Revelation 6-10

Paul Bukauskas

Revelation • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

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Chapter Review 6-10

Chapter 6

Chapter 6 tells us of the terrible 6 seals that bring misery and destruction to the earth. Chapter 6 mirrors Matthew 24. As the seals are opened we see Peace, War, Famine, Death, martyrs and Cosmic upheaval the world has never seen. But this is just the beginning. After these things, the day of Tribulation starts, or the Day of God’s great wrath. But have these events already taken place? One popular biblical interpretation says that these events are in the past and rely on a different timeline and interpretation of Daniel’s 70 weeks. We will consider this view and provide reasons why these must be future events

Chapter 7

Chapter 7 is a pause between the 6th seal and the 7th and final seal. Angels are dispatched to hold back the wind and God seals 144,000 from every tribe. While there is much debate who these people are, God has separated them for a special purpose. The scene then shifts back to heaven where we see praise and worship. Before the seals were opened in Rev 4 & 5 there was praise and worship. Now that the final seals and final judgement is about to happen, all of heaven rejoices again in praise and worship.

Chapter 8

The judgments that start with the opening of the 7th seal are like a Russian doll. The 7th seal is comprised of 7 trumpets followed by 7 bowls. These represent the final seal and they come in quick succession. These take place in the last 3 1/2 years. The Lord’s return is near. Here in this chapter trumpets 1-4 are blown

Chapter 9

When the fifth ( 5th ) trumpet is blown we see a terrible army of locusts that bring torment to every man, women and child on earth. Death takes a holiday for five months and despite knowing that this judgement is from God, men remain defiant. Man’s judgement is deserved and God lists the five sins men are guilty of: idolatry, murders, sorceries, immorality, and thefts.

Chapter 10

In this brief chapter we see an angel setting his foot on the land and on the sea, symbolizing that God owns it all and has the right to judge. And he is crowned with a rainbow reminding us that God’s mercy in the midst of the coming judgment.

Read and summarize

Look for

— Prayers ( Blue )

— Promises ( Green )

— Warnings ( Red )

— Commands ( Purple )

Chapter 6

Read and summarize

MacArthur

The bible teaches that the world is headed inexorably not toward peace and unity, but toward a final, cataclysmic war, the battle of Armageddon ( Rev 16:14-16 ). Until that climatic holocaust, things will continue to deteriorate as the world falls deeper into chaos, confusion and sin. As the end approaches, wars will increase, crime will escalate, there will be economic upheavals, and unprecedented natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, famines and diseases ( cf. Matt 24:6-8 ). all those calamities will mark the outpouring of God’s wrath on the fallen, rebellious world ( MacArthur, 1-11, p. 176 )

Thomas

The preterist, Kenneth L. Gentry’s basic motives is a “desire for an undiluted rational to support Christian social and political” activism. if the prophecies of Revelation are yet to be fulfilled, no such progress will develop (Thomas, Theonomy and the dating of Revelation )

The first four seals ( 6:1-8 )

Q: What did John see when the first seal was opened ( 6:1-2 ) ?

( 6:1-2 ) Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

Preterist

Preterist Explanation

— We now come to the point where Christian interpreters shake hands with each other in order to part company, not to be reunited again until the resurrection of the dead in chapter twenty ( Wilson, p.771 )

Q: What did John see when the first ( 1st ) seal was opened (6:1-2 ) ?

The First Seal: False Peace

A White Horse

— The first four seals involve interpretations

— A lot of interpretations who the is the rider

— Some think the rider is Christ because we see Him sitting on a white horse later ( 19:11 )

— But Christ is opening the seals so he can’t be the rider

— And the rider of this horse is wearing a ( στεφανος, stepahnos ) a crown won as a prize

— Christ wears many royal crowns, ( διαδηματα diadems ) ( 19:12 )

hermeneutics.stackexchange.com

διάδημα is used just three times in Revelation: worn by the dragon in 12.3, the beast in 13.1, and the rider of the white horse in 19.12

All three instances are associated with royal authority in some way: the dragon is said to have 'power', a 'throne', and 'authority' (13.2); the beast receives the dragon's throne and authority, and is further said to have 'kings' (17.10); and the rider of the white horse is called 'King of kings and Lord of lords', and is described with language taken from Psalm 2, a song about Israel's king (19.15-16)

Not a Person

— Some think that this is a person on the horse, Anti-Christ

— But because the other three horses are not people rather events

— War

— Famine

— Death

— best to think of this horseman as an event or force as well

Bow

( 6:2 ) And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

—He has a bow but no arrows

— A bloodless victory

— Peace

Crown ( στεφανος, stepahnos )

— A winner’s crown

— He’s won a crown for his achievements to bring peace

— He will not conquer by military force but by cunning deceit

— It will be a “cold war” victory

Strong delusion

— “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,” ( 2 Thess 2:9-11 )

Anti-Christ

— The first seal involves a white horse, peace

— But on the horse is a force that brings world-wide peace

The Seals

— Each seal represents a specific divine judgment that will be poured out sequentially on the earth

— The seals encompass the entire period of the tribulation ( 3:10 )

— Culminating with the return of Christ

— Best to understand the seals as taking place during the first half of the tribulation

The Second Seal: War

Q: What did John see when the second ( 2nd ) seal was opened ( 6:3-4 ) ?

( 6:3-4 ) When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” 4 Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.

A Red Horse

— Fire and blood depict war

— All of this is under God’s control

— He allows the false peace

— He ends it, and brings war on earth

Preterist

Preterist Explanation

— The preterist teach the tribulation was the Roman army destroying Jerusalem

MacArthur

Contrary to the teaching of some, the judgments of the tribulation do not reflect the wrath of men or the wrath of Satan; they can only express God’s wrath poured out on the world. It is He who holds the seven-sealed scroll and the Lamb who unrolls it.

— “ For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.” ( 1 Thess 5:3 )

( MacArthur, 1-11, p.180 )

The dominion

( 6:4 ) And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth,

Thomas

— The dominion from which peace is removed is specific

— (απο της γης, apo tes ges ) from the earth

— This the earth in general, not some limited part of the world such as Judea or the Roman Empire

— The impact of these seals is world-wide ( Thomas, p. 428 )

Appointed by God

— It was granted by God

— It was appointed by God for him to cause war

— He is God’s agent for a specific purpose

A great sword

( 6:4 ) and there was given to him a great sword

— Speaks of bloodshed, violent death

— Not the short sword used for assassinations but the long sword

— People are killing each other

— The Greek means, “butcher, slaughter or massacre someone”

— The purpose clause means that peace was taken from the earth for this very reason

Q: Who is the rider representing?

( 6:4 ) Another horse, fiery red, went out

Another ἄλλος (allos), other; another

— Another of the same kind as the first

— There is a connection between the first rider and the second

— Separated by time because war and peace cannot exist at the same time

A Force

— Not a person, rather a force for war

— Similar to the first rider which was a force of peace

— Here is the force of war and the consequent horrors of war

Other interpretations

— Others have said that this rider is

— Nero

— Anti-Christ

— Satan

Q: What did John see when the third ( 3rd ) seal was opened ( 6:5-6 )?

