REVELATION
John was shown many events that would take place on the earth before the return of Jesus. There would be things such as death, violence, famine, disease, and much more. Many mayhem that could have already taken place on the earth have not happened yet, only by the grace of God. He is patient and is giving the world time to get things right with Him. However, time is quickly running out, and God’s hand is slowly withdrawing His protection from the earth.
John saw the Lamb open the seven seals that were on the scroll. These seals represent various things that would take place on the land before the end of days. Jesus was the only one found worthy to open the scroll. John was shown the message inside it to give to the Body of Christ for these last days.
These seals are important for us to understand so that we may know what will take place, what has already taken place, and understand the hour in which we now live. God’s children will endure many trials, such as the persecutions taking place daily in many countries worldwide. However, it will not be limited to the Middle East, China, and some African countries. Many Western nations, which have enjoyed peace and prosperity, may soon face the same challenges as many of their fellow nations.
Nevertheless, the 144,000 spoken of in Revelation lets us know that God will seal His people who have triumphed and endured to the end. The reward will be great and worth all the pain and tribulation suffered down here on earth. Therefore, may God be with all who suffer for the sake of Christ, and may God bless you as you read and understand His prophetic word.
Quick Review from Lesson 3
a.) John was invited to see into Heaven to see what would take place in the future.
b.) Sitting on the throne was God, and He had the appearance of jasper and ruby.
c.) Surrounding the throne were the 24 elders who represent the Body of Christ.
d.) The seven lamps in front of the throne represent the seven Spirits of God.
e.) The seven Spirits of God embodied in the One Holy Spirit are: Rest, Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Power, Knowledge, and Fear (reverence).
f.) The four living creatures represent Christ's characteristics: lion, ox, human being, and eagle.
g.) The 24 elders and the four living creatures worship God day and night.
h.) The Lamb who was slain was the only one worthy to open the scroll.
i.) Jesus is also known as the Lion of Judah.
j.) The golden bowls full of incense represent the prayers of the saints.
k.) Jesus received six things after He completed the work on the cross. They are power, wealth, strength, honor, glory, and praise.
The Seals Opened and 144,000
“In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14).
John was invited into Heaven to see many things that would take place in the future. Jesus, the Lamb who was slain, was the only one found worthy to open the scroll. This scroll would tell of events that would take place during the last days before His return. These events would be a warning to the saints, so they would know how close the Lord’s return would be and concerning the judgments that would take place upon the face of the world because of its wickedness and rejection of Him. The Bible says: “Do not forget this! Keep it in mind! Remember this, you guilty ones. Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish” (Isaiah 46:8-10).
Everything that the Word says will come to pass. We cannot pray prophecy away, but we can pray that we endure to the end. God will seal the 144,000 from the judgments that will come upon the entire earth during the Great Tribulation. They will minister to others, and many will come to accept the Lord as their personal Savior. We will talk more about the 144,000 later in this lesson.
Opening the Seals
The First Seal
“I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, ‘Come!’ I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest” (Revelation 6:1-2).
Throughout history, kings often used what was known as the “King's Seal," to authenticate or certify royal decrees and official documents, to show ownership and power, and to establish authority, validity, and legitimacy throughout the kingdom. The King’s Seal’s origins can be traced back to ancient times. Various instruments were used, such as the king’s signet ring, to create an official seal, which was often pressed in hot wax to stamp on various documents. Even in today’s time, there is the presidential seal for the President of the United States. The Presidential Seal, derived from the
Great Seal of the United States, the national symbol of the country, is a symbol of the President's office and authority used to mark documents from the President to members of Congress.[1] It has various elements with specific meanings. The central feature is an American bald eagle that holds an olive branch, representing the office of the presidency as Commander-in-Chief. The eagle holds an olive branch, thus representing a symbol of peace and the president’s role as Ceremonial Head of State. The stars also represent the president’s role as the Chief Diplomat and a peace negotiator. The arrows represent the fifty states and signify the President's role as a peacemaker, National Leader, Chief Executive, and defender of the nation when the time comes for war.[2]
Just as seals have been used throughout history to show authority, power, and legitimacy of a king, the seals in Revelation were only able to be opened by the One who has all power, authority, and kingship given to Him by God the Father. Jesus was the only One worthy to open the seals, and what these seals encompass has great implications for the whole world.
The four horsemen of the Apocalypse, as described in this chapter, have been studied throughout the centuries by many students of Bible prophecy. They have been portrayed and identified by four different colors: white, red, black, and pale (greenish-yellow). Many thriller and horror movies have included or been made about them, and numerous works of art have portrayed them as having dire and catastrophic effects upon the entire world. Yet, what the Apostle John describes is far from a movie. It is something that every believer should understand and take care to warn others of what’s to come. However, God did not give us the warnings in Revelation to fear but to prepare us for the times that are even at the door. The Bible says: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).
