Sermon Notes - Revelation 6:12-17 - Fifth and Sixth Seals - Littleby Baptist Church - August 8, 2021

The First Seal – The antichrist is revealed.

2.     The Second Seal – War breaks out, unlike anything we have seen as lines are drawn that may split countries and even families.

3.     The Third Seal – Famine, work for the absolute bare necessities.  

4.     The Fourth Seal – Death hits the earth, in today’s numbers almost 2 billion people will be gone.

5.     The Great Tribulation has fallen on the earth.

6.     Revelation 6:9 The Fifth Seal

a.      The symbolism would make sense for the Jewish people.

                                                    i.     OT Priests would apply blood to the horns of the altar and pour out the rest of it at the base of the altar.

                                                  ii.     The Blood of Christ would be the sacrifice that was applied to the horns of the altar, as it paid for the salvation of all who believe.

                                                iii.     These souls are those martyred during the Great Tribulation. They are at the base of the alter, not the key sacrifice but a sacrifice none the less.

b.     We will look at this in a more detail next week - Revelation 7:13-14

                                                    i.     People who died because they would not renounce the Word of God, receive a white robe.

c.      Vs. 10 – Those who endured persecution, those that died in the name of Jesus, they know what Scripture tells them about the coming judgement.

                                                    i.     They are asking, how much longer must saints die, how many more will be sacrificed, how much longer till the pain comes to an end.

                                                  ii.     Come Lord Jesus Come.

d.     Vs. 11 – God already knows how many will be martyred and while the those who already went through it are crying out hoping others will not, Jesus is saying a ‘little while longer’… the rest of the events must play out. 

7.     Revelation 6:12-14 - The Sixth Seal.

a.      These are events that the Old Testament foretold.

b.     Ezekiel 38:18-20 – Great earthquake where mountains will be demolished, and every wall will fall.

c.      Isaiah 13:10 – The sun will be dark, and the moon will not shine.

d.     Matthew 24:29 – Jesus talking about the end of days.

                                                    i.     Sun is darkened, stars will fall from the sky.

e.      Revelation 11:19 – The Seventh Trumpet

                                                    i.     Lightning, thunder, earthquake, and severe hail.

f.      Revelation 16:17-21 The Seventh Bowl

                                                    i.     Lightning, thunder, severe earthquake, islands, and mountains disappeared, and enormous hail stones.

8.     The End is near, it is within reach.

a.      If this this is not a sign of great distress in the Great Tribulation, I am not sure what else to call it.

9.     Revelation 6:15

a.      Isaiah 2:10 – ‘Go into the rocks and hide in the dust from the terror of the Lord and from his majestic splendor.’

b.     The judgement is so severe that no man-made structure is standing… hiding in caves is the only place one can go.

c.      Every person alive, from the richest most powerful to the poorest person around will be in hiding.

d.     The Son of God came to earth for all humankind, for the poorest of poor to the richest person alive.  

e.      A gift for everyone… a gift that those hiding from God did not accept.

10.  Revelation 6:16-17

a.      The day of wrath has arrived.

b.     Knowing how severe things are.

c.      How hopeless things have become.

d.     Those who were hiding were so afraid they were ready to die.

e.      They did not want to face the judgement of Jesus.

f.      As the mountains were crumbling, the people were hoping they would be crushed.

g.     Jesus is revealed as the ultimate authority over all of the universe.

h.     Romans 14:11 – every knee will bow and tongue confess… that Jesus is Lord.

i.       As they face the wrath, those who are condemned will recognize who Jesus is.   

11.  Who is able to stand?

a.      Our God will judge those who reject Him, those who reject His free gift.

b.     Malachi 3:1-3

                                                    i.     Prophecy concerning the second coming of our Lord Jesus.

                                                  ii.     Who can endure the day?

                                                iii.     Who will be able to stand?

                                                iv.     Only those purified like gold and silver.

1.     These metals are heated to 1,450 degrees to remove the impurities.

2.     Gold and Silver remain pure at this temp.

3.     God’s chosen people could not stand before God on their own.

4.     They need to be refined; they need a Savior to stand before God.

5.     They need to be cleansed to have their stains removed, like your favorite stain remove saves your clothes.

c.      No one can stand before God on their own.

d.     Those trembling in fear, hiding in the rocks, asking to be crushed, cannot stand before God.

e.      Those today, who are without Jesus cannot stand before God.  

12.  Through Jesus we can stand

a.      Romans 5:1-2

                                                    i.     Through faith we have been justified and refined.

1.     As those who have been grafted into the family of God we have been cleansed.

                                                  ii.     Through faith in Jesus, we have obtained access to His Grace.

1.     We no longer need to fear His Wrath.

2.     Through faith we can stand in His Grace.

13.  The Great Tribulation will not be pleasant…

a.      The antichrist will attempt to assert control, which he is given for a time.

b.     War, famine, and death will prevail.

c.      People will die in the name of Jesus.

d.     And then the Sixth Seal is opened.

e.      An unprecedented event like one that has never been seen on earth.

f.      Destruction that is hard to even imagine.

g.     People will be begging to die.

14.  Yet, those that have Faith in Jesus can hold on to the Gift of Grace they have been given.

a.      Their Hope is secure as it is in Jesus.

b.     Our Hope is secure in our Savior Jesus.