David Pawson - Revelation Part 2

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THOUGHTFUL THOUGHTS 29.5.26 BY JOHN DUNNING… 

THE FUTURE - REVELATION part 2A;- Chapters 4-6. 

REVELATION chapters 4-6;- THE FUTURE…

John is shown visions of the future. In Chapter 4, he is ushered into heaven’s throne room, where he witnesses the process of winding up of world events.

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A). CHAPTER 4

John is allowed to see inside heaven’s throne room. You really have to read the chapter to get the picture. What is recorded in v.7-8 can be compared to what Old Testament prophets saw; (ie Ezekiel 1:5-10, Isaiah 6:2.) Because Gentile Christians are not as familiar with the Old Testament as Jews are, we Gentiles need help with some of the imagery used in Revelation. A book was written by Bickersteth and Pain to help with revealing the significance of some of the imagery used called ‘The Four Faces of God’. You see how the whole Bible hangs together!

This book also answers some of the problems created by certain theologians who damaged the faith of those who are ready and willing to believe the Gospel message. Even Bible students at theological college have lost their faith because they have to learn what is called “higher criticism” taught by some theologians, which Billy Graham commented on when giving his testimony, but there is no space to go into the history of all that now. 

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B). CHAPTER 5

Having encouraged the church of those days to live for the future with Jesus, Revelation 5 then moves on to encourage the future church not to give up. In Rev. Chapter 5, John sees that Jesus is the only Person who has the right to start the countdown to the end of the world as we know it… which is done by opening a scroll. 

Jesus showed John what will happen one day to bring about the winding up of world events. Future disciples are warned so that they do not give up, because God knows all about the events. God knows the past, the present, and the future. 

Jesus prepares future believers for great sacrifice, including martyrdom for being true disciples of His. All this is the opposite of the so-called ‘prosperity gospel’, invented by re-working some Old Covenant verses, given for a different reason to a different people for a different purpose. The Book of Revelation, authored by Jesus, and written down by John, is to prepare His people for the worst trouble that will happen in the end times. It is written so that believers do not go back on their faith in Jesus when times become hard. We learn all that because Jesus says so, later on, (Rev. 14:12-13.) God will reward

the faithful, (cf Job when he lost everything but remained faithful.)

We can see in the letters to the churches in chapters 2-3 the different ways in which that can happen. Some believers were giving up on what they knew to be true, so the danger was all too real. John Bunyan in Pilgrim’s Progress includes that warning too. 

C). CHAPTER 6 – THE SEAL

Seals are opened in heaven, starting the countdown to the return of Jesus…

The seven seals that are opened all have specific meanings… 

Horses stood for a conquering military force and in Zechariah’s vision he sees horses as ‘spirits’ in his heavenly vision.

The first time Jesus entered Jerusalem, He entered on a donkey as the Servant King. Next time He will be on a white horse, and seen as He really is.

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Seal i). Rev. 6:1-2; The white horse shows a powerful King coming to conqueror. 

General Allenby understood this when entering Jerusalem in December 1917, and so as a Christian, he got off his horse and humbly walked into Jerusalem through the Jaffa Gate. He knew that coming into Jerusalem on a horse as the conqueror was reserved for Jesus.

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Seal ii). Rev. 6: 3-4; It is believed the red horse illustrates much bloodshed from war.

Warning after warning will be allowed to come through war, bringing much bloodshed, but war is permitted to drive those who will still turn to God one last opportunity before the judgement, when it becomes too late to choose God over self.

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Seal iii). Rev. 6: 5-6; It is believed the black horse is to show famine.

The sentence on sin has been weighed – and this time food but not drink is badly hit, in order to warn mankind to cry out to God before it is too late. (Cf the plagues of Egypt.)

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Seal iv). Rev. 6:7-8; It is believed the green horse shows disease due to war.

Horses were commonly used to stand for war and here they bring death to one-quarter of the earth, sending men from life to death.

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Seal v). Rev. 6:9-11; The fifth seal takes believers from death to life – through martyredom, reversing what man did to God’s people.

Believers being murdered for their faith in Jesus will go from death to  a life with Jesus. There will be severe global persecution of believers, with petitions made to God from believers who will avenge their murder. 

At the same time that believers are being martyred and persecuted by the world, God will punish those persecutors with terror. (Compare what happened at the time of the Israelite Exodus, when God protected His people from the punishments He was giving the Egyptians.)

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Seal vi). Rev. 6:12-17; The sixth seal brings an earthquake…

The persecutors will get the shock of their lives when they see the ‘wrath of the Lamb’. Creation will react to the coming of its Creator. 

When they see who the Lamb is and was, all along, mankind will feel condemned and guilty for their rebellion.

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Before dealing with Seal 7, we will pause this Bible study here, as there was a pause in heaven at this point.

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EPILOGUE

Jesus is warning His church of future troubles. In the ‘Old’ Testament God sent prophets to warn of trouble brewing. Those prophets were persecuted for bringing God’s warning of trouble ahead, and now in Revelation we have the words of Jesus warning us of trouble ahead. 

All of this is to persuade those who will still turn to God, to look to the cross in repentance and faith. 

Do share this study with your friends…

This is John Dunning signing off from “Thoughtful Thoughts” for another week.

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