Monday, August 23, 2021

Silence and Storm

I love the story of a man who stopped by his bank to cash a check. Just as he got into the lobby, another man with a large bag came running past him, apparently heading for the exit. Then the bank security guard came dashing by, followed by several bank employees. The security guard tackled the man with the bag, handcuffed him and hauled him back into the bank.

The man who had gone in to cash his check was shaking like a leaf. I've seen my first robbery, he said to himself. As he approached the teller's window, he couldn't resist finding out more about what he had just witnessed. Was that really a robbery? he queried. Oh, no, sir, the teller replied calmly. That was only our substantial penalty for early withdrawal.^{^[1]}

We have seen thus far in our study of Revelation the beginning of the Great Tribulation, God's substantial penalty. There have been six seals of judgment. Suddenly the seventh seal is broken, and it unleashes a strange silence in heaven.

The Meaning of the Silence

The previous six seals were opened with immediate and powerful judgments that came on the earth. Why is it that now, at the opening of the seventh seal, there is a holy hush?

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD
When the Lamb broke the seventh seal on the scroll, there was silence throughout heaven for about half an hour. I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and they were given seven trumpets. Revelation 8.1-2

In a church I served we used to sing Habakkuk 2:20 out of an old hymnal^{^[2]}:

But the Lord is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him.” Habakkuk 2:20

In another church their updated hymnal^{^[3]} quoted Zechariah:

Be silent before the Lord, all humanity, for he is springing into action from his holy dwelling.” Zechariah 2:13

When Moses stood before the burning bush and realized God was speaking, he could do nothing but get on his face and listen. When John the Baptist's father heard of his wife's conceiving, he became speechless for the whole pregnancy. There is just something about silence that tells everyone God is holy. In the middle of the night when you are alone, and if you get honest with yourself, you know God is there – and it's scary!

Silence expresses the sovereignty of God. Today's generation needs noise and activity to blot out the possibility of God. Producers of TV programs don't allow scenes to drag on. They change the picture every 2-3 seconds; they use snappy dialogue and bright contrasts in color, brightness, mood – all so the viewer won't have time to think – just be overwhelmed with emotions and infused with the desire to go buy the products advertised. Silence isn't desired, because if you had time to think, you might ask yourself if you even needed the products they advertise. The sovereignty of God thunders in silence.

THE SAINTS' PRAYERS
Then another angel with a gold incense burner came and stood at the altar. And a great amount of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God’s people as an offering on the gold altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of God’s holy people, ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out. Revelation 8:3-4

Someone wrote the reason things got quiet in heaven was because God would rather hear the prayer of one believer than the sweetest singing of all the angels.

Notwithstanding, here God is entertaining the prayers of the tribulation saints – those who have been martyred. What kind of prayers are they? They are the imprecatory prayers of God's people for the vengeance of God on the wicked persecutors. They're asking God to take revenge on the heathen unbelievers.

If you’re inclined to think God’s people never pray and beg for God to bring the bad guys to justice, you don’t understand human nature, or you’re just being dishonest. Read Psalm 109 sometime. David, the sweet, loving shepherd boy asks God to make the children of his enemies all orphans who go hungry continually, and have their entire family cut off from memory.[4]

This kind of prayer hardly seems appropriate for the Christian church to listen to let alone pray. But it does speak of the kind of vindication we would like to see. A wise man once said, if there was any justice in this world, people would occasionally be permitted to fly over pigeons.^{^[5]}

Have you ever prayed that way? Never underestimate the silence of God on the matter.

Then the angel filled the incense burner with fire from the altar and threw it down upon the earth; and thunder crashed, lightning flashed, and there was a terrible earthquake. Revelation 8.5

This is the warning of God that judgment is about to be meted-out for mistreating His own. This is not the first shadow of hot coals of judgment.

Then the Lord spoke to the man in linen clothing and said, “Go between the whirling wheels beneath the cherubim, and take a handful of burning coals and scatter them over the city.” He did this as I watched. Ezekiel 10:2

We ought never to wonder if God has the ability or stomach to judge righteously. We aren't home yet! The game has a few more innings.

The Storm

Trumpets placed in the hands of angels begin to blow the storm of judgment on the earth. Trumpets, in the Bible, can stand for several things.

· They may sound an alarm, a wake-up call to the dangers of forsaking God.

