Revelation Series: Chapter 6 - "The Day of the Lord Has Come"

***BONUS EPISODE***
The Lamb Who is worthy to take the seven-sealed scroll begins to open it...and His great and terrible Day begins...

Get ready to take a tour through LOTS of Scripture!

Transcript

[Music] good morning good afternoon or good evening wherever or whenever you are listening to us right now and welcome to this bonus episode of the Churchosity podcast my name is Heath Brady and I'm Andrea Brady and we are your Churchositypodcast Personnel these are the types of episodes that we like to call the Post scripts because these are the things that we like to think and and talk about when the record button is off so we thank you for listening and welcome to the Inner Circle Mrs Brady yes Mr Brady are you still with me I am with [Laughter] you we're five chapters Into the Book of Revelation oh my we are going to Endeavor to blaze through chapter 6 on this episode we're not going to blaze through it are we I use that term loosely I know that many of these episodes are my servant teeth is long- winded well there's a lot to cover there really is there really is a lot to cover but are you enjoying our study so far I am I'm enjoying how in-depth you are and it's not just a survey you know like an overview I don't know I think you're really dig digging in deep and it's kind of like these episodes are like a treasure Trove I swear I'm serious you're welcome that means a lot I think I need to have a moment well we've been getting some really awesome feedback about our Revelation Series so it's very encouraging MH uh I'm pretty excited uh to keep going down this road I know that uh once we left chapter 3 which was arguably my favorite part of the Book of Revelation because it's the litmus test of the churches and we moved into chapter 4 MH I knew that we were going to start stirring up trouble but I don't really think we've stirred up any trouble no not really at least nobody's coming forward I mean I don't want to jinx us but we don't have any haters yet yeah that's what I'm saying we'll have have haters yeah yeah I mean not everyone agrees with you dear I know but you know I always say don't take my word for it mm be a ban act 17:11 it gives you express consent and permission to not believe a word I say to do your own homework do your own homework there you go yeah uh I know that on some of these things I'm a little opinionated but I I try very hard to support those opinions with scripture MH the last thing that I want to do is to be the thing that I feared most when I first went to Seminary which was being someone that tells you what you're supposed to believe oh yeah I could see that and my really kind of my whole agenda for lack of a better term is to do the very opposite is to say I know that there are things that people have been told what to believe or how to interpret and I just kind of want to give us something else that you on M for all intents and purposes so it's been pretty good and and I've I've enjoyed it a lot I've been I I've really been enjoying the journey through this book for I don't remember how many times now i' I've studied this book but this has been my favorite trip through I I'm just really encouraged at the Precision of scripture nice and how things just make sense when when you focus on what it says and rather rather than what you want it to say you know what I'm saying right so as I said we're going to tackle chapter six in the Book of Revelation on this episode just as kind of a setup uh I want to remind everyone that we are studying probably the most unique book in all of scripture it's Unique for many reasons not the least of which is that the reader is given an Express promise to receive some special blessing for reading and hearing and doing the things that are written in this book so this book is special it's it's the the only book of the entire Bible that expressly states that it's special and you know how appropriate that the disciple whom Jesus loved is the one that wrote that right in chapter 4 we discovered that John has been transported or teleported by that metaphorical helicopter to somewhere or someone else the Lord says to him in chapter 4:1 come up here and let me show you the things which shall come after after this let me show you the next thing that I want to show you in other words and so John is taken from his reality in the spirit still on the Lord's day to The Eternity side of History through this door that he sees open in heaven mhm and there's a lot of stuff going on in chapter 4 we have Elders we have Beasts we have the the father sitting on the throne and we've established who all of those characters are right right that the 24 Elders are the 12 Tri representatives of the 12 tribes of Israel the four living creatures are the levitical priest Hood the father is sitting on the throne the seven candlesticks are the Holy Spirit who is Illuminating Heaven's throne room and then in chapter 5 the lamb appears the one who is worthy to take the scroll the seven sealed scroll and we had a very long emotional conversation about the search in heaven and on the earth and under the Earth for a man to be the goel the kinsman redeemer the one worthy to take the scroll break the seals and read its contents on the inside and how John wept profusely convulsively because no one was found and and then he appeared and then he appeared mhm and we established through careful study and research and picking aart of Greek and Hebrew in all over scripture and discovered that John very well may have just witnessed Christ's Ascension to the right hand of the father on that side of Eternity mhm because immediately after the elders and the beasts and the Angels Sing to the lamb it mentions that the Holy Spirit which is sent out to the whole earth and we discovered that that quite possibly could be the Holy Spirit preparing to go down and fill the the apostles for Pentecost for Pentecost yeah so you know it's interesting because on that side of Eternity there's no time mhm but yet from John's vantage point in the spirit in the throne room of Heaven he's looking through this door and seeing things that are happening on the earth on our side of Eternity it it it's just it's so bizarre so the story continues chapter 6 is a continuation of chapters 4 and 5 because we get into the breaking of the SC the seals on the scroll okay couple of interesting observations I would like to point out in heaven in the Book of Revelation whenever John writes about when the 24 Elders or one of the 24 Elders is explaining something to him yeah it has to do with something that's taking place in heaven oh but when the four living creatures are showing or explaining or engaging in something that is happening it has to do with something that's taking place on the earth H okay and that'll make sense as we go in chapter 6 especially now remember we are going to continue to practice the law of expositional consistency the way that we have been studying and interpreting The Book of Revelation from the very first first to now is the same exact way that we are going to do it we're going to keep it consistent all right mhm there's also a very important shift besides the fact that Jon has been teleported or transported into the eternity side of all of these events in chapter 1 verse 5 John is writing to the seven churches and includes himself in what is being written in chapter 1:5 he talk he mentions us he includes himself but in chapter 5: 9 and 10 the new song that is sung in heaven refers to them and the them are those who are on the earth so there's a shift in Vantage Point there's a shift in focus and there's a shift in location make sense yeah okay an even more important shift are the events that are going to be