( 6:5-6 ) When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”

Black Horse

— Famine

— Back is associated with famine

— “The famine has blackened our skin as though baked in an oven.” ( NLT ) ( Lam 5:10 )

— Famine is a natural consequence of war

Jesus

— Jesus predicted this future famine as part of his Olivet Discourse ( Matthew 24 -25, Mark 13, and Luke 21 )

— “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. “ ( Matt 24:7 )

Scales

( 6:5 ) and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand

— The rider carries scales

— Rationing of food

Denarius

( 6:6 ) for a denarius;

— A full day’s wages

Quart of Wheat

( 6:6 ) “A quart of wheat for a denarius,

— A quart of wheat was barely enough to feed a person for a day

3 Quarts of Barley

( 6:6 ) and three quarts of barley for a denarius;

— Barley is what is feed animals

— Low nutritional value

— You get 3x the food but lower nutritional value

Oil and Wine

( 6:6 ) and do not harm the oil and the wine.”

— Could mean the bare essentials needed for cooking

— Or maybe these are luxuries that only the rich can afford ( and thus not suffer )

Q: What did John see in the fourth ( 4th ) seal ( 6:7-8 ) ?

( 6:7-8 ) When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” 8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.

Pale Horse

— His name is death

One-Fourth ( 1/4)

— One-fourth of the world’s population

— Population today is 8 Billion ( 2020 )

— Projected to be 10B in 2050

— If this were today, 2B would die

4 Weapons

( 6:8 ) to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.

— These people will die one of four ways

Sword

— Sword, violent war

— People killing each other

Famine

— World-wide famine following war

— Disrupted supply chains like we saw with Covid-19

— Basic necessities like food, water, paper missing

Pestilence

— Dieses and plagues

— 30M died during the great influenza epidemic of 1918—19

— Only 1.7M world-wide died of Covid-19 as of the close of 2020

— The Black Plague ( 1346-53 ) killed 50M people in Europe ( 60% of the population )

Wild Beasts

— Rats carried the bubonic plague in Europe and were responsible for the Black Plague

— This prediction echoes Ezekiel’s description of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians

— “For thus says the Lord God: “How much more it shall be when I send My four severe judgments on Jerusalem—the sword and famine and wild beasts and pestilence—to cut off man and beast from it?” ( Ezek 14:21 )

Q: What did John see when the fifth ( 5th ) seal was opened ( 6:9-11 )? What would be the meaning of the slain souls under the alter represent?

( 6:9-11 ) When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

Slain souls under the altar

— The lamb breaks the fifth seal and we see souls under the altar of God

— Martyred believers

— Believers persecuted by Satan and Anti-Christ during the first 4 seals

Alternate

— Some say that these martyred believers are from all ages

— But this looses sight of the fact that their persecutors are

— “those who dwell on the earth” ( 6:10 )

At the Altar

— Altar of sacrifice?

— They were slain

— They are not on top of the altar but under the altar

— This is not the altar of burnt offerings

— Only the altar of incense is needed in heaven ( 8:3, 5; 14:17-18 )

Resurrection

— They are also under the altar because their bodily resurrection has not yet happened ( 20:4 )

Q: What are they asking for ( 6:10 )?

How long

( 6:10 ) And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

— How long before our deaths are avenged?

— Wait until the predetermined number of martyrs are killed

— More will have to die

Q: What happened when the sixth ( 6th ) seal was opened?

The Fear of Wrath to Come: The Sixth Seal

( 6:12-17 ) I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. 13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

Cosmic upheaval

— God acts alone

— No horsemen

— The first five seals go unheeded or attributable to nature

— Now, no mistake that this God acting

Earthquake

— A great earthquake like the earth has never known

— A world-wide event

Sun and Moon

( 6:12 ) and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.

— The damage is not localized

— The Sun became black and the moon like blood

— Isaiah said the same thing

— “For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not give their light; The sun will be darkened in its going forth, And the moon will not cause its light to shine.” ( Is 13:10 )

Stars Fall

( 6:13 ) And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind

— Comets striking the earth

— Meteor showers or asteroids

— So many at once that it will looks like figs falling off a tree

— No where to run or hide

Rolled Up

( 6:14 ) Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up

— It will be so terrifying that it will look like the sky is rolled up

— Isaiah said the same thing

— “All the host of heaven shall be dissolved, And the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll; All their host shall fall down As the leaf falls from the vine, And as fruit falling from a fig tree.” ( Is 34:4 )

Luke

— Luke described it this way

— “And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.” ( Lk 21:11 )

Mountains

( 6:14 ) and every mountain and island was moved out of its place

— Both mountains and Islands will be moved out of their place

— These events

— Earthquakes

— Meteors and Asteroids

— The sun going black and the moon turning red

— Islands and mountains moving ( and probably tidal waves as well )

— Will be the most terrifying end of the world events imaginable

Q: How did people react these natural disasters ( 6:15-17 ) ?

The Reaction

Hide

( 6:15 ) And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains

— Not with repentance ( cf. 9:21; 16:11 )

— Like the demons in James, they will believe and fear but not repent ( James 2:19 )

— God will judicially harden their hearts

— Those who harden their hearts will have their hearts hardened by God; they will be unable to repent

— “And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” ( cf. 2 Thess 2:11-12 )

( 6:16 ) and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!

— They hide in caves, rocks

— Unwilling and unable to repent

— They scream for the rocks to crush them to death

Day of the Lord

( 6:17 ) For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

— This sixth ( 6th ) seal is the Day of God’s judgment

— Also referred to as the great day of His wrath

— His final act of judgment ( cf Joel 2:28-32; Zech 14:1; Mal 4:1,5; Acts 2:20; 1 Thess 5:2; 2 Thess 2:2; 2 Pet 3:10 )

Two Stages

— His judgment is dispensed in two stages

— The Day of the Lord after the 6th seal ( 6:17)

— At the end of the tribulation

— It will come as a thief in the night ( 1 Thess 5:2 )

— Then at the end of the 1,000 year millennium before He creates a new heaven and new earth ( 20:1-21:1 )

— The heavens will pass way with a great noise ( 2 Pet 3:10 )

— Peter to erase any questions says

— “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” ( 2 Pet 3:8 )

— The word “saints” when it appears in 4-19 refer to the people of these literal 7 churches

Preterist

Preterist Explanation

The Sun, moon and Stars

— Stars

— The people of Israel were represented as stars ( Gen 22:17, 26:4; Deut 1:10 )

— Religious and Civil State: When a nation is described as “falling” it is compared to the Sun and Moon going dark

— Thus reading Is 13:10, the Sun is the Jewish religion, moon is the government, stars are the judges

— Sun and Moon

— Kings and Nations: Joseph saw the sun, moon and 11 stars bowing down to him ( Gn 37:9 )

— Kings and armies ( Judges 5:19-20 ); The king in verse 19 is the star in verse 20

Q: Let’s review what are the six ( 6 ) seals?

Peace

— The White horse

— World peace ( 6:1-2 )

War

— The Red Horse

— War ( 6:3-4 )

Famine

— The Black Horse

— Scales; famine ( 6:5-6 )

Death

— The Pale Horse

— Death

— 4 weapons ( 6:7-8 )

Martyrs

— Martyrs beneath the throne

— White robes ( 6:9-11 )

Cosmic Upheaval

— Stars fall

— Sun black, moon red

— Earthquakes ( 6:12-16 )

Q: What did Jesus tell us about the sequence of these events during the Olivet Discourse ?

Olivet Discourse

— Matthew’s account in chapter 24 gives us

— Sequence

— Context for Revelation 6

— Given by Jesus on the Mt. of Olives

— Theme is Christ’s second ( 2nd ) coming

— He establishes the millennial kingdom

1st Seal: Peace

— The disciples ask when will be your second coming?