· They can be an alert to worship.

· They can also sound an assembly, as when the enemy is coming.

What kind of storm do these trumpets invoke?

SEVERE JUDGMENTS IN ANSWER TO THE SAINTS' PRAYERS
Then the seven angels with the seven trumpets prepared to blow their mighty blasts. The first angel blew his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were thrown down on the earth. One-third of the earth was set on fire, one-third of the trees were burned, and all the green grass was burned. Then the second angel blew his trumpet, and a great mountain of fire was thrown into the sea. One-third of the water in the sea became blood, one-third of all things living in the sea died, and one-third of all the ships on the sea were destroyed. Then the third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from the sky, burning like a torch. It fell on one-third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star was Bitterness. It made one-third of the water bitter, and many people died from drinking the bitter water. Then the fourth angel blew his trumpet, and one-third of the sun was struck, and one-third of the moon, and one-third of the stars, and they became dark. And one-third of the day was dark, and also one-third of the night. Revelation 8:6-12

Trumpets of judgment fill our songs. Julia Ward Howe wrote our Battle Hymn of the Republic,

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat.

He is sifting-out the hearts of men before his judgment seat.^{^[6]}

Another 17th century poet, John Dryden wrote:

The trumpet shall be heard on high,

The dead shall live, the living die,

And music shall untune the sky!^{^[7]}

The question is always asked: Are these literal or symbolic judgments? We want to know:

· will blood really mix with fire and hail?

· Will a literal mountain be picked up and thrown into San Francisco Bay?

I hope so! That would be quite a site when I'm watching from the sky, sitting next to Jesus. But other interpretations are possible.

· The literal judgment says the land will be scorched; symbolism says it means the masses of people (numerous as the grass) will die in a plague.

· Literal judgment says the seas will be polluted; symbolism takes the seas of people through a new Hitler-like holocaust.

· Literal interpretation says the rivers will be affected; symbolic thought measures the length and breadth of Satan's influence.

· Literalists see the heaven's orbit tossed about; and the symbolic look talks of overthrown governments.

Either interpretation is scary! Either interpretation needs to be remembered in the context as God's response to the prayers of His people for vindication. We know God is love, and prefers to forgive, rather than judge. However, He did say,

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. Romans 12:19

Anything God promises – good or bad – will happen!

There is also a warning for the inhabitants of the earth to prepare, or brace themselves for the next three trumpets.

A WARNING THAT THE WORST HASN'T BEEN SEEN
Then I looked, and I heard a single eagle crying loudly as it flew through the air, “Terror, terror, terror to all who belong to this world because of what will happen when the last three angels blow their trumpets.” Revelation 8:13

Although some of the ancient texts says an "angel" is flying, most translations say it is an "eagle." This is consistent with Jesus' warning in his last sermon from Mount Olivet[8]. An eagle is an omen of danger. This is a bird with a terrible word for the world. The foul-mouthed eagle warns that the inhabitants of the earth had better look-out – they hadn't seen anything yet!

There is a silence even today, as God is patiently calling and allowing the lost to come into the safety of His family in Christ. Friends do not mistake the stillness of silence for the absence of a storm. God may appear to be silent, but He is not absent-minded.

The mighty Niagara River plummets some 180 feet at the American and Horseshoe Falls. Before the falls, there are violent, turbulent rapids. Farther upstream, however, where the river's current flows more gently, boats can navigate. Just before the Weiland River empties into the Niagara, a pedestrian walkway spans the river. Posted on this bridge's pylons is a warning sign for all boaters:

There is a point on the Niagara River that is the point of no return.^{^[9]} There is a time when the anchor will be necessary to keep you from going over the falls.

For now we are in life's quiet waters upstream. God is silent, and the turbulence is minor. But the signs are on the horizon. There will come a time when an anchor will be needed. That anchor is Jesus Christ.

Remember, there is always a silence before the storm!

Title Image: Pixabay.com Unless noted, Scripture from The New Living Translation

[1]Ed Warren in Reader's Digest

[2]The Broadman Hymnal, (Nashville, Broadman Press, 1940), 483

[3]The Baptist Hymnal, (Nashville, Convention Press, 1991), 80

[4] Read Psalm 109 here

[5]Gene Brown, News-Times (Danbury, Conn)

[6]Julia Ward Howe, Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World, (Wheaton, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1992)

[7]John Dryden, Ibid

[8] Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near.

