Revelation 6
ONLY JESUS WAS WORTHY TO OPEN THE SCROLL OF SEALS.
THE AGE OF GRACE IS CLOSING & THE TIME OF JUDGMENT IS HERE. THIS TIME IS THE LAST "WEEK" OF DANIEL'S 70 WEEKS, EACH OF WHICH EQUALS A SEVEN YEAR PERIOD. CHAPTERS 6 - 19 TELL US WHAT IS TO HAPPEN ON THE EARTH DURING THIS PERIOD.
THE LAST SEAL WILL BE THE 7 TRUMPETS & THE LAST TRUMPET WILL INCLUDE THE 7 VIALS, AFTER WHICH COMES THE END OF THE WORLD. AFTER THE 6TH SEAL OPENS THE HEAVENS AND EARTH SHOOK JUST AS THE LORD SAID THROUGH HIS PROPHET HAGGAI (2:6): "Once more I will shake the heavens and the earth".
WE MUST REMEMBER THAT ONE OF THE MAIN POINTS OF REVELATION IS TO SHOW HOW BOTH EVIL & SIN WILL BE REMOVED FROM CREATION.
THE 1ST SEAL IS A REVELATION OF CHRIST'S VICTORY OVER EVIL AND THE 7TH IS A REVELATION OF THE SILENCE IN HEAVEN IN WHICH THE PRAYERS OF EVERY BELIEVER ARE HEARD. ALL EVIL TAKES PLACE BETWEEN THESE TWO SEALS IN OUR STUDY BOOK.
THE SUMMARY OF THIS MATTER IS THAT WE ARE TO RECOGNIZE EVIL BUT NOT FEAR IT AS JOHN TOLD US IN 1ST JOHN:4:4 THAT
" ... he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world ... "
THE LORD IS & ALWAYS HAS BEEN IN CONTROL OF EVIL.
HE CREATED EVIL (ISAIAH 45 :7)
HE BROUGHT EVIL UPON KING SAUL (1ST SAMUEL 16:14-15)
HE SENT EVIL ANGELS UPON HIS OWN CHOSEN PEOPLE (PSALM 78:49)
HE BROUGHT EVIL UPON JOB & NEVER TOLD HIM WHY (JOB 42:11)
HE LIMITED SATAN'S EVIL WORK TWICE ON JOB (JOB CHAPTER 1)
SATAN IS UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF GOD.
THE LAW WAS GIVEN TO SHOW US OUR SIN (ROMANS 3 :20) AND JESUS BROUGHT AN END TO THE LAW (ROMANS 10:4).
EVIL & SATAN WERE MADE THE LORD'S INSTRUMENT IN HIS MASTER PLAN TO TEACH US WHY WE NEED THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT IN THIS LIFE TO DEFEND OURSELVES AND JESUS WILL ALSO BRING AN END TO EVIL AND SATAN (REVELATION 20:10).
THOUGHTS ON CHAPTERS 8-11:
8: SILENCE IN HEAVEN FOR A HALF HOUR - A SOMBER SILENCE AT THE JUDGMENTS TO COME AFTER THE 7TH SEAL WAS OPENED. HEAVENLY WORSHIP AND 7 TRUMPETS WHICH WILL SOUND GOD'S BATTLE ALARM DURING THE TRIBULATION. THE FIRST 4 TRUMPETS BRING A PLAGUE ON VEGETATION, A PLAGUE UPON THE SEAS, A PLAGUE ON FRESH WATER, AND A PLAGUE UPON THE CELESTIAL HEAVEN BRINGS DARKNESS ON THE EARTH. ALL CONTAIN MERCY AS EACH AFFECTS ONLY 1/3 OF ITS TARGET (A STRONG WARNING).
9: TRUMPET 5 BRINGS DEMON LOCUSTS FROM A BOTTOMLESS PIT. A STAR FALLS FROM HEAVEN WITH THE KEY TO THE PIT. THE LOCUSTS DO NOT ATTACK PLANTS BUT ONLY PEOPLE WITH THOSE SEALED NOT HARMED, AND THOSE ATTACKED ONLY INJURED FOR 5 MONTHS. THERE IS A KING OVER THESE CREATURES KNOWN AS ABADDON (HEBREW FOR PERDITION) THE 4 ANGELS THAT HAD BEEN HELD BACK ARE UNLEASHED TO KILL 1/3 OF MANKIND WITH AN ARMY OF 200 MILLION. THE REMAINING 2/3 OF MANKIND DO NOT REPENT.
10: A MIGHTY ANGEL COMES FROM HEAVEN WITH A RAINBOW ON HIS HEAD, PERHAPS MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL WE SAW IN DANIEL 12. HE HOLDS A LITTLE BOOK AND HIS VOICE IS LIKE THUNDERS BUT JOHN IS COMMANDED NOT TO WRITE WHAT THE THUNDERS SAY. (A PORTION OF THE PROPHECY IS TO REMAIN SECRET). THE BOOK IS GIVEN TO JOHN TO EAT AND HE IS WARNED IT WiLL SEEM SWEET TO THE MOUTH BUT BE BITTER TO THE STOMACH, AND IT WAS. THE MESSAGE OF THE BOOK SEEMS TO BE A COMMAND FOR JOHN TO PREACH TO ALL MANKIND.
11 : JOHN IS COMMANDED TO MEASURE THE HOLY TEMPLE OF GOD, BUT THE OUTER COURT OF THE GENTILES IS NOT TO BE MEASURED. THERE IS TO BE A TRAMPLING OF THIS AREA BY THE GENTILES FOR 1260 DAYS, WHICH IS 3 1⁄2 YEARS (HALF THE TRIBULATION TIME). HERE AGAIN IS SEEN DANIEL'S PROPHECY OF 11 :26-27 WHEN ANTICHRIST POURS OUT HIS FURY. TWO WITNESSES APPEAR AND THEY WILL PROPHECY THESE 1260 DAYS. THEY ARE THE FULFILLING OF THE TWO OLIVE TREES AND TWO LAMPSTANDS OF ZECHARIAH 4. THEY ARE GIVEN GREAT POWER TO SPREAD FIRE FROM THEIR MOUTHS TOWARD ANY WHO TRY TO HARM THEM AND POWER TO SHUT UP HEAVEN. AFTER THEIR TESTIMONY THEY WILL BE OVERCOME AND KILLED BUT BE REVIVED INTO LIFE AND TAKEN TO HEAVEN AND THE 7TH TRUMPET SOUNDS.