1. 1 Session 5: “The Seven Seals” Revelation 6 & 8:1

2. 2 1. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Seals 1-4)

3. 3 1. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Most of Revelation’s Imagery, comes from Old Testament scenes, that have been changed slightly, to give a new message.

4. 4 1. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Compare Revelation 6:8 & Ezekiel 14:21 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments — sword and famine and wild beasts and plague —to kill its men and their animals!” “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.”

5. 5 1. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse 1. God used the Old Testament “Four Dreadful Judgments” to bring His people into a loving relationship with Him. 2. The “Four Dreadful Judgments” were a consequence of disobeying God and His laws, and were intended to bring His people into a correct relationship with Him. “The Four Dreadful Judgments”

6. 6 1. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse The White Horse (Revelation 6:1-2) 1. The rider is on a white horse = Christian “Conquest” The colour white in Revelation is always used in reference to Christ and His people who overcome (see Rev 19:11-12 - the kingly Christ riding a white horse) 2. The rider wears a “Stephanos” Crown = Victory to those who overcome.

7. 7 1. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse 3. The rider carries a bow = God God is portrayed in the Old Testament as carrying a bow (see Habakuk 3:8-9, Psalm 43:3-15, Zechariah 9:13) Key Word = The White Horse (Revelation 6:1-2) Conquering

8. 8 1. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse 1. The rider is on a red horse = Blood (see 2 Kings 3:22-23, Isaiah 1:15-23, Revelation 17:6) The Red Horse (Revelation 6:3-4) 2. The rider “takes peace from the earth” = Rejection of the gospel Accepting the Gospel brings peace (see Revelation 1:4, John 14:27 & 16:33). Rejecting the Gospel brings a loss of peace (see Isaiah 57:20-21, Matthew 24:9-10).

9. 9 1. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse 3. The rider carries a sword = Division and Persecution (e.g. Matthew 10:21, & v34-36, Luke 12:51-53) Key Word = The Red Horse (Revelation 6:3-4) Persecution

10. 10 1. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse 1. The rider is on a black horse = Absence of God’s presence (e.g. Matthew 4:16, Luke 1:79, John 1:5, 3:19) The Black Horse (Revelation 6:5-6) 3. Note that food is scarce and expensive (Revelation 6:6) - but there is still some “oil and wine” available. 2. The rider carries a “pair of scales” = Spiritual Famine (Leviticus 26:26, Ezekiel 4:16, Amos 8:11-13) 4

11. 11 1. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Key Word = The Black Horse (Revelation 6:5-6) “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it.” Amos 8:11,12 Famine

12. 12 1. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Key word = The Pale Horse (Revelation 6:7-8) 3. The rider has power over a fourth of the earth = Death’s power is limited 2. The rider’s name = Death 1. The rider is on a pale horse = The colour of death Death (of course!!)

13. 13 PeriodThe Christian ExperienceHorse 31 - 100AD Spiritual ‘Passion’ & Growth Conquering 100 - 313AD Persecuted by Roman Empire Persecution 313 - 538AD Church Compromised by Rome Spiritual Famine 538 - Onwards Dark Ages Spiritual Death 1. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

14. 14 1. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse The message of the four horsemen is: don’t ignore God any longer. “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” Hebrews 3:15

15. 15 2. The Fifth Seal: Overcoming Persecution

16. 16 1. Altar = The altar of sacrifice in the Sanctuary (see Leviticus 4:7, v18, v25). 2. The Fifth Seal: Overcoming Persecution 3. “The inhabitants of the earth” = The Wicked That is, those who reject the Gospel and persecute God’s people (see Revelation 3:10; 8:13; 11:10; 13:8, 14; 17:2). 2. “How long?” = God’s people know that one day He will act decisively, but they still ask Him “How long?” (see Psalm 79:1-10; Habakuk 1:1-4; Daniel 8:13; 12:6-7).

17. 17 4. White robe = The robe of righteousness given to the spiritually victorious. (see Revelation 3:4-5; 7:9). Key Point: An increase in persecution & suffering are part of the ‘signs’ of Christ’s return (see Revelation chapters 16 - 18, Matthew 24:1-14) 2. The Fifth Seal: Overcoming Persecution

18. 18 3. The Sixth & Seventh Seal: The Return of Christ

19. 19 In the sixth and seventh seals, we see a summary of the events that bring an end to our planet as we know it. 3. The Sixth & Seventh Seal: The Return of Christ The Resurrection of the Righteous The Destruction of the Wicked The “Millennium” of Judgement The Final Destruction of Satan The Re-Creation of Earth The “New Jerusalem” Eternal Life with God Key Point: The Sixth & Seventh Seals summarise the return of Christ and the events that follow (the details of these events are explained more fully in Revelation chapters 19 - 22)

20. 20 3. The Sixth & Seventh Seal: The Return of Christ The Sixth Seal (Revelation 6:12-14) i. Sixth Seal = The second coming of Jesus Christ.

21. 21 3. The Sixth & Seventh Seal: The Return of Christ The Seventh Seal (Revelation 8:1) The Seventh Seal is symbolic of The events that follow the second coming of Jesus Christ. “Half an hour” = God’s final judgment takes a relatively short period of time when compared to eternity. Silence = The universe’s reverence for God’s final judgement (see Habakuk 2:20; Zephaniah 1:7; Zechariah 2:13)

22. 22 3. The Sixth & Seventh Seal: The Return of Christ Key Point: The Sixth & Seventh Seals summarise the return of Christ and the events that follow (the details of these events are explained more fully in Revelation chapters 19 - 22)

23. 23 3. The Sixth & Seventh Seal: The Return of Christ Conclusions from Revelation 6 1. God uses whatever means necessary to bring us back into a health relationship with Him. 3. History is moving from the death of Christ, towards a definite climactic event - His return! 2. We are in a spiritual battle between good and evil.

24. 24 Next session... Session 6 “The 144,000 & the Great Multitude” (Revelation 7) Topics include: 1. The Sealing of the “144,000” 2. The Link between the “144,000” and the “Great Multitude” 3. Introducing “The Great Tribulation” at the End of Time 4. A Look Ahead in Revelation