described inevitably darkness is on the horizon and it's interesting that the contrast between how scripture declares that things are going to go versus how humankind thinks things are okay for instance humankind tries to convince us that the world is somehow getting [Music] better but yet God says that things will become increasingly worse right humankind is convinced that they can make the world peaceful mhm but God says that there will be wars and rumors of wars and kingdoms against kingdoms and nations against Nations Etc humankind expects to have victory over disease famine and hardship and yet God says there will be fearful judgments of disease famine and hardship but the good news is that the true repentant Believers in Jesus Christ will be preserved through it all of it mhm the Church of Jesus Christ will not be prevailed against now as we get into chapter 6 we get into what a lot of Bible scholars say is the next section of scripture and they kind of put brackets around chapter 6 and chapter 19 so essentially they want to say that from Revelation 6 through Revelation 19 is a period of time known as the 70th week of Daniel oh okay and those that fall into that camp that want to label that to those chapters are mainly dispensational so this is part of the Rapture conversation uh according to that Viewpoint from chapter 4 verse one on the the church has been raptured and is now in heaven and now the the 7-year period known as the tribulation has begun on the earth in chapter 6 that's where they say it has begun this chapter that we're going to go through on this episode we've already established all of the reasons why I don't believe that the church is in heaven yet at this point in the Book of Revelation and they still are not in heaven when we get to chapter 6 okay so if you're listening to this episode and you have not listened to previous episodes I really encourage you to go back mhm and and see where that perspective comes from and the support for it but I do agree that along with the other Bible scholars that this is a period of time that we are entering in in Revelation chap 6 known as the day of the Lord It's also known as The Wrath of the Lamb it's also known as the outpouring of the Lamb's wrath and see all of those things describe the same period of time and folks in the dispensational camp want to separate these and say that they are different events including the Rapture and we will show you what why we don't agree with that view and what we actually think is taking place here cuz it's pretty phenomenal remember especially that in chapter 1 of Revelation John said that he was in the spirit when on the Lord's day on the Lord's day so the first three chapters are written about the Lord's Day from the Earthly perspective and now from chapter 4:1 on he's in the spirit again on the Lord's day on The Eternity side perspective does that make sense yes okay now I'm giving you a lot of preliminary information before we actually get into the text and you'll thank me when we get there that I've done all of this now because the language of chapter 6 will make a lot more sense having gone through these support points that I want to give

