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James L. Thornton This Is Study # 2 Of The Book Of Revelation Chapter 6. This Is A Continuation From Study # 1, Where The Apostle John Is Invited Up Into Heaven Where He Sees A Panoramic Vision Of Heaven And It's Occupants. From This Position John Observed The Worship In Heaven And Heard The Songs Of The Four Living Creatures, The Four And Twenty Elders, And 100 Million + Thousands Of Thousands Of Angels. Revelation 6. 1. John's Vision Continues
The Vision Continues.Revelation 5:1a."And I Saw..." With This Phrase John Introduces A New Incident In The Vision.
In Revelation Chapter Four, To John Is Revealed The Glory Of God Surrounded By His Church And His Creation. In Revelation Chapter Five, The Glory Of Jesus Christ, The Lamb Of God, Is Set Forth. The Book Sealed With Seven Seals.Revelation 5:1. And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
"A Strong Angel.." "A Mighty Angel…" (Revelation 10:1) (Matt. 28:2-4) This Book Contained The Whole Of "The Mysteries Of The Kingdom Of Heaven." (Matthew 13:11) So Far As We Gather From Revelation, The Book Is Never Read. And Nowhere Are We Explicitly Informed Of The Contents Of The Book. Even Though The Book Is Never Read, The Things Attending, Or Accompanying, The Opening Of Each Seal Portray A Portion Of The Contents. The Events Are Made Visible To John As Each Seal Is Broken And The Roll Is Unrolled. The Events Attending The Opening Of The Seals Are Therefore A Prophecy Of The Relations Of The Church And The World To The End Of Time. The Seven Seals. They Must Be Opened Before The Mystery Of The Future Can Be Told.
Who Shall Open That Book And Reveal What Is Therein?Can An Apostle Open The Book? A Mighty Angel? How About One Of The Beasts? "Who Is Worthy?" The Angel Wants To Know. No One Is Worthy, No One Is Able, Either In Heaven, Or On Earth, Neither Under The Earth, To Open The Book, Or To Look Into It. No One In Creation.
No One Responds, There Is Awful Silence, Till The Silence Is Broken By Sobbing And Weeping. Tears Of An Apostle.Revelation 5:4a. "And I wept much,.." (JKV)
Literally, "I Burst Into Tears And Continued Weeping.."
It Is God's Book, And It Must Be Opened, Because It Contains His Mind, His Will, His Decrees.
Revelation 5:5. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. (KJV) As John Weeps One Of The Elders Says To Him, "Weep Not: Behold (Calling Attention To What May Be Seen, Or Heard, Or Mentally Apprehended In Any Way) The Lion Of The Tribe Of Juda, The Root Of David, Hath Prevailed...: (Hath Conquered) We See Unfolding Here A Description Of Our Lord Jesus Christ, And The Power And Importance Of His Redemptive Act On Calvary. (Revelation 5:.9.) Revelation 5:6. "And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, ..." (KJV) Many Years Before John Had Heard, "Behold The Lamb Of God Which Taketh Away The Sins Of The World." (John 1:29.) Since Then, That Lamb Of God Had Been Made An Offering For Sin:
Now He Occupies The Central Place In Heaven, Where He is Visible To All. He Is The Center Of All That Holy Throng, On Whom All Eyes Rest, To Whom Every Knee Bows, And Every Tongue Confesses. (Philippians 2:11) What A Circle That Is! See Its Members!
Rising Above All, Occupying The Highest Place Of Honor, Receiving All Heavenly Praise And Glory, The Most Prominent Thing In Heaven, "Stood A Lamb." He Is Worthy Of All Praise, And Honor.Why Is He Worthy? "For Thou Wast Slain, And Hast Redeemed Us To God By Thy Blood..." (Revelation 5:9) Redeemed = "To Recover Ownership By Paying A Specified Sum... To Set Free; Rescue, Or Ransom." 1 Peter 1:18. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
If Gold Would Have Paid The Ransom,
If Silver Or Precious Gems Would Have Paid The Price,
But Nothing Would Satisfy The Demand But The "Precious Blood" Of His Son. The Sacrifice Of The Lord Jesus Is Represented Perpetually In Holy Scripture As The Righteous Ground Of Our Redemption. We Cannot Think Too Much Of The Cross Of Christ. Seven Horns, Seven Eyes, Seven Spirits.Revelation 5:6b. ".., having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth." (KJV) 1. "Seven Horns."
