Tribulation Prophecies And Doctrine 14 – The Gap Between The 69th And 70th Week 6.

I. Message Text.

The Seventy Prophetic Weeks

Daniel 9:24-27 Updated American Standard Version

²⁴ “Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. ²⁵ Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and rebuild Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in times of distress. ²⁶ And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are determined. ²⁷ And he shall make a strong covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease. And upon the wing of abominations shall come the one causing desolation, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one causing desolation.”

II. Subject Discussion.

A. Is there a gap between the 69th and 70th weeks? Let’s consider this question.

B. . The post-tribulation rapturist joins with the amillennialist in asserting that the 70th week of Daniel’s prophecy was fulfilled historically in the years immediately following the death of Christ. Some hold that Christ was cut off at the end of the 69th week and that the 70th week followed immediately after the death of Christ. Others hold that Christ was cut off in the middle of the 70th week so that the last half of the week followed His death. Some go so far as to assert that the entire present age is the 70th week. The fallacy of this consecutive view is seen in the fact that only by spiritualizing the prophecy can the results of Messiah’s work, as outlined in Daniel 9:24, be said to have been fulfilled. The nation Israel, to whom the prophecy was addressed, simply has not experienced a single one of the prophesied benefits of Messiah’s coming as yet. Since this interpretation depends on a method of interpretation that is unacceptable, the view must be rejected.

C. Opposed to the view that the 70th week is to be viewed as chronologically consecutive is the view that that period is separated from the other 69 weeks by an indefinite period of time. If there can be no parenthesis in any revealed prophetic program, prophecy can not have a literal fulfillment, for in many major prophecies the events were not consecutive. The gap in Daniel’s prophecy is in accord with an established principle in the Word of God.

1. Dr. John Walvoord (Th. D.) asserts that such a gap is seen in many passages of scripture (Things To Come, p 247).

2. In the second place, the events of Daniel 9:26 require a gap. Two major events are said to take place after the 69th week, and before the 70th week: the cutting off of the Messiah and the destruction of the city and the temple in Jerusalem. These two events did not take place in the 70th week, for that is not introduced to us until verse 27, but in an interval between the 69th and 70th week. It will be observed that the cutting off of the Messiah took place only a few days after the 69th week terminated, but the destruction of the city and temple did not take place until 70 A.D., or about 40 years after the termination of the 69th week. If a few days gap be admitted, it is not difficult to concede the possibility of a gap of 40 years. If one of 40 years is admitted, it is not difficult to see that the gap may extend over the present age.

3. In the third place, the New Testament teaching that Israel has been set aside (Matt 23:37-39) until the restitution of God’s dealing with them demands a gap between the last two weeks. If the 70th week has been fulfilled, the six promised blessings must likewise have been fulfilled to Israel. None of these have been experienced by the nation. Since the church is not Israel, the church can not now be fulfilling them. In as much, as God will fulfill that which He promised literally, He must fulfill those things with the nation. It is seen, then, that there must be a gap between their rejection and the consummation of these promises.

4. In the fourth place, since all the promised blessings are associated with the second coming of Christ (Rom 11:25-27), if there were no gap, the Lord would have returned three and a half or seven years after His death to fulfill the promises. Since His coming is still anticipated there must be a gap between the last two weeks of the prophecy.

5. Finally, the Lord, in dealing with the prophecy, anticipates a gap. In Matthew 24:15, reference is made to the coming of the “abomination of desolation;” this is a sign to Israel that the Great Tribulation is approaching (Matt 24:21). But, even in this time there is hope, for “immediately after the tribulation of these days . . . they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory” (Matt 24:29-30). Thus, the Lord is placing the 70th week of Daniel at the end of the age, immediately before His second advent to the earth. Coupling this with Acts 1:6-8, we see that a whole age of undetermined duration is to intervene between the 69th and 70th weeks of the prophecy. The only conclusion must be that the events of the 70th week are as yet unfulfilled, and await a future literal fulfillment.

III. The Return Of Christ.

A. Prior To The 70th Week. Prior To The Tribulation. Christ Coming In The Air, Not To Stand On The Earth. For The Rapture Of The Church/The Catching Up Of The Saints. A Glorious Event. The Blessed Hope. Rapture, English; Harpazo, Greek; Raptura, Latin.

Jesus Is the Only Way to the Father

John 14:6 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me. 