The Apostle John watched as the first of the seven seals was opened. The seal consisted of a white horse whose rider carried a bow and wore a crown. One of the four living creatures invites John to come with a powerful voice, which introduces the Apostle John to the next scene of his vision. The rider of the white horse makes his entrance onto the scene. The color white often represents the purity and righteousness of Christ. However, the symbolism of this horse is often debated amongst Christian scholars.
Some scholars argue that this horse represents Christ and the gospel being spread throughout the world. However, others contend that this white horse and its rider symbolize judgment and, therefore, will deceive many people. Erroneously, many people may confuse the rider of the white horse in Revelation 19 with the rider of this horse in Revelation 6. Yes, there is a difference between the two. For now, we will discuss the rider of the white horse in this chapter as being one who has a deceiving and imitative spirit, opposite of the one in Revelation 19. The Bible says: “For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Satan always has a duplicate, but he can never be an original. Therefore, let’s break down the symbolism regarding this white horse.The color white is sometimes symbolic of God’s judgment, as we’ll discuss later in Revelation 20, where God sits on the Great White Throne to render judgment to both the living and the dead. The rider of this horse seeks to imitate Christ. He appears in white, thus representing a false sense of righteousness, holiness, and purity. This enables him to deceive the masses because many are looking for the antichrist spirit to be evident when the rider is cloaked for deception. Yet, the Bible says: “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12). Many people do not want to know the truth, even in the church. Therefore, God will give them the desires of their heart and allow deception to overtake them.
The rider of the white horse wears and was given a crown, which enables it to deceive the world, as this rider appears to have authority and power, which God allowed. Throughout history, a crown has been worn by leaders, representing sovereignty, royalty, and honor. Acrown was also given as a reward to the victor of various games, although not as prestigious as one given to a king. Many kings, over the ages, have been dethroned and/or murdered by others desiring to have the office of the crown, such as King Edward II of England and even kings in the Bible, such as King Joash, who was killed by a couple of his officials, according to II Kings 12:20-21 and II Chronicles 24:25-26.[1] When one thinks of a crown, it can also be equated to those with titles.
The devil is using many people with the titles of a pastor, bishop, evangelist, apostle, prophet, and elder to trick the body of Christ into believing false teachings that do not come from the Word of God. These teachings are merely blanketed under the disguise of religion for the sake of motivation, self-help, prosperity, and replacement theology. Many people are fooled due to their lack of researching the scriptures for themselves and would rather eat a bowl of deception rather than feast on the Bread of Life. “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear” (2 Timothy 4:3).
In the Apostle John’s vision, the rider of the white horse held a bow. The origins of the bow and arrow date back thousands of years to prehistoric times, with ancient ones having been discovered in a cave in South Africa.[2] Furthermore, the Bible tells of soldiers using bows and arrows in battle. King Ahab, husband toJezebel, was killed by an arrow. The Bible says: “But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the sections of his armor. The king told his chariot driver, “Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I’ve been wounded.” All day long the battle raged, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. The blood from his wound ran onto the floor of the chariot, and that evening he died” (1 Kings 22:34-35). Therefore, a bow’s purpose is to launch or shoot an arrow at a target with precision. Nevertheless, if you notice, John did not describe any arrows with the bow in the rider on the white horse’s hand, but only the bow itself. What does this mean? The weapon may be carried, but it will not be successful in defeating everyone. The rider of this horse went out to conquer its conquests. Yet, those who are in Christ will not have to worry because the Lord has us in His hands.
It is important to pay attention to this rider who is a leader, who comes to deceive in government and will come against the Body of Christ. Many nations that we see today have rallied against the saints of God in an attempt to destroy the Gospel of Christ. These nations have persecuted Christians through crucifixion, hangings, burnings, rapes, beatings, stonings, beheadings, and more. They have burned down churches, displaced families, torched their homes, and even sent them to prison camps. Even this will not prohibit the message of the cross from going forth. While this rider may be debated regarding being the antichrist, he definitely has an antichrist spirit. Nevertheless, the Bible says: “No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me, declares the LORD” (Isaiah 54:17). The Bible lets us know that many antichrists have gone out into the world, but we know that Jesus’ power surpasses them all.[1] British Royal Family Editorial Staff, "Edward II (r. 1307-1327)," British Royal Family, last modified 2017, https://www.royal.uk/edward-ii.
[1] J. F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum Staff, "About the President’s Seal," J. F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, last modified 2025, https://www.jfklibrary.org/sites/default/files/2018-03/PresidentialSealActivity.pdf.
No comments:
Post a Comment