— What are the signs? ( Matt 24:3 )

— His response

— “And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” ( Matt 24:4-5 )

Hard

— Hard to see the connection between this verse and the first seal ( Rev 6:1-2 )

— The other seals are very clear

Mislead

— Notice, many will be mislead by a false Christ

— The deception at that time will escalate as never before

— As things go from bad to worse

— The moral and spiritual influence of the church will be gone

— While many will claim to be Christ, the ultimate deception will come just before Christ returns

— The Anti-Christ will be 100% evil

Daniel

— Daniel gives us more details of his character

— Sinister, skilled in intrigue ( Dan 8:23 )

— Magnify himself above every god ( Dan 11:36 )

— Will speak evil blasphemies against the true God ( Dan 11:36 )

Paul

— Paul refers to him as the lawless son of destruction ( 2 Thess 2:3 )

— John refers to him as the beast ( Rev 11:7; 13:1-10 )

Victory

— He will bring about a cold war victory

— A bloodless cease-fire

— World peace

— He will deceive the whole world and be given a crown of achievement

2nd Seal: War

— Jesus says that there will be wars and rumors of wars

— “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom” ( Matt 24:6 )

— μέλλω (mellō) to continually “be hearing” of wars

— There have always been wars but in the last days ti will be the only thing people will be talking ab out

— The second seal ( Rev 6:3-4 ) tells us of violent death, slaughter and people butchering each other

— Christ says “See that you are not troubled”

— Take comfort

— This is evidence that God’s plan is unfolding

— And this must take place ( Matt 24:6c )

3rd Seal: Famine

— After the war will come famine

— “And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.” ( Matt 24:7b )

— This matches the third ( 3rd ) seal in Revelation

— Then Jesus gives some context to how this will happen

— “All these are the beginning of sorrows.” ( Matt 24:8 )

— “ All these are the beginning of birth pains.” (NIV ) ( Matt 24:8 )

— The NIV captures the correct intent

— Each of these seals are like birth pangs

Q: What are birth pangs like?

Labor pains

— Doesn’t happen at conception

— Doesn’t happen during the pregnancy

— Happens just before birth

— Start slow and then build in intensity

— The seals ( 1-6 ) are slow, over many years

— The latter judgments are in quick succession; suddenly, days, hours apart

4th Seal: Death

— During the Olivet Discourse Jesus doesn’t mention the fourth seal

— Death naturally follows famine, pestilence

5th Seal: Martyrdom

— Jesus says there will be severe persecution

— “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.” ( Matt 24:9 )

Deliver παραδίδωμι (paradidōmi) hand over

— A technical term, arrest by police or military

— This is persecution like the world has never known

— The object of hatred will be towards God

— The world can’t put God on trial so they will persecute His people

— Paul said that he worse the “brand marks of Jesus” ( Gal 6:17 )

— He affirmed he was receiving the wounds that were intended for the Lord Jesus

Wilson

There is a sense in which the the martyrs fill up the sufferings of Christ ( Col 1:24 ). This is because we are the body of Christ. When Saul was tormenting the saints on earth, the Lord Jesus asked him from heaven, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? ( Acts 22:7 ) (Wilson, p. 850 )

Additional Insight (5th Seal )

— Matthew provides some additional insight

— During the 5th Seal many will be martyred

— But many will also flee their faith

— “And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” ( Matt 24:10-13 )

Three ( 3) Reasons

1. The Cost will be too high

— Weak will fall away

— Never truly saved ( 1 Jn 2:19 )

— Never really born again ( Jn 8:31 )

— Not willing to suffer ( Matt 10:32-33; 2 Tim 2:12 )

— After they leave they will “will betray one another, and will hate one another.”

2. Deception will be too convincing ( Matt 24:11 )

— False prophets will deceive many

3. Sin will be too attractive

— love lawlessness

— hate righteousness

— love of God will grow cold

Endures

— The one who endures is an overcomer

— Endurance is always a mark of salvation

— When we endure hardship, we demonstrate that we belong to Christ

Perseverance

The Perseverance of the saints means

— If you are truly saved you will not depart from the faith

— Clearly taught in the NT ( Jn 8:31; 1 Cor 15:1-2; Col 1:21-23; Heb 2:1-3, 3:14, 4:14, 6:11-12, 10:39, 12:14; James 1:2-4 )

Additional Insight (6th Seal )

— Jesus provides additional insight on the 6th Seal

— After the 5th seal and before the 6th seal there will be a sign

— ““Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand)” ( Matt 24:15 )

— This sign has to happen before the 6th seal

Q: What is this sign?

The Sign

— The sign of “abomination of desolation”

— Daniel refers to it three ( 3 ) times ( Dan 9:27, 11:31, 12:11 )

At this point, we may lose some people!

—Nearly all commentators identify this “abomination of desolation” as having already occurred

— Antiochus IV, the Syrian King

— Called himself Theos Epiphanes, “manifest god”

— His enemies called him Epimanes, “mad man”

— but probably not to his face!

— Antiochus desecrated the temple

— sacrificed a pig

— made the priests eat the flesh

Q: if the abomination of desolation has happened, does that mean the seals have also already fulfilled? We will consider that question in a moment

The 6th Seal: Cosmic Upheaval

—This seal marks the end of the tribulation and the start of the Day of the Lord

— “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” ( Matt 24:29 )

— The world and the universe is held together by God

— When He diminishes that power, it will be otter chaos in the Universe

— Luke’s parallel account ( Lk 21:25-26 ) tell us

— men will faint

— Literally stop breathing, die of fear

— Isaiah described this day as well

Q: Bible scholars agree that Daniel’s prophecy of the “abomination of desolation” has happened, and that it is the key to understanding when the 6th Seal will happen. So, have all 6 Seals been broken?

Some say yes

— A brief survey of Rev 6 & Matthew 24 from the Preterist view point

Preterist

Preterist Explanation

First Seal: False Peace

— Pax Romana ( Roman Peace ) 17 BC

Second Seal: War

Wilson

Replace “peace from the earth” ( 6:4 ) with “peace from the land” (Wilson, p. 794 )

— Ancient manuscripts ( Annals of Tacitus) which cover AD 14-68 tell of

Disturbances in German

Commotions in Africa

A ware in Armenia, among others ( Demar, p. 79 )

Third Seal: Famines

— Famines before AD 70

— Famine in Judah ( Acts 11:27-29 )

— It was great that a church far away participated in relief efforts ( 1 Cor 16:1-5; Ro 15:25-28 ) (Demar, p. 79)

— There was a famine after Jerusalem was attacked ( Wilson, p. 813 )

Earthquakes

— When Jesus died ( Matt 27:54 ) and the stone rolled away ( Matt 28:2 ) both proceeded by an earthquake

Fourth Seal: Death

— The invasion of Jerusalem saw the death of many

— No explanation about 1/4 of the earth dying

Fifth Seal: Martyrdom

— Christians were persecuted

— Peter and John arrested ( Acts 4:3 )

— Stephen stoned ( Acts 7:54-60 )

— Saul breathing threats ( Acts 9:1 )

— James, the brother of Christ, killed ( Acts 12:1-2 )

— Paul was flogged and imprisoned ( 2 Cor 11:24-26 )

Sixth Seal: Moon, Stars

— Hayley’s comet appeared, AD 66

— A comet appeared in 44 BC and 11 BC ( Demar, p. 81 )

The Preterist don’t believe there will a literal upheaval of the Nations

— They see the Stars as “nations”, the sun as “The Jewish religion”, the moon as “the Jewish Govt.”