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (UASV)

¹⁶ For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive, who remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Corinthians 15:50-57 (UASV)

⁵⁰ Now I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. ⁵¹ Look, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep in death, but we will all be changed, ⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
⁵⁵ “O death, where is your victory?
    O death, where is your sting?”

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Titus 2:13-14 (UASV)

¹³ Looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of the great God and our Savior, Christ Jesus, ¹⁴ who gave himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good deeds.

B. At The End Of The 70th Week. At The End Of The Tribulation. Christ Coming In The Air To Stand On The Earth. Christ Coming In Judgment.

The Coming of the Son of Man

The Lord’s Triumph and Reign

Zechariah 14:1-9 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

1 A day of the Lord is coming when your plunder will be divided in your presence. ² I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem for battle. The city will be captured, the houses looted, and the women raped. Half the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be removed from the city.

³ Then the Lord will go out to fight against those nations as He fights on a day of battle. ⁴ On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. The Mount of Olives will be split in half from east to west, forming a huge valley, so that half the mountain will move to the north and half to the south. ⁵ You will flee by My mountain valley, for the valley of the mountains will extend to Azal. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come and all the holy ones with Him.

⁶ On that day there will be no light; the sunlight and moonlight will diminish. ⁷ It will be a day known only to Yahweh, without day or night, but there will be light at evening.

⁸ On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea, in summer and winter alike. ⁹ On that day Yahweh will become King over all the earth—Yahweh alone, and His name alone.

The Coming of the Son of Man

Matthew 24:29-30 (HCSB)

²⁹ “Immediately after the tribulation of those days:

The sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not shed its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the celestial powers will be shaken.

³⁰ “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the peoples of the earth will mourn; and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

The Coming of the Son of Man

Mark 13:24-26 (HCSB)

²⁴ “But in those days, after that tribulation:

The sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not shed its light;
²⁵ the stars will be falling from the sky,
and the celestial powers will be shaken.

²⁶ Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.

The Coming of the Son of Man

Luke 21:25-27 (HCSB)

²⁵ “Then there will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and there will be anguish on the earth among nations bewildered by the roaring sea and waves. ²⁶ People will faint from fear and expectation of the things that are coming on the world, because the celestial powers will be shaken. ²⁷ Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

The Rider on a White Horse

Revelation 19:11-16 (HCSB)

¹¹ Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True, and He judges and makes war in righteousness. ¹² His eyes were like a fiery flame, and many crowns were on His head. He had a name written that no one knows except Himself. ¹³ He wore a robe stained with blood, and His name is the Word of God. ¹⁴ The armies that were in heaven followed Him on white horses, wearing pure white linen. ¹⁵ A sharp sword came from His mouth, so that He might strike the nations with it. He will shepherd them with an iron scepter. He will also trample the winepress of the fierce anger of God, the Almighty. ¹⁶ And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh:

KING OF KINGS

AND LORD OF LORDS.

The Beast and His Armies Defeated

Revelation 19:17-21 (HCSB)

¹⁷ Then I saw an angel standing on the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice, saying to all the birds flying high overhead, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, ¹⁸ so that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of commanders, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of their riders, and the flesh of everyone, both free and slave, small and great.”

¹⁹ Then I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and against His army. ²⁰ But the beast was taken prisoner, and along with him the false prophet, who had performed the signs in his presence. He deceived those who accepted the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image with these signs. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. ²¹ The rest were killed with the sword that came from the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.

Satan Bound

Revelation 20:1-3 (HCSB)

1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the abyss and a great chain in his hand. ² He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for 1,000 years. ³ He threw him into the abyss, closed it, and put a seal on it so that he would no longer deceive the nations until the 1,000 years were completed. After that, he must be released for a short time.

IV. Rapture vs Second Coming.

A. At the time of the Rapture, Christ takes His born again believers (alive and deceased) to Heaven with Him, for the receiving of eternal gifts (2 Cor 5:10) and for the marriage of the Lamb (Rev 19:7-8). Eph 4:8 shows that Christ took the Old Testament saints with Him to Heaven, too. The rapture removes all born again believers in Christ from the earth, for the duration of the Tribulation. This event is glorious for those whom are taken from the earth. There is no Scripture evidence that this event will be seen by those who will be left behind on earth. John 14:6 tells of Christ taking His born again believers to Heaven at the time of the Rapture, and emphasizes the fact that He is the only means by which His born again believers will be literally taken to heaven.