beforehand many scholars reference three other chapters in the New Testament in regards to Revelation 6 and they're pretty popular chapters of scripture Matthew 24 Luke 21 and Mark 13 because there are are some interesting things that Jesus himself says and those things that he says contribute largely to much of the distinction of the dispensational view of eschatology specifically in regards to Revelation 6 so I thought that it would be beneficial to read some of those okay okay where are we going to start we are going to start in in Matthew chap 24 and that you don't have to read these in any particular order I'm just choosing this one because I think it's the most popular one of the three that is referenced in regards to eschatological conversations now I want you to notice a few details and that I'll come back to after we read this and that'll help us when we get to the other two sections of scripture so strap in everybody cuz on this episode we're going to look at a lot of scripture which I'm sorry not sorry it's a fantastic idea so Matthew chap 24 beginning in verse one Jesus came out from the temple file that one away Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when his disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to him and he said to them do you not see all these things truly I say to you not one stone here will be left upon another which will not be torn down as he was sitting on the Mount of Olives the disciples came to him privately so now they're going to get a private briefing and they asked him three questions tell us when will these things happen what things Andy um that the stones would be completely torn down not standing yeah exactly tell us when these things will happen mhm what will be the sign of your coming and of the End of the Age those are the three questions verse four Jesus answered and said to them see to it that no one misleads you boy we need to write that on a big piece of poster board and put it on our wall in our offices all over the world right see to it that no one misleads you for many will come in my name now don't misunderstand what this is saying because in the English we suffer a great loss here if we just take this this verse at face value and many many many many false doctrines and biblical viewpoints have birthed out of misinterpreting this verse verse 5 he says for many will come in my name saying I am the Christ and will mislead many now Christ is Messiah the Savior the king and it says that many will come in my name meaning that there are many people who will say that they are of Christ that they are of the followers of Christ and they are the ones with all the answers and the savior of all many people want to say that these are quote unquote antichrists that's a whole different conversation Jesus is just beginning to answer their questions many will come in my name saying that I am the Christ and will mislead many notice before that he said see to it that no one misleads you why because many are going to come saying that they're the Messiah many are going to come saying that they are the Savior many are going to come saying that they are The Rescuer or the answer for everybody and even give God the credit verse 6 you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars see that you are not frightened for those things must take place but that is not yet the end see he's not he hasn't answered question three yet he's still answering question one when will these things happen what things when the stones of the temple are in rubel you with me yep yep yep verse 7 for nation will rise against nation and Kingdom against Kingdom and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes ques but all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs remember that phrase okay okay then they will deliver you to tribulation H and will kill you and you will be hated by All Nations because of my name now who is he talking to right now the disciples specifically for okay Peter James John and Andrew which we'll see in I believe it's the mark Passage at that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another many false prophets will rise and will mislead many there's that word again mislead because lawlessness is increased most people's love will grow cold but the one who endures to the end he will be saved this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nation ations and then the end will come so he's answered question number one and question number three Lord uh when are these things going to happen so he tells him these are all of the things that will lead up to when the temple is destroyed then he says the very last verse there number uh verse 14 The Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations and then the the end will come you follow me yeah all right but then he says therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the Prophet standing in the Holy place let the reader understand and now I just played a dirty trick on everybody because you heard me read this so now you are commanded to understand what Jesus is talking about here okay and it's because of this reference the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the Prophet that is a direct reference to Daniel chapter 9 and a specific Vision that Daniel was given from the Archangel Gabriel mhm that most folks who fall into the dispensational camp and the Rapture Camp believe that this is referencing what's known as the 70th week of Daniel or the 7-year period known as the tribulation in the future okay all right but it's not and I'm going explain to you why first of all the word Abomination is literally in the Greek it means something that is offensive to God which could be idolatry uh certainly the Romans were very idolatrous yeah would you agree oh yeah and desolation is a really horrible word but it means Terror or horror so he's saying that when you see the thing that is offensive to God which brings horror and Terror as spoken of through Daniel the Prophet standing in the Holy place now holy place is also a misleader because holy Place does not mean the holy of holies oh where is the holy place it's the city of Jerusalem okay okay so he's saying that when you see that thing that is offensive to God which causes immense Terror and Horror in Jerusalem then verse 16 those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things that are in his house whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak but woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days but pray that your flight will not be in the winter or on a Sabbath why would he say uh hope it's not on

Sabbath cuz he's not they're not going to get help from anybody cuz nobody's working oh that's true y for then so now you've see so he says when you see all this stuff happening yeah then he says for then there will be Great Tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now nor ever will now what question is he still answering here Andy um when will this happen okay when will what happen well I know there were three questions it's the first question he's still answering the first question when will when will the temple temple be reduced to Rubble be reduced to Rubble he's still answering that okay unless those days had been cut short no life would have been saved but for the sake of the elect don't read that church please for the sake of the elect because who are the elect technically Israel Israel those days would be cut short he continues in verse 23 if anyone says to you behold here is the Christ or there he is do not believe him for false christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders so as to mislead there's that word again mhm if even possible the very elect behold I have told you in advance so if they say to you behold he is in the wilderness do not go out or behold he is in the inner rooms do not believe them for just as the lightning comes from the East and flashes even to the West so will the coming of the son of man be now he's answering their second question wherever the corpse is there the vultures will gather now stop there he's just taken 20 something verses to answer in great detail their first question Lord when is the temple going to be reduced to rubble and he barely touched on their third question which was when will be the end of the age he hasn't yet answered their question what will be the sign of your coming all right you with me now dispensationalists and Rapture folks want to say that this is all tribul period 7 years Rapture Etc I'm not seeing it and I'm going to tell you why because everything that Jesus is describing here in these verses happened in 70 AD okay right when Jerusalem fell to the Romans and what's interesting and we're going to see this in I believe it's the Luke passage that they were warned that all of these things were going to happen and then he says that the sign of it is the abomination of desolation when they see that offensive thing that that upsets God the most standing in Jerusalem everybody flee to the mountains and they did just that by the way right there were Millions upon millions of people who died in the 9month crusade of 70 AD of Rome against Jerusalem when the temple was reduced to Rubble but there were Millions who recognized the abomination of desolation who fled to the mountains and did not die pretty cool huh yeah that's cool there are even some Bible scholars who believe that not one single Christian died in The Siege of Jerusalem but that's conjecture and I can't prove that right right so how do you explain the rest of um the next three verses in Matthew 24 I'm glad you