Deuteronomy 33:17. His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: (KJV) Hanna Sang, "…mine horn is exalted in the LORD:" (1 Samuel 2:1) Seven Denotes Perfection. The Seven Horns Attributes To The Lamb Complete Power. (Matthew 28:18) 2. "Seven Eyes." These Symbolize Perfect Knowledge, Or Omniscience. Zechariah 4:10b. "... those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth. (KJV) 3. "Seven Spirits Of God." These Are Also Mentioned In (Revelation 1:4; 3:1; 4:5.) These All Represent The Sevenfold Gifts Given By The Holy Spirit To The Church To Minister To Its Needs. These Spirits Proceed Out From God And Are, "Sent Forth Into All The Earth." The Lamb Takes The Book.Revelation 5:7. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. (KJV) In Ephesians 5:27. We Have The Same Sense Of Meaning When Christ Presents The Church To Himself--- He Is Both Presenter And Recipient. Ephesians 5:25. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
He, In His Majesty And Might, Takes The Book Into His Own Hands. The Son In His Human Capacity, As Indicated By His Sacrificial Form Of The Lamb, Can Take The Book And Reveal The Mysteries Of The Eternal Godhead In Which He, As God, Has Part. John 3:35. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. (KJV) The Lord Jesus Christ Presides Over All Governments, Empires, Kingdoms, And Thrones. In The Opening Of The Seven Seals, And In The Administration Of His Work, He Unfolds And Carries Out The Plan Of God.
Revelation 5:8. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
This Song Could Not Have Been Sung In Moses’ Day, Or In David's Day, For His Blood Had Not Yet Been Shed.
Revelation 5:11. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; (100 Million + 1000s of 1000s) (Infinite Number)
The Song Bursts Out Beyond The Circle Of The Redeemed Host, "The Voice Of Many Angels." (They Sang At His Birth, (Luke 2:13-14)) Around The Hosts Of Redeemed Ones There Is An Innumerable Company Of Angels Who Have "Desired To Look Into" The Mystery Of The Redemption Of The World. (1 Peter 1:12) Thus, The Redeemed Creation Stands Nearer To The Throne Of God Than Even The Angels. (See Hebrews 2:5-12) The Chorus Is Completed Only When It Is Joined By "Every Created Thing Which Is In Heaven, And On Earth, And Under The Earth, And In The Sea."
Revelation 5:13. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
The Whole Of Creation Joins As One to Adore The Lamb.
In Revelation Chapters Six and Seven The Lamb Opens Six Of The Seven Seals. The Four Horsemen Come Riding On Their Different Color Horses. In Revelaltion Chapter Six The Seer Is Shown The Entire Church Age. The First Four Seals Concern Things Which Are Connected With This Present Life. To Understand Revelation We Must Always Keep In Our Minds The Whole Theme Of Revelation Is The Church's Struggle In This World, And It's Final Victory Over All Foes. In Fact The Opening Of The First Seal Is An Assurance Of Victory. The Opening Of The Remaining Seals Lets Us Know That There Will Be Much Tribulation Which The Church Will Go Through Along With The Rest Of The World. However The Church Will Be Shielded From The Wrath Of God. The First Seal.Revelation 6:1. And I saw (I Was An Eyewitness) when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. The Opening Of The First Seal Is Accompanied By Thunder. Thunder Is The Usual Accompaniment Of A Special Revelation Of The Divine Will Of God. (Exodus 19:16; John 12:29; Revelation 12:3; 16:2)
Revelation 6:2. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. (KJV) The Conquering Lord. The Emphasis Is On The Rider.The White Horse And His Rider Is The Symbol Of Victory.A Symbolic Representation Of Christ And His Church. Once Again, John, In The Beginning Of This Part Of The Vision, Is Made To See That The Lord Was Going To Be Triumphant, And That He Was Not Part Of A Losing Cause. Jesus Wants Us To Know That We Don't Have To Turn To The Back Of The Book To Find Out The Outcome Of Our Struggles.
This Appearance Is Repeated With More Details In (Revelation 19:11-16.) Rest Assured, Christ And His Church Are Going To Be Victorious. Many Trials And Afflictions Are To Trouble The Earth, And The Church Will Not Escape These Trials. But Through It All God Is Working To Bring His Church Triumphantly Through The Struggle. So What Is True Of The Church As A Whole, Is True Of Each Individual Soul. Sometimes We May Not Understand Why, Or For What Purpose God Permits Us To Suffer.
The Message Is Intended To Be A Support To Us In Our Trials. Not By Removing Present Troubles, But By Declaring The Final Victory To Those Who Endure To The End. Thus, As A Preparation For Woes To Be Revealed, Horses, Riders, Trumpets To Sound, Vials To Be Poured Out, And These Are To Be Prolonged, Revelation Is Written To The Church As An Encouragement And Assurance Of Victory. "And He Went Forth Conquering, And To Conquer." This Is What The Whole Vision Is All About.
