In this session, Pastor Mitch explains and defines Revelation 6:1-8:2. This is a lesson through the 7 seals of the scroll opened by Jesus Christ. Included is the mentioning of the 144,000 in Chapter 7.

1. The Revelation
of Jesus Christ
A study through the book of Revelation

2. A little bit of Background
Focus: Second coming of Jesus Christ
and the establishment of God’s
Kingdom at the end of time
Outline:
Chapter 1- The things you have seen
Chapters 2-3 – The Things which are
Chapters 4-22 – The Things to come

3. The seven churches of
Revelation 2-3
Ephesus
Smyrna
Pergamum (os)
Thyatira
Sardis
Philadelphia
Laodicea

4. A shifting in Focus
Chapters 2-3 focus on earth and the
7 churches.
Chapter 4 begins a shift in focus to
heaven.
“come up here” is transitional. It is
a change of location.
“a door was opened” is an
invitation for John to see the
splendor of heaven

5. A shifting in Focus
In Chapter’s 4-5 we see John’s
recording of his vision of God’s
throne.
John describes God the Father
sitting on the throne.
24 elders sit around the throne
praising God.
4 Seraphim lead worship in heaven.
Jesus Christ is the only one worthy
to take the scroll from God.

6. What does our life and our
Church say about Christ’s
Worthiness?
Do we lift Him up with our lives
like He deserves to be praised?
Or do we ignore He exists by the
way we live?
Or do we bring shame to His
name?

7. What is the purpose of
tonight’s study?
To increase our understanding of the
style and function of apocalyptic
literature.
Begin to clarify how God’s gift of free
will allows human beings either
creative faithfulness, which brings
God’s rewards, or sinful disobedience
to divine power, which brings God’s
judgment.

8. Chapters 6-11
These chapters go back and forth
between Heaven and Earth
They illustrate the struggle of the
church amidst persecution
The detail the judgment of God
against the enemies of the church

9. A pattern emerges
With each of the seven scenes that
John writes, there is a specific
pattern that they follow.
The first 4 scenes are revealed at
once to make 1 picture
The 5th and 6th scenes are revealed
together to make 1 picture
The 7th scene is a transition to the
next set of scenes

10. The 4 horsemen
The first 4 seals on the scroll are the
4 horsemen of the apocalypse
They are mentioned (borrowed)
from Zechariah 6:1-5
Each description is concise and brief

11. Before going in depth with the first 4
seals, we need to understand certain
basic truths
1. All power comes from God
2. God is the absolute ruler of the
world
3. God gave man a free will, thus it
is possible to misuse the portion
of power given to us
4. When this happens, it doesn't
mean that God is helpless or
frustrated.

12. The misuse of power that God gives
brings suffering and disaster
Wars
Starvation
Devastation
Power abused is still
under God’s control
These are the
judgments of God

13. Revelation 6:1-2
1And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the
seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of
thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and
see.2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he
that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given
unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to
conquer.

14. Revelation 6:3-4
3 And
when he had opened the second seal, I heard
the second beast say, Come and see.4 And there
went out another horse that was red: and power
was given to him that sat thereon to take peace
from the earth, and that they should kill one
another: and there was given unto him a great
sword.

15. Revelation 6:5-6
5 And
when he had opened the third seal, I heard
the third beast say, Come and see. And I
beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on
him had a pair of balances in his hand.6 And I heard
a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A
measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures
of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil
and the wine.

16. Revelation 6:7-8
7 And
when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard
the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and
see.8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his
name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed
with him. And power was given unto them over the
fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and
with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts
of the earth.

17. Artist rendering of 4 horsemen

18. The White Horse
Represents career and
conquest
Rider holds a bow
This is a representation of the
Parthian Riders to the East of
Rome
This vision suggests a
successful conquest of the
Roman empire and eventually
a collapse of many nations

19. The Red Horse
Represents War and Bloodshed
Rider holds a sword
He will take peace from the
earth
People will slaughter each
other

20. The Black Horse
Represents possible death and
Economic collapse
Rider holds a pair of scales
War will be followed by famine
and monetary inflation
A denarius was a days wage

21. The Pale Horse
Represents death
Rider’s horse has decaying
flesh
Aftermath of war will bring
famine, pestilence, wild
animals overrunning human
habitat

22. Revelation 6:9-11
9 And
when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw
under the altar the souls of them that were slain
for the word of God, and for the testimony which
they held:10 And they cried with a loud
voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost
thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that
dwell on the earth?11 And white robes were given
unto every one of them; and it was said unto
them, that they should rest yet for a little
season, until their fellowservants also and their
brethren, that should be killed as they were, should
be fulfilled.

