SCRIPTURE: REVELATION 6
THE SEALS (vs. 1-17)
I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!”. I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.
When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!”. Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword.
When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!”
When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had bee slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.
I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up and every mountain and island was removed from its pace.
Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slaves and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. The called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”
THOUGHTS:
THE SEVEN SEALS:
- White horse – The rider had a bow and given a crown because he was a conqueror.
- Red horse – The rider had a large sword to make war that results in bloodshed.
- Black horse – The rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand meaning there was famine.
- Pale green horse – The rider was named Death because there will be plague and wild beast that kill people.
- Altar – it represents the altar of sacrifice in the Temple where animals were sacrificed to atone for sins. John saw the martyrs who had died for preaching the Good News. They were asking God to bring justice for their blood but God told them to wait because more would still lose their lives for their belief in Christ.
- There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black, the moon turned red and the stars in the sky fell to earth. The sky receded like a scroll,, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. This is the universal judgment everyone will be afraid of. Those unbelievers who showed no fear of God will hide in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They will call the mountains to fall on them so that they will not have to face the judgment of the Lamb.
No one who has rejected God can survive the day of God’s wrath. But those who belong to Christ will receive a reward rather than punishment. Do you belong to Christ? If you are, you need not fear these final days. If you are not, you better repent while there is still time.