asked so remember verse 21 says for then there will be Great Tribulation now this is after they have fled then there will be Great Tribulation such as not occurred since the beginning of the world until now nor ever will and then he explains what that's tribulation period is going to to look like uh it's going to be false christs popping up all over the place false prophets popping up all over the place even the very elect will be deceived right but then in verse 29 he says this but immediately after the tribulation of those days okay mhm we're still going in chronological order here okay we're not bouncing around in time like we're in that helicopter in Revelation he's laying it out chronologically and now he's going to answer their second question immediately after the tribulation of those days and now he's going to quote from Joel chapter 2 the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light and the Stars will fall from the sky and the powers of the heavens will be shaken and then the sign of the son of man will appear in the sky and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn and they will see the son of man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great Glory that's from Daniel chapter 9 also and he will send forth his angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together his elect from the Four Winds from one end of the sky to the other H and then he goes into this parable of a fig tree but then he says in verse 36 but of that day day and hour no one knows what day and hour is he referring to when he's going to come back his return yeah not even the angels of Heaven nor the son but the father alone and remember at the beginning of our Revelation study I mentioned I drove home the point that in verse one the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave to him mhm it's quite possible that what John is witnessing in person is the first time that Jesus becomes aware of his return oh that's interesting hm that's true yeah that would make sense so then he describes what his return is going to be like for the coming of the son of man will be just like the days of Noah for as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage until the day Noah entered the Ark and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away so will the coming of the son of man be and then he goes on from there and tells them to be ready for his coming Etc so that's that's the way that Jesus lays out the chronology of what's going to take place in a very large nutshell from the time that he is with these four disciples in the moment to his second coming and he explains it what the signs and the and the signals and the cues are all going to be mhm specifically what leads up to 70 AD that's the thing he talks about the most and how to be rescued from that H okay okay you with me mhm all right let's jump over to the passage in Luke 21 it's very similar language starting in verse 5 and this this will go quicker because it's going to be very very similar starting at verse 5 and while some were talking about the temple H they're at the temple again that it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts he said he being Jesus as for these things which you are looking at the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down H same predicament right they questioned him who is the they it's all of these people oh yeah outside the temple it's a different audience in in yeah in verse 5 it says and while some were talking about the temple mhm H okay so now he's addressing a mixed crowd which is very appropo for Luke who was a gentile because the Matthew account Jesus Is Telling just the disciples who are Jews and Matthew is a Jew Luke is a gentile Jesus is describing these things to everybody you follow me yeah verse 7 they questioned him saying teacher when therefore will these things happen and when will be the sign when these things are about to take place so they only ask him one question but in two parts when is the temple going to be reduced to rubble and what will be the sign that this is about to take place so they just want to know know about the temple right okay mhm verse 8 see to it that not that you are not misled hm that sounds familiar many will come in my name saying I am he the time is near do not go after them when you hear of wars and disturbances do not be terrified for these things must take place first but the end does not follow immediately same language right mhm verse 10 then he continued by saying to them Nation will Rise Against nation and Kingdom against Kingdom verse 11 there will be great earthquakes and in various places plagues and famines and there will be Terrors read that desolations and great signs from heaven but before all these things they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you delivering you to the synagogues and prisons bringing you before Kings and governors for my name's sake it will lead to an opportunity for your testimony so make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute but you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends and they will put some of you to death and you will be hated by all because of my name yet not a hair of your head will perish by your endurance you will gain your lives now catch this okay but when you see J Jerusalem surrounded by armies then recognize that her what desolation desolation is near then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains and those that are in the midst of the city must leave and those who are in the country must not enter the city because these are the days of Vengeance so that all things which are written will be fulfilled woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days for there will be great distress upon the land and wrath to this people and they will fall by the edge of the sword and will be led captive into all the nations and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled it's talking about Rome right destroying Jerusalem there will be signs in the sun and the moon and the stars on the earth dismay among the nations in perplexity at the Roaring of the sea and of the Waves men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world for the powers of the heavens will be shaken then they will see the son of man coming in a cloud with power and great Glory but when these things begin to take place he's going back to the beginning when these things begin to take place straighten up and lift up your heads because your Redemption is Drawing Near and then he goes into the parable of the Fig Tree and then in verse 34 be on guard so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap see same chronology yeah but here he's only talking about the temple and it's destruction this is not Rapture talk this is not Second Coming talk in this In this passage either you follow me oh oh he mentions his second coming yes he does mention but he doesn't give signs and what he doesn't give signs or Clues as to when it's going to be close okay he says that when these things begin to happen referring to all of the signs leading up to the destruction of the temple right all right now let's look at the Mark passage real quick okay Mark 13 verse one as he was going out of the Temple oh here we are at the temple again one of his disciples said to him teacher behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings and Jesus said to him do you see these great buildings not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down as he was sitting on the Mount of Olives so this is very similar to Matthew 24 mhm Peter James John and Andrew now we know who the four disciples were in Matthew 24 were questioned in him privately tell us when will these things be and when will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled now in Matthew's account they ask three questions in Mark's account of the same conversation they only ask one question in two parts just like in Luke because what is he saying when will these things be and what will be the sign when these things are going to be fulfilled what is he what are they referring to the Temple right Jesus began to say to them see to it that no one misleads you there it is again many will come in my name saying I am he and will mislead many when you hear of wars and rumors of wars do not be frightened those things must take place but that is not yet the end for nation will rise against Nation Kingdom against Kingdom there'll be earthquakes there will be famines these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs there's that phrase again right now birth pangs the beginning of birth pangs now Andy I mean no disrespect whatsoever but when you went into labor at the very beginning yeah it was uncomfortable mhm labor you know it was you know especially with with the first of the children it was a little kind of intimidating a little shocking a little nerve-wracking I'm sure mhm but the closer you got to giving birth right did those birth pangs get they got worse worse yeah and closer yeah they came on top of each other yes more frequent so these things that Jesus is talking about which lead to 70 AD are the beginnings of birth pains oh and as you move through history those birth pangs get closer together and more intense you with me yes I am verse 9 be on guard for they will deliver you to the courts and you will be fogged in the synagogues and you will stand before Governors and Kings for my sake as a testimony to them the gospel must first be preached to all the nations that's referring to the end right when they arrest you and hand you over do not worry beforehand about what you're going to say but say whatever is given you in that hour for it is not you who speak but is the holy spirit which is interesting because the Holy Spirit hadn't come [Music] yet yeah that's true that's not till Acts chapter 1 wow or excuse me Acts chapter 2 but this is Jesus references this in Acts chap 1 mhm verse 12 brother will betray brother to death father his child children will rise up against parents and have them put to death you will be hated by all because of my name but the one who endures to the end he will be saved but when you see the abomination of desolation there's that phrase again right standing where it should not be not the holy place where it should not be well that would be Jerusalem mhm let the reader understand then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains the one who's on the and so on you catch my drift it's all the same chronology mhm skip down to verse 24 but in those days when after that tribulation after that tribulation the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give it light and the Stars will be falling from Heaven and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken then they will see the son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory and then he will send forth his angels and will gather together his elect from the Four Winds from the farthest end of the Earth to the farthest end of heaven and then he goes into the parable of the fig tree right and then in verse 32 but of that day or hour no one knows not even the angels in Heaven nor the son but the father alone take heed keep on alert this is why I believe in the doctrine of eminency take heed keep on alert for you do not know when the appointed time will come and he goes on from there so here's three very distinct passages in the synoptic gospels Matthew Mark and Luke of the conversation that Jesus has about the temple and I want to make this very very clear that that is what Jesus is referring to is the temple and everything referring to the abomination of desolation and all of the things that happened after that with the fleeing to the mountains and all of that that all happened in 70 AD okay and after those times of tribulation is when there's the signs in the Sun the moon the stars falling to the Earth Etc and then the son of man will be seen by all coming with the clouds you with me yep all right so what we are looking at in Revelation chap 6 is that tribulation period which is the beginning of the day of the Lord the Wrath of the Lamb the beginning of its birth pangs just like Jesus said in Matthew 24 and in Mark 13 okay there's a sequence of events that we need to understand here that are taking place on The Eternity side of the chronology here the tribulation doesn't begin until the lamb opens the first seal the lamb doesn't open the seal until the 24 Elders are in heaven without their crowns got it and the 24 Elders are in heaven when the tribulation begins so for all those people out there that say that the Lord has done with Israel You're half right because the representatives of the 12 tribes are in heaven H okay so the tribulation Begins the Wrath of the Lamb the day of the Lord the day of Vengeance the great and terrible day of the Lord those are all words and phrases that are used to describe this period of time on the earth it's referenced several times in the Book of Revelation chapter 6: 16 and 17 chap 10:7 ch 11:8 ch 15:1 chapter 16:1 and 16:1 17 but this day of the Lord it comes from Joel 2:31

