SERMON - THE BOOK OF REVELATION IN WORDS OF UNDERSTANDING

The Book of Revelation

In

Word of Understanding

Part 7

 

 

We are now at the point where John writes of the 7 Seals as Christ reveals their meaning.

 

Revelation 6

The Seals

 1 I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!" 2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

 

The Lamb is Jesus Christ who was sacrificed for the sins of man. The “thunder’ heard is the Word of God. 

In opening the first of 7 seals it is revealed that the Holy Spirit is the guide that allows any Christian to discern the truth of what God is revealing in His Word, our Bible. Without the Holy Spirit granting the wisdom to understand what lays within God’s Word it would merely be looked upon as an interesting Book. With the Holy Spirit within you God’s Word not only takes on a different meaning, but the reader gains insight and learns things that will utterly thrill his heart!

 

The “living creature,” The Lion,” is the group of redeemed representing the ‘morning of the church,’ as set forth in my last sermon.

 

John saw a “white horse” that is the Holy Spirit as He supports true Christianity. The “Rider” is the church with Jesus Christ being the head of the church and believers as the body.

 

John spoke as directed and used words that were reflective of warfare. When a Christian considers that the seals each represent a period of time during which revelations are pertinent to, then that Christian comes to realize that there is a constant battle for the souls of men.

 

As you may recall when God promised to never flood the world any longer He gave a sign. That sign is the rainbow. As we learned the rainbow is made up of the 7 colors that represent the attributes of God. Those attributes can also be seen as necessaries of Christianity. That “bow” can be seen as God’s covenant with man as His Word as written in the New Testament as well. In addition, the “bow” seen by John as an instrument of war, is representative of an instrument able to shoot the arrows of truth.

 

The “crown” is the glory and honor bestowed upon Christ by His followers.

 

Christ, “rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest,”   can be understood as Him, as the Head of the church (us) seeking aggressive Christians to aggressively teach God’s Word with strengthened hearts 

 

This time period can be seen as 33 AD until 270 AD.

 

Revelation 6: 3 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" 4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword.

 

“The Calf,” represents the martyred servants of God. Christianity, although embraced, was beset by, ‘unbelief,’ which is represented by the ‘red horse’ ridden by the evil Pagans of the Roman Empire . Their ‘red horse’ is the sinfulness of unbelief and red in color with the martyr’s blood.  The sword is representative of the civil power God allowed to those that rule.

 

The time period is also of 33 AD until 270 AD.

 

Revelation 6: 5 When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6 Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!"

 

The third seal is representative of the dark ages. The ‘third living creature,’ was the Banner of a Man, flown by the followers of Ephriam, representing man’s attempt to supplant God. This attempt is represented by the ‘black horse,’ of apostasy.

 

The rider, initially the Emperors of Rome were later to be the successors going by the name of the Holy Roman Empire . Soon they assumed the name of the Roman Catholic Church. There rule was a rule of apostasy and most oppressive. The time frame here is AD 530 until AD 1530.

 

The scales held were the rider’s false claims to have the power to determine the fate of a man’s soul.  It was and continues until the present day, the position of Rome that by a ceremony they could excommunicate, throw out or oust, anyone from the body of the church they chose to for going against a man made Doctrine.

 

What must be realized is that only God can remove anyone’s soul from His body. Man can place himself in peril of God removing his by continual and unrepentant sinfulness. For any man to assume that he is so pious and holy that he can act in God’s stead is outright foolish. But, that is what was happening in this time frame and for years thereafter.

 

God delivered His Word to men, that Word being truth. Apostate spirits came and said, “God only gives His truths through Priests, Bishops, People of the Cloth and the Pope.  For many years the Catholic services, the Mass, repeatedly used the phrase, Dominus Deus Nostra Papa. This Latin phrase translates to say:  Out Lord God the Pope.

 

During this time period and for years thereafter a common phrase was heard; ‘be Catholic or die.’ It is difficult to imagine and most telling of the sheer arrogance held.

 

True blasphemy is ‘claiming equality with God.’ Posing as Christian it is easy to understand the confusion of many that we seek to tell of God’s love.

 

For God’s Word on apostasy refer to Acts 20:29-30.

 

Further apostasy was to exist as people fell away from true Christianity (just as they do today) as apostasy starts from within the church. God gave sound Doctrine, but all too many sought to improve on God’s Ward and began to teach false interpretations. See 2 Timothy 4:3-4. Men began to listen to preachers that would tell them what they liked to hear and not God’s Word.

 

The ‘wheat and barley’ are the false offerings made to men under the guise of supposed doctrines. There is a measure of good teaching (Christianity) in Papalism and two measures of  barley in Protestantism. I revealing this you learn that the RCC preaches false doctrine as well as the Protestant denominations. But the warning of, “Do not damage the oil and wine,” is saying, ‘do not think anyone can harm the oil (Holy Spirit) or the wine (Jesus Christ).

 

When you think of ‘oil’ you realize that it is with oil that kings are anointed. Oil keeps the lamps lit. The, “wine,” is representative of the Word, the true vine. John 15:1.

 

I suggest that you read the Scripture I pointed out as well as this sermon again after praying to God to fill you with His Holy Spirit so as to gain Christian understanding.

 

(Closing prayer)

 

Heavenly Father we bow our heads to You and we offer all the praise and words of admiration and love we have for You. We worship you and ask that You forgive us our sins and lead us to gain understanding of Your Word. You are our God and it in You that we place our faith.

 

Lord we ask that You protect our military; we ask that You guide the actions of our elected officials and judges and see to the safety of our police and those who look after our nation’s security.

 

Lord, there are all so many people throughout the world that live under oppressive governments. Lord, see to their welfare and ease their burdens. Please shower Your mercies upon those in need and allow them to witness the fullness of Your love.

In Jesus’ name we pray, who is One with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever,  

 

Amen, amen and amen   

 

Note: We are moving to Ocala, Florida and no sermons will be sent until we are in our new home. Until then I ask the Lord to protect you and your loved ones...

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Pastor Lee S Gliddon Jr
God's Word Christian Ministry
Conservative Patriot http://conpats.blogspot.com