Come and See - Revelation 6:1-8

[0:00] You can turn your Bibles to Revelation chapter 6.! Heaven with John as he was taken to heaven.

[0:35] And before we jump into these judgments that are coming, the seals, the trumpets, the bowls, and all of that, we had this chapter 4 and 5 where we looked at the worship in heaven.

[0:49] We looked at the Lamb who was worthy to take the scroll. And today, or tonight, as we get into chapter 6, we are going to be told to draw near, to come and see.

[1:01] We're going to look at the four horses. We're going to get through, Lord willing, eight verses tonight as we look through at the first four seals. I realize I should have titled it, Off to the Races with the horses.

[1:13] But it's come and see, you know, to come and see what the Lord is doing. All right, so if you want to look at your sheet here, kind of looking at the tribulation judgments.

[1:27] There's the broader picture of where if you looked out past the second coming, you'd be into the millennium and the kingdom that Jesus is going to set up. But we're just looking at this seven years, the seven years of what we call the tribulation.

[1:41] And you can see at the bottom there where it's kind of looks like almost little rulers. But each of these seven judgments, we're going to look at the seals. And you're going to look through the first six.

[1:52] And then the seventh is going to be the then opening up of the next seven and the next. And it's this revelation. We know that there's sevens everywhere. You could spend the rest of your life finding sevens in Revelation, the heptatic structure of Revelation.

[2:07] Sevens. So tonight, Lord willing, we're going to get through the first four. We know that the rapture has happened and there's a bunch of scriptures there. Some of those we're going to look at and some you can just look on your own.

[2:18] But as John, in the beginning of chapter four, he's called up here. He hears a voice like a trumpet trumpet that says, come up here. And so he goes up there and he sees in heaven. The only description that fits for the people that are in heaven would be the church.

[2:33] They are kings and priests unto God. They have crowns. They're robed. And they alone can sing this new song, which is worthy is the lamb that was slain. For he has redeemed us back to God.

[2:45] Not he has redeemed. Not worthy is the lamb who was slain because of he has redeemed. But specifically, he's redeemed us. And so they sing that song. And then, as we see here in chapter six, the lamb who's taken the scroll out of the hand of him who sits on the throne.

[3:00] He's going to begin to open those seals. Remember, the scroll is written within and without representing a will and testament. And on the outside, each of those seals essentially is going to say, this is the requirements for this first seal.

[3:12] This is the requirements for the second. And who is worthy to open it? Well, the lamb will meet every single one of those requirements. We don't get to see what is written there. But we know that he is the one who's able to meet those requirements.

[3:27] So you have that for your information. And as we go through this, we'll see how all these things play out. We're taking revelation as it comes, just as we do the rest of the Bible. All right. We're going to have a consistent hermeneutic.

[3:39] Your hermeneutic is just simply the way you approach and interpret scripture. So we're going to look at the first coming of Jesus. We're going to look at all the prophecies concerning his first coming as literally being true.

[3:50] And we're going to accept that. When we approach revelation, we're not going to flip our hermeneutic and just say, well, now we're going to take everything allegorically because we can't understand all of this. And I don't really like the idea of the world being, you know, getting worse and worse when I'm putting so much time and effort into it.

[4:04] I want it to get better and better and better. I don't want my kingdom to fade. I want my kingdom to last. You know, I want a legacy. And well, this world is not our home. We have a legacy. We have an inheritance undefiled reserved in heaven for us that fades not away.

[4:19] So we're going to take it as it comes. Some of these things, as they happen, we'll see they kind of overlap and are happening at the same time. But we're going to accept kind of as it comes that this is happening in chronological sequence.

[4:31] So if you back up a little bit into chapter, what was it, five, the last verse there. And the four creatures said, Amen.

[4:42] And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that lives forever and ever. As we saw, God is eternally worshipped and eternally worthy. As they fall and they worship him. And so we as well worship him that lives forever and ever.

[4:56] We want to do that in a way that's both worthy and edifying. It's the same way. Just as God is worshipped in heaven, so do we worship. Which is pretty wild that God can receive our worship.

[5:08] Now I think Kitty does an amazing job. I wouldn't do such a good job. You know? So I am blown away that God can receive my worship, as pitiful as it is, and essentially match it with the worship of heaven.

[5:20] Receive it in the same worth, in a sense. It's worthy. Our worship is worthy when it's according to spirit and truth. As Jesus said, the Father seeks such.

[5:34] In, we're going to look at these four horses. But if we flip back to Daniel, and you may want to, I don't know, it's three verses in Daniel, but it is tight. So Daniel chapter nine.