Matthew 24:28

[9]"To Illustrate", Leadership, Summer, 1992, vol. XIII NO.3, 47.

Monday, August 16, 2021

Washed in the Blood

Through the ages men have differed in their interpretation of the events described in our text. The differences occur generally in two ways:

· chronological order of Revelation's events (when they will happen),

· meaning of the symbolic figures (horses, beasts, etc), and what to accept as literal rather than symbolic.

I once asked the late Herschel Hobbs, Southern Baptist's elder statesman and New Testament scholar, about the Revelation problems. The advice he gave has never failed me. Hobbs said: Well, if you find somebody who knows exactly how it all fits together – and when it will happen – grab your hat, and head for the door, you're in the presence of a fool or a very dangerous person. I believe that's very good advice! We do well to keep in mind several things here.

God’s Timing

Although we cannot say with certainty when these events will take place – we can say with unquestioned confidence that they will take place. God always chooses to perform His will completely, and in line with His character and Word. We often miss God’s timing! That is the main problem the Jews had when they mis-read Jesus. They misunderstood Isaiah's Messiah was the same as Isaiah's Suffering Servant.

As we study the Revelation, we should prepare our hearts to be ready for His coming, and be certain we are adequately and appropriately serving Him until He does come. The parables of readiness Jesus told (ten virgins, unworthy steward, etc.) should leave no doubt in our minds that Jesus expects His church to be ready, no matter when these events might begin.

God’s Purposes

The purpose of the Book of Revelation is revelation – the unveiling of Jesus Christ. Whenever Christ is in view our primary reaction should be obedience and humble worship.

God’s Wideness

It is right to search the Scriptures and attempt to understand these events. However, we should allow for other viewpoints, and not become too dogmatic. Remember, the test of fellowship among believers is not whether you are a dispensationalist, having memorized Scofield's notes – or if you're a pre-tribulation rapturist with an amillennial viewpoint.

The real test of fellowship is Jesus Christ, and Him crucified, risen, and coming again!

I have many friends who do not believe in the rapture. They are dear sisters and brothers in Christ. They’re wrong about the rapture , but they’re my Forever Family siblings, and I love them!

This book is not about division – it is all about uniting around the throne and worshipping! Let’s look together at what we see around the throne in heaven:

1. The Protection of the Jewish Remnant

Then I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds so they did not blow on the earth or the sea, or even on any tree. And I saw another angel coming up from the east, carrying the seal of the living God. And he shouted to those four angels, who had been given power to harm land and sea, “Wait! Don’t harm the land or the sea or the trees until we have placed the seal of God on the foreheads of his servants.” And I heard how many were marked with the seal of God—144,000 were sealed from all the tribes of Israel: from Judah 12,000, from Reuben 12,000, from Gad 12,000, from Asher 12,000, from Naphtali 12,000, from Manasseh 12,000, from Simeon 12,000, from Levi 12,000, from Issachar 12,000, from Zebulun 12,000, from Joseph 12,000, from Benjamin 12,000. Revelation 7:1-8

THE JUDGMENT WIND

The people who received this Revelation letter would be very familiar with the concept of the four winds as judgment in the hands of God's angels. The sirocco is a devilish dry wind that blows from the southeast across Palestine. It comes in off the Arabian desert and parches everything in its path. Easterners consider the scirocco a judgment from God. Here the judgment is being held back until God marks His people with His protective seal.

THE JEWISH SEAL

The seal ^(v.2), or signet, is the mark of God. The word means more than a visible mark. It has the sense of transformation as well. In ancient times a king took his signet ring and sealed a document to authenticate it. The ring makes an impression in the wax.

The seal of God on these tribulation believers goes through and through. It changes their character. They were Jews, God's very special people through the lineage of Abraham. But now they are His in a spiritual sense by the blood of Jesus, transformed in Christ. It is the same way you and I can come to Christ now:

And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. Ephesians 1:13

There are, sadly enough, even good Christian believers who have the mistaken belief that God is through with the Jews; that their disobedience at times in history (especially the crucifixion of Jesus), somehow annulled the promises God made to Abraham concerning his descendants. It was this kind of reasoning that drove the twisted mind of Adolph Hitler, to persecute millions of Jews.