B. At the time of the Second Coming of Christ, Christ brings with Him the saints of the New Testament from Heaven with Him to set up, and rule and reign with Christ, in His earthly Millennial Kingdom (1 Cor 6:2; Rom 16:20; Rev 2:26). In this event, all of the unbelievers of the earth, “those who were left behind from the rapture,” will see Christ returning with the raptured believers. This event is frightening for those unbelievers of the tribulation who see Christ and His following believers and angels descending to earth for Judgment.

C. At the time of the Second Coming, the bodies of the Old Testament saints will be resurrected and joined with their spirits which will be coming from Heaven, and they will rule and reign with Christ during the Millennium/Kingdom Age (Daniel 12:1-3; Matt 19:28).

D. At the time of the Second Coming, martyred Tribulation saints (those who come to belief in Christ during the Tribulation) will be resurrected and will rule and reign with Christ during the Millennium/Kingdom Age (Rev 20:4).

E. At the time of the Second Coming of Christ, everyone on earth will see the return of Christ (Zech 12:8-11; 12:9; Matt 24:30; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27; Rev 19:19). Consider how easy it will be for all of the world’s tribulation inhabitants to see the return of Christ, due to the technology advancements of today. Additionally, if God wants all of Earth’s inhabitants to see Christ coming in the air, we can rest assured that “all of Earth’s inhabitants will see Christ coming in the air.”

V. References.

1. Updated American Standard Version scriptures were cut and pasted from that Bible’s website. https://www.uasvbible.org/ .

2. Holman Christian Standard Bible scriptures were cut and pasted from Bible Gateway’s website. https://www.biblegateway.com/

3. All of the notes in paragraph II of this article, come from the book of Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost, Th.D., “Things To Come,” 1958, Zondervan, pp 246-249.

4. All remaining notes in this article come from this writer.

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Revelation Chapter 7 – Jews And Gentiles Saved During The Tribulation.

I. Introduction.

The assertion that no one will survive the crescendo of God’s wrath, as implied in the question of panic-stricken humanity (Rev 6:17), is corrected by two new visions injected after the conclusion of the sixth seal. The first pictures angelic actions of restraint and sealing (Rev 7: 1-8). The second picture injected as a contrast to the panic of earth’s inhabitants under the sixth seal (Rev 6:17) has its setting in heaven (Rev 7:9-17).

II. Scripture Text.

A. The 144,000 of Israel Sealed

1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind could blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. ² And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having a seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, ³ saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the slaves of our God on their foreheads.”

⁴ And I heard the number of the ones who were sealed, one hundred forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:

⁵ Out of the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand sealed, out of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, ⁶ out of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand, ⁷ out of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand, ⁸ out of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.

B.The Multitude from Every Nation

⁹ After this I saw, and look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes and with palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ and they cry with a great voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” ¹¹ All the angels were standing around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell facedown before the throne and worshipped God, ¹² saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God for the ages of the ages! Amen.”

¹³ And one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from? ¹⁴ And I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

 ¹⁵ Therefore they are they before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple: and the one seated on the throne will spread his tent over them. ¹⁶ They will hunger no more nor thirst anymore, neither will the sun beat down on them nor any scorching heat, ¹⁷ for the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will shepherd them and will guide them to springs of the water of life. And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes.”

III. Verse Examination. Rev 7:1-8.

A. Rev 7: 3. The judgments are delayed until these 144,000 Jewish people can be “sealed;” i.e., protected supernaturally.

B. Rev 7:4. “one hundred and forty-four thousand.” These are Jews from the 12 tribes (12,000 each) who are protected in order to perform some service for God during these days. Perhaps they are evangelists. The omission of the tribe of Dan may be because Dan was guilty of idolatry on many occasions (Lev 24:11; Judg 18; 1 Kings 12:28, 29).

IV. Verse Examination. Rev 7:9-17.

A. Rev 7:9. “a great multitude.” This multitude is composed of many racial and geographic groups who will be redeemed during the Tribulation (v 14). In these difficult days, many will find Christ as Savior.

B. Rev 7: 15-17. Having died, or been martyred, during the Tribulation, this great multitude are seen in heaven enjoying its blessings.