Joseph saw the “sun, and the moon and the eleven stars…bowing down” ( Gen 37:9 ) ( Demar, p.145 )

— The Preterist say this has already happened in AD 70 with the destruction of Jerusalem because it was to happen in this generation

— “Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.” ( Matt 24:34 )

Q: Why is this debated? Why is this not clear?

Timing

— There are two eschatological bookends in Matthew ( 23:36, 24:34 )

— “Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.” ( Matt 23:36 )

— Then, Jesus describes the 6 seals

— “Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.” ( Matt 24:34 )

C.S. Lewis

C.S. Lewis struggled with Matthew 24:34. He called it the most embarrassing verse in the bible ( Demar, p. 48 )

Jesus’ Claim

— Jesus said that He would appear in Glory with his angels before the last apostle died

— “For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. 28 Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” ( Matt 16:27-28 )

Daniel’s Prophecy

— Then, there is Daniel’s prophecy of 70 weeks which is the foundation of these judgments and their timing

Gabriel’s Zinger

— Daniel is praying and the angel Gabriel gives Daniel an amazing prophecy ( Dan 9:24-27 )

— Each day represents a year

— A week represents 7 years

— Therefore, 70 years is 490 years

4 Segments

— 9:24 The Scope

— 9:25 The 69 Weeks

— 9:26 The interval between 69th and 70th week

— 9:27 The 70th Week

The First 69 Weeks ( Dan 9:25 )

( Dan 9:25 ) “Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times.

— Weeks 62 + 7 = 69 Weeks

— Messiah the Prince ( NKJV )

— The Anointed one ( NIV )

— Meschiach Nagid - Messiah the King

— Nagid is first used of Saul, the first king

Bulls Eye !

— 69 weeks is 173,880 days

— Both Jewish and Babylonian calendars used 360 day years

— Artaxerxes Longimanus gave the order to rebuild Jerusalem on March 14, 445 BC ( Neh 2:1-6 )

— Emphasis on street and wall to avoid confusion of rebuilding the temple ( Under Cyrus King of Persia, Ez 3:8 )

Not Yet

— Several times the people wanted to crown Jesus as king ( Jn 6:15 )

— He comes into the city a week before His crucifixion ( Lk 19:37-40 )

— Palm Sunday

— This fulfilled Dan 9:26 and Zech 9:9

— Jesus fulfilled the 69th week

— He came into the city on April 6, 32 AD

— Exactly 173,880 days from the order to rebuild the city ( March 14, 445 BC) 69 weeks = 483 years ( Missler )

Destruction of Jerusalem

— As Jesus approached the city on the donkey He predicted the destruction of Jerusalem

— “For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” ( Lk 19:43-44 )

Missler

— The city was destroyed 38 years later in AD 70

— Titus Vespasian leveled the city to the ground

— Jesus held the Jews responsible for not knowing Daniel’s prophecy

— “because you did not know the time of your visitation.” ( Lk 19:43-44 )

70th Week

— A week is 7 years not 38 years

— Daniel’s 70th week remains unfulfilled ( Dan 9:27 )

— “Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.” ( Dan 9:27 )

— Here is a “gap” verse

— Verse 9:26 ends with Messiah being cut off - killed

— Verse 9:27 shows that “He” - the Anti-Christ, brings to an end sacrifices by some act of abominations

— And right after this gap, the Seven ( 7 ) seals are opened ( Rev 6:1-17 )

— In the middle of the last week, Anti-Christ turns the temple into desolation

— We’ll see this in Rev 11, 13 and 17

Preterist

Preterist Explanation

There is no “gap” verse in Daniel 9

— They call it “silly putty exegesis” ( Demar, p. 332 )

A Different Timeline

J Barton Payne

You don’t need a “gap” to make the 70 weeks fit into biblical history

— Start of the 490 years was not Neh 2:1-2 but Ezra 4:11-12; 23

— 69 weeks ended 483 years

— 26 AD when Jesus was baptized ( 458 AD )

— Middle of the last 7 years Jesus would did (AD 30 ) and bring an end to the OT economy and end sacrifices

— AD 33 is the end of the 490 years when Paul was converted

John Nelson Derby

This has been the standard interpretation for centuries, except minor differences in details. John Nelson Derby ( 1800 - 1882 ) and others changed all this with their church - parenthesis hypothesis… Dispensationalism, following Derby and the Scofield Reference Bible, teaches that the 70th week is still future, and its not Jesus who make a firm covenant with the many for one week ( Dan 9:27 ) but the Anti-Christ! It’s not Jesus who will ‘put a stop to sacrifice and grain offerings” through his shed blood ( Dan 9:27 )- it’s the Anti-Christ ( Demar, p.327-328 )

7 Reasons Why Rev 6 and Matthew 24 Are Future Events

#1 Birth Pangs

— Birth pangs are at the end of pregnancy, not at the beginning

— These signs could not refer to the destruction of Jerusalem which happened at the beginning of the church age

#2 Believers Endure

— Believers will endure

— “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” ( Matt 24:13 )

— The Rapture will take us out of the world ( 1 Thes 4:17)

— Then, it cannot apply to the believers who endure living before AD 70

#3 World-Wide Gospel

— The Gospel will go out into the entire world

— Not just the “Roman World” which is the way that the Preterist interrupt Matt 24:14

— “ And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” ( Matt 24:14 )

#4 Abomination

— The abomination of desolation has to occur ( Matt 24:15, Dan 9:27 )

— Hasn’t happened yet

#5 Like Nothing Before

— It will be like nothing before or after ( Matt 24:21 )

— These events will be the worse in all human history and will come at the end of the age

— They will be His final judgment of Mankind ( cf Dan 12:1-2 )

#6 Sun and Moon

— Cosmic events like we have never seen before ( Matt 24:29-30 )

#7 Fig Tree

The example Christ gave of the Fig Tree ( Matt 24:32-35 ) speak of a distant future

— Budding leaves tell us that Summer is near

— The events ( Seals ) tell us that the end is near

— The generation living when Christ returns ( Matt 24:34 ) will experience all of the signs of Matt 24-25 (MacArthur, 1-11, p. 15-16 )

RC Sproul

“This Generation” ( Lk 21:35 ) will not pass away until these things have happened

— Can’t be His own lifetime, obviously didn’t happen

— So how could it be accurate with respect to Jerusalem but not His return ?

— Generation - a group of people

— A kind of people

— Believers and unbelievers (RC Sproul, A Walk with Luke )

Chapter 7

Read and summarize

Survivors of the wrath of God ( 7:1-8 )

Q: What are the angels doing in 7:1 ?

( 7:1 ) After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.

A Pause

— A pause between the 6th and final 7th seal

— Angels standing at the four corners of the earth (N, S, E, W )

Holding Back

— Holding back the wind

— No breeze, no wind, no movements of clouds

— No waves

— The angels have turned off the earth’s engine

Saints Sealed

Q: What power has been given the angels in 7:2? What is the significance of the seal?