God is not through with Israel. Remember God’s promise to Abraham:

I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession. Genesis 13:15

Paul quoted Isaiah, affirming the idea of God’s remnant:

And concerning Israel, Isaiah the prophet cried out, “Though the people of Israel are as numerous as the sand of the seashore, only a remnant will be saved. Romans 9:27

Ezekiel and Zechariah[1] both prophesied about God's dealing with the remnant of His people in those days.

God is not through with His covenant people. After the church departs planet earth to meet with Jesus, these Jews, 144,000 strong, form the remnant of God's people who will turn to Jesus during the time of Great Tribulation.

Dr. John Phillips expresses it,

Those sealed will go unscathed through the Great Tribulation. They will be a perpetual thorn in the side of the Beast and a constant reminder to the devil that, while millions may bow to his will, God still has him on a leash and says to him: Thus far and no farther.^{^[2]}

During the 1996 Southern Baptist Convention, leadership of that denomination was severely criticized for resolving to evangelize the Jewish peoples. What an incredible thing! Political correctness aside, the whole idea of laying the foundation for some Jewish person to accept Christ during the tribulation is an exciting thought. Imagine, 144,000 thorns in Satan's side during the tribulation!

2. The Praise of the Tribulation Saints

After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a great roar, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God. They sang, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever! Amen.” Then one of the twenty-four elders asked me, “Who are these who are clothed in white? Where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.” Then he said to me, “These are the ones who died in the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white. Revelation 7:9-14

GENTILE SONG OF PRAISE

The scene shifts from the earth to heaven. Suddenly, John's picture leaps ahead to a time when those Gentiles who came to Christ during the tribulation are standing before the Lamb of God in worship. What does this depict? The believers are giving praise to God for their salvation. Followers of Christ are clothed in white (indicating virtue, purity), and waving palms (indicating victory). However, every one of them has paid the ultimate price for their faith in Jesus. These are martyrs who came to Christ after the rapture. Believers will be persecuted and executed for their faith before the second coming of Christ.

There are those people who would note that both Jews and Gentiles are going to be saved during the tribulation, and therefore they will wait until it begins, then accept Christ. My friend, that may be possible, but is sure isn't practical! Accepting Christ then means going through persecution worse than you've ever imagined, and then put to death! Accepting Christ now means a life of joy, and a swift ride to glory when He comes. That decision is a no-brainer! Everyone with an ounce of sense ought to accept Christ today! To come to the cross and trust in what Jesus did for you, taking upon himself the penalty for your sins and mine, is to have your robes turned from covered in sin’s darkness to, as Isaiah wrote, clean as a new snowfall…washed in the blood of divine virtue[3]!

GREAT SONG OF PRAISE

In this passage the Gentiles are crying with a loud voice ^(v.10). These martyred saints, because they been washed in the blood of the Lamb, sing a loud, thankful song of praise around the throne of God. It is a great truth that those who have been forgiven the most have the most for which to be thankful.

As the martyred tribulation saints bow and worship God, the praise is so fervent and inspiring that it causes the angels, elders, and beasts to also bow before God and join the song: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. !!!

Wow! What a time of praise! The entire host of heaven, hands raised in praise and adoration, lifting thunderous glory to the King.

In a sense we are going through tribulation today. It is true that our tribulation is on a much smaller scale than the Great Tribulation. However, there is a principle about this Great Song of Praise the Gentiles sing we can begin to use in our lives this very day. And that principle concerns putting worship of God on the first tier of our to-do list. Many who profess faith in Christ keep worship at a low priority. We do not understand, or remember that our worship can inspire others to also worship. In the same way having an attitude towards worship of leave it or take it can have the opposite effect. We can neglect worship and thereby help others ignore God. The picture of these martyred saints worshipping at the top of their lungs ought to inspire us to make worship not just one of the many tasks on our busy schedules…it ought to make worship a life ambition! This is the essence of what Paul taught in his letter to the Hebrews:

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:25

Beloved, the day is approaching. Give your attention to worship of almighty God.

3. Eternity with the King

“That is why they stand in front of God’s throne and serve him day and night in his Temple. And he who sits on the throne will give them shelter. They will never again be hungry or thirsty; they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun. For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 7:15-17

There are three outstanding characteristics about being near Jesus, the King:

TO BE NEAR JESUS MEANS AN ETERNAL PRESENCE

The Bible tells us in many places about eternal things – and yet we understand little about it; our minds do not comprehend the idea of eternity.

