We continue on in the book of Revelation. And let me review for us a little.
• Last week we were with John in heaven and he saw God on his throne and God had a scroll that contained the plan of God for the last days – how God would bring about justice and peace to this world. But it was sealed with seven seals, and no one could open the book.
• Then a figure appeared who was worthy to open the scroll by breaking the seals and it was the Lamb of God - -Jesus Christ – who is worthy because of the blood that he shed as a sacrifice for the sins of the world.
This week we have the opening of the seven seals and it is in fact the beginning of what is known as the Great Tribulation. And this term is not just in the book of Revelation. Much of Revelation relies on the book of Daniel – another book that shares this apocalyptic genre of literature and although Daniel does not use the word “tribulation” he describes the same period in 12:1 when he says that there will be a “time of distress that has not happened since the beginning of nation.” Paul as well, warned the Thessalonians and Timothy about this time of distress. And Jesus also warned us of the great tribulation:
Matthew 24:21 (NIV84)
21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.
The word translated as tribulation means “narrow, compressed, and severe constriction.” Life is severely constricted. There are times of distress in everyday life, but this time known as the Great Tribulation is severe and extreme, and you don’t just go on with life and deal with this after work. This time changes everything and everyone. No one is exempt from the testing. And from the 6th chapter of Revelation through the 16th Chapter we have warnings and explanations about this Great Tribulation. And John puts everything in sevens, the perfect complete number, and we have seven seals, followed by seven trumpets, which are followed by seven bowls of wrath. And there is a progressing intensity of the judgments on people of the earth. And we will not read them all, but I do encourage you to read them and better yet – come to class on Wednesday evening.
End Times Causes Many to Ridicule
I told a few other pastors that we were doing this and they giggled under their breath. I sensed the ridicule. After all – we are so enlightened, so intellectual, that we don’t believe that stuff in the Bible about judgment and wrath. That is the attitude of so many. And I can see how they got there. The book of Revelation is a magnet for religious nuts. (These are metal nuts like go on a bolt. I am not mixing my metaphors.) In fact, when we say that we are studying the Revelation, it is assumed by most that we are out there in right field, stockpiling food, perhaps meeting with militia troops in the woods, preparing to make a last stand against the Anti-Christ. There has been so much error associated with this book that it makes it very difficult.
And many have overreacted to the Hell-fire and brimstone preaching, and they have over-reacted to the point that they think sin has no consequences. That is a serious mistake. We will each stand before the judgment seat of God to give an account for our lives. The Great Tribulation occurs before the return of Christ. And when some say that it is all just ancient myth and the creation of primitive superstitious people, they are saying that the world will never change. They are denying that God wants to put this world right.
That is what the book of Revelation is all about. We are told to get ready. And as I read this today, I cannot help but feel urgency for so many who scoff at Revelation and who say that the Bible is outdated and irrelevant because they think we are so advanced in our culture today.
Listen.
2 Timothy 3:1–5 (NIV84)
1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
Is that not descriptive of this so-called intelligent, evolved culture in which we live? Lovers of themselves – lovers of money – boastful – proud- -- each description is true of our Western culture.
Now I want to get to the 6th seal today, so let’s briefly cover the first 5.
Rev. 6:1-8 are the first four seals that are opening on the scroll by the Lamb of God. And who are called out on the earth are commonly called the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Verse 1-2, the first horse is white, and the man on the horse is dressed in white and he has a bow in his hand. He also has a crown on his head, but it is literally a victor’s crown, not the kingly crown of later in the book which is on the head of Jesus Christ. And the first horsemen goes out to conquer and although he resembles Christ somewhat he is not Christ. He appears to be good, but he think this is the figure often call the Antichrist and the “man of lawlessness” according to Paul who brings a time of peace to the earth, but is in fact against God.
Verses 3-4 reveals the rider on the Red Horse. This is the man of war who takes peace from the earth and men slay each other.
