Series: The Revelation of Jesus Christ

The events of the throne room in chapter four are rich and exciting but they are constant.  God, although on the throne, makes no real action but simply displays His presence.  Do not be mistaken, however, the presence of God is still immensely more powerful than we can image and is worthy to reign on the throne.  In chapter 5, things begin changing and moving.  The events that unfold here establish the foundation for everything else that is to come in the book of Revelation.  The introduction of Jesus Christ to the throne room sets in motion opening of the scroll which contains the finality of creation and the pronouncement of judgment on the world.  The lamb of God makes its appearance in the throne room of God and the response can only be worship.  The final stages of creation are unfolding before John’s eyes and the presence of God remains sovereign and in control.  

In Revelation 6, with the Lamb of God being worthy, He opens the first six of the seven scrolls.  The first four have gained the monicker as the “Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse.”  With each opening of the seal, the four creatures worshipping God in the throne room summons one of the horse and his rider to come forth.  These horsemen are not necessarily demonic forces but one thing is clear, they are the instrument of judgment upon the world.  This is the beginning of the end and the timeline has begun for when Christ will return for His people.  Most depictions of the four horsemen tend to be with these as representations of the devil’s work throughout the earth.  Yet, this would ignore the presence of the creatures summoning them.  Whether it be through the permissive will of God, which allows things to happen, or the active will, which causes things to happen, the seals are the result of the judgment of the Lamb being poured out on the world.  For all whose identity remains with the Lamb of God, the consequences of the judgment will not be felt.  The church will feel the effects of the judgments but our ultimate source of hope and salvation is Jesus Christ who reigns in the throne room of Heaven, speaking with the authority of God the Father.

The first four seals opening leave a minor doubt in the world that the hand of God is not actively at work.  Yet, with the 5th and 6th seal’s being broken, all doubt is removed.  A time is coming when the world will run out of excuses to deny the hand of God.  The core of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is Gospel centric.  The Lamb of God, while pouring out His wrath upon the world, is returning all things to himself.  Every step of God’s intervention has been a heavenly invasion to rend a rebellious people from the clutches of sin and death and return them to the fullness of God.  For some, this will mean entering into the fullness of God’s glory.  For others, they will enter into the fullness of God’s wrath.  While they may know who is pursuing and calling them, their unwillingness to return to Christ will result in the fullness of God’s wrath poured out on them.  The 5th and 6th seals represent those who gave the ultimate price for their faith, the martyrs, and those who would not bow before the Lord.

Between the 6th and 7th seal being open, there is a brief pause.  Up until this point, the believers have felt the effects (albeit not the consequences) of the judgment being poured out on the world.  Then, with the return of the martyrs and the persistent denial from the world of the Lordship of Christ while seeing clearly His omnipotent hand, creation pauses and the scene shifts.  John’s vision makes it clear that the judgment will be ramping up in intensity and in consequence.  The nearer to the end of time that humanity approaches, the more adverse the effects.  After all, sin is permitted to remain for the sake of saving as many persons ensnared by its alluring grasp.  Thus, as sin continues, its effects on the world continue and the punishment becomes more and more deserved with each passing day.  In fact, the judgment of God has already started, pouring out the first seals by the hand of the Lamb of God.

At the end of Revelation 7, the patriarchs of the Old Testament, the multitudes, the angels, the creatures and everyone else worships the Lord as the invasion of Heaven to earth continues.  There is a taste of heaven that the world receives (and shudders as it does so).  The judgment of God is being poured out as the seals on the scroll are being opened.  Previously, there was an extended pause after the sixth scroll and now the judgment continues.  The Lamb of God, the Lion of the tribe of Judah opens the seventh scroll.  Yet, for all the raucousness of the previous seals, heaven falls strangely silent.  Events unfold and an angel ministers at the altar, dealing with the prayers of the saints before the throne.  There is a mixture of prayers of the people and the offerings of the heavenly beings.  The holiness of God and the prayers of the people unite in one and are returned to earth.  The prayer we have all been taught by Christ Himself plays itself out in this moment; “your kingdom comes, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…”

