Revelation #2

Chapters 4-7

Chapters 1-3• Revelation of Jesus

• Revelation of us and the church

• Jesus speaks to the churches

• Learn lessons from the churches

Tonight’s plan

• The ‘rapture’ (carried off)

• The second coming

• Tribulation

• Revelation 4-7

The RaptureFor this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thess 4:15-18)

• Christ returns• Christians (dead and alive) rise to meet

Jesus• Comfort one another with these wordsLuke 17:20-36• V22 – one of the days• V30 – Lot and Noah delivered on the

same day the judgement begins• V34-36 – some taken, some remainI take the view Revelation gives us the order

of events

The rapture/second coming

Tribulation (trouble)And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time.And at that time your people shall be delivered,Every one who is found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life,some to shame and everlasting contempt.(Daniel 12:1-2)

• For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. (Matt 24:21)

• How long will it last?– It depends on your point of view but probably

either 3½ or 7 years

Tribulation (trouble)

Revelation 4 – majesty of GodThe door• John’s access to heaven (not the rapture)24 elders• Almost certainly people (Rev 5:9)• Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to

you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones (Matt 19:28)

• Seven lamps/spirits = the Holy Spirit

The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,

The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

The Spirit of counsel and might,

The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:2)

Revelation 4 – majesty of God

Seven = completeness/holiness• 7 branches to one candlestick• 7 days is one week• 7 of each clean animal on the ark• 7 seals• 7 trumpets• 7 bowls• 7 days of marching round Jericho• Sprinkle blood 7 times for atonement (Lev 16:14)

Sea of glass and 4 creatures

• Almost the same as Ezekiel’s vision (Ezek 1:22-28, 10:14-22)

• Various angelic beings attend God (as shown by the ornamentation of the tabernacle)

• Confirms this is the same God as the Old Testament

Revelation 4 – majesty of God

Revelation 5 – the scroll and lamb• Seven seals = legal document • Vespasian and Caesar Augustus left wills with

seven seals• A set of instructions

• The lion of Judah, root of David, lamb that was slain = Jesus

• Trinity revealed– Father on the throne– Lamb before the throne– The Holy Spirit upon the lamb

• A scene of worship

Revelation 5 – the scroll and lamb

• As each seal is opened something happens – the will of God is revealed

• The four horsemen• 1 white horse – conquer• 2 red horse – takes peace (war)• 3 black horse – hunger/famine• 4 pale horse – death

Revelation 6 – six seals

• Who is the first horseman?– Jesus?– The Antichrist?– A spirit?– All the horsemen are symbolic of a time of

trouble• V8 death and Hades are not ‘persons’

– They have power over ¼ of the earth– To kill with sword, hunger, death, beasts– These things are already happening

Revelation 6 – six seals

• The four seals represent the start of a time of trouble

• Is this– A tribulation?– The Tribulation?– The Great Tribulation?

• Wait and see what happens next

Revelation 6 – six seals

• 5th seal – martyrs cry for judgement and vengeance

• Given a white robe and told to wait• 6th seal

– Great earthquake– sun turns black (eclipse/volcanic cloud/impact cloud)– 224 solar eclipses this century (68 total) -NASA

– Moon like blood (atmospheric pollution)– Stars fall from the sky (meteors)– Sky rolled up like scroll (dust cloud)

• People know it’s God – how? (v16-17)

Revelation 6 – six seals

144,000

• literally Jews from each tribe

• Sealed for protection (9:4)– a spiritual sign

• Become Christians after the rapture (14:1-5)

• Messianic Jews get raptured

• Other Jews may get saved but are not sealed (protected)

Revelation 7 – 2 big groups

Multitude without number (v9-17)

• Christians (white robes)

• They weren’t there last time John looked in heaven (6:9?)

• They have come out of the great tribulation (v14)

• Who are they?

Revelation 7 – 2 big groups

Either

• The rapture has already happened and this is another group from the earth

• Or these are the raptured saints that John didn’t see while he was looking at the earth

Revelation 7 – 2 big groups

The Raptured Saints

• They could have come up at the 6th seal

• Something happened at the 6th seal which indicated that God was involved

• The tribulation hasn’t really started yet, 4 ‘horsemen’ have power over ¼ of the earth

• The saints leave at the exact moment of judgment (like Noah and Lot)

• Has judgment begun at the 5th seal (6:10)

Revelation 7 – 2 big groups

Vision of heaven• They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst

anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 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. (Rev 7:16-17)

Revelation 7 – 2 big groups

Remember• A time of great trouble is coming

• Before the judgment falls we will be rescued (like Lot and Noah)

• Comfort one another with these words

• Heaven is an amazing place