Revelation 6:3. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
Beginning With The Opening Of The Second Seal John’s Eyes And Mind Is Directed Down Upon The Earth Where Terrible Calamities Are Taking Place. The Things That John Witnessed In The Opening Of The Second, Third, And Fourth Seals, Have Been Plaguing The Earth Throughout History. We Read In Revelation 1:19, That John Was To Be Shown The Past, The Present, And The Future. Revelation 1:19. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; (KJV) The Red Horse, And His Rider With The Great Sword, Took Peace From The Earth.
No One Knows When The First War Was Fought.
James 4:1. "From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?" (KJV) Genesis Fourteen Tells About The First War Ever Written About. There Have Been Few, If Any, Peaceful Days On The Earth Since The First War Was Fought With Rocks And Clubs. One Great General Summed It Up This Way, "War Is Hell." In The Fourteenth Century There Was A War In Europe Which Lasted A Hundred Years. (1337-1453) "The Hundred Years War Inflicted Untold Misery On The French People.
Another War Which Involved Much Of Europe That Lasted For Thirty Years (1618-1648) And Left It Devastated. "The War Reduced The Population Of Germany By More Than Half.
Excerpted from Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia. Copyright © 1994, 1995 Compton’s New Media, Inc. Our Own Nation Has Been Involved In Many Wars In Which Thousands Of Americans Have Been Killed. History Has Proved That No Human Beings Have Been Born Civilized. Go Back As Far As History Will Allow And We Find Our Ancestors Killing, Or Exaulting Those Who Did. Many Individuals Have Fattened That Red Horse. "The Greatest Scientists, The Most Exalted Inventors Have Been Employed In Manufacturing Of Weapons." The Largest Portion Of The Budget Of Most Nations Goes To The Military, Either For Weapons, Or For Research For New Weapons. Only Of Christ And His Kingdom Can It Be Said That It Is To Conquer.
Only Of Christ's Kingdom Shall There Be No End. (Luke 1:33) There Must Be Strife Between The Powers Of Earth And The Powers Of Heaven. Jesus Said, Matthew 10:34. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. (KJV) It Would Seem That Men Would Learn From Former Years Of The Awful Suffering, Which War Brings, And Would Restrain Themselves, But The Last Century (Twentieth) Proved To Be By Far The Most Devastating. Walter Percy (The Thanatos Syndrome)
Untold Millions Of Russians Slaughtered In The Purges During And After The Revolution Of 1917. Wars Again In The Far East In Which Japan’s Imperialism Devastated China And The Islands Of The Pacific. The Second World War In Which 70,000,00 Humans Were Killed, The Holocaust--Hitler Killing Most Of The Jews Of Europe. Stalin Killing 15,000,000 Ukrainians And Untold Millions More Of His Own People. Nuclear Destruction Unleashed, Hundreds Of Nations On Every Continent Struggling Internally In Which Great Multitudes Perished, Is The Final War Inevitable? It Is Because God Agreed To Let Satan Have His Way For A Hundred Years
Revelation 6:5. And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
The Rider On The Black Horse Brought Famine.This Is One Of The Major Catastrophes That Has Plagued Mankind From Before Recorded Time. It Would Not Do Justice To This Verse To Try To Pinpoint A Particular Famine And Say That This, Or That Famine, Is The One That John Saw. But Rather That Its Prophecies Point To Events Which Have Happened, And Are Recurring, And Will Continue To Occur Until The End Of The World. When It Seems Things Can't Get Worse, It Does.
Revelation 6:7. And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
Death Rode The Pale Horse, And Hell Followed.Here We Have It Plainly Stated That The Vision Is A Personification Of Death.
Lets Take A Good Look At These Calamities Which John Saw Coming On The Earth. In Succession, War, Famine, Death By Pestilence, Disease, And Wild Beasts. Death Entered The World Through Sin, But John Saw The Time When "There Will Be No More Death." (Revelation 21:4) In Other Words The Second, Third, And Fourth Seals Depict Troubles Which Christians And All Mankind Will Have To Undergo. Time And Time Again These Horsemen Have Ridden, Both Before, And After John Saw Them Go Forth That Day. Do Not Think Of Them As Representing Only One War, Or One Famine, Or One Particular Plague, Or As One Time Event. All Will Ride Side By Side Until The End Of Time. All Are Governed By, And Restrained By, He Who Rides The White Horse. Along-Side And In The Midst Of All Trials And Tribulations The Church Goes Through Them Because It Must Be Purified. Now All Of These Things Jesus Told Us Would Come To Pass Before His Second Coming. Matthew 24:6. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Again And Again, In Periods Of Great Tribulations, People Have Declared The End Of The World To Be At Hand. But The End Is Not Doubtful... "He Came Forth Conquering," And That We All May Finally Conquer, Whatever Earthly Trials May Intervene. So Let Us Take Heart, The Lord Is Coming, Our Lord Is Clear On This Subject.
