MISSION WOODS CHURCH
Sunday, Nvember 9, 2025
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- The Steadfast Love
- Immortal Invisible God Only Wise
- The Church's One Foundation
- I Stand In Awe
Revelation 6:1-2ESV
Revelation 6:3-4ESV
Revelation 6:5ESV
Revelation 6:6-7ESV
Revelation 6:8ESV
Revelation 6:9-10ESV
Revelation 6:11ESV
Revelation 6:12-13ESV
Revelation 6:14-15ESV
Revelation 6:16-17ESV
- Before we dive in this morning I want to share with you something that has really been helpful for me in understanding the various ways that people look at the book of Revelation. I hope that you will find it helpful as well.So along the center vertical axis you would have the past at the top, present in the middle, and future at the bottom. On the left you have the text as a code and on the right the text as a lens. This is from Dr. Michael J. Gorman’s book, “Reading Revelation Responsibly”.On the left side of this graph if you hold to Revelation being a code then your strategy for reading it is to decode and decipher what every symbol and image might mean. Your goal is to discover precise correspondences. One this side of the graph would be things like Hal Lindsey’s Late Great Planet Earth, or in the 90’s it would’ve been Tim LaHaye, and Jerry Jenkins Left Behind series.On the right side of this graph, if you see the text of Revelation more as a lens, then your strategy is to think analogically. The Goals are to discern similarities, engaging the text and seeing what it meant for the first century church, and now what it means for us today.As we read through the book we’re going to find images and symbols that many through the centuries have tried to tie in direct correlation to what is going on in their time. And this is where the line gets a bit fuzzy because if people in the first century could find a direct correspondence to what they were seeing in their world, and so could the people of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 15th, 18th, 20th, and 21st centuries, then how are we to view it? I will admit I used to be very much on the left side of this graph, but now find myself much more on the right.There are similarities between what we see in the book of Revelation and today. There are themes if you will, with what we see throughout so much Scripture. Clearly the book of Revelation points us to a future and hope as we all look forward to Jesus return as promised, and at the same time gives us a lens by which to view our world today.So we’ve been in the book of Revelation for 9 weeks now. It’s been beautiful, it’s been a bit weird; we’ve gotten glimpses of Jesus, we’ve seen some strange creatures; it’s been beautiful and it’s been a bit weird. And in some ways it will get weirder, but hold on, keep your wits about you and search for those themes that we’ve seen elsewhere in Scripture.Let’s dive in.So in chapter 4 we were ushered into the throne room of God. In chapter 5 we’re met with this scroll; so far we know its written on both sides, and sealed with seven seals, and only One is able to open them - the Lamb who was standing as though slain - yet all powerful and all seeing. In chapter 6 the Lamb begins to open the seals on the scroll. Futurists see this as the beginning of the great tribulation.
Revelation 6:1 ESV Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!”This is going to happen as each of the first four seals are opened by the Lamb. Each time a horse comes out of a different color. We start with white, then red, then black, and then a pale (green/gray) one. Some riders already hold things as they come forth, some are given things that result. So lets look at each one of these quickly:Revelation 6:2 ESV And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.White typically represents clean, holy, righteousness. We’ve already seen white hair, a white stone with name, and white garments. All of these represented the idea of holiness. Now we have a white horse. There are conflicting views of what this represents. While the color white is consistently a symbol associated with Christ and spiritual victory, there are some who see the “white horse” here with a rider “armed with a bow” (Like the Parthians, a frequent enemy of the Roman empire’s eastern border) as symbolizing political and military leaders’ destabilizing quest to expand their realms. You typically don’t see Christ armed with a bow, but a sword. For some this is a hint that this is a deception. Many scholars lean towards seeing this horse not as the “good guy” but wolf in sheep’s clothing. The image is definitely up for debate.Revelation 6:4 ESV And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.Red, the color of blood, and its rider is given a great sword and permitted to take peace from the earth. If you’re a futurist you see this as war spreading over all the earth in the middle of the great tribulation.Revelation 6:5 ESV When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand.Given the measuring of the wheat and barley, scholars see this as a clear reference to famine. Interestingly wine and oil are not touched which the wealthy seemed to use.Revelation 6:8 ESV And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth.So if we follow through these four we see a pattern: destabilization, war, famine, and finally disease and death.Now we get to the 5th and 6th seals, it starts getting weirder.Revelation 6:9 ESV When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne.These are those who had sacrificed and been martyred for the word of God. They’re told to wait.Revelation 6:11 ESV Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.They’re given the white robe of victory we’ve seen earlier in Revelation, but told to rest longer. Those dying for the Word is not done in John’s vision. For some we might wonder when will it be done?The last seal we’ll cover today is the sixth seal: Rev 6:12-13Revelation 6:12–13 ESV When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale.Revelation 6:14–17 “The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?””Earthquakes, sun going dark, moon like blood,…Sounds vaguely familiar.Mark 13:6–8 ESV Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.and Luke 21:25-26Luke 21:25–26 ESV “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.So we read these things and wonder, is it now? How many through the first, second, third century likely thought so. How many in the 15th 16th century thought so? How about the 20th century, or even today.Every time we heard Jesus foretell his return it wasn’t so much about the time, as even he said, Mt 24:36Matthew 24:36 ESV “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.But the message was clear. Mt 24:42Matthew 24:42 ESV Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.BE READY!Are we making ourselves pure? Are we seeking to follow Christ? Are we sharing our hope with others?Yes, there are always going to be differing opinions about what this symbol or that symbol means. Yet we know Jesus return is coming.We’ve learned some interesting things about the book itself. The book of Revelation makes reference to more other books in the Old Testament than any other book. What does that means for us? We ought to really know our Old Testament. Sadly, most of us don’t.How often do we say things like, “I wish I knew my Bible better.” Throughout the years there’s been a secret way to begin to master the Bible and know it better.Read it!Read it. Study it. Discuss it. Pray it! Revelation 6:1ESV
Revelation 6:2ESV
Revelation 6:4ESV
Revelation 6:5ESV
Revelation 6:8ESV
Revelation 6:9ESV
Revelation 6:11ESV
Revelation 6:12–13ESV
Mark 13:6–8ESV
Luke 21:25–26ESV
Matthew 24:36ESV
Matthew 24:42ESV
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MISSION WOODS CHURCH
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