I have a picture of a scene in a movie in which a group of kids approaches an old house on the edge of town. Imaginations have called the house haunted. The kids cautiously walk up the steps to the large porch. They look at each other, “Who is going to open the door?” The oldest in the group reaches for the doorknob, turning it as quietly as possible. Then the gut check as the door is slowly opened. Fear gripped each kid. The music builds with each step the kids take into the house. What lurks in the shadows? What mysteries and terrors are hidden in this house?
There is the same heightened background music when you start reading Chapter Six of Revelation. What lurks in the shadows of the mysterious Seven Seals?
We begin a new section of the Book of Revelation today: the Opening of the Seven Seals. Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, opens the mysterious Seven Seals.
Before we dive into this, we want to check our compass to remember the overall message of the Book of Revelation. Everything we are reading is moving forward to a climactic celebration. Revelation calls it “The Wedding Supper of the Lamb.”
Revelation 19:7 (ESV) — Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;
This is it. This is where everything—earthly and heavenly is moving towards. Amen.
I remind you again, this book isn’t about when Jesus comes back, it is to show us that God is governing history to fulfill His Plan of Redemption (which was planned before time) for his purified, blood-bought people. As we move forward in this book, we will see God’s sovereign rule and power in ways that some of you had not considered.
I begin with four quick observations. First, did you notice that Chapter Six only addressed six of the Seals? There’s a reason for that. The seventh seal is opened in Chapter 8:1. Altogether, the opening of the seven seals covers chapters 6:1 - 8:5.
Second, did you also notice that the description we have of the six seals is high-level, with little detail? There is a reason for that. As one commentator put it, the vague description tantalizes the readers to continue reading and find the plan God is working towards His finality.
Third, we read the opening or breaking of the Seals, not what is in the Scroll. The breaking of the Seals is preliminary to the opening of the scroll. The Seals must be broken/opened before the Scroll can be read.
In the ancient world, documents were sealed with wax impressed with the author’s insignia as a token of authenticity (Jer. 32:10–11; 1 Cor. 9:2; cf. John 3:33) but also for security and privacy (Dan. 12:4, 9; Rev. 10:4). A sealed scroll could not be read until the seals were broken (Isa. 29:11); but since the seal symbolized its owner’s authority, it could not legitimately be broken without his authorization. Hence, Him who sits on the Throne in Heaven gave the Scroll to the only One who is worthy and able to break the Seals and open the Scroll. (Dennis E. Johnson, Triumph of the Lamb: A Commentary on Revelation)
An obvious question on the mind of some is, “When do the things in this chapter occur?”
We read this chapter, and the picture is bleak, dark, and terrifying. I’m sure many people have read this saying, “I don’t want to be around when the four horsemen come 'a-riding' to the earth.” Understandable, but since you are not in control, you do not have a say in when these events happen or to whom they occur.
It is common to wonder, “When do these things occur?” Some scholars believe these events occur in the final days before He returns—His second coming. They believe that these events haven’t happened yet.
Most scholars disagree with that view. Based on the context of these scriptures and the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles. The picture of the forces we read in the first five seals has been, is, and will be operating throughout history (George Eldon Ladd). This makes sense, since the opening of seals is always preparatory and preliminary to the opening of the scroll. Therefore, these events are preliminary to the return of the Lamb of God on the Day of Wrath.
Remembering the focus of Revelation, these events and forces are moving God’s purposes forward. The events of the first five Seals are operating throughout history, and they are moving the purposes of God forward to what is contained in the Scroll.
What do we read in the opening of these Seals? People ruthlessly slaying each other; such poverty that people cannot afford the minimum food to live on; famine and starvation; death by pestilence, weapons of destruction, beasts of the earth going viciously wild, and the murder of Christians for being Christians.
These are not things that are to come. These have been happening throughout history. Are these things getting more common? Are they getting more severe? It appears so. Throughout the Revelation, there is a building intensity to a divine climax. It’s the Sixth Seal that turns all four burners on the stove to full heat. The Seventh Seal is the climax before the Victor comes and avenges Righteousness upon His enemies.
Most of us have heard the phrase, “the Already but not Yet.” Christians have already been redeemed/rescued from sin, but yet there remains the completion of their salvation. All that Jesus obtained for us is not complete YET. There is more to accompany our salvation when Jesus returns. We who belong to Jesus have already been forgiven and brought into the kingdom of Christ, completely and thoroughly. Yet, we have a body that is decaying, and we still wrestle with the sin nature. Also, Ephesians 1:14 says we have an inheritance we haven’t yet taken possession of … YET. As Eph. 4:30 says, the Christian is sealed with the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption. That day is when Christ returns—His second coming. In the meantime, the Holy Spirit is with us until we receive our full inheritance as a child of God. (Eph. 1:14)
‘Already but not Yet’, we are in the waiting mode. But not like waiting in the doctor’s office, in the lobby, just sitting and suffering, waiting for Jesus to return. This is waiting with a purpose. Our Savior and King has given us tasks to complete while we wait for Him. There is a lot to do. Our waiting is “an active waiting.”