( 7:2-3 ) Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”

Do No Harm

— Don’t harm the earth now

— Judgment will come when they release the winds ( cf. Jer 49:36; Matt 24:31 )

— God never sends His judgment before He sends the sealing angel in ( Wilson, p. 919 )

Seal σφραγίζω (sphragizō), seal; seal up

— Often refers to a signet ring

— Kings or other officials would stamp into wax to affirm their authenticity ( cf. Matt 27:66 )

Forehead

— Aaron wore a band with the words “Holiness to the Lord” and it was around his forehead ( Ex 28:36-38 )

— “Our allegiance to Jesus Christ should be as obvious to the world as our forehead is” ( Wilson, 914-915 )

Israelites identified

Q: How many were sealed? Who are they? (7:4-8 )

( 7:4-8 ) And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed: 5 of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed; 6 of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed; 7 of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed; 8 of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.

Notice the Order

— Judah is listed first - the Tribe of Christ

— Reuben listed second but was first born

Dan

— Dan is missing and replaced with Levi

— The tribe of Dan will share in the blessings but is not selected for this missionary duty

— Nor, will it escape the tribulation

Ephraim

— Joesph is listed as a tribe instead of Ephraim

Idolatry

— Why are both Dan and Ephraim missing

— Both were guilty of idolatry

— Dan ( Deut 29:18-21) worse than the rest of the nation ( cf. Jud 18, Amos 8:14 )

— Ephraim ( Is 7:17 )

Tribes Lost

— When Rome sacked Jerusalem (AD 70 ) all official records were lost

— But God knows

Total Saved?

— Some interpreters believe that this is the total number of Jews saved

— Problem Joshua and Samson belong to the tribes excluded

God’s not done

— God still has a purpose for Israel

— God’s not done yet ( cf. Ro 9-11 )

— They will become the greatest missionary force the world has ever known

The Church?

— Some teach that this is the church

— No clear-cut example of the church being called Israel in the NT or ancient church writings ( until AD 160 )

— Such attempts are even more ridiculous because it necessitates typological interpretations that divides the church into twelve tribes ( Thomas, p. 476 )

Preterist

Preterist Explanation

This is the number of Jews who escaped Jerusalem when it fell

— Proof text is Matt 24:16-20

— “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.” ( Matt 24:16-20 )

The Elect

— The number of the Elect either Jews or Christian Church of the first century

— Both the 144,000 and a great multitude

Jehovah Witnesses

— The Jehovah Witnesses also believe that these are the elect

— Those “other sheep” have an earthly hope but not a heavenly hope

— The elect go to heaven and rule with Christ

— Those who die and are “other sheep” will receive the resurrection of the righteous ( Acts 24:15 )

— source: watchtower movement

Tribulation Saints ( 7:9-17 )

Q: Describe the characteristics of the great multitude ( 7:9 ). Where did they stand? How are they clothed?

( 7:9 ) After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

Great Multitude

— Gentiles from every nation

— The earlier group ( 144,000 ) was just Israel

— God will grant Israel a 2nd chance to be a light to the world led by the 144,000 (cf. Is 11:10, 49:6; Ro 15:12 )

— “And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious.” ( Is 11:10 )

— Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ” ( Is 49:6 )

— This is the fruit of the 144,000

Robes / Palms

— dazzling white robes

— Palm branches represent victory

Preterist

Preterist Explanation

They see this group ( the multitude ) and the 144,000 as the same group - the church

— One group is sealed on earth ( 144,000 )

— And the other - too many to be counted - is sealed in heaven

— This group is something bigger than the tribulation that came to Jerusalem

— Although the fall of Jerusalem is the theme of Revelation - … the crowd appears to preclude that reading ( Wilson, p. 959-963 )

Q: What did the multitude do ( 7:10 ) and who joined in the praise ( 7:11-12 ) ?

( 7:10-12 ) and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

All the angels

— The innumerable believers before God’s throne were joined by the angels

— There were myriads and myriad of angles ( 5:11 )

— Wretched sinners mingling with holy angels

Cry out

( 7:10 ) crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

— We cry out

— The Lord loves loud praise

— A loud voice is a constant theme ( cf 5:12, 6:10, 11:12, 15, 12:10, 14:7, 16:1, 19:1, 21:3 )

More Praise

( 7:12 ) saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

— More praise

— And “Amen”

Praise

— Before the seals were opened in Rev 4,5 there was praise

— Now the final seals, final judgment is about to come

— Praise again

Q: The elders ask a question in 7:13-14. What is it?

( 7:13-14 ) Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” 14 And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Elder Asks

— The elder asks John where did these people come from?

John’s Response

“It is you who know” ( Thomas, p. 494 )

Why the Question

— Why the question in the first place?

— Robert Thomas comments that visions were not to display something spectacular but to convey information ( Thomas, p. 493 )

The Point

— The elder’s point is that some will be saved during the tribulation

— It will be a terrible time, but some will be saved

— Others will reject Him ( cf. 9:20-21; 16:9 )

Q: What blessing did they receive and what did the lamb do for them ( 7:15-17 )?

( 7:15-17 ) Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. 16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Like Isaiah

— During the millennial this also describes Israel which is treated like a well feed and watered herd of sheep

— “They shall neither hunger nor thirst, Neither heat nor sun shall strike them; For He who has mercy on them will lead them, Even by the springs of water He will guide them.” ( Is 49:10 )

— This is a foretaste of heaven which John describes here in ( 7:15-17 )

Shepherd

— The Lord is pictured as a Shepherd

— Very common picture in the OT ( Ps 23; 80:1; Isa 40:11; Ezek 34:23 )

— And the NT ( Jn 10:11ff; Heb 13:20; 1 Pet 2:25, 5:4 )

Guide

( 7:17 ) and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

— He will guide his flock to springs of water ( cf 21:6, 22:1, 17 )

Wipe tears

— And He will wipe away every tear from our eyes ( cf. 21:4; Is 25:8 )

But another Picture

— But there is another picture of the shepherd in the OT and NT

— A terrifying picture of judgment

— “I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. 8 Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ” ( Ps 2:7-9 )

— Three other pictures of the shepherd destroying, cursing sinners with a rod of iron ( 2:27, 12:5, 19:15 )

Chapter 8

Read and summarize

The Seventh Seal ( 8:1-5 )

Q: What happened when the 7th seal was opened ( 8:1 ) ? What is the significance ?

( 8:1 ) When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

Silence

— A lot of noise up until this point

— Loud voices, praises and now total silence

— The full fury of God’s final judgment is about to be released, silence

— Awe of what God is about to do

— God’s great wrath starts now

— Is this a proof text that there are no women in heaven? It does say silence for about 1/2 an hour

Q: What events unfold with the breaking of the 7th seal ( 8:2-5 ) ?

( 8:2-5 ) And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. 3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.

Seven Trumpets

— Announce impending judgment

— Greater intensity than the seals

— but not as destructive as the final bowl judgements ( 16:1-2 )

Russian Doll

— These judgments that start with the opening of the 7th seal are like a Russian Doll

— The 7th seal is the 7 trumpets, followed by 7 bowls

— They come in quick succession (days and hours)

— The last 1/2 of the 7 year period

— Trumpets 1-4 destroy the earth’s ecology ( 8:6-12 )

— Trumpets 5-6 unleash demonic destruction on humanity ( 8:13-9:1-11, 13-19 )

— Trumpet 7 the final outpouring of God’s wrath

— includes 7 bowl judgments

The Altar

( 8:3 ) Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

— An angel came and stood at the altar

— Same altar that Isaiah saw ( Isa 6:6 ) and Ezekiel saw ( Ez 10:2 )

— This altar is made of gold

— The counter part to the altar of incense in the temple ( Ex 30:3 )

Q: How do we know that this is equivalent to the altar of incense in the earthly temple ?

