Things Which Shall Be Part I

By Pastor Tim Hitchcock

 

Introduction:

--The outline for the book of Revelation is found in Revelation 1:19.  Last week we looked at the "Things Which Are” in chapters two and three, where we were able to trace the entire history of the church right up to the present Laodicean age.  This is the final period of time before the Rapture of the church.  The end is drawing near (Romans 13: 11).

--Today we want to begin the final point of John's outline by looking at the "Things Which Shall Be".

 

I.) Chapter Four:

--In chapter four the scene switches from earth to heaven (vs. 1).  This change of scenery is due to the rapture of the church at the close of the church age.

--Immediately, John was in the spirit and in the throne room of God (vs. 2-3).  Seeing God in all His glory, John observed 24 elders who represent the raptured church clothed in white raiment and with crowns of gold.

--The scene in the throne room is spectacular (vs. 5-9).  Lightning, thundering, and fire burning is a terrifying picture of our glorious God.  Strange beasts, acting as fearsome guards, cry out day and night saying, "Holy, holy, holy."  These are the seraphim--among the highest order of angels.

--But the sight that concerns us is the last (vs. 10-11).  The church will do three things when we are raptured to heaven and face God:

1.) Fall down before Him.

2.) Worship Him.

3.) Cast our crowns before the throne.

--If we have no crown to cast, we will be deeply shamed by our callous neglect in light of who and what He is.

 

II.) Chapter Five:

--John saw a book in the right hand of God the Father that was sealed with seven seals (vs. 1).

--There was a problem though, because there was no man worthy to open the book (vs. 2-4).  This caused John to weep, until one of the church representatives said that Christ was worthy (vs. 5-7).  Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1: 29).  The seven horns are to push the nations together for judgment at the battle of Armageddon.

--After Christ takes the book, the church begins to worship (vs. 8-10). Notice in verse nine that we will sing a new song.  This is what genuine praise and worship music should sound like.  Hearing this song of praise, the whole host of heaven joins in a perfect seven-fold praise of Christ (vs. 11-14).  The chapter closes with the church falling down before Him in worship.

 

III.) Chapter Six:

--The Lamb opens the first seal and the judgment begins (vs. 1-2).  The white horse does not refer to Christ.  Rather this is the imposter--the antichrist.  With the church now raptured and in heaven, the antichrist is revealed on earth.  The bow is to shoot the fiery darts of Satan.  The crown is given to him because he must answer to God and can go no farther than God allows.  And he went forth to conquer the world.

--The second seal unlooses the red horse (vs. 3-4).  Red is the color of war.  With war comes killing and death.  The sword is great because the loss of life is great.

--The third seal brings the black horse (vs. 5-6).  A penny represents a day’s wage in Bible times.  A measure of wheat is the amount needed for a loaf of bread.  This judgment involves famine, which is the usual outcome of war.  The balances refer to the scales of justice.  The world will begin to taste the poverty and grief they heaped on the saints of God.

--Then comes the fourth seal (vs. 7-8).  This is the most terrifying yet.  The rider on the pale horse is given power over a fourth part of the earth to kill.  He will use war, famine, pestilence, and even wild beasts.

--The fifth seal turns our attention to the reason for this awful judgment (vs. 9-11).  God pours out His judgment on this Christ rejecting world to avenge the deaths of those who were martyred for their faith in Christ.

--The sixth seal brings earth-shattering events (vs. 12-17).  There will be a great earthquake.  The sun will turn black and the moon red.  Meteorites will fall to earth, and every mountain and island will be moved out of its place.  The ungodly will begin to understand that God's great day of wrath has come.

 

IV.) Chapter Seven:

--Chapter seven continues with more judgment from the sixth seal (vs. 1-3).  Suddenly, the wind ceases to blow and air ceases to circulate.  Four angels hold back the movement of air on the face of the earth.  This will result in an uneven heating of the earth's surface that will have catastrophic ramifications.  But the angels are instructed to not hurt the earth, sea, or trees just yet.  They are to wait for the servants of God to be sealed.  As the devil places his mark on the foreheads, God places His own in the foreheads of the saints. (Observe that God's mark is first.  First the type, and then the antitype.)

--Twelve thousand each from the twelve tribes of Israel will be sealed (vs. 4-8) A total of 144,000 Jews will become God's witness to those in the Great Tribulation.

--The scene then shifts to a great multitude standing before the throne of God (vs. 9-17).  They are praising God and worshipping Him.  In verse twelve they offer Him the highest praise--a perfect seven-fold one.

--Who are these?  These represent those who are saved out of great tribulation.  He shall tenderly care those who have given all for Christ for all of eternity.  He will wipe away the tears.  He will feed and clothe.  He will provide light and warmth.  He will allow them the greatest privilege of all--to serve in His presence for all eternity.

 

V.) Chapter Eight:

--The chapter break here is unfortunate, because the final seal is in verse one of chapter eight.

--This is the most terrifying judgment of all.  For thirty minutes there is no sound at all in heaven.  Someone has likened this to the calm before the storm.  A better thought might be the eye of the hurricane.  When a hurricane approaches, it travels in a clockwise direction.  The initial winds do a lot of damage, but then the eye of the storm passes over.  The winds cease.  The sound stops.  The storm appears done.  Then, the backside of the storm comes.  This is where the most damage of all takes place, because the winds are coming from the opposite direction.  The judgment has just begun.  The worst is yet to come.

 

Conclusion:

--Praise God!  When all of this takes place on earth, we will be safe in the arms of Jesus.  We who know Christ as our Savior have nothing to fear.  Our real concern should be to reach the lost with the gospel of Jesus Christ before it is too late.

 

Next Week:  "Things Which Shall Be Part II"

Read: Revelation 8: 2-11: 19 The Seven Trumpets