OBSERVATIONS:
1.
As I read the sixth chapter of Revelation, I get
this picture of things that will happen in time between the first coming of
Christ, and the return of Christ. It appears that this section, the focus on
the first six seals, tells the church what history will be like. History will
include the experiences of one people conquering another, all kinds of
disruptions to world peace, shortages of basic necessities, death and
destruction through all manner of natural disasters, God’s children suffering
death for their faith in Jesus Christ, and the enemies of God experiencing
terror at the coming of Jesus Christ.
2.
There is a pattern in the six seals of John
watching and hearing, the Lamb opening a seal, someone speaking, and a certain
action taking place. In the first four seals, each of the four living creatures
takes a turn announcing the event. In the fifth seal, the martyrs speak. In the
sixth seal it is the enemies of God who voice their terror at the coming of Christ
and the judgment that follows. The sense seems to be that each of these
sections gives a voice to a distinct characteristic of history until the time
of Jesus’ appearing.
3.
John emphasizes the two primary senses involved
in a testimony. A witness speaks of what he saw and heard. Sometimes a witness
feels something, smells something, or tastes something; but the constant part
of testimony’s focus on what we see and hear, so John gives us plenty of
descriptions in this regard.
4.
There is a distinct contrast between what we
have seen happening in the heavenly places, and what we are told will happen on
the earth. This reinforces that the church is a stranger in this world, living
in a foreign land that never feels like home, and so we keep our eyes on
heavenly things instead of earthly things.
5.
The seals tell us that world events happen
according to the sovereign rule of the one who sits on the throne, and the
Lamb. When Jesus opens a seal, things happen the way they are described. As
terrible and terrifying as world events may appear, God is in charge, and will
bring about his purposes in due time.
6.
I am beginning to get the sense that there is an
underlying message that we are not to find our hope in the world because the
world is not going to be a safe place to live. The things that will happen in history
give us reason to turn from the world for our source of safety, security, and satisfaction,
and look to the city whose builder and maker is God.[3]
By the end of
my time with God, I had a clear picture of the contrast between God’s throne-room,
and our world. In whatever ways world events unfold to fulfill what is shown in
these seals, it is not a pretty picture. However, God is in control; he is
working everything together for good; so I trust what John saw and heard in the
revelation of God, rather than what I see and hear in the circumstances of
life.
The theme of
Revelation is, “To the
one who conquers,” as stated in all seven of the
letters to the churches.[4] God has given us what we need to be “more
than conquerors through him who loved us.”[5] We know that, “everyone who has been born of God overcomes
the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”[6] We
also know that, “faith comes from hearing,
and hearing through the word of Christ,”[7] so
John writes down the words of Christ in Revelation in order to build up our
faith to such maturity that we are indeed the ones who conquer in Jesus’ name.
From my heart,
Monte
© 2014 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517,
Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted,
Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good
News Publishers.)
[2]
“I have applied all these things to
myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written,
that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. “ (I
Corinthians 4:6) People get “puffed up” when they end up focusing on
man-dependent interpretations rather than sticking with what has been revealed
by God.
[3]
Abraham: “For he was
looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is
God.” (Hebrews 11:10)
[4]
Revelation 2-3
[5]
Romans 8:37
[6]
I John 5:4
[7]
Romans 10:17
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