Read Revelation 6. This dramatic and troubling chapter depicts the unpeeling of six of the seven seals. (Glance ahead to 8:1).  We will document each seal before we try to grapple with their theological implications.

God will not withhold anything that has to do with warning.  There are 3x as many predictions for the second coming as there were for the first. What He says will happen, will happen exactly as He says it will happen. IT DOES INDEED MATTER HOW WE LIVE OUR LIVES.  Unrighteousness will be judged.  Psalm 139:12. 

PART ONE; IDENTIFYING THE SEALS

(These are just the seals on the outside of the scroll reference 8:1 – Not until then is the scroll opened.)

The first four are often called “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.”

FIRST SEAL: The Rider on the White Horse

The first horse is white.  Many interpretations for this one but most common:

·         The rider symbolizes Christ (cf. 19:11; Hendriksen, pgs. 122.127). 

o   In the Greek, Revelation 19:11 it is identical in phraseology.  However, this interpretation is troublesome because it doesn’t fit the context or the timing.  The Lamb is unsealing it so it would be odd to also be the Rider on the Horse.  Can it happen; of course.

·         The rider symbolizes the antichrist. (2 Cor. 11:14; Bible Knowledge Commentary). 

o   Must be aware that the antichrist is never called by that name in Revelation.  Called by another name but referring to the same.  Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.  Anything God does, the enemy attempts to counterfeit.  This is especially true in Revelation.  The devil has a jealousy problem.  He became prideful of his beauty.  Isaiah 14; Ezekiel 28.  The seed of everything is his pride.

·         The rider symbolizes military conquest.  Symbolizes an action that takes place.  (New International Commentary New Testament gets more specific with invasions from the outside)

Matthew 24 (Matthew, Mark, Luke – synoptic gospels {means very similar}; Matthew 24:3-12 Jesus sitting on Mount of Olives.  We are seeing the escalation – the increase of wickedness, cold-heartedness, hatred between one another, betrayal. 

*Mark 13:10 tells the timing “and the gospel must first be preached to all nations”

·         The rider symbolizes “the proclamation of the gospel of Christ in all the world.”  (Mark 13:10; Ladd p.99).

o   This one is in context with all the rest ---- Christ being the Lamb opening the scroll.  {Beth is drawn to this interpretation} 

The Second Seal:  The Rider on the Red Horse.  War in general or could specifically be civil war.  NICNT differentiates the second rider from the first as a representation of invasion from within. 

·         That seems to go along with that it says the Rider is given the power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other.  Matthew 24 – people will betray one another.

Revelation 6:5-6.  The Third Seal: The Rider on the Black Horse.  “A quart of wheat for a day’s wages” – represents terribly, inconceivably inflated prices.  Represents scarcity and resultant famine.  At the end of verse 6: it says do not damage the oil and wine.  God has limited the oil and wine.  This could possibly be representative: the oil of the Holy Spirit; the wine of the Blood of Christ.  Could be – but may not be.  God puts a limit on how far He allows that scarcity and famine to go.

Revelation 6:7-8.  The Fourth Seal: The Rider on the Pale (actually means a very, very pale green) Horse was given the name of Death.  Hades was believed to represent a compartment of the spirits of the dead (everybody is awake) where those who are unbelievers are held before they will one day be spilled over into the eternal place. An body that has not been embalmed will not only be pale but green.

Revelation 6:9-11.  The Fifth Seal: The Cry of the Martyrs Exodus 29:12, Leviticus 4:7.

·         The altar is symbolic (best guess) of the altar of sacrifice.  Genesis 4:10 “Your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground.”  This is symbolic of saying that each one of these martyr’s lives given for the Gospel is a sacrifice to the heart of God – not for sin, that was only the sacrifice of Christ – this was a sacrifice to God for the sake of the Gospel.  That blood crying out will be avenged.  Luke 18:7-8

Revelation 6:12-14.  The Sixth Seal: Great Cosmic Disturbances.  Romans 8:19-22.  As a woman in labor, the pains will get stronger and stronger and will get closer and closer.

·         Will the church go through these terrible things?  1 Thessalonians 4:13-24.  A Latin word meaning “caught up” is within there – Rapture.  Most scholarly commentaries do not believe in a Pre-Tribulation Rapture – believe it to be symbolic. 

·         Why Beth believes we (the Church) will be pulled out of the worst of the tribulation (she says she just her beliefs).  She believes we will not be pulled out of tribulation and persecution in general because God will use those to purify His Church BUT she believes that we will be delivered from The Tribulation and the Wrath of the Lamb. One reason is that by looking throughout history, we can see one thing about the character of God.  Anytime, he has sent wrath upon a nation, he has pulled out the righteous remnant prior to judgment.  Pattern is He warns, pulls out the remnant, then brings the judgment.  Matthew 24:37; 2 Peter 2:5.  First Noah preached (warn); then God pulled out the righteous (Noah and his family); then brought the judgment.

ANYTHING God does, the enemy attempts to counterfeit!

