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Hendersonville Seventh-day Adventist Church, NC

Brian Hindman

Revelations Four Horsemen

Well as we're continuing with our series, this is meeting number 21 out of 23 in our series we're looking at called Prophecy Speaks Hope.

You know I'm an optimist and as I read the Word of God I am optimistic about what God tells me in His Word.

Especially as He speaks to us in the prophetic books of Daniel and Revelation which we have been largely studying the last several weeks.

This morning we're going to be looking at a subject entitled Revelations 4 Horsemen.

There's been a lot of debate and discussion about the 4 horsemen in popular circles and popular churches.

I saw a program on the History Channel years ago where they had all these strange theories and ideas about these 4 horsemen in Revelation.

And what are all these things that are depicted in the chapter we're gonna look at, largely Revelation 6 and some of 5.

But I'm here to tell you that the Bible is very clear on what is happening there.

And we'll see that this morning as we study.

But before we begin, if you'll just bow your heads with me, I'd like to seek the Lord in prayer.

Dear Father in heaven, Lord, it is a privilege to gather together in your house on your holy Sabbath day and to seek you and to seek an understanding of your word, that we might know you and that we might know the incredible love that you have for us.

You tell us in Jeremiah 31, verse 3, that you have loved us with an everlasting love.

Therefore, with loving kindness, have you drawn us to you.

Lord, I pray that we would be drawn to our Savior Jesus as we consider your word and the message today.

This is my humble prayer in Jesus' name, amen.

In 1948, the modern state of Israel was formed.

After World War II concluded in 1945, the state of Israel, which had not existed as a separate independent state for many, many years, was drawn on a map and put together.

They created what we know as today the modern nation of Israel.

And it was a place that was supposed to be safe for Jews, many of which had been persecuted during World War II with things like the Holocaust, to return back to their homeland safely.

And It was also seen as an opportunity by many Christian churches to try and evangelize the Jewish people and share with them the good news of Jesus Christ as a savior.

I read that there were 172 Christian missionaries who went to Israel that were, I mean this is a large group from representing almost 172 different churches trying to convert and reach out and minister to Jewish people.

There was such a discord and disharmony and fighting amongst Christians that many of Jews and Buddhists and Muslims were wondering why would I ever join something that is so confusing.

In fact, someone made this comment and said, divided Christendom is a source of weakness in the West.

In non-Christian lands, it is a stumbling block.

Why is there so many factions and so little unity amongst different Christian churches?

Well, this morning we're gonna look and see a message that the Bible gives us in Revelation that addresses some of these very questions.

And we're gonna start out by looking at Revelation chapter 5, which will lead us into our study of Revelation 6 and these 4 horsemen.

So if you have your Bibles, let's take a look in God's word, the book of Revelation, which is a revelation of who?

Revelation of Jesus Christ, right there in Revelation chapter 1, verse 1.

But let's read, beginning in Revelation chapter 5, and we'll read the first several verses as the backstory for our study this morning on the 4 horsemen of Revelation.

The Bible says in Verse 1, and I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside sealed with what?

Rather than a book, it probably would be a better description to say a scroll that's rolled up and has 7 seals that are on it, written on both sides.

Verse 2, And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the what?

To open the book and to loose the seals thereof.

And now here's where there's a seeming problem in heaven, verse 3, and no man in heaven nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

I understand that the Greek right here isn't just, oh, I was kind of upset about it and maybe shed a few tears.

No, it's the Greek for weeping is that you would cry over great agony and distress as if someone near to you had passed away.

Intense sorrow, if that captures the attitude of John, that he is weeping much because no man was found worthy to open and read the book, neither to look thereon.

Verse 5, and 1 of the elders saith unto me, weep not, behold.

The lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the 7 seals thereof.

Now who is this lion of the tribe of Judah?

And the root of David, pictures, both metaphors are pictures of none other than Jesus himself.

And it continues and says, and of the 4 beasts, and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as it had been slain, having 7 horns and 7 eyes, which are the 7 spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth.

This lamb is another figure or symbol for Jesus.

And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne." And if we read Revelation 4 and 5 together, you would see that that's actually God the Father that the Lamb takes the scroll from.

And it says, and When he had taken the book, the 4 beasts and 4 and 20 elders fell down before the Lamb, having every 1 of them harps and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints.

And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof.

Jesus' sacrificial death makes him worthy and able to open this important book that has important information that relates to the Christian church.

And it continues and says, and has redeemed us to God by the blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation.

And then verse 10, and has made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth.

So there's a picture in Revelation 5 of a book that no 1 could open, no 1 else in the universe but Jesus because of his death, and that is a scroll, or book rather, that's sealed with 7 seals.

And you know the number 7 in the Bible oftentimes has quite a bit of significance because it can represent completion of an action or something, a subject, or it can also represent perfection.

Completion and perfection, those are synonyms, but Jesus is worthy, and we're gonna find in this book that is opened, the 4 horsemen of what are called the apocalypse.

The 4 horsemen, and we're gonna look at that this morning, and we're gonna gain some valuable lessons from that today.

Well, notice this passage in Revelation 22 in verse 10.

At the very last chapter of Revelation, it says, and he saith unto me, this is an angel speaking to John, seal not the sayings of the prophecy of what?

In other words, the book of Revelation, don't seal them in the sense of Daniel being sealed for a time, it was actually something that was sealed up until it was unsealed with the end of the 1260 year prophecy.

The book of Revelation is not sealed, why?

The time is at hand for these things to be fulfilled.

It also says the same thing in Revelation 1 verse 3, the time is at hand, Revelation 1.

The time is at hand, the time is near, Revelation 22.

In other words there are those who put a lot of the events, or most or all the events in Revelation, far off into the distant future to some undetermined, unknown time, and they lose the significance of what the internal evidence is telling us, that the time is at hand or near for the application and the fulfillment of the message that's given in Revelation.

So we wanna look and see what is that message.

In Revelation chapter 6, we'll spend quite a bit of our time here.

Revelation 6 now, right after chapter 5, it says, verse 1, and I saw when the Lamb opened 1 of the seals, and I heard as it were the noise of thunder, 1 of the 4 beasts saying, come and see.

A white horse, and he that sat on him had a what?

And a crown was given unto him, and by the way, in the Greek, there's different words for crowns.

There's a word, of course, in English, it's just crown, but in the Greek this is the word, stephanos, which is the word for a victory crown.

There's also a word that's also translated crown in English that's diadema, which means a royal or kingly crown.

But in this case, the word crown means a victorious crown, a wreath or crown of victory that someone would wear that has triumphed.

A crown was given unto him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer.

So let's analyze some of the symbols that we see here.

Why are horses used in this chapter of Revelation 6?

Well let's just notice a few passages quickly.

Or do we go to the Scriptures and compare Scripture with Scripture?

It's always looking and comparing the word of God with other scriptures that we find across the Bible.

First Kings 20, 25, it describes an army of horses and chariots.

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Revelations Four Horsemen

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