[5:48] Beginning in verse 25, Daniel is receiving this vision, and he is getting it explained to him. As he's prayed and said, God, what is this? And he sends the angel.

[5:59] And it says, know therefore and understand. And we're going to see that tonight as we begin this chapter with, and I saw the lamb. And I heard a voice say, come and see. God has no desire to hide anything from us.

[6:11] He wants to reveal. Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem unto the Messiah, the prince shall be seven weeks. These are weeks of years.

[6:24] So seven weeks wouldn't be seven days. It would be seven weeks of years. Seven years. So in other words, Jerusalem will, the temple will be rebuilt.

[6:38] The city will be rebuilt. The walls will be built. We know that happened under Ezra and Nehemiah. And after three score and two weeks, or 62 weeks, shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself.

[6:49] He shall be crucified. And the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary, as Rome did such. 70 AD. And the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

[7:04] And so Jesus came as was prophesied. He was cut off for his people. And then Rome came and wiped the slate clean there, essentially in Jerusalem.

[7:16] Verse 27 says, And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week. Well, who is this he? And in the midst of the week, he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.

[7:27] And for the overspreading of abominations, he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

[7:37] What is this talking about? Who is this he? So we had these 60, these three score in two weeks, and then we have these seven weeks that are left. These 63 weeks plus the seven weeks, the 62 plus the seven.

[7:51] So we have 63 weeks accomplished. What are these seven that are left? Well, right between verse 26 and verse 27, the end of 26 where it says determined, and there's a period, and then you see 27.

[8:03] That's where you live right now. That's the church age between there. The last seven weeks, the seven years will restart, will continue again, where he shall come.

[8:13] There will be one who come, who makes a covenant for one week. And in the midst of it, there must be a temple because he causes the sacrifice and the oblation at that time to cease. And this shall be for desolation.

[8:24] Why? Because it is determined that it shall be poured out upon the desolate, God's judgment. So Daniel is looking ahead to where we are right now in chapter six in Revelation, where we're going to start that week again, as the covenant is made by this he who is coming, who is the Antichrist.

[8:43] But right now we live in that little gap, that age of grace, between those 63 weeks and then the seven weeks that are left, the seven years. And I saw in verse one of chapter six, back in Revelation, John says, and I saw when the lamb opened one of the seals.

[9:01] He was there. He saw it. I just, that part, I just sat on, it just captured me. And I saw when the lamb opened one of the seals. Got to be there. We will see Jesus as he is.

[9:15] We will. We will be able to say someday, and I saw the lamb when. I saw the lamb when the new heavens and new earth were created. I saw the lamb when the great white throne judgment took place, and the dead were raised, and they were judged out of the books.

[9:31] And I saw the lamb when, during the millennium reign, all the nations are coming up to Jerusalem. I saw the lamb then. I don't know what that's going to be like, but it's going to be great. For we now see through a glass darkly, but then face to face.

[9:45] Now I know in part, but then shall I know, even as also I am known. We shall see Jesus as he is, and we get to know what he does. We shall also know what he does. Religion conceals.

[9:58] Any religion of the world is based on concealing, based on hidden knowledge, based on something that, well, you can't quite attain to this until you come within our circle. And even once you're in our circle, well, you're not going to attain to where I'm at unless you do all these things.

[10:13] And even then, I'm probably not going to really let you attain to where I'm at because my validation is the fact that I'm further along in my religion than you. Soon as you get further than me, I'm no longer validated.

[10:25] So religion will always conceal, but relationship reveals. Think back to when the Lord was going to Sodom and Gomorrah and sending the angels down, and Abraham's still walking with him after the Lord visits him at his tent.

[10:37] And the Lord said in Genesis 18, 17, shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do? He was called the friend of God. Shall I hide from him? And the obvious answer is no, I won't.

[10:51] John 15, 15, Jesus says to his disciples, henceforth, I call you not servants. Why? The servant doesn't know what his Lord does. But I've called you friends.

[11:02] There's a relationship now. For all things that I've heard of my Father I've made known unto you. You see, God has no intention to hide from his friends what he plans to accomplish. God has no intention to hide from us and kind of dangle that carrot in front of us and what he plans to do.

[11:20] We are in a relationship with him now where he desires to reveal. And here he's going to reveal the whole plan of the ages. Do we understand it fully? No. This is from heaven's perspective. I'm still trying to get my mind around all the creatures with the, you know, the eyes under their armpits and the four faces.