V. Revelation 7 Summary.

Chapter 7 of the book of Revelation serves as a review of the situation described in the previous chapters and emphasizes two important facts. First, God is going to judge Israel in the period of great trial, and 12,000 from each tribe, totaling 144,000, will be protected and sealed from the judgments which will fall upon the world in general. Second, a great multitude of Gentiles will also be saved, but many of these will be martyred, and a multitude of the martyred dead are found in heaven rejoicing in the presence of the Lamb and representing every tongue and nation. It is an indication that even in the tragic closing hours prior to the second coming of Christ to the earth, countless souls will find Christ as Savior and be saved by His grace.

VI. References.

A. Paragraph I. Comment comes from the Revelation Commentary of Robert L. Thomas, Th. M., Th. D.

B. Paragraph II. Verses come from the Updated American Standard Version of the Bible.

C. Paragraphs III, IV. Notes come from the Ryrie Study Bible, Charles C. Ryrie, Th. D., Ph., D.

D. Paragraph V. Note comes from the Revelation Commentary of John F. Walvoord, Th. D.

Tribulation Prophecies And Doctrine 13 – Fulfillment Of The Sixty-Nine Weeks 5.

I. Introduction.

A. Daniel’s prophecy of the seventy weeks (vv 24-27) provides the chronological frame for Messianic prediction from Daniel to the establishment of the kingdom on earth, and also a key to its interpretation (Scofield Study Bible, C.I. Scofield D.D. (Editorial Revision Committee 1967, Charles L. Feinberg, Th. D. Ph. D.; John F. Walvoord, Th. D., and others.).

B. The main features of the seventy weeks are provided in the verses of the Scripture text and the notes which follow (Mine).

II. Scripture Text. Daniel 9:24-27.

The Seventy Prophetic Weeks

²⁴ “Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. ²⁵ Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and rebuild Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in times of distress. ²⁶ And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are determined. ²⁷ And he shall make a strong covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease. And upon the wing of abominations shall come the one causing desolation, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one causing desolation.” (Updated American Standard Version).

III. Verse Examination.

A. Dan 9:24. “Seventy weeks.” Lit. 70 sevens. Obviously years are meant, for Daniel had been thinking of the years of captivity (9:2). 490 days is 16 months, and 490 weeks is 9 1/2 years, both too short to accommodate the events of the prophecy. Furthermore, weeks of days are so specified in 10:2-3, where the Hebrew adds “days.” This period of 490 years concerns “your people” (the Jews) and “your holy city” (Jerusalem). “to finish the transgression.” To end the apostasy of the Jews. “to make an end of sin.” May mean either to atone for sin or to seal up sin in the sense of judging it finally. “to make atonement for iniquity.” Refers to the death of Christ on the cross, which is the basis for Israel’s future forgiveness (Zech 12:10; Rom 11:26-27). “to bring in everlasting righteousness.” In the millennial kingdom of Messiah (Jer 23:5-6). “to seal up vision and prophecy.” To set God’s seal of fulfillment on all the prophecies concerning the Jewish people and Jerusalem. “to anoint the most holy place.” The anointing of the Holy of Holies in the millennial Temple.

B. Dan 9:25. The 70 sevens begin with “a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem,” the commandment of Artaxerxes Longimanus (Neh 2:5). Earlier, Cyrus had authorized the rebuilding of the Temple (2 Chron 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-4). “plaza and moat.” The public square and moat were rebuilt by the time of the first seven weeks (49 years) were completed.

C. Dan 9:26. Certain important events were to happen “after” the 62 weeks (plus the seven weeks, or a total of 69 weeks): the crucifixion of “Messiah” and the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 by the Romans who are “the people of the prince who is to come.” Because these events were to occur after the 69 weeks had run their course were to occur after the 69 weeks had run their course and before the seventieth week began, there must be a space of time between the conclusion of the sixty-ninth week and the beginning of the seventieth.

D. Dan 9:27. “he.” The prince of vs 26, the Antichrist previously introduced in 7:8, 24-26, who will make a pact with “many” (of the Jewish people) at the beginning of the tribulation period. But “in the middle of the week” (I.e., 3 1/2 years later) Antichrist will break his covenant and desecrate the Temple by demanding worship of himself in it (Re: Matt 24:15; 2 Thes 2:4). At Christ’s second coming, Antichrist and his false prophet will be cast into the lake of fire (Rev 19:20).