Verse 5-6 have the third seal and the third horseman – a black horse -- which is famine and there is a food shortage on the earth.
Verses 7-8 have the fourth horseman, an ashen horse with Death was riding it and a fourth of the earth is subjected to war, famine, pestilence, and death.
Verses 9-11 we see the fifth seal and the persecution that is released on the followers of the Lamb of God. They are called the martyrs – the witnesses – who have given their lives rather than to betray their God. And they cry out “How long? How long before you judge those who have shed our blood?” And God answers that the time is not yet, for even more must die – for their deaths have purpose. They are with their deaths – proclaiming the gospel to the world – a world that God wants to save.
Now these are very brief descriptions, but be warned as we go into the 7 trumpets and then the 7 bowls of wrath, it will get much worse. And I think we must wrestle with the reasons as to why God does this. Isn’t God good and loving? This is His creation. These are His people. And it does seem – at least without some insight or thought – that is appears to be vindictive and punitive. Four horsemen? These things scare little kids. Is that the God we know? Why the Great Tribulation? Before we open the 5th seal – let’s get our heads right here – let’s understand the purpose of the scroll that has the plan of God.
Justice
We do understand that justice is in the hands of God. Sometimes we have to consider extreme cases in order to come back to the reality that every person is responsible to God for actions. This week I was shocked by the arrest guilty plea of Brian Crabtree. He is the man who raped and killed two-year-old Katelynn Stinnett. He will spend a long time in prison. Is that justice? Not even close. He killed a two-year old. I am sure he wishes he hadn’t. He is sorry. He regrets it. It was a mistake. Can a court give justice? No.
I know it is extreme, but we have to go there to shock us into the reality that justice is required. Sin requires that blood be shed. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (Hebrews 9:22) And God’s judgment must happen, or everything is meaningless and insignificant. And ultimately, the offense is against God.
A pastor gave a great illustration of justice corresponding to the one who is offended.
Suppose a middle school student punches another student in class. What happens? The student is given a detention.
• Suppose during the detention, this boy punches the teacher. What happens? The student gets suspended from school.
• Suppose on the way home, the same boy punches a policeman on the nose. What happens? He finds himself in jail.
• Suppose some years later, the very same boy is in a crowd waiting to see the President of the United States. As the President passes by, the boy lunges forward to punch the President. What happens? He is shot dead by the secret service.
In every case the crime is precisely the same, but the severity of the crime is measured by the one against whom it is committed. What comes from sinning against God? Answer: Everlasting destruction.
Redemptive Judgment. But we find in Revelation, like in the entire Bible, that God’s actions of judgment are redemptive. That means that God says “Okay, you want to go your own way. Go ahead. You want to make up your own rules, you want to form your own code – have at it. I just will not help you do it.” And we soon find that life deteriorates rather quickly. When God removed his protection – fear grips us – anxiety rules – and the world of our own making shows us our need for God.
God is always slow about his judgment and God’s intention is to correct us – that is why we call it redemptive. God allows Israel to be conquered so that they might repent and return to him. God sends judgment to get us to wake up so that we will return to him. His intention is not to punish us, but to save us, to correct us before it is too late. And the book of Revelation we will see that throughout – that God will send horsemen, blow trumpets, and pour bowls of wrath where the earth is shaken with the purpose of bringing people to their senses. This is ultimate tough love.
Separation is another reason why the Great Tribulation must come. And this takes us to the 6th seal and a contrasting scene in chapter 7.
Revelation 6:12–17 (NIV84)
12 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, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They 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! 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”
Separation Caves or Crowns
This judgment is different from the preceding seals. The preceding judgments used the sins of humanity and turned people on themselves. They killed, and they stole, and they hated and humanity suffered. But this seal is different – because this seal involves creation.
• The earth shakes (vs 12). This is predicted in many places. Ezekiel 38:19 “Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel.” Joel 3:15-16 “The heavens and the earth will shake.” Matthew 24:7 7 “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.” There have been other occasions in the Bible when there were earthquakes: When God gave Moses the law on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:18); When Jesus died on the cross (Matt. 27:1); and when Jesus came out of the grave (Matt. 28:2) God shakes the world – literally.