Closest to the holy of holies

— Like the earthly altar of incense, this is closest to the holy of holies ( Ex 30:6 )

— And priests would bring hot fiery coals to the altar of incense ( Ex 30:7-8; 2 Chron 29:11 )

— Here, an angel with a golden censer adds incense to the prayers of the saints

— Incense = cries of believers during the great tribulation against their persecutors who blaspheme God

Q: What did the angel do with the firer from the altar ( 8:5 ) ? What was the result?

( 8:5 ) Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.

Threw it to the earth

— A massive fireball from the sky

— The angel threw it to the earth

— This comes as a direct result of the prayers of the saints ( James 5:6 )

The effect

— Peals of thunder, sounds,

— flashes of lightening

How long?

— The saints ask "how long?”

— We sometimes ask the same question

— Now they got their answer

Doesn’t matter

— By now the whole world knows that these judgements are from God ( 6:15-17 )

— World-wide preaching of the gospel ( Matt 24:14 ) by the 144,000

— People still refuse to believe! (cf. 9:20-21; 16:9, 11 )

Q: Why don’t they believe?

— Because they love their sin

— “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.” ( Jn 3:19-20 )

The first four trumpets ( 8:6-13 )

Timing

— The world has already experienced 4 years of God’s wrath

— Wars

— Plagues

— Devastating Earthquakes

— Celestial objects striking the earth

— These might have been explained as natural occurrences

— But the next trumpet judgment will be so horrifying that there was silence in heaven for 1/2 hour ( 8:1 )

First four

— Brief and straight forward

— Deal directly with the earth

— They do not symbolize political, social or economic judgment

— They are not symbolic of the judgment of Jersualem ( AD 70 )

— These are actual, physical events that will effect the whole earth

The first trumpet

Q: What happened when the first ( 1st ) trumpet sounded ( 8:6-7 ) ? What harm followed? What is the significance of 1/3 ?

( 8:6-7 ) So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. 7 The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.

Hail and Fire

— Reminds us of the hail and fire God rained down on Egypt ( Ex 9:23; Pss 18:13, 78:48, 105:32 )

Third of the trees

— Not all the trees, only 1/3

— Judgement is not final yet

— More to come

Grass

— All the green grass

— But wait! We have green grass when the fifth ( 5th ) trumpet sounds ( 9:4 )

— Some might say that is wrong

— But burnt grass regrows

— Living in So. Cal during the fire season, we know that

— Grows back better than before

The second trumpet

Q: What happened when the second ( 2nd ) trumpet sounded ( 8:8-9) ? What harm followed What is the significance of mountains in prophecy?

( 8:8-9 ) Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9 And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed

Burning mountain

— Something like a burning mountain

— Not a mountain but similar

— The first trumpet was directed at land, this the sea

Blood

— Like the first trumpet - is this actual blood?

— Huge tidal waves destroy 1/3 of the ships

— But not the final judgment

— All of our fears are realized

— A direct hit from a doomsday asteroid come true

1998

— 1998 was a good year from doomsday movies

— Armageddon ( 1998 ): Bruce Willis, Harry Tamper, Owen Wilson, Ben Affleck

— Deep Impact ( 1998 ): Tia Leon, Morgan Freeman, Robert Duvall

The third trumpet

Q: What happened when the third ( 3rd ) trumpet sounded ( 8:10-11 )? What is wormwood? What harm followed? What is the significance of stars in prophecy?

( 8:10-11 ) Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.

Wide spread damage

— Unlike the huge mountain like object that fell in the ocean intact

— This broke up

— Debris all over the earth

— All fresh water was polluted

Torch

— This star looked like a torch

— Torches were used in ancient times to describe comets and meteors

— comet: ice, rock, large ( miles ) orbit the sun from the outer solar system

— asteroid: found between Mars and Jupiter

— meteors: space dust, smaller than an asteroid or debris from a comet as it passes earth

Wormwood ἄψινθος" ( apsinthos) wormwood

— Found only here in the NT

— It is a plant found in Palestine that has a bitter taste

— Wormwood itself was not poisonous but its effects were sometimes associated with poison

— In the OT wormwood was associated with associated with divine judgment ( Jer 9:15, 23:15; Lam 3:15, 19 )

Q: What happened when the fourth ( 4th ) trumpet sounded ( 8:12 )?

( 8:12 ) Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night.

The Heavens

— 1st trumpet was the land

— 2nd trumpet was the ocean

— 3rd trumpet was the fresh water

— 4th trumpet is the heavens

Day of the Lord

— This language of the stars in heaven not giving their light, the sun growing dark

— Associated with The Day of the Lord in the OT ( Is 13:9-10; Ez 32:7-8; Joel 2:10, 31; 3:15; Amos 8:9 )

— No one dies because the sun is 1/3 dark but it adds to the terror

Jesus

— This is just before Christ’s second coming

— Jesus described a similar event recorded in Luke

— “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26 men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” ( Lk 21:25-26 )

Preterist

Preterist Explanation

Seven Seals / Trumpets

— The Preterist view does not see these events as happening right after each other

— Not to be taken in serial fashion, as though we now have a total of fourteen railroad cars or beads on a string ( Wilson, p. 1018 )

— This is happening all at once

Sounding Trumpets

— Commencement of the battle against Jerusalem

— Hail and fire are not literal; It makes us think of judgement ( Ex 9:23; Ps 18:13 )

Trees Destroyed

— The historian Josephus records that the Romans cut down tress surrounding Jerusalem

— grass represents ordinary people

Mountain

— When the 2nd trumpet is blown, the mountain is Babylon which would be judged ( Jer 51:25 )

Sea

— Represents the Gentile nations, symbolic of the Gentile world

Stars

— Stars falling, sun, moon - political upheaval around the time of the Jewish war when many Roman emperors died in quick succession ( Nero, Galba, Otho, Vitellius )

The Preterist provide no answer for the 3rd Trumpet and wormwood, or the 2nd trumpet and 1/3 of the sea creatures dying

Chapter 9

Read and summarize

Hell on Earth: The fifth trumpet ( 9:1-2 )

Q: What happened when the fifth ( 5th ) trumpet sounded ( 9:1-2 ) ?

( 9:1-2 ) Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit.

Star Fell

— A star fell from heaven

— Not a star but symbolic of Satan ( because it is referred to as “he” )

— Jesus said he saw Satan fall

— “ And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” ( Lk 10:18 )

— Satan’s fall is described in the OT ( Ez 28:12-16; Is 14:12-15 )

Still has access

— Satan still has access to God

— where he continually accuses believers ( 12:10; Job 1:6 )

The bottomless pit

( 9:1 ) To him was given the key to the bottomless pit.

— Satan is given the keys to the bottomless pit

— He will release demons

Not hell

— This is not hell

— A place where angels are temporarily incarcerated awaiting final judgment and the Lake of Fire ( Matt 25:41; Rev 19:20; 20:10 )

Which angels?