· Can you even now think of a universe that has no end?

· Can you imagine no such thing as time?

· Can you imagine being everywhere at once, moving at the speed of thought, not confined by circumstances or physical realms?

God is that way. When Moses stood at the burning bush, his knees knocking like a Chevy with a blown piston rod, he asked God to identify Himself. God said it simply, I am that I am. Roughly translated, that means eternity. God always was, without beginning or ending. He is all-present, all-knowing, and all-powerful.

The reason saints bow and serve God before the throne is He is God, and they are not. Beloved, that is the crunch result. Eternity is a long time. God is in control.

TO BE NEAR JESUS MEANS AN ETERNAL PROVISION

John says that God gives them food, drink, and light so they never have those needs again. That makes us think immediately of those earthly comparisons Jesus used.

· He said He was the Bread of Life, and we could be filled.

· He called Himself the Light of the world, and told us we could see the way to the Father.

· And he gives anyone who asks Living Water so that his washed in the blood children will never thirst again.

Who among us has not run-out before? Either there is an unexpected large bill, or just too much month left over at the end of the money, or our energy reserves went AWOL. Many things in life run out; Jesus offers eternal provision, and better than anything this world ever dreamed about.

TO BE NEAR JESUS MEANS AN ETERNAL PEACE

J. Oswald Sanders said:

Peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of God.

Evangelist Leighton Ford wrote about his son Sandy, who had died:

During the months following Sandy's death, to cope with my grief and sense of loss, I kept a journal. Through a series of "conversations" with Sandy, I continued to express my grief and bring our relationship to a close. In one of those chats, I said, "Sandy, you've been dead two months earth-time."

"I feel as if I have been alive forever, Dad. It's a lot like one big long today."

"It's not a matter of time, Sandy, except that time heals. It's more a matter of nearness. I guess I'm concerned that as our time goes on, we will lose any sense of nearness."

"But why, Dad? You're moving closer to eternity every day. You're no longer moving from, but to me! And besides, the 'Wall' between is so thin – you would laugh if you could see it."

"I think more of you than when you were at Chapel Hill."

"Sure! I know you do. I hear those thoughts."

"Night, son! Enjoy the stars!"

"It's morning here, Dad. Enjoy the light!"

For anyone wondering about if your loved ones you miss so much are still with you, Leighton Ford hit it on the head; nothing is lost to a believer, because nothing is lost to God, and God wants every bit of what He enjoys for you.

The Peace of Being Washed in the Blood

My friends, only the nearness of Jesus can provide the kind of peace that can be called "eternal."

The world is looking for peace, talking of peace, imagining peace can be had on a worldwide scale. They are wrong.

Peace is an eternal thing that is offered by the Prince of Peace, one person, one human heart at a time. And it is offered to you.

It is for those who have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb. And it means the eternal presence of Jesus.

Are you washed in the blood?

Title Image: Pixabay.com Unless noted, Scripture from The New Living Translation

[1] See Ezekiel 13:11-20 and Zechariah 8:7-8

[2]John Phillips, Exploring Revelation, (Neptune, N.J., Loizeaux Bros, 1993), 110 (emphasis mine)

[3] Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.

Monday, August 9, 2021

Four Horses and the Martyrs

War, thoughts of war, and the economic and social conditions that precede and follow war are the primary fuel of speculation about the Antichrist, the end of the world, and the second coming of Christ. In 1981 a prominent economist alluded to the coming depression, brought on by high interest rates and speculative investment-mentality. He stated that the last time such conditions existed was 1928 and 1929. He encouraged us to watch the government begin to print massive amounts of money to head off another Great Depression. Then he made the statement that relates to our text:

As in Germany in the 1920's, recourse to the money printing process in the 1980's will set the stage in this country for the second coming of a Hitler.^{^[1]}

Chicago's Rabbi Eckstein said that

...all of this climatic ferment epicentered in the middle east, seems to him to be messianic times. And if this is it, if the messiah appears, rabbi Eckstein says that he can't wait to ask him one question: Is this your second visit or your first?^{^[2]}

I have an answer for the venerate Rabbi -- it's the second! The first was when He came as a child; this next time it will be as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And this time instead of a crown of thorns on His head, there will be a sword of judgment in His mouth.

