The Way - Day 216 (Revelation 6)

Pastor Tom's Journal on Today's Reading:
Revelation 6:1-17
John has been transported to heaven and writes about the things which God supernaturally allowed him to see about future events. Revelation 4 details John's first glimpse of the throne room of heaven where he sees God’s people, as well as angels, worshipping God because He is worthy. The words of Revelation 5 reveal a scroll sealed with seven seals, but no one is found worthy to open it. This scroll can only be opened by One who has been given authority over the entire universe because it is most likely the title deed of earth. A Lamb, Jesus Christ, appears and takes the scroll. He is the only One found worthy to open it because He was put to death so that mankind could be redeemed from sin (4:8-10). These events bring us to Revelation 6 where Jesus begins to open each of the seven seals that secure the contents of the scroll. Each seal releases a new judgment upon the earth during what some refer to as the 7-year tribulation period. The event follows an event called the rapture (term stems from the Latin word meaning caught up or snatched away), which is when God removes the church from earth. Paul records the events of the rapture is 1 Thessalonians.

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, NLT)
So, after the removal of the church from the earth, a series of judgments is unleashed on those who have rejected Jesus Christ as the only way to God. All of these judgments are detailed in Revelation 6:1-16:21.

Here is overview of the series of judgments:
- Seven seal judgments (Revelation 6:1-8:6)
- Seven trumpet judgments (Revelation 8:7-14:20)
- Seven bowl judgments (Revelation 16:1-21)

In the first series of judgments (seven seals), here is a brief description of what each judgment contains.
- First Seal (white horse) – the world leader, the Antichrist, will be revealed and offer a time of peace (Revelation 6:2)
- Second Seal (red horse) – peace will be followed by worldwide war with much death (Revelation 6:3-4)
- Third Seal (black horse) - worldwide famine because of the high prices of food…a result of war (Revelation 6:5-6)
- Forth Seal (pale horse) - 25% of the population will die from war, famine, and wild animals (Revelation 6:7-8)
- Fifth Seal - martyrs will cry to God for vengeance (Revelation 6:9-11)
- Sixth Seal - great earthquake, sun turns black, moon turns red, meteor shower, sky is removed, continents shift (Revelation 6:12-17)

People on earth will flee for their lives, but also begin to recognize that these judgments have been sent by God to pour out His wrath upon sin (6:16-17). Facing God’s wrath in this time of tribulation does not have to be the fate of anyone. God has given us a way to be forgiven and rescued from coming judgment.

Dear God, deliver many from this wrath to come that they might acknowledge Jesus as their Savior from sin.