[11:37] Which one do you look at when you talk to him? Does one have a bad day and one have a good day? I don't know. Paul would write in 1 Thessalonians 5, beginning in verse 1, he says, But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you.

[11:52] For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. The day of the Lord is a term for those seven years, but also extends into his reign.

[12:03] But the beginning of it begins at those seven years. The day of the Lord. For when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.

[12:17] But you, brethren, notice the pronouns. They shall say, and they shall have destruction, and they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, as that day should overtake you as a thief.

[12:29] And we're going to look more at who they is as we go through this. But they shall say peace and safety. Will there be peace and safety? No. We are in the last days. So there's, the term end times is not in the Bible.

[12:42] It's confusing because it kind of muddles two things. There's the latter days or last days is what we live in currently. After Jesus is resurrected and ascended, we are now in those latter days, the last days.

[12:53] And I think we are in the last of the last days. And then there is the day of the Lord that will come, or what we call the tribulation begins that, those seven years. But they shall say peace and safety, and upon them shall come sudden destruction.

[13:06] And the world is always saying peace and safety. The newest guy has got the newest plan for peace and safety. And then we see here, as the scroll is opened, there is a noise of what?

[13:19] Of thunder. Well, we've seen that before, haven't we? In chapter four, in verse five, that out of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thunders, and voices. This thunder, this representation of God's majesty, and I think his presence.

[13:34] You think where we're at in Exodus, this week, this Sunday. The Lord's going to come down on the mountain. He's going to come with thundering, with lightning, with power, with fire. At the end of these sequences of judgments, we're going to see that happen again.

[13:48] There's going to be this thunder that happens. But I think the idea, as he's saying to John, come and see, you know, come behold this. And he says to us, Paul writes to us, we need to know the times and seasons.

[14:02] God's desire is to reveal, not conceal. I think what it is, is God wants us to see and understand this season of the last days that we are in. And in a sense, it is so loudly declaring itself, it's like thunder.

[14:15] Boom. How can you not see it? How can you not see the time that we're living in? Unless, maybe you don't want it all to be wrapped up.

[14:26] Maybe you have a kingdom that you're hoping to build. Maybe you have a legacy that you want to leave. Maybe there's something that's just, I want to. And God is declaring like thunder, saying, do not know the time and season you are in.

[14:40] But at this point, the lamb is the one who initiates all these things. All that is to come is initiated by the lamb. This is not angels initiating this. They're going to be a part of this, declaring it. But it's the lamb who initiates.

[14:51] The lamb takes the scroll and the lamb opens the scroll. Man will be used in God's judgment as part of God's judgment. It will be man enacting that. But the lamb is the one who initiates this.

[15:03] Daniel tells us in chapter four of Daniel, verse 17, he writes that the living may know that the most high rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomsoever he will and sets up over it the basis of men.

[15:18] And we're going to see tonight the world finally getting the system they want, finally getting the guy they want, finally. Not just over a nation, not just over a region. Finally, we're going to get the guy we want over the kingdom of this world.

[15:33] But God looks at it and says, that is the most base of men. Now, I think most all men are base to God. So, but the idea here is the fact that God has set someone up to rule over a kingdom, to rule over a nation, does not elevate that person in God's view.

[15:50] In fact, he may be the very basest of person. Because as the Antichrist comes on the scene to rule, he will be the most base of people. He will blaspheme the most high. And the world will cheer him because he will do everything they've been waiting for him to do.

[16:06] Chapter four and five, as we looked at it, you think, well, why didn't the lamb just take the scroll and go right into it? Why all that section then about what's happening in heaven as he takes the scroll?

[16:17] Well, that validates heaven's involvement and the judgment to come. It's just been validated. We've gone through chapter four and five, essentially validating who's on the throne, who's creator, who's worthy.

[16:28] No man under the earth, above the earth, found the earth was worthy, only the lamb. So it has now validated the fact that heaven is going to be involved in the judgment that's happening on this earth.

[16:39] Nobody will be able to shake their fist at God and say, this isn't fair. Well, did you not read chapter four and five? It's valid. And nothing is outside of his will. God uses his creation as he sees fit.

[16:53] We have those interesting four living creatures. Each one is going to get the privilege of announcing one of the first four seals being released. God's purpose for his creation is always determined by what?

[17:07] The creator. He gets determined. Verse two, as he opens this seal, this scroll, John says, and I saw.

[17:20] He said to me, come and see. And he said, I saw. And behold, a white horse. And he that sat on him had a bow and a crown was given unto him. And he went forth conquering and to conquer.