Today’s text is the beginning of judgment on the earth. Chapter 5 dealt with the worship scene in heaven, a seven-sealed book, held in the right hand of God. Only Jesus is worthy to open the book, and, as he begins to break the seals, we discover that it is closely connected with the Olivet Discourse (found in the 24^th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel), Jesus "other sermon."

Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?” Mathew 24:3

It is important to remember (for perspective, and our sanity), that Revelation is not strictly chronological. The events we will look at today are after the church has departed earth. Those who have received Jesus Christ are taken out (raptured, caught away) from this earth before the beginning of God's wrath.

For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. 1 Thessalonians 5:9

The unfolding of the wrath of God happens in three series of judgments: seals, trumpets and vials. They are like scenes of a play. Each series has seven movements. One expositor put it this way: The action of [Revelation] is carried forward, for the most part, by these series.^{^[3]}

(I am indebted to that author, Dr. John Phillips, at least for the outline titles, as he has identified

· the seals movement as: The world ruined by man

· the trumpets movement as: The world ruled by Satan

· the vials movement as: The world rescued by God.

The Troubling Question in Your Mind

There is one big question about this judgment we all want answered with certainty. And we want it answered before we start to hear about beasts, wars, and plagues. The question, preacher, is...

Are you absolutely certain Christians won't be here to suffer along with unbelievers during this great tribulation?

The answer to that is YES! The proof is the context of this whole chapter, coupled with what we know about God's nature:

For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. 2 Thessalonians 2:7

Throughout this series of judgment movements God's Holy Spirit is not seen on the earth. He is the One who is holding it (lawlessness) back (restraining it).

The church, indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God, is the great restrainer of evil on the earth.

· It is the church that first built hospitals.

· It is the church that has pushed for education and human rights in all ages.

· It is the church that exposes evil and wrong in society.

· It was, as France's deTocqueville stated, it ... goodness that made America great, and it was the flaming pulpits of America, ablaze with righteousness that made America good.

It was the Spirit of God that made those pulpits burn. And when the Spirit is withdrawn, the church leaves this earth also; and with her go the restraining influence for good. Evil will have its heyday, so that judgment may fall properly on the earth and all its evil!

So this morning we study God’s judgment unfolding as the impeccable and infallible power of God’s judgment begins to pour out judgment on the earth.

The White Horse (Man's Philosophy without God)

I looked up and saw a white horse standing there. Its rider carried a bow, and a crown was placed on his head. He rode out to win many battles and gain the victory. Revelation 6:2

And the connection with Jesus’ other sermon:

for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. Matthew 24:5

The "beginning of the end" is opened with a look into what is already happening, a world that thinks it can get along without God. The technical name is humanism. William Henley's famous poem, Invictus describes the condition,

Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance, I have not winced nor cried aloud;

Under the bludgeoning of chance my head is bloody, but unbowed.

It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.

The problem with humanism is it makes no allowance for God. Some humanists even believe in God. However, they assume the position that God may have been back of the creation, but now takes no interest or part in the affairs of man. In short, we are left to our own devices; we must create our own destiny.

· The Communist debacle was anti-god in ideology.

· The evolutionist group reduces man to blobs of protoplasm, absent of moral ability or responsibility.

· The New Age fruitcakes are humanistic, because it is an eclectic mish-mosh of religions that have as their center, man alone. The New Age movement is all about what can be done to make one feel better about oneself! It has no object of worship except self.

· The peace movements have no peace.

· The sexual revolution backfired, and became the sexual nightmare of AIDS, abortion on demand, and Homosexual confusion.

· A governmental love-affair with liberalistic socialism masquerades as love and kindness, but will ring empty when it bankrupts the hand that feeds the handouts.

· The next battle ground, euthanasia, is already heating up.

What is the tie that binds all these? They are all products of secular humanism. They all replace God with man on the throne of the universe. In this nightmare TRUE Christianity is reduced to laughable anti-intellectualism. (You really believe a man was God, died and rose again? Hey, I believe in spiritual things -- but don't get spooky on me here!

The white horse of philosophy is ridden by none other than the Antichrist. We can say that with authority, even though some interpret this to be Jesus. The rationale is that this crowned conqueror, riding on a white horse is an imitator of the real peace-bringer, Jesus.