PART TWO:  ANALYZING OUR DISMAY

1.    We are placing these events in the context of our present culture and environment – relatively sheltered.  Some of us have visited the dark side but there is a world out there that is in horrible darkness. Porn, sex trafficking, untold oppression. genocides, horrific enemies of God in unimaginable wickedness.

2.    We are a merciful people.  Why do we feel mercy?  Because we are created in the image of God.  If we feel one hint of mercy, what must God feel!  2 Peter 3:7-11.  Ezekiel 33:10-11.  God will have mercy long after we do.

3.    We can’t picture God, having been so good to us, being so harsh with the world.

some people are so rebellious that god has to KILL THEM TO HEAL THEM/BEAT them HALF TO DEATH TO BRING THEM LIFE.  The greatest revival in the history of the earth will emerge in this time – the time of unparalleled wrath.  Mercy will still triumph over judgment (James 2:13) and numberless people will be saved out of the wrath to come.

It matters to Jesus that we are a part of the local body, that we are investing our lives into a local body of believers.  Jesus esteems the local church.  He esteems that we are there and esteems what happens there.

PART ONE:
Overview of Revelation 2 and 3 b reviewing Revelation 1:10. 
See the commonality between the seven letters to the seven churches.  Seven is "complete," "the whole thing."
What are these seven churches? All the seven letters were read to all seven churches which were in a circle.  They were going to learn from one another's strengthes and one another's weaknesses.

• Seven literal communities of Christianity in existence at that time
• Representations of the church universal throughout the age
•     Must be individually applied because we individually are the church
•     We are mutually responsible to Him and to each other

One stream of thought from those who believe they have even further significance:

• The order of the 7 churches represents a preview of the entirety of church history.  (Walvoord)  (seven general periods of church history)

COMMONALITIES WITHIN THE SEVEN LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES:

• Christ identifies Himself in each letter by means of a descriptive phrase found in the vision.  Pulls out at least one dimension of Himself.
  
•     Revelation 2:1; Revelation 2:8; Revelation 2:12; Revelation 2:18; Revelation 3:1; Revelation 3:7; Revelation 3:14
  
• With the exception of Laodicea, Christ issues commendations.
• With the exception of Smyrna and Philadelphia, Christ issues warnings
• Each letter includes an exhortation to "hear".  LISTEN. He gives us a choice to listen to Him or close our ears to Him.   
  
• Each letter includes a promise to those who overcome.
•     "Nikao" - Greek word means "to conquer" "overcomer" "conquerer"  In order to become overcomers, we must have something to conquer.
•     Revelation is about overcoming.  It is not the will of God to be buried under the burden.  It is not the will of God to be under the mastery of  obsession.  It is the will of God that we be overcomers.

These seven letters make two facts unmistakable:

1. Christ is completely PRESENT.  Christ is always present in His Church whether He likes what's going on or not.
   
2. Christ is acutely AWARE                           Leviticus 26:12  "I will walk among you and you will be my people."                 Hebrews 7:2

Luke 21:24  "The times of the Gentiles." - What we are living in.  Advent to Advent - When Jesus came the first time until His second coming.
Romans 11:25-29  Israel is on hold but "...all Israel will be saved..."
John 1:11 - He came unto His own but His own received Him not.
Galatians 3:29
We will focus our attentions on one letter: Revelation 2:1-7.

Christ’s Commendations to Ephesus:  (Huge city at the time – more than 250,000; center for idol worship – probably much like New York)

·         hard work and perseverance

·         recognition and intolerance of falseness  (Matthew: by their fruit you will know them)

Christ’s Issue with Ephesus: V.4 “I have something against you, namely, that ...” (WBC, p.146)

“I have this against it and here it is” God tells you.  The enemy works in generalities, wide things.  The Holy Spirit will tell you specifically if He has an issue with you.

“You have forsaken your first love.”  In Greek – your protos love – your priority love.  Mark 12:28-30.  28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”   29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[a] 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[b] The most important commandment. 

We cannot love God and despise people; it’s impossible.  We cannot love people and hate God; it’s impossible.

“You have forsaken your first love.”  (Greek “aphiemi” – to send forth, send away, let go from oneself”)  {Friend: “If you don’t love God, you’ll love anything.”}

The Ephesians hated what Christ hated but they didn’t love what Christ loved.

NICNT, p. 69 Every virtue carries within itself the seeds of its own destruction.

“It seems probable that desire for sound teaching and the resulting forthright action taken to exclude all imposters had created a climate of suspicion in which love within the believing community could no longer exist.”  They had gotten so good at being police that they had lost their passion.  When policing becomes a greater passion than Holy passion, we are nothing but Pharisees - have fallen into the category of legalists.  We will be filled with the Spirit only to the amount we love.

IF YOU DON’T DO THIS IT AIN’T GETTING’ DONE.

APHIEMI is also often used as “forgive.”  Forsake that hold on something.  To send something forth or to let go of it.  It is not for the other person, it is for ourselves.  You will either hang onto your unforgiveness or you will hang onto your first love.  You cannot hang onto both.  What is in your hands?  What are you holding onto?

Christ’s exhortation to Ephesus:
·         Remember
·         Repent
·         Return to those first things