IV. Beginning And Ending Of The 69 Weeks.

Based on the study of Dr. Harold Hoehner (Th. D., Ph. D.), the dates for the sixty-nine weeks of Daniel 9:25 extended from the first of Nisan (March 5) 444 B.C. to the tenth of Nisan (March 30) A.D. 33., which is the date of Jesus the Messiah’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Luke 19:28-40) (The Moody Bible Commentary, Michael Rydelnik, Th. M., D. Miss.).

V. The Purpose Of The Seventy Weeks.

Per Daniel 9:24, the object of the prophecy of the seventy weeks of Daniel is Israel. “Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city.” The seventieth week, which is the period of the Tribulation, relates to God’s dealing with Israel and not with Gentiles. However, the Tribulation judgments will be poured out on the earth by Christ and His angels upon unsaved Jews, as well as unsaved Gentiles, whom will be left behind on the earth from the rapture (1 Thes 4:16-18). God’s Tribulation judgments will begin to be poured, beginning with Revelation 6:1 (Ryrie Study Bible).

VI. References.

A. Paragraph I. As indicated.

B. Paragraph II. Verses from the Updated American Standard Version.

C. Paragraph III. Ryrie Study Bible. Charles C. Ryrie, Th. D., Ph. D.

D. Paragraph IV. As indicated.

E. Paragraph V. As indicated.

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The Seal Judgments – Revelation 6:1-17

I. Introduction.

A. The opening of chapter 6 of the book of Revelation marks an important milestone in the progressive revelation of the end of the age. In chapter 5 John is introduced to the seven-sealed book in the hand of Christ. In chapter 6 the first six seals are opened with the resultant tremendous events occurring in the earth. The interpretation of these events depends upon the understanding of other portions of the prophetic Word. If the events portrayed are taken in any literal sense, it should be clear that they describe an event yet future, in the words of Christ “the things which shall be hereafter” (1:19). Van Ryn expresses the common pretribulational position:

B. The opening of the seals ushers in the terrible judgments to fall upon this earth after the Church has been caught up to glory, as we saw in chap. 4:1. (August Van Ryn, Notes on the Book of Revelation, p. 87.) (Walvoord Commentary).

II. Scripture Text And Commentary.

The First Seal: Conqueror on a White Horse
1 Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come!” 2 I looked, and behold, a white horse, and the one who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

Note. 6:1. Here begins the first of three series of judgments in the book (seals, chap 6; trumpets, chap 8-9; bowls, chap 16).

Note. 6:2. “he who sat on it.” Evidently a reference to Antichrist. His method of conquest at first does not seem to include open warfare, since peace is not removed from the earth until the second seal is opened (v 3). This corresponds to the description of delusion (1 Thes 5:3).

The Second Seal: War
3 When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come!” 4 And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that people would kill one another; and a large sword was given to him.

Note. 6:3-4. Everything about the second seal judgment indicates bloodshed (e.g., “red horse”, “take peace from,” “sword”).

The Third Seal: Famine
5 When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come!” I looked, and behold, a black horse, and the one who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine.”

Note. 6:6. “a denarius.” A Roman silver coin that had a normal purchasing power of 10 qt (9.5 lit) of wheat was the daily ration for a soldier. Thus a daily wage will buy for food for only one person, who will have to share with his family.

The Fourth Seal: Death
7 When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come!” 8 I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and the one who sat on it had the name Death, and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, and famine, and plague, and by the wild animals of the earth.

Note. 6:8. “ashen=a sickly, yellowish-green. Probably representing the inevitable result of disease that accompanies war and famine. “Death” claims the bodies, and “Hades,” the souls and spirits of one-fourth of the world’s population in this single judgment (cf 9:18).

The Fifth Seal: Martyrs
9 When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; 10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who live on the earth?” 11 And a white robe was given to each of them; and they were told that they were to rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers and sisters who were to be killed even as they had been, was completed also.

Note. 6:9. “the souls of those who had been slain.” Evidently the martyrs of the first months of the tribulation period.

Note 6:10. Notice that these martyrs are alive and conversing with the Lord in His presence.

Note 6:11. “rest for a little while longer.” I.e., wait a little while. It is difficult for these martyrs to understand why God would allow their murderers to live; yet, God asks these saints to trust Him.