Note how in Revelation 6:3-4, the next event is war. Jesus' peace will be everlasting. This peace is an imitation, and comes from the chief counterfeiter:

“Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. Matthew 24:23-24

False prophets use feel good religious tactics, which is the philosophy of man without God; these are attractive, inoffensive, and totally ineffective!

In the end, when Holy God judges this world, humanism will just not be enough!

The Red Horse (Policies of Men's Government)

When the Lamb broke the second seal, I heard the second living being say, “Come!” Then another horse appeared, a red one. Its rider was given a mighty sword and the authority to take peace from the earth. And there was war and slaughter everywhere. Revelation 6:3-4
And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. Matthew 24:6, 7a

The "policies" of government have always seemed to lean toward war, while talking about lasting peace. Actually, there is such an economic advantage to war, free societies cannot last indefinitely without it! In the realm of control, our so-called free societies are not any different from the Communists or Socialists. The Evil Iron Red Curtain used armies to control their own people. But the players in "first world" countries use emotional patriotic appeals to get their young men into the armies. And it is only a matter of time till those armies claim the valuable oil rights, control the population, and configure the world map the way it ought to be!

The Anitichrist will use the same tactics, only on a grander scale! In earlier translations the word “kill” is used, but the NLT is better as it uses the stronger word, slaughter! Politics is all about power; politicians exert power; the process claims power; it is never about peace, it’s always about the slaughter of life.

and the way of peace they do not know." Romans 3:17

The Black Horse (Prosperity of Men's Greed)

When the Lamb broke the third seal, I heard the third living being say, “Come!” I looked up and saw a black horse, and its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice from among the four living beings say, “A loaf of wheat bread or three loaves of barley will cost a day’s pay. And don’t waste the olive oil and wine.” Revelation 6:5-6
There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. Matthew 24:7b

The black horse with its rider's scales is a symbol of economic disaster for the poor. You might say, economic disaster for the poor? Well, in times of economic tightening, it is the poor who suffer most. The Great Depression did not touch the very wealthy. Many of the wealthiest families increased their fortunes due to the lost property of the middle – and lower-class families. There is a pronounced widening of the gap between the rich and poor these days.

Never have famines around the world been more devastating than at present. As they worsen, they will become more frequent. When starving people in Ethiopia cut down every tree and brush to make fuel for fires – or to sell for food – there springs up a desert. Deserts do not produce food for the future! The average American dog eats better than the average child in Africa.

Famine always follows or accompanies war, and it is getting worse. Now, according to the latest statistics[4], 821 million in the world (nearly one-quarter of the world's people) live in abject poverty, only a day or two from starvation. That will seem like heaven, compared to the black horse of famine during the tribulation. A day's wages will not even buy a day's food for one person, much less that family.

The Pale Horse (Pestilence of Man's Blood)

When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth. Revelation 6:7-8
Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near. Matthew 24:28

Plagues and diseases have always followed war and famine. In the 14^th century the Bubonic Plague wiped out one-third of the European population. During and after World War I, typhus and influenza killed 26 million. Typhus alone killed 200 million over a four-century span. In World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, nerve gases began the chemical warfare that (if truth be known) paved the way for the deadly strains of viruses such as polio, AIDS, and a myriad of yet unknown enemies (probably including Covid) that will devastate the world population during the Great Tribulation. Fully one-fourth of all living (1^1/2 billion if it were today), will die within a few months.

How will all this happen? Perhaps as did the bubonic epidemic, with infected rats, and stockpiled viruses. All that is required is the right circumstance, the right motivation, the right madman. It is not how, but when...for it will be a reality!

“Now this is what the Sovereign Lord says: How terrible it will be when all four of these dreadful punishments fall upon Jerusalem—war, famine, wild animals, and disease—destroying all her people and animals. Ezekiel 14:21

The Martyrs (Persecution of Believers)

When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of all who had been martyred for the word of God and for being faithful in their testimony. They shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?” Then a white robe was given to each of them. And they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters—their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred—had joined them. Revelation 6:9-11
But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come. “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. Matthew 24:8-10

The Nazi holocaust is a relatively fresh memory for our contemporary society. Eighty years is not quite long enough to forget. However, the persecution of Jews goes back to Abraham, Moses, and the time of Ruth.