[17:31] So we're going to be looking at these four horses and each one has, each one's a horse. Each one has a color. Each one has a rider. Each one has an effect that happens in the world as he comes forth. Who are these people?

[17:42] What is this? Some characteristics that will be similar throughout all four horses.

[17:53] They both, there's a horse and a rider. They're swift and strong. They're prepared and purposed. And they're called and commanded. All of them will have these same characteristics. Proverbs 21, 31 says, The horse is prepared against the day of battle, but safety is of the Lord.

[18:12] Right? So the rider upon the white horse. He looks kind of familiar, doesn't he? Almost. He's on a white horse. He's got a crown. And he goes forth conquering to conquer.

[18:22] That kind of makes you think of someone, right? It looks a little familiar. But looks can be deceiving, can't they? It can be very deceiving. Jesus would say in Matthew 24, 24, speaking specifically to this time, he says, For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and they shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

[18:50] Looks can be very deceiving. 2 Corinthians 11, 14 says, And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. If I trust my senses, if I trust what I see, if I trust how I feel, Satan's like, No problem.

[19:06] I can transform to anything you want. If that's what we're going to judge by. But we judge by something else, right? If you want to turn over to Revelation 19, this is another one that's just too long to put on the screen.

[19:23] We're going to begin in verse 11 where we see another horse. We want to look at these two horses. So we have this horse right here in a rider at the beginning of the judgments of God. And there's another horse in Revelation 19, picking up in verse 11.

[19:37] John again writes and says, I saw. I got to see this. I was there. I saw heaven opened. And behold, a white horse. And he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True.

[19:49] And in righteousness, he does judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire. And on his head were many crowns. And he had a name written that no man knew but he himself.

[20:01] And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood. And his name is called the Word of God. So he has a name that no one knew but himself. But the name that we know him by is the Word of God.

[20:12] And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword that with it he should smite the nations.

[20:24] And he shall rule them with a rod of iron. And he treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he has on his vesture and on his thigh a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

[20:38] And I'll get a tattoo when Jesus gets a tattoo. He looked the part. This one in verse chapter 6 as we go back over. He looked the part.

[20:50] But he doesn't sound the part. Look what comes out of the mouth of the one in chapter 19. Out of his mouth goes the sword. His name is called the Word of God. Well if we look in Revelation 13 we have a description of the one who's to come.

[21:05] The one that was prophesied of in Daniel who would cause desolations and abominations. He's referred to as the beast. And it's describing this one I believe in chapter 6.

[21:19] And there was given unto him Revelation 13 5 a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies. And power was given unto him to continue 40 in two months three and a half years.

[21:31] And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven. So he looks familiar but looks can be deceiving.

[21:41] He looked the part but he didn't sound the part. Revelation 19 15 said and out of his mouth the mouth of him who sat on that white horse at the end of God's judgments out of his mouth goes a sharp sword.

[21:58] So in Revelation chapter 6 our rider he holds an empty bow. Right? Think well okay what does that mean? Well it means he doesn't have anything to shoot. So it kind of goes back to the idea in Daniel he comes with a sense of peace a false peace like hey look at it look at it look at it I'm not shooting anybody I'm going to bring this peace to the world.

[22:18] He was given authority the crown he has is a Stephanos that would be one that the victor would win at the games like the Roman or Greek games and it was a laurel wreath. It was given to them.

[22:30] He was given authority one that sat upon that horse it was given unto him and he went forth conquering and to conquer. He went forth at a command he had to be told to go forth and what did he do?

[22:42] He conquered the people. The word conquered there is the same word that we saw in Revelation 2 where Jesus says I hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans Nicolai means to conquer be the laity of the people the conqueror of the people and so he goes forth to conquer the people in the same way that Jesus said already I hate that.

[23:04] I hate when people are conquered like that. The horse in Revelation 19 that rider he holds a faithful name where the rider in Revelation 6 holds an empty bow what does this one hold?

[23:16] He holds a faithful name. He has a diadem multiple diadems. That's a crown that is like the crown a king would wear. It's one that represents authority. It's not been given to him he has that authority.

[23:29] The rider in Revelation 19 he went forth to command. Nobody sent him forth at a command. He went forth to give the command and he conquered on behalf of the people as he shows up with the armies of heaven behind him and call them the armies of heaven they're not really they're like the cheerleading squad of heaven following the one who's going to do all the work.

[23:49] He shows up on behalf of the people. Revelation 19 again picking up in verse 19 it tells us what's going to happen to this this imposter rider here in chapter 6.