23. The 5th Seal
Martyred Saints crying for vengeance
on those that spilled their blood
They are told to wait on God’s timing
While awaiting vindication, martyrs
are permitted to enjoy their time in
heaven.
They are given white robes
representing purity, victory and
service

24. Revelation 6:12-17
12 And
I beheld when he had opened the sixth
seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the
sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the
moon became as blood;13 And the stars of heaven
fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her
untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty
wind.14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it
is rolled together; and every mountain and island
were moved out of their places.

25. Revelation 6:12-17
15 And
the kings of the earth, and the great
men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and
the mighty men, and every bondman, and every
free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the
rocks of the mountains;16 And said to the
mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from
the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from
the wrath of the Lamb:17 For the great day of his
wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

26. The 6th Seal
God’s punishment of the wicked
John draws from Old Testament
prophetical writers
1. Earthquake (Haggai 2:6)
2. Sun black/ Moon blood (Joel 2:31)
3. Stars fall from sky (Isaiah 34:4)
4. Sky rolled like a scroll (Isaiah 34:4)
Some would suggest that these are
symbolic for political and economic
calmity

27. The 6th Seal
God’s punishment of the wicked
John draws from Old Testament
prophetical writers
1. Earthquake (Haggai 2:6)
2. Sun black/ Moon blood (Joel 2:31)
3. Stars fall from sky (Isaiah 34:4)
4. Sky rolled like a scroll (Isaiah 34:4)
Some would suggest that these are
symbolic for political and economic
calmity

28. Two comforting visions
Between the 6th and 7th seal John
shares 2 visions with the reader
The vision of the 144,000
And the vision of a
great multitude robed in white

29. Revelation 7:1-8
1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on
the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of
the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth,
nor on the sea, nor on any tree.2 And I saw another
angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the
living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four
angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the
sea,3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor
the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God
in their foreheads. 4 And I heard the number of them
which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred
and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the
children of Israel.

30. Revelation 7:1-8
5 Of
the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of
the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of
the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.
6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of
the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve
thousand.7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve
thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve
thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve
thousand.8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve
thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve
thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve
thousand.

31. Who are the 144,000?
Are they Jehovah’s Witnesses?
Are they all Christians ON THE
EARTH?
Are they literally 144,000 Jews on
the earth during the tribulation?
They will be sealed against Spiritual
harm but not necessarily from
physical harm.
They will have the mark of the King
on their forehead.

32. Revelation 7:9-17
9 After
this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which
no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and
people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and
before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms
in their hands;10 And cried with a loud
voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon
the throne, and unto the Lamb.11 And all the angels
stood round about the throne, and about the elders
and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their
faces, and worshipped God,12 Saying, Amen:
Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and
honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for
ever and ever. Amen.

33. Revelation 7:9-17
13 And
one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What
are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence
came they?14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And
he said to me, These are they which came out of great
tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them
white in the blood of the Lamb.15 Therefore are they
before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in
his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell
among them.16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst
any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any
heat.17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne
shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains
of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their
eyes.

34. The Multitude in Heaven
So large a crowd, it cannot be
numbered
Those who came through trials
and tribulation
They will wear white robes
Those robes are washed in the
blood of the Lamb

35. The 7th Seal
A transition into the next set of
judgments
After the seal is opened there is
silence in Heaven
(calm before the storm)
The next set of Judgments are seven
trumpets blown by seven different
angels.

36. What can we learn?
When we ignore God’s laws, judgment
will come
If we are faithful we will be rewarded
God is does not enjoy punishing the
wicked but will punish those that
break His laws or hurt His people