Let Us Never Think Of The Second Coming Of Our Lord As Some Far Distant Event, Which We, As Yet, Should Not Concern Ourselves. We Are Told That Star Touches Star By Forces, Both Visible And Invisible, Even Though Separated By Vast Distances. Even So, The First And Second Comings Of Our Lord Touch Each Other By Means Of Events Now Going On, Which Began When He Ascended Up To Heaven, And Will Be Still Going On When He Returns. Not A Moment Is Lost In The Interval.During Those Slow Lingering Centuries, While The Four Horsemen Are Riding, Many Will Lose Hope, And Others Will Mock And Say, "Where Is The Promise Of His Coming?" (2 Peter 3:4) Yet I Want To Remind You There Is Not A Moment In Which Some Work Is Not Being Done To Prepare For Our Lord’s Return.
And At The Appointed Time, "He That Shall Come Will Come, And Will Not Tarry." (Hebrews 10:37) The Fifth Seal OpenedRevelation 6:9. And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain (Sacrificed) for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
"I Saw Under The Altar The Souls The Of Them..." How Could John See The Souls? He Did Not See Them With His Bodily Vision--He "Sees" Them While "In The Spirit." He Is Somehow Made Conscious Of The Existence Of The Souls. The "Souls," Not The Bodies; The Bodies Had Been Destroyed. They Will Be Reunited With Their Bodies At The Coming Of Our Lord, And The General Resurrection. I Thessalonians 4:14b. "..., even so them which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." Their Ashes Were Left Behind.
Now They Are In A Position Of Sacred Security.
They Remember The Earth, And Remember The Cruelties They Received On Earth. Their Cry Unto The Lord, "How Long, O Lord, Holy And True, Dost Thou Not Judge And Avenge Our Blood On Them That Dwell On The Earth?" (Revelation 6:10) Those Souls Which Offered Themselves A Living Sacrifice To God Pray Eternally For His Coming. "How Long? O Lord, Holy And True;…"These Had Given Their Lives For The Gospel's Sake And Because Of Their Love Of The Lord Jesus. They Had Been Told By Their Lord What They Would Face, And They Had Paid The Price. (Revelation 2:10 ) Revelation 6:10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. (KJV) White Robes Were Given Them, And They Were Told To Rest Yet For A Little Season, Until Their Fellow-Servants Also And Their Brethren, That Should Be Killed As They Were, Should Be Fulfilled. They Had Paid The Ultimate Price.
The Wedding Garment.Revelation 6:11. "...; 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." (KJV) They Were Placed In A Region Of Rest Like The Thief On The Cross. Luke 23:43. "And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise." (KJV) Paradise Is Likened Unto A Palace Garden.
This Would Have Been Great Consolation, Comfort, And Encouragement To The Church In John's Day Which Was At That Moment Suffering Great Persecution. Just To Know That Those Who Have Held Out To The End Have Reached A Place Of Eternal Bliss. They Have Received The White Robe, They Are Free From Possibility Of Defilement, The Victory Is Won, And They Have Rest. This Would Be Comfort And Encourgement To Those Still Struggling In The World, Who Have Not As Yet Attained To The WHITE ROBE Of Perfect Righteousness. And When They Came To Face Such Death Themselves--How This Vision Would Help Them To Be Faithful Unto Death, And To Face It Unflinchingly And Unfalteringly. Rest There Until Your Brethren Which Also Are To Be Slain Will Be Slain. This Seems To Indicate That There Is A Certain Number Of People (Unknown To Man) Which God Has Ordained, Or Chosen, To Give Their Lives For The Gospel’s Sake. When This Unknown Number Is Met, And They Join The Martyrs Under The Altar, Then Cometh The End. We Can Only Know For Certain That The Number Is Already In The Millions, And Still Growing. "How Long, O Lord, Holy And True,..."
Till The Second Coming Of The Lord... For The Time Which Is To Intervene Before That Event Is Often Spoken Of As "A Little Time." The Time Of The World Is Little In Comparison With Eternity.
It Comes To An End In Revelation 7:17, And Merges Into Eternity In (Revelation 8:1.) The Time Of Suffering Will Come To An End.
In Revelation 6:12-17 The Little While Is Concluded... The Cup Of Wrath Is Full. We Will Close This Study In Revelation Here And Continue It In Study # 3. When The Sixth Seal Is Opened GREAT TRIBULATION Comes On The Earth. Will The Church Go Through This GREAT TRIBULATION? We Will Attempt To Answer This Question In Revelation Study # 3, When The Sixth Seal Is Opened. Hope You Enjoy Reading These Studies On Revelation, And Will Read The Other Studies On This Web Site.
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