• The sky becomes dark. We think again of when Christ was crucified and the sun went dark, or on Mt Sinai when a thick darkness covered the mountain ( Ex. 20:21) . Joel 2:31 31 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.
• The stars fall from the sky. Again, seems to fit with Joel’s prophesy Joel 2:10 10 Before them the earth shakes, the sky trembles, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine. This could also be a meteor shower.
• Every mountain and island will be moved. This could be a result of the earthquakes.
Put them all together – the earth shakes, the sky turns dark, the stars fall – pretty terrifying thing. And the purpose is to shock the world into reality – that God is in control --- and time is running out.
But look at the result. There is a drastic contrast between those who seek God and those who do not. All kinds of people are listed: kings, princes, generals, rich people, mighty people, and every slave and every free man – every kind of person – great and small – hide in the caves. When the world shakes – everyone is the same. For the other judgments you might have a remedy. Your money and your power might protect you from war or famine or disease – but when the earth shakes and the sky turns dark you head for the caves.
They try to hide from the wrath of the Lamb. They don’t want to see his face. And their prayer is not to the Lamb for mercy or for forgiveness but they pray to the rocks to fall on them. They would rather die than repent.
This is hard for us to accept.
It says in chapter nine: “The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood — idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts” (Revelation 9:20-21).
There is a sense of amazement that the judgments did not produce the intended effect. In fact, the people only seem to harden their hearts further. We read later where it says, “They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him” (Revelation 16:9). Their willful rebellion and stubborn refusal to submit their hearts to the God who gave them life, and acknowledge that he is King of the Universe, demonstrated the appropriateness of God’s judgment.
It is interesting that the word for stubbornness in the original language comes from the root word skleros. Skleros means callous, or hard. We use it in the word “sclerosis,” which is the medical term for the thickening and hardening of an artery or an organ -- which blocks circulation. Stubbornness is when we have callous hearts. We harden our hearts toward God and we find no room for repentance. The circulation of the Spirit in our lives is blocked.
And these people – these stubborn people – are in contrast to the martyrs. In chapter 7 we have an interlude from the judgment scenes of the Great Tribulation and who we see are the believers – those who seek the Lamb. They are in heaven and they are from every tribe and every nation. And there is this scene of the martyrs – they have remained faithful. They have endured the four horsemen and the 6th seal when the world shook – but they were not afraid. They did not run to the caves. Instead of a cave, they gather to the one who wears the crown.
Revelation 7:14–17 (NIV84)
“These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. 16 Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Remember – this book was written to encourage churches. And we Western Christians may not be that encouraged because we have never known persecution and have no stories of martyrs.
I know a man who was buried alive by the Communists in the old Soviet Union and the general let him live, probably because he had learned that when you bury a martyr you plant a seed. The martyr never dies -- never goes away, but his faith spreads. But persecution is alive today. We think it is about ancient times, of coliseums and lions, of evil kings and burning at the stake – but many more are being martyred today.
Voice of the martyrs – I have included the web site – tells their stories. Somewhere around 170,00 0 a year who die as Christians, most of them are in the midst of tribal and ethnic battles in places where news reporters don’t go – like Nigeria, the Sudan, China, and North Korea.
But we don’t have those stories. And that is why Revelation is so much more important, because most American Christians live and believe that God would never test us – never put is in the narrow place, the place of severe constriction – so when that comes, we are much more likely to head for the caves.
Little Tribulations
But we will have before that day many little tribulations. We will choose every day who we will serve. What or who is of ultimate value to us? The little choices establish us for larger choices. If we are not faithful in little things, we will not be faithful in large things. And we realize that every day is in fact a testing and a preparation and how we respond – either in faith or in fear – either a cave or a crown, will determine in part how we are prepared for the Great Tribulation.