specifically 20 times in eight Old Testament prophetic books this phrase day of the Lord is used three times in the New Testament it's also used second Peter 3:10 acts 2:20 which is quoting from Joel 2 and 1 Thessalonians 5: 2 which I want to take a quick look at okay 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 starting in verse one now as to the times and epics Brethren you have no need of anything to be written to you for you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night well Jesus kind of said that right right while they are saying peace and safety then destruction which by the way also means desolation will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child and they will not Escape H interesting language there it does sound familiar it's the beginning of birth PS this is not the end right right verse 5 but you Brethren are not in darkness that that day would overtake you like a thief and he goes on from there this is referred to as the day of God in 2 Peter 3:12 the day of Wrath in Zephaniah 1:15 the day of the Lord's wrath in Zephaniah 1:18 the day of darkness in Joel 2:2 and in Zephaniah 1: 15 so we get to Revelation chapter 6 which is the opening of the sealed scroll now just as kind of a precursor to how these judgments because that's what these are these are judgments that are poured out on the earth how they break up because you have Seven Seals right then come seven trumpets then come seven bowls so what you have is you have the first six seals that are opened okay and then there's a pause and then the seventh seal is opened which contains the trumpets and then with the trumpets you have the first six trumpets that are blown and then there's a pause and then the seventh trumpet is blown which contains the bowls okay the first six bowls are poured out then there is a pause and then the seventh bowl is poured out and as we go through these this covers basically chapters 6 through 16 and as we get through these different stages of the judgments you will see that they come quicker and they intensify oh sound like birth pangs yeah interesting okay let's get into Revelation chapter 6 we're going to see the first four seals be opened here all right Revelation 6 starting in verse one then I saw when the lamb who is Jesus then I saw when the lamb broke one of the Seven Seals and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder come or literally come and see come closer John come take a look at this verse two I looked and behold a white horse and he who sat on it had a bow and a crown was given to him and he went out conquering and to conquer so this first seal that is broken it is a white horse and this is the Conqueror the overcoming conqueror mhm this crown that he is wearing once again it is a stefanus it's a Victor's Crown it's not the diademata from Revelation 19:12 we'll deal with that when we get there is it the same word for the crown that was cast yes at Christ's feet Yes okay yes that's is very correct okay key point to note prophetically and enigmatically horses are symbolic of judgments in the Bible oh 2 Kings 6: 15-18 Jeremiah CH 46:9 and 10 Joel 2: 3-11 nahem 3: 1-7 and Zechariah 1: 8-1 so this is some form of judgment that is being poured out on the earth this word here it says um in verse two he went out conquering and to conquer that is the same word Neo which we encountered in the letter to the Church of Ephesus when we talked about the nicians oh yeah uhhuh that Greek word means to rule so this horse this form of judgment that is white is being poured out on the earth to conquer and to keep conquering so there's there's this implication of the Earth being judged by being placed under the thumb of ungodly leaders oh it's interesting this word here for a bow that he had it says that he who sat on the horse had a bow this is the only occurrence in the entire Bible that this word is used huh in the Greek it's like a bow in its simplest form it's it it means that it basically shot tiny little arrows or darts okay so it's not like an overcoming bow it's not this isn't this isn't someone who's going to take over the world essentially is what John is writing about contrast that with a sword which is being carried by Jesus uh later in the book of Revelation mhm okay it's also interesting because uh Nimrod in Genesis 11 he was a hunter uhhuh and some of this imagery is very very similar to the imagery about the character and goings on of nimrod in Genesis 11 there is one other occurrence of this word in the Greek but that's in the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament which is the Greek translation of the Old Testament right it's used for the term rainbow with Noah's Covenant H you know that the Lord put a bow in the sky okay it's same same word oh now remember John is looking through this doorway of Heaven at what's happening on the earth on our side of Eternity in real time the Ascension of Jesus Christ has just happened the Holy Spirit was about to be poured out and now the judgments or tribulation period is beginning now things in Rome heat up that whole idea of persecution and being under the tyrannical rulership of the Romans right conquering and to conquer mhm you follow me yeah now we get into the second seal the red horse verse three when he broke the second seal I heard the second living creature say come or come and see come closer John and another a red horse another form of judgment M went out and to him who sat on it was granted to take peace from the earth and that men would slay one another o and a great sword was given to him H this is a little more intense but notice it's a horse it is a judgment in the form of the removal of Peace So that that there is Wars or rumors of wars right and people being