[24:07] And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse and against his army and the beast was taken and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that worshipped his image.

[24:25] These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. So this rider in Revelation 19 will come and he will conquer on behalf of the people and he will throw the rider in Revelation 6 into the lake of fire.

[24:40] But the world is waiting for this one back in Revelation chapter 6. They're waiting for the one who's going to go forth to conquer went forth conquering and to conquer. They're waiting for that.

[24:52] And he's going to do it not by war because he has a bow that doesn't have any arrows. Paul Henry Spock was the Belgian prime minister in 1899 to 1972.

[25:06] He was one of the founding fathers of the United Nations. And he said, we do not want another committee. What we want is a man to lift us out of the economic morass into which we are sinking.

[25:18] Send us such a man and be he God or devil we will receive him. And they will get their man. They will get him. And the world will look on him and think finally it's here.

[25:34] 2 Thessalonians 2.3 Let no man deceive you by any means for that day shall not come except there come a falling away. Literally a departing.

[25:45] That word in other places is used as departing. And in context of what Paul's talking about in 2 Thessalonians as he's rehashing what he talked about in 1 Thessalonians the context here is a taking away a departing.

[25:57] Except there come a departing first and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition. Turn to 2 Thessalonians if you would. I know y'all are like whoa you don't usually make us turn places you just put it on the screen.

[26:11] But well it's just too much. Paul writes in chapter 2 of 2 Thessalonians Now we beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him that you be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us as that day of the Lord is at hand.

[26:41] Paul is saying you will hear from us a consistent voice. You're not going to receive a letter from us that's going to contradict everything we just said. Let no man deceive you that scripture we just read. By any means for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed or a departing first come and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition.

[27:03] And that departing we know in 1 Corinthians 15 52 in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed.

[27:14] We look forward to resurrection as we celebrate this Sunday resurrection Sunday where Jesus came out of the grave we will have a resurrection we will have a departing and the day of the Lord as we said the beginning of when God begins to wrap things up he starts that clock in Daniel again and that seven weeks of years that seven years that will not come until there is first a departing and the man of sin be revealed.

[27:41] Oh not there yet. That man of sin will not be revealed until the departing takes place. That means we're not going to see the Antichrist guys. We're not going to stop reading all the stuff and watching all the YouTube videos and say this guy could be the Antichrist.

[27:55] The president got shot in the ear. Man we try and make some interesting I mean Bill Clinton was the Antichrist in the 90s so you know it's not. It's not. Does Satan know the time or the season?

[28:07] No he doesn't. He has no idea. He's always got a guy ready. Of course he does. In Daniel chapter we'll get to that in a minute.

[28:18] I'm getting further ahead of myself. Where are we at? Verse 4 And this man he opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God sits in the temple of God showing himself that he is God.

[28:34] So his whole plan here is to be like God. It's no different than the garden. It's the same scheme. It's the same idea. Which means there must be a temple.

[28:45] There has to be a temple for him to again like we said in Daniel for him to cease the sacrifices at the halfway point of the seven years there's got to be a temple. For him to go into the temple and set himself up as God there has to be a temple.

[28:58] Will that temple be built while we're here? I doubt it. I don't think so. Remember you not that when I was with you I told you these things? Paul's like guys go back to what?

[29:10] Go back to the word. Go back to the word. Don't be so troubled in mind. Go back to the word. Man Satan loves to trouble our minds. You see Satan can't get to our hearts.

[29:20] That's completely walled off but he can get in our minds. That's why the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but are mighty through God pulling down strongholds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.

[29:31] It's all in the mind. Those things those ideas those ideologies that exalt themselves against God. Satan comes into the mind. God's word says this but my thoughts my feelings my mind says this if I follow that what have I just done?

[29:45] I've exalted that above God's word. I said this is more important to follow than God's word. Paul says go back to what I wrote go back to what I told you. Our source is a sure source and now you know what withholds that he might be revealed in his time.

[30:01] What is the one that is holding back the revealing of this man? For the mystery of iniquity does already work only he who now prevents or withholds will prevent until he be taken out of the way.

[30:15] And then shall that wicked be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth as we read in Revelation 19 throw him into the lake of fire and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.

[30:28] Then shall that wicked one be revealed. Daniel tells us more about that wicked one in Daniel chapter 8 verse 23. Speaking of this man who Paul is talking about he says and in the latter time of their kingdom when the transgressors are come to full a king of fierce countenance and understanding dark sentences shall stand up and his power shall be mighty but not by his own power.

[30:52] He's going to receive his source of power from somewhere else. And he shall destroy wonderfully and shall prosper and practice and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.