Jesus connects the “Already and the Not Yet”. His disciples ask Him about WHEN the end of the age will come. In Matthew 24:1-14, we a similar description of what we read in Revelation, Chapter six.
Matthew 24:1–14 (ESV) — 1 Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” 3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. 9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Looking again at verse 8, it is clear that all of these things are preliminary to the End. “All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.” Romans 8:19-23 tells us that not only are we (Christians) waiting and suffering until Christ comes again, but all of creation is too.
Romans 8:19–23 (ESV) — 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
Jesus not only tells them the “what” life is like as one of his disciples and “what this world is like, but he tells them and us what they need to do until he returns. Jesus gives them, and all of his disciples throughout history, three responsibilities. These are three responsibilities of the Church and the Christ-Follower who is alive on earth waiting for his return.
The first responsibility is found in Matthew 24:13. We must reinforce our faith to endure. In each of the seven letters to the churches in Revelation, Jesus encourages patience and endurance. (reference Rev. 1:9; 2:2; 2:3; 2:19; 13:10; 14:12)
In our Church Covenant, members of Muddy Creek commit to help each other reinforce our faith to endure. We commit: “We will exercise care and watchfulness for each other, faithfully encouraging one another; always ready to carry one another’s joys, burdens, and sorrows.”
This ungodly culture around us is working hard with the devil to slow down the practice of your faith and water down your faith, to break you down. The goal is to get you to give up your faith and join them. We need to help one another reinforce our faith to endure to the end. AMEN
When you read Revelation, Chapter Six, and Jesus’ words in Matthew 24, did you notice the need to reinforce our faith to endure?
Vs. 10 - Many will fall away (Stumble) and betray one another, and hate one another. Luke's version of this says that family members will betray each other, delivering their own relatives to death for standing for Jesus.
Vs.11 – False religious leaders and groups leading many people astray from the true God
Vs.12 – “and because lawlessness will be increased, the love of any will grow cold.”
Besides the wars, rumors of wars, nations rising against nations, kingdoms against kingdoms, political powers escalating their hatred and attacks on their enemies, and famines, earthquakes, we see in our day, as throughout the history of the church, Vs.9, Christians delivered up and hated by nations for Christ’s name.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, you will be challenged to endure in the faith, in the love, in prayer, in the community of faith. That is why the community of faith is not a luxury but a necessity. It is in a community of faith that we are fortified. We are built up. We learn how to endure. We have strength from one another to endure. We find reinforcement for our faith to endure. When we take a look at what is going on around us in this world, is there any question about how important it is for us, at this time, to be vigilant in reinforcing our faith to endure? Jesus knows the criticality of the times. In The Gospel of Luke 21:19, this same teaching recorded by Luke, says, “by your endurance you will gain your lives.” Also see Rom 5:23; Matt 10:22; Heb 10:36.
The second responsibility that Jesus gives us is found in Matthew 24:14.
Matthew 24:14 (ESV) — 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
His Church is to be persistent in our role to evangelize.
Evangelizing is sharing the message of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ. It is getting the message of forgiveness from sins and having a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ to the unsaved. It is the good news of hope and eternal life with God. It is the greatest news to the person who fears for his soul. It is the greatest news to the person who knows he deserves hell and doesn’t know that God has provided a way to eternal life.
The members of MCBC have committed in covenant to: “build a community of faith that faithfully obeys the Great Commission of our Lord in proclaiming the Gospel to make disciples of Jesus.” We, who have the good news of eternal life, are to be diligent and persistent, even at the cost of all things, even at the expense of our life here on earth.
The third responsibility is to remain awake and vigilant in our waiting. This is found in Vss. 42-51.
Matthew 24:42–51 (ESV) — 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. 45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Jesus is saying, “I’ve said this is going to come to pass, so (therefore) … stay awake.” What does he mean, “stay awake?” He means to be aware of what is going on spiritually. To be spiritually awake. To have your heart open to spiritual things—have spiritual discernment and awareness. He means, be faithful to the responsibilities that I have given you until I return. To be faithful, vigilant, and not let your faith take a nap.
In verse 44, Jesus says, “You must be ready when I am coming back.” He’s not saying this to scare you, but telling his church (that is you and me) to be faithful and wise servants and have our responsibilities up-to-date when He comes. When he returns, be ready. Don’t leave anything undone.
Luke 21:36 (ESV) — 36 But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
What are our responsibilities in the “already and not yet”? Reinforce our faith to endure. Be persistent in our Role to evangelize. Remain awake and vigilant in our waiting.
On our Christmas tree at home, there is a string of lights in the middle section of the tree. They will occasionally go out. But, wait, sooner or later, they will come back on. Lisa noticed that in this particular section of lights, there is an ornament of a small country church. It has a light in it. When the light within the church goes out, the section of the lights around it goes out. They are either lit together or dark together. As the light of the church is, so is its surrounding area. Think about that. When the light within the church goes out, so goes the light around it.
We, the Church, must keep the light of Christ lit in our community and around the world. The unbelieving world around us needs the church to stay lit, stay alive, and keep speaking the Gospel of hope and salvation.
This month and next year, every one of us will have opportunities to share the light of Christ—to be the light of Christ to the world. I’m calling on all of us to join in chasing the darkness away.
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