The opening of the fifth and sixth seals in heaven

Sermon notes from Sunday 24 June 2018 am LIMC

Revelation 6

The seals that were opened in heaven - the first seal was one of deception on earth.  This speaks of a time to come on this old earth, it is not fictional or a Holywood movie.  This will take place on the plains of earth one day.  The horseman that was riding out - that is the horseman of deception under the anti-Christ.  The second seal brought devastation.  There will be a time of peace on earth.  He will set up a peace treaty in the Middle East but that will not stand for long.  It will be a period of 3 1/2 years.  He will break that treaty.  Wars will break out throughout the world.  The truth in the third seal, rations as a result of war.  The horseman is holding seals.  Inflation will soar, prices will increase leading to sickness and famines.  The next horseman was death.  The fourth seal through the sword, sickness and pestilences.  Things that cannot be controlled.  Half of the worlds population will die at this particular time.  Something that is happening on this old world.  God has made a way of escape.  Everyone who trusted on Jesus Christ and have known tremendous change in their lives being born again of the Spirit of God.

Come now to the opening of the fifth and sixth seals - verse 12 takes us to a scene on earth while verse 9 takes us to the scene in heaven, the terror that is plaguing the streets of earth.  Contrast that with the tranquility and peace and joy that is in heaven.  Where would you rather be during this time?  First of all turn to sixth seal before the fifth seal to contrast it.  Sixth seal - verses 12 - 14 the horror to be witnessed during this time - let us somehow imagine this.  Notice the series of events that unfold before the people on earth.  None will compare to this.  Earthquake that takes place on this day.  It is the same image Isaiah the prophet wrote about.  God will shake the earth.  Isaiah 2 verse 19.  This is God shaking the earth, not a natural earthquake.  The sun became black and the moon became as blood.  Once the earth would shake with such violence and force, only natural that certain things would happen.  The smoke and the ash that will ascend into the atmosphere and surely that will have an effect on the sun and moon so that they will be blacked out.  Who are these people on earth?  Those who have rejected the Lord as Saviour and Lord.  Verse 17 these people do not know where to run to, to hide.  One day God will shake the earth.  "The mountains and islands moved out of their places."  Someone tried to tell us that this is mere symbolic, authorities falling, governments and authorities falling, never seen yet the panic of asking the very rocks to fall on them.  They ran into dens to hide.

Notice in verses 15 and 16 the helplessness.  Men are looking to each other but there is no help.   Princes are getting together with princes, gathering all the bondmen and free, there is no where to run to, no-one has the answer.  They are running into caves.  Remember David who hid his men, 600 in total in the cave when running from his son.  

Their honesty -  verse 17.  Now starting to acknowledge something.  This is the great day of wrath, that which we have heard preached about, that one day God will judge this earth.  These men were the great and mighty of the earth.  We cannot hide from this - this is God`s day of wrath.  What a great realisation on that day.  Realise they have been taught this in days past.  This is why people are taught from the scriptures, why people gathered together to pray - because this great day was coming.  I did not want my daughter to be here.  I didn`t want to be here on earth - now all I can do is pray for the mountains to fall on me.

The tranquility of heaven.  As Jesus opens the fifth seal John is looking into heaven - verse 9 "I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain."  The consciousness of the soul.  Some argue today `I don`t believe in heaven and hell, this afterlife business.  When you die in the grave that is it.  That is the last of it.`  Not according to the scriptures.  John said "I saw them that were slain here on earth."  Bodies are still on earth but the souls are in the presence of God.  Paul was in a fix - he would rather depart from this scene and time to be with the Lord which is far better.  In the day of death we are absent from the body and present with the Lord.  John is seeing that here.  Where will your soul be if that happens today?  Would your soul be in heaven for all eternity or lost in a sinners hell for all eternity?  They live, move, speak.  The grave is not the end.  Luke 16 the poor man and the rich man story.  The poor man Lazarus lay at the gate of the rich man.  He fared sumptuously every day.  He had everything he could ever want.  Both men died and the poor man was carried into Abraham`s bosom.  The rich man died, he was buried, the pomp he probably had.  In hell he lifted up his eyes, he was not unconscious.  He died and went into the caverns of the damned.  He could see the poor man Lazarus in Abraham`s bosom.  He was thinking and feeling.  There is a consciousness of the soul.  These people were clothed with robes - verse 11.  They were given white robes.  John in chapter 19 speaks again of white robes.  These are the souls with the white robes.  How can a soul wear a robe?  The works I do will never take me to heaven.  The only thing that will take me to heaven is the righteousness of Christ.  John speaks later on in verse 8 of chapter 19 - the bride of Christ adorned herself.  Fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.  Every good deed, every little thing done for the Lord after we are saved is stored for us in heaven.  John said "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord ... and their works do follow them."  In 1 Corinthians Paul talks of the judgment day when we will stand before the Lord and account for all the deeds that have been done for the Lord.  Maybe John is seeing those who were slain being adorned in white robes.  All those things that went unnoticed, every little thing you have done that went unnoticed but maybe the little things will one day be seen.  

He sees them as crowned as well.  The pilgrims have come through a lot for God, slain for the word of God and the testimony they held.  During this period on earth these people got saved, gave their life to the Lord and they took the testimony of the Lord.  They were put to death for their testimony, they would not surrender their stand, would not give in to the anti-Christ.  "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." (James 1 verse 12)  They stuck it out to the end even if it meant death.  Verse 9 - notice where these souls are - under the altar.  That is commitment.  Some say this is showing divine protection in heaven but it is more than that.  When the priest would come with his offering the blood was spilt under the altar.  Everything about that sacrifice was given to God.  These people were committed, they were slain, did not surrender and they lost their lives for doing it.  They paid the supreme sacrifice for it.  Am I giving my all to the Lord today?  These people were ready to give their very life to the Lord.  Paul said "for I am now ready to be offered."  That blood was poured out on the altar, it was poured out.  Paul said "I am ready to pour out my own blood."  He was waiting to be taken to the execution point.  As we speak today there are Christians across our world who are being slain for the testimony of God.  All they had to do was sign a form saying they wanted nothing more to do with the Christian faith.  It is so easy for us to hear the word of God, walk out into the street but what if we knew we were going to be arrested immediately we stepped out of the door.

They were comforted - verse 11.  Heaven is a place of rest for us.  Revelation 14 verse 13 "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth, Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours, and their works do follow them."  The tranquility of heaven or the terror of the last days  - where would we rather be?