The Sixth Seal: Terror
12 And I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became as black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. 14 The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the eminent people, and the commanders and the wealthy and the strong, and every slave and free person hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; 16 and they *said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the sight of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; 17 for the great day of Their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

Note. 6:12. These cosmic disturbances are predicted elsewhere in Scripture (Isa 34:4; Joel 2:30-31; Matt 24:29).

Note 6:16. When the Tribulation comes, men will act as if they believe the end of the world is at hand, not simply talk as if it were.

III. Additional Examination.

A. It is important to understand that the Seal judgments, as well as the Trumpet and Bowl judgments, are released upon the earth as God’s judgments, through Christ and angels, as they broke each seal.

6:1. “the Lamb broke one of the seven seals”

6:3. “when He (the Lamb) broke the second seal”

6:5. “When He (the Lamb) broke the third seal”

6:7. “When the Lamb broke the fourth seal”

6:8. “When the Lamb broke the fifth seal”

6:12. “I looked when He (the Lamb) broke the sixth seal”

6:16. ” and they said, hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the lamb.”

6:17. “the great day of their wrath has come”

B. All of the Tribulation judgments are God’s wrath, beginning with Rev 6:1. In 6:15-17, those whom will have been left behind from the rapture have come to recognize that “wrath has come” (has already come), as opposed to, “will come” in the future, (beyond this account of God’s seal judgments). These verse accounts show that the wrath is of God, and not of mankind, Antichrist or of “mother nature,”

C. God’s wrath is not confined to the Book of Revelation. The Noahic flood was of God’s wrath (Gen 6:13, 2448 B.C.). The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was of God’s wrath (Gen 19:24, 2056 B.C.). The overthrow of Jerusalem and the Temple by Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C. was of God’ wrath (2 Chron 36:14-21).

IV. References.

A. Paragraph I. Revelation Commentary, John F. Walvoord, Th. D.

B. Paragraph II. New American Standard Bible Text was cut and pasted from Bible Gateway. Comments come from Ryrie Study Bible, Charles C Ryrie, Th. D., Ph. D.

C. Paragraph III. Comments are mine, using data and notes from Scofield Study Bible and Ryrie Study Bible.

Another Jesus – Teach Your Children

Parents, please understand that in today’s world, certain things that are truthful must be camouflaged so that their messages will not be cancelled. Such is the case of the following information that is provided. As you view the closing video, please understand that issues are being made known, that are ungodly, and need to be known by as many people as possible. But, first, consider the following verses and information.

Deuteronomy 6:1-8 (NASB).

1 “Now this is the commandment, the statutes, and the judgments which the Lord your God has commanded me to teach you, so that you may do them in the land where you are going over to take possession of it, ² so that you, your son, and your grandson will fear the Lord your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. ³ Now Israel, you shall listen and be careful to do them, so that it may go well for you and that you may increase greatly, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

⁴ “Hear, Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! ⁵ And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶ These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. ⁷ And you shall repeat them diligently to your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk on the road, when you lie down, and when you get up. ⁸ You shall also tie them as a sign to your hand, and they shall be as frontlets on your forehead.

The passage that precedes this paragraph relates directly to anyone who has children, whether the children may be 5, 15, 25, 35, 35, etc. We, who have had our lives eternally saved through belief in Christ, as our Lord and Savior, must take very seriously the admonition, to teach our children, that whch is stated in God’s Word.

There is rampant teaching in many co called, Christian circles, that is addressed in the following verse.

2 Corinthians 11:4 (NASB)

⁴ For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, this you tolerate very well!

We must reverse the ungodly teaching that is entering the minds of our children through anti-Christ tv network broadcasts and school administrators, and even in what may be called churches. Jews and Christians and patriots must take back control of any nation that has historically been free, but is now in danger of losing such freedoms.

The following video may be the most important one that any of us has ever seen. Don’t keep the facts that are discussed a secret. Your family and friends need to know the direction that ungodly people around the world are trying to lead our nations and families.

Please know that the following video speaker is exposing things that have been said by ungodly people who are trying to take over our world, and remove the freedoms that many people have enjoyed all of their lives. Facts are facts and need to be exposed for what they are. The speaker is saying that which others have spoken or written; the video is factual.

Video details follow. “The False Gospel of Critical Race Theory” – Colossians 2:8, July 4, 2021, Dr. Andy Woods, Sr. Pastor. Learn hear how what today is being promoted in evangelicalism as “social justice” really has nothing to do with Christianity and, in fact, is nothing more than Marxism in disguise.