The Seals Are Open - Revelation 6

Matthew 24: 36 “³⁶But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, buy only the Father.”

This Sunday past, following communion, we sang the praise song “Bones” and after the words were done the band played on. The Lamb as if it had been slaughtered came to my mind so I closed my eyes and let my thoughts kneel. I could picture the four living creatures and the 24 elders having tossed their crowns at the feet of the Lamb and we all worshipped – an unexpected benefit from study.

Up on the stage there were more pros than ams and it did my heart good to see Y on the bass guitar.

Where do I go from the first five chapters of Revelation that gave me such a wonderful view of worship and adoration that inspired such a pleasant worship time? And, why would I predicate my thoughts on a chapter of Revelation with a quote of Jesus from the book of Matthew?

First, the second question; it seems to me that there a lot of people who scour the bible to predict the Christ’s coming in judgment (so they can stop sinning at just the right moment and go to heaven?), particularly the book of Revelation. Jesus himself tells us that even he doesn’t know, only the Father knows and the timing will be to suit his purpose and timing. The opening of the fifth seal (Rev 6: 9-11) reiterates this when the martyrs cry out for justice and are “^11btold to rest a little longer, until the number would be complete both of their fellow servants and of their brothers and sisters, who were soon to be killed as they themselves had been killed.” Eerie in the face of what’s going on at the hands of ISIS, in Africa, and other hotspots around the globe. They are given white robes and protected in the throne room and under the altar where their faithfulness is as worship to God. Even with the graphic evidence of continued martyrdom it is folly to read into this a day and time for Christ’s triumphant return. We are each to be prepared and to remain faithful.

The first question? Well, I guess I’ve already started down the path with my answer to the second question. Chapter Six has John witnessing the opening of the first six seals. The opening of one through four unleashing four horsemen bringing about earthly events; conquering wars, civil war, famine, and death. These are nothing new to world history; on our globe, they have been going on since the writing of the Book of Revelation through now and the foreseeable future. The fifth and sixth seals speak of cosmic events on a scale that drive us to suicidal thoughts, for the rich and powerful and the lowly and meek alike. I don’t see anywhere here where Christians are to be lifted out of harm’s way and into the clouds. We must be prepared and remain faithful.

Does it feel like these events, the conflicts of man in particular, are accelerating? Could it be that the news of these conflicts is reaching us faster than ever before and more graphically, less filtered? Each generation from John’s published revelation to now have felt that surely this is the time and that events can’t get any worse and that Jesus will be in the next cloud. Even in our insulated America there is a sense of dread underlying our prosperity as we seek to keep the terror at bay while internally we are fragmented by fervency dividing our purpose and people on both sides of every issue cry out for justice and stand firm in their intolerance.

What else is there but for us to prepare ourselves, rest a little longer, and be faithful servants? Rev 6 11a: “They were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer,” Enjoy a Sabbath rest in the Lord.

In His grip, jerry