[31:03] He shall come against God's people Israel and he'll come against God's spiritual people those who are at that time believers. And through his policy also he shall do what?

[31:13] He shall cause craft to prosper in his hand and he shall magnify himself in his heart and by peace shall destroy many. As he comes riding on this symbolically from heaven as heaven's perspective as the Antichrist begins his rule as he begins his kingdom heaven sees it as the seals open and here comes this rider here comes a single rider on a horse with a purpose going forth to conquer and to conquer and not be conquered conquering and to conquer.

[31:39] but he doesn't have any weapons he's got an empty weapon well it's because it's through peace by peace he shall destroy many he shall stand up against the prince of princes but he shall be broken and that without hand for when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction comes upon them but not us but not you that day will not overtake you what does Jesus leave a voice to us the voice that speaks to us is the same voice Jesus spoke to his disciples before his resurrection I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you they shall say peace and safety they're going to get this guy who's going to bring peace and through his peace he's going to destroy many but the guy we're going to get Jesus said I'm going to come for you I'm not going to leave you comfortless even him who's coming is after the working of Satan back in 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 9 with all power and signs and lying wonder this man of perdition as it said in verse 3 perdition means utter destruction or waste and with all this deceivableness of unrighteousness and them that perish because they receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved and for this cause

[32:54] God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie who is he sending strong delusion on they believe a lie because they reject the truth you don't have to receive the lie if you receive the truth but if you don't receive the truth what else is there except to believe the lie but we are bound to give thanks always to God for you brethren beloved of the Lord why?

[33:23] because we are chosen for salvation because we believe the truth because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth whereunto he called you by our gospel we responded to the calling to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ therefore brethren stand fast because everything in this world is going to try and move you from that place it's going to like it did to the Thessalonians Paul's going to have to write them and say guys you know what it says stand fast in what you know don't listen to the lies the enemy puts in here and hold the traditions which you've been taught whether by word or epistle the traditions established and accepted practices and teachings hold the things that have been established the things that are practiced and taught that have been so from the beginning that Paul taught we don't move from that because so and so came out with the latest whatever that now they found a new manuscript that proves half the Bible's wrong and I just had a word from the Lord so I have a brand new prophecy for you it's like what man I'm gonna go back to my Bible because I'm already confused that doesn't make any sense we hold fast to the traditions those things that are established accepted and practiced those teachings which you have been taught whether by word or epistle

[34:44] I love that by God's word or epistle now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father which has loved us and has given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace do what comfort your hearts the end is near but for us that's a comfort and establish you in every good word and work what is God's will for us today in this world God's will is that we would be comforted in our hearts that we would be established in every good word and work who's doing that God even our Father who loved us through his grace he does it I don't have to do it which is a good thing let's turn over back to Revelation so this man of perdition he will come the mystery of iniquity that is already at work will eventually culminate in revealing this man but it will be again the lamb's initiation he's the one doing this and when he had opened the second seal I heard the second beast say or the second living creature say come and see and there went out another horse that was red and power was given to him that sat there on to take peace from the earth and that they should kill one another and there was given unto him a great sword so now we're going to have a dilemma here we're going to have four horses and we're going to have four riders if the first horse if we're going to say that is the antichrist that's his identity that means we have three other riders that according to our biblical hermeneutic we have to interpret has a um a personality he has an identity that's the word

[36:16] I want it has to you can't have one with an identity they just represent something spiritual and obscure that we don't know no they would have to have an identity or the first one is not specifically the antichrist it's not his identity I think as we go through this what we see is this is all heaven looking at the antichrist bringing forward his system in this world the first horse and the rider on it is very specifically given in a way that none of the other riders are what does he have what is he doing the others just said the riders go forth and do whatever we're told this first first one is crown and a bow so it's very specific and as we go through these other riders and horses it seems to be that we're just watching this man of perdition unfold his individual interactions with the world here and heaven is seeing it as now this rider on a horse we have the red horse and the black horse whether they are individual spiritual beings whether the first one is the antichrist where they all represent the antichrist I don't know for sure but I think from looking at scripture and comparing scripture with scripture

[37:20] I think we're looking at his system being set up here from heaven's point of view and so what was he given to do that power was given to him that sat there on to take peace from the earth well they just kind of got it with this first guy red in scripture you'll see a lot of times and especially in ancient times equaled war and here we have this word kill where it says that he should kill they should kill one another and there was given unto him a great sword the word kill there means to butcher or slaughter with violent death it doesn't just mean death specifically means to butcher or slaughter with violent death it was given this writer the authority to be the means of keeping death's appointment but it was not given him to be the scheduler of that appointment Hebrews 9 27 says it's appointed unto man once to die and after that the judgment there will be those who will die during this time because of the situation this guy is bringing because of the war they will have the means to keep death's appointment but not be the one to schedule it here's a great sword the word great sword in the