[Music] slain now we look at the third seal in verse 5 when he broke the third seal I heard the third living creature saying come come and see I looked and behold a black horse and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand like weights scales like weights oh okay yeah now the the color black levitic speaking is synonymous with famine oh you can look at Lamentations 4: 4-8 and 5:10 you can also look at Jeremiah 14: 1 and 2 Verse 6 I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying a quart of wheat for a Daenerys and three quarts of barley for a Denarius and do not damage the oil and the wine now this verse has been so much fun to pick apart really it sounds like somebody standing on a street corner Court of wheat for Denarius right but let me explain to you what's going on here okay uh in our understanding of this on this side of Eternity okay there is an old Jewish expression which which dates back to the Book of Leviticus CH 26 and is referenced in Ezekiel CH 4 and that is this phrase to eat bread by weight it is a Jewish expression indicating that food is scarce oh so this decree for how to distribute food Yeah by weight is a prophetic utterance that on the earth food will become scarce oh now just a little bit of background here during the first century there was a measure of two of what we would consider two quarts but it was called a chix mhm it was a measure of wheat for a full day's worth of work that's talked about in Homer's Odyssey and Herodotus spoke of giving the soldiers of Xerxes a day's ration so that's what we're talking about here it's a full days worth of wages for one loaf of bread the daer we can learn more about that from Matthew 20: 2 and 9-1 it's a full day wage for one loaf of bread so in other words what's going on here is this this judgment this this third seal this third judgment it's not just famine it's that food is scarce okay and it costs a fortune just to get one loaf of bread wow it's like the worst form of inflation you can imagine mhm all right yeah now just as a side note this whole thing in verse 6 about do not damage the oil and the wine leave the oil and wine alone yeah this is a first century equivalent to what we would consider toiletries Beauty AIDS and liquor they're luxuries he says do not touch those you see this is more than famine alone if you study famines in scripture you quickly notice that they're usually caused by politics yeah Will discover that in great detail when we get to Revelation 13 but it describes rationing and control in Revelation 13 specifically in verse 17 there is this overwhelming control of the economy but when you look at the Book of Amos 8 specifically in verse 11 there's a famine of a different kind and it is a famine of the word of God oh

interesting the bottom line is if people are starving they'll eat anything and the same thing is true spiritually

wow now let's look at the fourth seal verse 7 when the lamb broke the fourth seal I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying come come and see I looked and behold an ashen horse or a Pale Horse and he who sat on it had the name death and Hades was followed with him Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth oh my notice that this implies there's two Riders on this horse death and Hades oh that could be specifically referring to both the death of body and soul

just as a side note when 70 AD occurred a quarter of the people who lived in Jerusalem died oh really oh a quarter a fourth yes okay just as a side note yeah so these are already picking up with intensity we went from conquering into conquer and now we're into literally death by sword and famine and pestilence and wild beasts mhm

