Part 2a - The First Scroll: Order of End Time Events [4-6]

Introductory Scene

  • 24 elders = 2 x 12 —12 tribes, 12 apostles. the OT and NT people of God.
  • we are seated with Christ in the heavenlies in the Spirit. Our prayers are ruling prayers because God does them.
  • 24 elders are representative, not literal
  • Four living creatures are allusions to Ezekiel chapters 1 & 10
    • Eagle=king of birds, Lion=king of beasts, Ox=considered strongest animal, Man=Pinnacle of creation
    • These beasts are symbolic representatives of the whole creation, worshipping God
  • 7 flaming torches = Holy Spirit
  • breaking the seals = releasing history
  • 7 horns and 7 eyes are not literal!
    • Horns represent strength, eyes, seeing.
    • Why are his eyes spirits?
      • Jesus is present with us in the Spirit—we experience him in the Holy Spirit.
      • Our experience of Jesus and our experience of the Spirit are one and the same.
  • songs of praise. Revelation is filled with worship. It kicks off the book.
  • [5:6] Jesus takes his place in Heaven after dying as the lamb, being raised and ascending
    • This gives us a starting time point
    • The idea is that the future is “sealed up”, and the one who opens the seals is opening up each phase of history

Fitting the Seals into a Chronology

  • Our principle is to allow the simpler and more straightforward Scriptures to interpret the complex and symbolic
  • There are two other places where the future events are predicted
    • Jesus in the Gospels, particularly Matthew 24
    • Paul in 2 Thessalonians 1-2
  • Since the Spirit has inspired all of the Scriptures, it should be possible to fit them together

Prophecy of the future in Matthew 24:3-44

Matt 24:3-51

The Tribulation (“Beginning of sorrows”)

  • Many deceivers and false Christs
  • Wars and rumours of wars
  • Famines, disease and earthquakes
  • Tribulation, persecution and falling away
  • Gospel preached to the whole world

The Great Tribulation

  • The Abomination is revealed
  • False christs and false prophets do signs and wonders
  • Great endurance is required [Mk 13:13]

The Shaking of the Powers of Heaven

  • The sun is darkened and the stars fall from heaven

The Second Coming

  • Great sound of a trumpet
  • As obvious and visible as lightening flashing from the east to the west
  • He will come with power and great glory
  • Elect will be gathered in
  • so be prepared!

Prophecy of the future in II Thessalonians 1:7-2:12

Matt 24:3-51 II Thessalonians 2:1-12

“Beginning of sorrows” & Falling away

  • Many deceivers and false Christs
  • Wars and rumours of wars
  • Famines, disease and earthquakes
  • Tribulation & persecution
  • Many will fall away/grow cold because of lawlessness
  • Gospel preached to the whole world

The Falling away

  • Falling away comes first
  • “Mystery of Lawlessness” is already at work

The Great Tribulation

  • The Abomination is revealed
  • False christs and false prophets do signs and wonders
  • Great endurance is required [Mk 13:13]

Man of Sin is revealed

  • The “son of perdition”
  • “opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God”
  • The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders

The Shaking of the Powers of Heaven

  • The sun is darkened and the stars fall from heaven
  

Return of Christ

  • Great sound of a trumpet
  • As obvious and visible as lightening flashing from the east to the west
  • He will come with power and great glory
  • Elect will be gathered in
  • so be prepared!

Return of Christ

  • “the Lord will consume the lawless one with the breath of his mouth and destroy with the brightness of his coming”
  • believers will admire and glorify him
  • unbelievers will be punished with everlasting destruction

Now we will fit the Seven Seals into this framework

  • Read through the seven seals in Revelation 6
Matt 24:3-51 Rev 6:1-8:1 II Thessalonians 2:1-12

The Tribulation (“Beginning of sorrows”) & Falling away

  • Many deceivers and false Christs
  • Wars and rumours of wars
  • Famines, disease and earthquakes
  • Tribulation & persecution
  • Many will fall away/grow cold because of lawlessness
  • Gospel preached to the whole world

The Tribulation

  • 2nd seal: wars
  • 3rd seal: famine
  • 4th seal: disease famine & sword causing death

The Falling away

  • Falling away comes first
  • “Mystery of Lawlessness” is already at work
  • (see also 1 John 4:1-4 The Antichrist is already at work)

The Great Tribulation

  • The Abomination is revealed
  • False christs and false prophets do signs and wonders
  • Great endurance is required [Mk 13:13]

Time of endurance

  • 5th seal:
  • Many have been martyred
  • But the time is not quite ready for it to end

Man of Sin is revealed

  • The “son of perdition”
  • “opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God”
  • The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders
  • The sun is darkened, moon fails and the stars fall from heaven

The Shaking of the Powers of Heaven

  • 6th seal: The sun is darkened, moon fails and the stars fall from heaven
  

Return of Christ

  • Great sound of a trumpet
  • As obvious and visible as lightening flashing from the east to the west
  • He will come with power and great glory
  • The nations will be terrified
  • Elect will be gathered in
  • so be prepared!

Return of Christ

  • 6th seal continued
  • As obvious and visible as the sky rolling up
  • The nations will be terrified
  • Elect will be gathered in to glory and every tear will be wiped away
  • 7th seal: (judgement in next section)

Return of Christ

  • “the Lord will consume the lawless one with the breath of his mouth and destroy with the brightness of his coming”
  • believers will admire and glorify him
  • unbelievers will be punished with everlasting destruction

Connection between the Seals and the Trumpets

  • There is a key connection that gives us a huge clue into the relationship between these two sets of visions
    • Since both of them end with a judgement scene, the temptation is to make them run in parallel
seal 1 seal 2 seal 3 seal 4 seal 5 seal 6 seal 7
trump 1 trump 2 trump 3 trump 4 trump 5 trump 6 trump 7
  • However, [7:2] tells us that near the beginning of the 6th seal, the first trumpet is about to be sounded
    • The angels who hurt the earth, sea etc (trumpets) cannot start until the 144,000 have been marked to keep them safe
  • This is so helpful because it places the whole sequence of trumpets as an expansion of the 6th and 7th seals
    • particularly the 6th, but synchronizing when they get to the 7th
seal 1 seal 2 seal 3 seal 4 seal 5 seal 6     | seal 7
          trumps 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

This is shown on the: Chart of the First Scroll of Revelation

Updated on 2011-05-27 by Andrew Fountain - loveintruth.com/teaching