— These angels had sex with women ( 1 Pet 3:18-20 )

— bred half human and half angelic offspring

— Satan attempted to corrupt the human race and make it unredeemable ( Gn 6:1-4 )

Tartarus ταρταρόω (tartaroō). vb. to hold in Tartarus, to be held in hell

— Peter used the word Tartarus in 2 Pet 2:4

— Refers to the act of holding someone captive in Tartarus

— In classical Greek, this verb describes the act of holding a prisoner in Tartarus

— the level of Hades where the wicked are punished

— the worse place you can go to await hell

— This verb only occurs in 2 Pet 2:4, referring to where the fallen angels are sent to be punished (compare Luke 8:31)

Smoke

( 9:2 ) And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit.

— The smoke rose from the pit and darkened the sky

— Impending doom, judgment

— This will be hell on earth

The Power Unleashed

Q: What came with the smoke? What harm did they do ( 9:3-6 ) ?

( 9:3-6 ) Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. 6 In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them.

Vile Demons

— Demons resembling swarming locusts

— They look like smoke when they swarm

— Not ordinary locusts, but demons

Sting

— They cause pain like scorpions

— Scorpions rank with the snake in their hostility towards man ( Lk 10:19; 11:12 )

Their Goal

( 9:4 ) They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

— Their goal is to inflict pain on men not sealed by God

— Not to hurt the grass

— This tells us that these were not actual insects

— Also not hurt the 144,000 and those redeemed ( cf. 22:4; 2 Tim 2:19 )

— God also protected His people during the plagues of Egypt ( Ex 8:22ff; 9:4ff, 10:23 )

Q: What will be the reaction of those afflicted?

Men will seek death

( 9:6 ) In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them.

— During this five ( 5 ) months men will try to kill themselves

— Instead of repentance, men will seek death

— Their motive is different than Paul’s ( Phil 1:23 )

— Paul wanted to die and be with Christ

— These men are fleeing from misery

Hard to find

— They will seek death but it will flee

— It will be hard to find

Groundhog Day ( 1993 )

— In the Hollywood movie Groundhog Day, Bill Murray tries repeatedly to kill himself

— But every day he wakes up - whole

— Men will try to kill themselves, but unlike the Hollywood movie, they will awaken, mauled, mutilated and even more miserable than before but still alive

The appearance unveiled ( 9:7-10 )

Q: What do the locusts look like ( 9:7-10 ) ?

( 9:7-10 ) The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. 8 They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9 And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. 10 They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months.

Faces of Men

— They had faces like men

Horses

— They appeared like horses prepared for battle

— warlike

Tails

— Their tails were like scorpions

— A demon horde like nothing we have ever seen

Crown

— The stéphanos, victor’s crown

— invincible, unstoppable, all-conquering

Hair

— Hair like a women

— seductive, alluring

Teeth

— Teeth like a lion

— fierce, powerful, ripping, tearing

Breastplate

( 9:9 ) And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle.

— Breastplates of iron

— Invulnerable

Mission

( 9:10 ) hey had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months.

— Their sole mission is to hurt men

— Two men were so tormented by demons that they lived in tombs ( Matt 8:28 )

— A demon possessed boy kept throwing himself into the fire ( Mark 9:20-22 )

— Others tormented with diseases, epileptics, paralysis ( Matt 4:24 )

— The centurions son was tormented with paralysis ( Matt 8:6 )

The Prince Unmasked ( 9:11-12 )

Q: Who led the demons? And what woe is this ( 9:11-12 ) ?

( 9:11-12 ) And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon. 12 One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.

Abaddon Ἀβαδδών (Abaddōn)

— Hebrew name is Abaddōn

Apollyon Ἀπολλύων (Apollyōn), Apollyon

— Both mean destroyer

— John frequently translates his Hebrew thinking into Greek

— Only John does this in the NT ( cf. John 1:38, 42; 4:25; 6:1; 9:7; 11:16; 19:13; 19:17, 20; 20:16; Rev 1:7; 3:14; 12:9 )

Not Satan

— This is not Satan

— An angle of the bottomless pit has this name “destroyer”

— Satan has leaders and sub-leaders ( Eph 6:12 )

First Woe

— This fifth ( 5th ) trumpet was the first woe

— An angel tells us that God’s wrath has not run its course

— Two more woes are coming : the sixth ( 6th ) and seventh ( 7th ) trumpet and all the bowl judgements

— “And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!” ( 8:13 )

The Release of Demons ( 9:13-14 )

Q: What did John hear when the sixth angel sounded ( 9:13-14 )? Where have we read about the golden altar before ?

( 9:13-14 ) Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”

A Voice

— John heard a voice coming from the altar

— The Greek literally says “one voice” but we can’t be sure whose voice

— The angel

— The lamb

— The Father

The Altar

— John mentioned the altar twice already

— Saints prayed for imprecatory intercession - vengeance ( 6:9-11 )

— An altar of judgment; the angel took fire from the altar and threw it to the earth ( 8:5 )

Incense Altar

— This stood in front of the veil that separated the holy of holies

— Incense on the altar morning and evenings but no sacrifices

MacArthur

The high priest was required to make a sin offering on it once a year ( Ex 30:1-10 ). “That illustrates the important biblical truth that atonement provides the basis for prayer, worship, and communion with God. No one whose sins have not been atoned for has access to God” ( MacArthur, 1-11, p. 268 )

Demons

( 9:14 ) saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”

— Release the four angels now bound near the river Euphrates

— These angels are aggressively the purpose of God

— They are actually His servants doing exactly what he wants

The Return of death ( 9:15-19 )

Q: What happened when the angels were released ( 9:15 )? What did John see and hear ( 9:15-19 )?

( 9:15-19 ) So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. 17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. 18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. 19 For their power is in their mouth and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm.

Death Returned

— Death had taken a holiday ( 9:5-6 )

— Now it returns with a vengeance

— They are released to kill 1/3 of mankind

— Not natural disasters but judgments orchestrated by God

Army

— 200 million man army

— Sounds pretty precise

— The Greek literally says 20,000 of 10,000

— ( 20,000 X 10,000 )

Human?

— This army is commanded by 4 demons

— A supernatural rather than a human army

Horses

— Not actual horses

— These are demon forces that stalk and slaughter their victims

— Incinerate men and women with fire

— Asphyxiate with smoke and brimstone

Q: How else did the horses harm people ( 9:18-19) ?

( 9:18-19 ) By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. 19 For their power is in their mouth and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm.

Tails

— Tails like snakes

— Able to hurt and kill

Mouths

— Powerful

— Heads like lions

The Reaction of Defiance

What happened to those not killed ( 9:20 )? List and explain the sins they committed ( 9:21 )

( 9:20-21 ) But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. 21 And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

They Refused to Repent

— Those who were left refused to repent

— They heard the 144,000 Jewish evangelist ( 7:1-8 )

— The two witnesses ( 11:1-14 )

— An angel in the sky ( 14:6-7 )

— Other believers ( 24:14 )

— They failed to heed the warning

— “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.” ( Heb 4:7 )

Five Sins

— They were guilty of five (5 ) sins

Idols

( 9:20 ) But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk.

— The works of their hands ( Deut 27:15, 31:29; Is 2:8, 17:8, 37:19; Jer 1:16, 25:6, 7, 14 )

— They worshipped demons ( Deut 32:17; Ps 106:37; 1 Cor 10:20 )

Murders

( 9:21 ) And they did not repent of their murders

— They were guilty of murder

— Believers in that day will no doubt be targeted by these demon possessed people

— Abortion was practiced in the first century

— The blood guilt of murder could include abortion

Sorceries φαρμακεία (pharmakeia), sorcery; magic

( 9:21 ) or their sorceries

— English word pharmacy and pharmaceuticals comes from this word

— pharmakeia can also refer to poisons, charms, seances, witchcraft, incarnations, magic spells, contacting demons

Immorality πορνεία (porneia), sexual immorality

— sexual sins

— pornography, fornication, adultery, rape

— homosexuality

— sexual perversions running rampant

Thefts

( 9:21 ) or their thefts.