[38:32] Greek is a knife or short sword used for carving flesh man's system of peace never lasts long and it's never legitimate this world's peace will never last and it is never legitimate it's never what it seems man's peace is based upon those who have no peace themselves how can someone make peace who has no peace they can't it just looks good but something's fishy Jesus tells us that he leaves us with peace peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world gives give I unto you let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid man can't do that whatever peace appears to be in this world no matter how momentary or how long it's not going to be long lasting and it's not legit it's never legit there's something behind it where Jesus gives freely the world never gives freely and when he had opened the third seal in verse five

[39:37] I heard the third beast say come and see and I beheld and low a black horse we've had the white horse the red horse and a black horse and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hands balance like scales that represents scarcity and rationing is the idea you see at this time it's kind of logical if you think there's total war that's just taken place well it's pretty logical that the next thing to come is going to be famine the black representing famine but what may be perceived as a natural result of total war was in reality part of God's supernatural judgment you know people will look at this say well this isn't see this isn't really the wrath of the lamb even though we're going to be told that as they say hide us from the face of the wrath of the lamb in verse 16 next time we get together this isn't really the lamb's wrath doing it at God's instigation at God's initiation this is the lamb who's initiating all of this and while it appears to be a natural result from total war we know from scripture here this is in reality part of

[40:43] God's supernatural judgment there's scarcity there's rationing I heard a voice verse 6 in the midst of the four beasts the four creatures say a measure of wheat for a penny and three measures of barley for a penny and see that they hurt not the oil and wine so we're given the interpretation you know we can't make it up what we want it to be when we're given there's the interpretation what does the black rider represent with his scales it tells us right here tells us extreme inflation this is these prices here would be 12 times higher than what they should normally be this literally represents a day's wage to obtain the ingredients for a loaf of bread so you work all day to obtain the ingredients for one loaf of bread that is your existence it's interesting though because what is experiencing this hyperinflation or this scarcity and what is not we have a measure of wheat for a penny and three measures of barley for a penny barley was specifically the food of the poor and see that you hurt not the oil and the wine which would be the food of the rich the more expensive items that were already outside of the ability of the poor to procure they were already outside of their reach they're unaffected at this time it's the poor who are feeling this effect the elite they don't so much

[42:04] Deuteronomy 15 7 Moses would write speaking the Lord's truth and saying if there be if there be among you a poor man of one of your brethren within any of your gates in your land which the Lord your God gives you you shall not harden your heart nor shut up your hand from the poor brother but thou shall open thy hand wide unto him and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need and that which he wants!

[42:40] beginning in verse 22 says rob not the poor because he is poor now they press the afflicted in the gate for the Lord will plead! their cause and spoil the souls of those that spoiled!

[42:51] them! We live in a world that afflicts the poor why? Because they're poor because they can't fight back I can I can totally take from them what are you going to! do man can never bring about his own peace because we are inherently unpeaceful internally inherently in our fallen nature we are unpeaceful so we're never going to bring about our own peace all we bring about is hardship and when he opened the fourth seal in verse seven the last seal for tonight I heard the voice of the fourth beast say come and see and I looked and behold a pale horse that death it's not like the white horse in the beginning this pale is like a very sickly color I looked and behold a pale horse and his name that sat on him was death and hell followed with him and power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth to kill with sword with hunger with with beast

[43:56] I'm sorry with death and with the beasts of the earth death is the separation of the soul with the body is what that word means I think at this time what we're going to see is all restraint being removed from death that there is authority given where there will be separation of the soul from the body I think it's something spiritual beyond just you know getting killed I think it's some horrible demonic thing of ripping someone's soul from their body and taking them down into death who is it that is following this procession who is this procession made of hell is the realm of the dead or the damned is what it's speaking of so here you have death and the procession that follows him is those that are going to the realm of the dead or the damned one quarter of the earth's population there are 8 billion people today 2 billion people will be killed in the midst of the greatest system that man has ever created the greatest kingdom man has ever experienced greater than

