath on the earth

·                     White Horse

·                     Red Horse

·                     Black Horse

 

This particular period in which the opening of the seals represent the period of the tribulation and the appearance of the man of lawlessness or commonly called the anti-christ.

For the 1st 3 1~/2 years of the tribulation he will establish a false peace, then submit the world into chaos and war, which leads to extreme famine of both natural and spiritual food.

It is a period lasting in totality of 7 years which the last 3 1~/2 representing "Great Tribulation" which the world has never seen before and which for the sake of the elect will be shorten.

It is also a period in which the Church will have been raptured and Israel the chosen of God will acknowledged who they once rejected was indeed the Messiah.

*Trans:*  v 1-6 was the opening of 3 of the six seals found in Rev chapter 6.

We already have been introduced to three of the four horsemen and now in v 7 and 8 we are introduced to the fourth horseman who is the culmination of the prior horseman resulting  in conquest, war, and famine.

He represents a period in which

 

*Repayment is due( v 7-8) *

 

As with a layaway plan, if you don't pay up in full after a certain period, what you put on hold you will lose.

They may call you.

They may send you a letter.

Or when you come to make an additional payment, they may say layaway is no longer accepted.

Well in v 8 we see an analogy of such a statement in the vision of the "Pale " horse.

Anything that is pale is usually not one received positively

 

It represents:

·                     having no color

·                     Usually a result of shock

·                     Usually a result of fear

·                     Usually a result of ill health

 

And symbolic of one whose life has left their body, it is symbolic of death!

It is a greenish color that can be described as the color of disease and death

* *

*Dan 5:6* gives us an example of paleness:

 

So King Belshazzar became even more terrified and his face grew more pale.

His nobles were baffled.

[1]

[2]/The Holy Bible : New International Version/.

*Nahum **2:10* gives us a glimpse of what the inhabitants of earth are experiencing:

 

She is pillaged, plundered, stripped!

Hearts melt, knees give way, bodies tremble, every face grows *pale*.

Conquest, war, and famine!

All who live during this period of the world's great liberator will suffer from his policy to be worshipped.

*If we could imagine the inhabitants of the earth during this period.*

·                     no joy

·                     no happiness

·                     No life

Death all around them

 

Scripture gives us a warning of taken God’s grace for granted.

The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years.

*Numbers 14:26-35*

 

26 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 27 “How long will this wicked community grumble against me?

I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites.

28 So tell them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very things I heard you say: 29 In this desert your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me.

30 Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. 31 As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected.

32 But you—your bodies will fall in this desert.

33 Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert.

34 For forty years—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’

35 I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me.

They will meet their end in this desert; here they will die.”

[3]

[4]/The Holy Bible : New International Version/.

*What does death look like?*

Over 600,000 numbered men and a period over 38 years, 14,508 days in the wilderness.

42-43 men a day, 3-4 per hour- Died! Funeral, after funeral, after funeral!

 

·                     parents dead

·                     children orphaned

·                     widows lamenting

 

Here in Rev 6:8, the pale rider brings death with Hades following close behind!

* Death*

·                     The result of rebellion towards God

 

*Ill*: Adam: the day you eat of it you will surely die(moth To moth- in dying you shall die- representing both spiritual and natural death)

 

The pale rider is bringing not only natural death but is also representing Hades which is a spiritual death and the future abode of all unbelievers.

Jesus in *Matt **13: 44* describes it in His explanation of the parables of the weeds as a place of a fiery furnace where there we be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Hades or Hell also call ge'enna- a place outside the city where they burn their trash.

(decay)

 

 

2 Peter and Jude described it as the blackest darkness ( *Rev 2:11* calls it the second death)

 

*This rider is given Power to kill by sword, famine, and disease over a forth of the earth- approximately a billion people.

Mankind becomes bestial towards each other.*

Who wants to call liberty travel and book this trip!

Yet millions who reject God and refuse His grace has booked a trip of death and hell.

We the redeemed, have no plot or title in Hades nor are we to fear death

 

*Hosea **13:14** ( 1 Cor **15:55**)*

 

“I will ransom them from the power of the gravec;

I will redeem them from death.

Where, O death, are your plagues?

Where, O grave,d is your destruction?

“I will have no compassion,