— People take whatever they want from whomever they want

MacArthur

Mankind lies between two powerful opposing spiritual spheres, each seeking to conform people to itself. No one is neutral in the cosmic battle, everyone is either part of the “domain of darkness” or of the kingdom of [God’s] beloved Son ( Col 1:13 ). As they yield one sphere or the other people become companions of God or the companions of Satan; the companions of holy angels, or the companions of demons; the companions of saints, or the companions of sinners. To doubt that reality is the gravest mistake any person can make ( MacArthur, 1-11, p. 266 )

Preterist

Preterist Explanation

The 5th angel sounds

— Represents the Jewish war

— Lasted 3 1/2 years

( 9:5 ) Locusts torment for 5 months

— Gentiles trampled the holy city for forty-two months ( Rev 11:2) or 1260 days

— 5 months is the last five months of the siege of Jerusalem

— During this 5 months the citizens turned on each other

Christ cast out demons during His ministry

— He said that when a demon is cast out it brings back 7 more spirits

— “Even so it shall be unto this wicked generation” ( Matt 12:43-45 )

— Therefore, the Jewish people were demon possessed in the last 5 months of the siege

( 9:16 ) Two-hundred million

— Actually this should be myriad of myriads

— Larry Ball says that this is like our number Gazillion

— An innumerable number of soldiers swarmed Jerusalem ( Ball, 150-154 )

Chapter 10

Read and summarize

Q: A friend asks you, if God is so good, why is there so much evil in the world. How do you respond?

Troubled God’s people

— This question has troubled God’s people

— The wicked often appear to prosper and sin is unchecked

— Why doesn’t God stop all the evil and carnage in the world?

— When will the wicked be punished? ( Job 12:6, 21:7; Ps 10:1-5, 74:10-11, 83:1-2, 94:3-4; Jer 12:1-3; Hab 1:13; Rev 6:10 )

God will speak

— God will break his silence

— A day is coming when all the purposes of God concerning men will be consummated

7th Trumpet

— The sounding of the 7th trumpet ushers in that long anticipated day ( 11:15 )

Interlude

— Before the 7th trumpet sounds there is an interlude ( 10:1-11:14 )

Five unusual features

An Unusal Angel ( 10:1-2 )

Q: Describe the angle that John sees, and what does he have in his hand ( 10:1-2 )?

( 10:1-2 ) I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. 2 He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,

A Mighty Angel

— A strong angel ( NASB)

— not Christ, but another angel that John has not seen before

— John used the Greek word ἄλλος (allos)

— Another of the same kind

— rather than ἑτέρως (heteros) another of a different kind

Cloud

— He was clothed with a cloud ( judgement )

Rainbow

( 10:1 ) And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun

—Like the rainbow after the flood, the rainbow reassures us of God’s mercy in the midst of the coming judgment

— The 7th trumpet

Feet

( 10:1 ) and his feet like pillars of fire

— Holiness

Book

( 10:2 ) He had a little book open in his hand

— A lot of speculation what this book is

— Is this different than the scroll ( 5:1 ) ?

— Is this the same scroll but just smaller because John has to eat it ?

— Does it just contain the events of 12-22 which are still future?

Q: Where does the angel stand ( 10:2 )? And what happened when he cried out ( 10:3 )?

(10:2b-3 ) And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices.

Right Foot

— His right foot on the sea

— Left foot on the land

— Shows that God owns it all

— He has the right to judge

Loud Voice

— A loud voice, authority

— He roars like a lion

— “For someday the people will follow me. I, the Lord, will roar like a lion.” ( Hos 11:10 ) (NLT)

Thunder

— Separate from the angel’s voice

— Maybe the voice of God

— Thunder often precedes judgment in scripture ( cf 8:5, 11:19, 16:18; 1 Sam 2:10; 2 Sam 22:14; Ps 18:13; John 12:28-30 )

An Unusual Answer

Q: What was John told to do with the message he heard in the thunder ( 10:4 ) ?

( 10:4 ) Now when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them.”

Understood

— John understood what the seven thunders said

— He was not to write down what he heard

— These are the only words in the book that are sealed

An Unusual Announcement ( 10:5-7 )

( 10:5-7 ) The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven 6 and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer, 7 but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.

Swears by God

— He swears by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven, the earth and the sea

— Paul and Barnabas identified God the same way

— “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them “ ( Acts 14:15 )

His judgement would come

— When the angels sounds the 7th and final trumpet, God’s patience will end

— It will take days ( months) to unfold the 7 bowl judgment

— The prayers of all the saints of all time will be answered

The Mystery

Q: What are some of the mysteries revealed in the NT but hidden in the OT ( 10:7 )

( 10:7 ) the mystery of God would be finished

— The OT is the NT concealed; The NT is the OT revealed

— The mystery of God ( cf. 1 Cor 2:7; Col 2:2 )

— Mysteries of the kingdom ( Matt 13:11 )

— Mystery of Israel’s blindness ( Ro 11:25 )

— Mystery of the rapture ( 1 Cor 15:51 )

— Mystery of lawlessness ( 2 Thess 2:7 )

— Mystery of Christ ( Eph 3:3-6 ) and Gentiles heirs with the Jews

— Mystery of the Church ( Eph 5:32 )

— Mystery of Christ in the believer ( Col 1:26-27 )

— Mystery of the incarnation ( 1 Tim 3:16 )

An Unusual Assignment ( 10:8-11 )

Q: What was John told to do next?

( 10:8-11 ) Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, “Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth.” 9 So I went to the angel and said to him, “Give me the little book.” And he said to me, “Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.” 10 Then I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. 11 And he said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.”

Sweet

— Sweet because we all want God to act

— Evil to be punished

— God’s kingdom to be established

— Sin vanquished

— The Lord exalted, honored, glorified

Bitter

— Bitter because a terrible fate awaits unbelievers

— This includes some of our loved ones

— We mourn over the judgment of the ungodly ( Ro 9:1-3 )

— God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked ( Ez 33:11 )

Write

( 10:11 ) And he said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.”

— John must write about the coming judgments in the seventh ( 7th ) and final trumpet to all

— people, nations of the world

Preterist

Preterist Explanation

The Mystery (10:7)

— The mystery is that Jews and Gentiles would be fellow heirs with Christ

— As long as the temple stood, there was always the pressure to become a Jew first

— The 7th trumpet destroyed the temple and settled the question

Eat the Book (10:9 )

— The eating of the book is similar to Ezekiel where Ezekiel ate a book

— Ezekiel is about judgement on Jerusalem therefore, this must be a a parallel passage

Additional Resources

J Vernon McGee.

Chuck Missler.

Wilson, Douglas. When the Man Comes around: a Commentary on the Book of Revelation. Canon Press, 2019.

DeMar, Gary. Last Days Madness: Obsession of the Modern Church. American Vision, 1999.

Thomas, Robert L. Revelation: an Exegetical Commentary. Moody Press, 2016.

MacArthur, John. Revelation 1-11. Moody Press, 1999.

https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/23026/diadema-or-stephanos ( accessed 12/16/2020 )

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