[45:05] Rome greater than Babylon greater than Nimrod back of the tower of the greatest system man has ever created will kill off a quarter of billion people I mean a quarter of the earth's population 2 billion and they will rejoice because the thief comes not to kill but to kill steal and destroy and they will think they've done the greatest thing to depopulate because we've got this climate problem and because we've got too many people despite the fact that directly contradicts God's word that says we shall have springtime and harvest and sun and rain until the end we're not going to have some climate catastrophe and it also directly contradicts where he says to Noah go forth and populate the earth giving the same command he said to Adam and Eve Isaiah 5 20 says woe unto them that call evil good and good evil that put darkness for light and light for darkness that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter the greatest system man has ever created will bring about the greatest death ever experienced no longer any restraint to death 2nd

[46:11] Thessalonians 2 7 for the mystery of iniquity does already work only he who now restrains will restrain until he be taken out of the way at this point there will be no longer a restrainer death will have free reign there will be no restraint to it what's restraining right now you are you are you are the salt of the earth you!

[46:32] are the! light of 1st John 5 19 says we know that we are of God and the whole world lies in wickedness the whole thing is lying in wickedness the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord but at some point the restrainer will be removed the wages of sin equaling death will have no restraint anymore the whole world that lies in wickedness restraint Jesus said Satan was a murderer from the beginning in John 8 44 speaking to the Pharisees it says you are your father the devil and the desires of your father you will do he was a murderer from the beginning and when all restraint is removed the first thing that happens is 2 billion people well it won't be 2 billion people because who knows how many millions are going to be out of here in the rapture but still a quarter of the world's population man has no capacity to maintain or create peace but to maintain peace because man has no authority over peace what has been given authority over here death he's been given authority over death he's been given authority to conquer but he's not been given authority for peace we have seen that a false peace led to war war to famine and famine to death this is all at the initiation of the lamb the lamb who we just worshipped and said worthy are you oh lord only the one who has authority over peace has the ability to initiate and maintain lasting peace

[48:23] Jesus said I did not come into the world to condemn the world but that the world through me might be saved God's judgment is not currently taking place in this world you can say well God's judgment is already on America or you know it is removing his hand of protection no it's not as the consequences of sin you sow to the flesh you shall have the flesh reap corruption the wages of sin is death of course we just read about it on Sunday with Israel's covenant their national covenant if they would walk in the covenant then they will receive it's no different than our world it's a world that's fallen but Jesus said I haven't come to condemn the world I've come to save the world for unto us a child is born unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called wonderful counselor the mighty God the everlasting father the prince of peace the one who has authority for peace that's the voice he speaks into the world today nobody has to experience this nobody has to be here for this and what we're going to find out is all of these judgments are

[49:39] God's mercy that God is trying to reach a world that will no longer hear that they don't want the peace they reject it as we read in 2 Thessalonians they don't want the truth they don't want the grace they want their system so God is going to let them have their system and their system is going to fall apart and their system is going to destroy them and eventually God in his grace and his mercy when we get to it he can't hold back he's like go and he sends an angel who's going to fly throughout all of heaven preaching the gospel God invites as we walk in the authority not of our own because we don't have peace in ourselves as we walk in the authority God gives and the peace that he gives we're able to say to this world hey come and see come and see what God has done come and see the fact that he's not condemning you the world thinks that they're going to know it at this time we get to the end of chapter six they're going to know it who's doing it and what's going on right now

[50:45] God's mad at me God's judging me no he's not judging you the wrath is poured out on his son for him to judge us to judge this world would be out of his plan out of his timing and out of turn right now is grace and right now is the time for peace so father we thank you lord as we looked at these first four seals these four horses these four horsemen lord what we're really looking at is just your revealed plan of the ages lord what you have revealed about the future and about yourself and lord while we can look at it in one sense and think this is terrible it is terrible and nobody's heart is breaking more but i wonder if you are weeping lord i wonder if you open each seal if if it's breaking your heart lord knowing that you have to judge this world knowing that the time is up knowing that the age of grace is over and that the wrath has come and yet lord we're going to find out that there's going to be a revival at this time that there's going to be so many souls saved they can't even be numbered heaven can't even keep track of the number there'll be so many and so lord as we look at this judgment we say a quarter of the earth's population yeah but we're about to find out as we get into the rest of chapter six i think most of those ended up in heaven thank you lord thank you for calling us to come and see and lord i pray lord just as we've gone through so much information here tonight lord that we take away from it not just the information lord but that part lord of our father saying to us hey you're my friend i want to reveal to you what's to come i want you to come and see the peace i have for you how much i love you i and sudden destruction but not us because you've not left us comfortless bless our fellowship now lord and we love you and thank you and in jesus name amen