I also just it's a little Sensational but I just want to point this out these are the first four seals these are the first four judgments and they were announced by the four living creatures about what was going to happen on the earth remember I said whenever one of the four living creatures explained something to jonat about something taking place on the earth yeah I noticed something kind of peculiar okay if we if we remember back in Revelation 4 when we saw these four living creatures and what they looked like the similes that were used the first one was like a lion yeah second one was like a calf the third one was like a man and the fourth one was like an eagle MH the lion is synonymous with Christ's kingship mhm the calf was synonymous with Christ sacrifice the man was synonymous with Christ humanity and the eagle was synonymous with Christ Swift judgment yes when you look at these four F these first four seals that are broken and the Order of the beasts that say come here well the first Beast is a lion which is the kingship what's the Judgment conquering and to conquer oh the second beast is a calf sacrifice what's the second judgment killed by the sword the third Beast the third living creature mhm was a man spoke of humanity what's the third judge livelihood is impaired and the fourth Beast the fourth living creature was an eagle synonymous was Swift judgment what's the fourth judgment the fourth seal the death death by sword fam and pestilence wild beasts of the Earth yeah just a little side note that I thought was kind of provocative yeah that is interesting let's move on let's look at the fifth seal verse 9 when the lamb broke the fifth seal I saw underneath the alter The Souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and because of the testimony which they had maintained and they cried out with a loud voice saying how long O Lord holy and true will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth there's that Earth dwellers phrase again yeah and there was given to each of them a white robe and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer until the number of their fellow servants and their Brethren who were to be killed even as they had been would be completed also ooh so these are Martyrs yeah now remember in each of those three prophetic passages in Mark Matthew and Luke Jesus said that they would be killed for for his sake yeah they'd be dragged into prison and put to death and all of those things right is it possible that that's who John is seeing because these are the souls under the altar of those who had been slain because of the word of God oh the word martyr means witness right and they say how long oh Lord how long until you avenge our spilled blood they're calling for God's justice it's reminiscent of Psalm 74: 9 and 10 Psalm 79: 5 Psalm 9 4: 3 and 4 but through the rest of the Book of Revelation this isn't the first time that the call to avenge the blood of the Saints is given we have it here in chapter 6:1 again in chapter 16: 6 again in chapter 17: 6 again in chapter 18:20 again in chapter 18: 24 but in chapter 19:2 the Lord intervenes so here they are told wait a little while longer and the rest of your servants who are martyred are completed so who are the rest of the servants we will

see okay now we look at the Sixth Seal and some interesting changes that take place okay verse 12 I looked when he broke the Sixth Seal and there was a great earthquake and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair now this is starting to sound a little like Matthew 24 Mark 13 and Luke 21 again oh yeah cuz they talk about the Sun and the Moon the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair and the whole Moon became like blood and the stars of the sky fell to the Earth as a fig tree remember the parable fig tree cast its unrip figs when shaken by a great wind the sky was split apart like when a scroll is rolled up and every mountain and Island were moved out of their places then the kings of the earth and the great great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in caves and among the rocks of the mountains and they said to the mountains and to the Rocks fall on us and hide us from the presence of him who sits on the throne and from the Wrath of the lamb for the great day of their wrath has come and who is able to stand whoa now what's fascinating to me about that just as a side note in and of itself is that whoever these leaders and people who thought that they had all their self-sufficiency intact they recognize what's happening to them mhm they acknowledge the fact this is the Wrath of the Lamb we're being judged by God it's kind of interesting that is interesting and they're so terrified about it that they hide in a mountain they hide in mountains and caves and ask the Rock and beg the rocks to fall on them cuz they don't they don't want to have to face God now it's just kind of interesting to me that in 2024 in the 21st century there's a lot of this attitude in our culture but it isn't anything new this has been happening literally since Christ left the Earth yeah this announcement here of earthquakes it's the first of three big ones we have this one here then again in 11 11:13 and another one in chap 16: 18 and 19 there are literal earthquakes in the scriptures in Exodus and in First Kings uh and in Matthew and in Mark and in Luke right there are references to the earthquakes with the Sun turning to Black in Joel 2 Matthew 24 Mark 13 and Luke 21 the sun being blackened you can read about that in Isaiah 13 and Joel chapter 2 the moon looking like blood Isaiah 13 Joel chapter 2 Matthew 24 the Stars falling Matthew 24 the sky parting Isaiah 34 the mountains being moved Jeremiah 4 and Revelation 16 but I got to thinking about this these last two verses here verses 16 and 17 yeah the leaders and the great people of the earth they hide in caves from the Wrath of the lamb and it reminded me of something really really interesting what the Book of Joshua oh okay do you have any idea how creepy of a resemblance there is between the story in the Book of Joshua and what's going on in the Book of Revelation oh that's interesting let me just give you a little taste all right yeah please do the Book of Joshua is about a military commander who is dispossess possing the usurpers of the land what did Jesus purchase at Calvary the title deed to the Earth he is going to dispossess the usurpers when he returns oh okay the campaign against Jericho guess how long it lasted how long 7 years oh also it was against seven combined Nations but originally there was 10 they lost three now that's not going to make sense till later in the Book of Revelation so try to hold on to that little nugget mhm it's also interesting that in this battle in Jericho the Torah the law is completely ignored they never observe the Sabbath and the Levites are not only involved in the battle they're leading the procession uh-oh read the end of Joshua chapter 5 for background on that also before the final battle Joshua sends in two spies right two witnesses mhm oh to save Rahab who was a harlot just as a side note do you know whose mother Rahab was I do know Bo Boaz and do you know who is a direct descendant of Boaz Jesus