In the first four trumpets, the earth endured the punishment for the sin with a third of the world being wiped out from the first four trumpets.  The earth felt the effects of sin which cannot withstand God’s judgment.  Through the initial actions of Adam and Eve and our continued sin, we subject the earth to the judgment of God that undoubtedly will not go unnoticed by the people.  After these trumpets, the angel delivered a solemn warning of what was to come; woe to those who dwell on the earth.  For the next two trumpets, mankind receives the beginning of their judgment for their sin and rebellion.  God takes the issue of sin extremely serious.  Sin is unholy rebellion against the things of God and goes against our intended creation of how God made the world to function.  Hence, the first act of God to repair the effects of sin came in the form of sending Jesus Christ to die as the lamb of God to take away the sins of the world.  Now, the land of God stands in judgment over the world for those who do not find their identity in Him.  With the sounding of the fifth and sixth trumpet, those who persist to follow other gods will find themselves experiencing the fullness of God’s judgment but they are not outside of the reach of the hand of Jesus Christ to provide grace.  

Stop for a moment and consider what John has witnessed so far.  John has witnessed the throne room of heaven, seen the beginnings of heaven’s collision with earth, and watched as God poured out judgment on the world.  He has witnessed natural disasters beyond explanation and seen heavenly creatures roam throughout the earth.  With six of the seven trumpets having resounded their blasts, a brief interlude begins resembling the interlude between the breaking of the seven seals.  For all of the wonders that John has seen, though, at this point, it is almost as if there is still time and hope for the people of the world.

Throughout the whole of this chapter, many times and numbers are given.  It is very likely that these are not indicative of the literal time but rather as an indication of completeness and representing God.  Furthermore, as John references the temple, it is the opinion of this author that this does not necessitate a physical rebuilding of the temple.  The temple refers to the people of God and the true believers who find their identity in the body of Christ.  In the Old Testament, the temple represented the place where the priests would intercede for mankind to God.  Now, with the coming of Jesus Christ and the sending of the Holy Spirit, we as the body of Christ represent the intercession of God to the world and identifying with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. In this chapter, you see the believers begin to feel the persecution of the world.  For part of this, the people of God will be spared and for others, true believers will feel the unabated persecution.  Throughout this chapter, though, we see that God does not abandon His people.  No matter what the world does to those who believe, God will protect those who worship Him and belong in Jesus Christ.

Throughout the bible, we gain the perspective from earth of God’s intervention and rescue plan for mankind.  Throughout the entirety of scripture, God remains the star as He saves those receive Him.  Yet, for the most part, this is told through the perspective of the physical.  In Revelation 12, John is given a glimpse of the spiritual story.  We gain great detail as to the consequences of the devil’s rebellion in heaven, how he came to earth, and ultimately what he will endure.  Some parts of this chapter seem to be almost a flashback of events from the past while others still are to come.  Often times, from the perspective of man, it seems as though the battle is still ranging onward between God and man.  We worry about what we face and that the trials and temptations of the world will be the end of us as the devil  tempts us.  However, we must remember that Satan, for all his accusations, has no reign or power outside of what God allows him to.  The church, no matter what, will be eternally safe against the attacks of Satan as long as the church remains and pursues the One, True Savior.  

As the dragon stands on the edge of the sea, the devil begins to summon forth two beasts in chapter 13.  The first comes from the sea (vs. 1-10) and the second comes from the earth (vs. 11-18).  Each are equally frightening but different in their approach.  For both, the purpose of the beasts remains the same; to spread the false gospel that the dragon can provide life and safety to people.  At this point, the dragon knows his days are numbered and that he will ultimately see his demise and end.  Yet, the nature of the dragon seeks destruction for the people.  He deceives others in hopes of bringing the destruction that will befall him to others.