In the Christian Era, we must not forget that the church was comprised mainly of converted Jews. Domitian, a Roman emperor, put believers on poles in his gardens, covered them with oil-based pitch, and set them on fire to be human lamps for his late evening strolls. The arena floors ran blood-red with the lives of saints who would not deny Christ.

The history of the early church is written in blood. Tertullian (c.AD160–220), was a Christian historian in the 3^rd century. It was he who said:

The more you mow us down, the more quickly we grow;

the blood of Christians is fresh seed.

Wendell Phillips, a preacher of the 19th century said,

Every step of progress the world has made has been from scaffold to scaffold, and from stake to stake.

In the contemporary world, some believers recognize that suffering for Christ ought to be the norm. Radio preacher, John Debrine said,

It took Acts 8.1 to fulfill Acts 1.8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8
A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. Acts 8:1

M. Scott Peck is a believer who happens to be a psychiatrist. He once wrote,

...as the time of the martyrs largely passed, so did the life blood begin to flow out of Christianity and out of the Church. Persecution should be an omnipresent risk for every Christian.^{^[5]}

Beloved, conditions now exist for these five horses to break-forth on the earth with their horrible judgments. The peace initiatives that will all fail, accompanied by power-grabbing governments, who propel nations into war and the resultant famines, disease, and chaos will be followed by self-proclaimed prophets who blame it all on the followers of Jesus.

· Persecution will reign.

· Horror will be the norm.

· Men will beg the hills to fall on them to end the nightmare.

This is a gruesome picture of a world in which the influence of a holy God has been removed. It is a look at the prelude to Hell, the total absence of God, altogether.

All these judgments have their ancient parallels, as well as their contemporary reminders. But what has happened in the past, and what we see now, merely serve as faint shadows, or hints of the real thing to come in the Great Tribulation.

And we all know that a shadow, a model, a miniature, prelude, foothill, ad infinitum, is only a mild representation of the true horror which is to come:

For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. Matthew 24:21

What, then shall I do?

I have a Warning and a What to offer:

THE WARNING

Don't be there! Make sure you are not in the Great Tribulation. Be in the other number of saints, taken in the rapture. Call upon the name of the Lord today and be saved.

THE WHAT

Warn others! Help other people to know what's coming.

In the southwest, near Flagstaff, there is the Great Continental Divide. If you drop a cork in the stream that flows towards the west, you can eventually pick up that cork in the Pacific Ocean. If you drop the cork in the stream on the other side, it will wind its way all the way to the Gulf of Mexico, and finally to the Atlantic. It makes a difference where you drop that cork.

There is another Great Divide; it is the breaking of the first seal. When that white horse comes out of the gate, it will already have happened.

· Without Christ, you will be subject to travel through the darkness of a world gone mad.

· Without Christ you will see the white horse of man's philosophy deceive an entire world.

· Without Christ you will see the red horse of government-sanctioned war for profit and fun.

· Without Christ you will see the black horse of economic ruin, and the resultant famine that will destroy the world's food sources.

· Without Christ you will see the pale horse of epidemic claim one-fourth of the population, and you'll wish you were one of them.

And, without Christ, you will not be a spectator in all this.

· You will participate.

· You will join the horses and their riders in persecuting those Jews who do turn to Christ during this time.

· You will help put them to death...and you will be guilty again of murdering the Messiah, the only Son of the one, true living God.

· You will labor under a strong delusion that what you are doing is perfectly right. God will see to it!

It makes a difference where you drop that cork, my friend. Drop it in this world's banks, in this world's pleasures, in this world's system, and watch it float towards the Great Tribulation. Talk about whitewater! You will not know what hit you.

No! Drop that cork in blood!

· Drop it at the foot of the cross!

· Come to the cross today and be saved, washed in the blood…cleansed for all eternity – ready for the rapture, not the rupture!

· Decide -- the Great Divide is upon us!

Title Image: Phillip Medhurst via Wikimedia.com Unless noted, Scripture from The New Living Translation

[1]Julian Snyder, from a speech to the 3rd Annual New York International Investment Seminar, 9-17-81

[2]Associated Press, 1-22-91

[3]John Phillips, Exploring Revelation, (New Jersey, Loizeaux Brothers, 1993), 95

[4] Food Aid Foundation 2020

[5]M.Scott Peck, A Different Drum, 241, 242