Jesus interesting in that Battle of Jericho you have seven trumpet events and it's interesting because when you get to chapter 8 verse one of Revelation before the seventh trumpet blows there is silence that precedes for about half an hour according to what John writes we'll explain that when we get there but why that's interesting is because when the Israelites marched around the city of Jericho for 6 days they marched once around and they were silent each time on the seventh day they marched around six times in silence yeah and on the seventh time they all cheered and played the trumpets and the walls came tumbling down the enemies of Jerusalem in Jericho were United under a leader whose name was adoniz zedak which means Lord of righteousness and they were ultimately defeated with hailstones and fire from heaven and there is also this long day of Joshua in chapter 10 where there were signs in the Sun the moon Etc and guess what what the king and all of his leaders they hide in caves and Joshua seals the caves and then opens them up when he's ready and deals with them interesting does sound similar oh and just as a side note yeah Joshua is the Hebrew rendering of Jesus oh you're right the name so what's going on here in Revelation chapter 6 it is not something in the future that we're still waiting for these are the beginning of the events that are taking place on the earth chronologically after Christ's Ascension how do I know this this six seal should be the major identifier because the language that John is using is the same language that Jesus used when describing what was going to happen before the temple fell in 70 AD you follow me uh-huh so for basically 40ish years after Christ's Ascension that's what these six seals are covering oh wow so you're saying these six seals have already been opened I'm saying that they have already been opened but I'm not saying that they were only specifically applied back then okay because remember I believe in the now and not yet oh okay yes in real time in the first century these seals were had had been opened now remember on on The Eternity side of this event there's no such thing as time right okay but John's looking through the open door and seeing this take place on Earth you follow me yeah yeah so in real time these seals were open these judgments were poured out but we are still suffering the aftermath and Fallout of these judgments okay but that will make more sense the further we get into the Book of Revelation when we start seeing the birth pangs get closer to to one another and

intensify and that's the way chapter 6 closes wow with the phrase the great day of the Wrath has come and who is able to stand let me tell you who do you think had it worse the martyrs whose Souls appeared in heaven having been put to death for the sake of Christ were the ones who were on the earth hiding in caves admitting that the Lord's wrath had come one of them was still alive the other one wasn't it's an interesting question don't you think yeah wow who had it worse off I don't know the people in the caves probably yeah because Paul says to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord yeah that is the hope of eternal life mhm that is why we need to really really really understand that that if we are saved our eternal life begins now it's not something that we're waiting to graduate to that is why followers of Jesus are not earth dwellers they are pilgrims passing through right right so that if this life is taken away from us mhm we don't lose our eternal life and when we look at Revelation 6 and these judgments that are beginning to be poured out on the earth it should give us pause because of a couple of things number one Christ is the goel he's the kinsman redeemer and how is he redeeming his people well number one through his death on the cross and number two now he's purifying the Earth by getting rid of all of the things that are not pure oh I see yeah the second thing that should give us pause is that God is literally doing what he always planned to do which is to redeem his people and this is the way that he has chosen to do it in his Sovereign Grace except for those days be cut short the elect would not survive in other words it reminds me of Christ's parable of the wheat and the tears that they grow up together they don't pull the tears out because then they might rip the wheat out too wait until the end when the Angels come to gather in chapter 6 we are starting to see the gathering this is powerful stuff yeah and I I thoroughly enjoy looking at all of this stuff and seeing the connections between Revelation 6 and Matthew 24 Mark 13 and Luke 21 and in the Old Testament Joel chapter 2 and Jeremiah chapter 30 and the connection with the Book of Joshua yeah I love the

Bible and if you get nothing else out of this entire Revelation study I hope you get these two things I want you to fall in love with Jesus Christ and I want you to fall in love with his word because both are amazing and perfect and true Lord Jes Jesus thank you for your word because your word is truth and that's all we have to say about that thank you for listening to the Churchosity podcast the post scripts on our next episode we will be taking a look at Revelation 7 talking about the 144,000 and the tribulation so until next time this is the Churchosity podcast Personnel sing peace peace [Music]