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SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 31

TITLE: THE SIXTH SEAL, PART II: THE FEAR FACTOR

TEXT: REVELATION 6:15-17

INTRODUCTION: (1) THE HUMAN EMOTION OF FEAR IS A FEELING WHICH IS AMONG THE MOST POWERFUL OF HUMAN EMOTIONS.

* IN FACT, IT IS SO POWERFUL THAT IT IS CAPABLE OF SEIZING – TAKING CONTROL OF THE MIND AND WILL.

** LET ME ILLUSTRATE THE FEAR FACTOR CAN PRODUCE ON ONE HAND, CAN DRIVE A PERSON TO HEROISM AND ANOTHER, TO COWARDICE.

*** THE FEAR FACTOR CAN BRING ABOUT THE CONTRASTS OF AGGRESSION TO PASSIVITY, REASON TO CONFUSION AND CLEAR THINKING TO TOTAL PANIC.

(2) FEAR CAN STRENGTHEN THE HEART AND DRIVE IT TO GOD OR MAKE US QUESTION GOD AND DRIVE US TO COLLAPSE.

* FEAR CAN MAKE OUR HEARTS BEAT FASTER OR STOP THE HEART AND LEAD TO DEATH.

** NOW WHAT ARE SOME COMMON FEARS?

*** WELL, WE ARE TOLD THE FEAR OF PUBLIC SPEAKING IS NO. 1 FOR SOME PEOPLE, AND IT CERTAINLY SCARES ME, I UNDERSTAND THAT FEAR BUT GOD HAS CALLED ME TO PROCLAIM HIS WORD SO I DEAL WITH IT BY HIS GRACE.

**** THEN THE FEAR OF DEATH IS RIGHT UP THERE. FOR SOME THE FEAR OF CANCER OR DISEASE IS A FACTOR.

(3) THE FEAR OF A LOSS OF JOB WHICH SOME OF YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH. THE FEAR OF INJURY, OLD AGE, AND THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE ARE BEFORE PEOPLE.

* AND CERTAINLY THE FEAR OF MAN, THE FEAR OF WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK IS A REALITY WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH, READ PROVERBS 29:25.

** IN ADDITION, THERE ARE OTHER FEARS CALLED PHOBIAS THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE LITERALLY CRIPPLED BY.

*** FEAR OF FLYING, FEAR OF HEIGHTS, THE FEAR OF INSECTS, SNAKES, DOGS, OF BEING ALONE AND EVEN BEING IN ENCLOSED SPACES.

**** AND FEARS CAN BE CRIPPLING, DEBILITATING, LEAD TO PARANOIA AND EXTREME REACTIONS, AND IRRATIONAL BEHAVIOR.

(4) AND INTERESTING TO ME THE WORD “FEAR” IS USED 313 TIMES IN MY BIBLE, IT IS A BIG TIME SUBJECT IN THE WORD OF GOD.

* AND BOTTOM LINE, PEOPLE FEAR ALL KINDS OF THINGS, BUT RARELY WHAT OR WHOM THEY OUGHT TO FEAR.

** MATTHEW 10:28 SAYS: (READ IT).

*** HEBREWS 10:31 SAYS: (READ IT).

**** AND THEN HEBREWS 12:28&29 SAYS: (READ THEM).

(5) NOW THE ONE FEAR WE SHOULD HAVE IS THE FEAR OF GOD. BUT INSTEAD OF FEARING HIM, MOST PEOPLE EITHER VIEW GOD AS SOME SORT OF BENIGN GRANDFATHER OR A SANTA CLAUS KIND OF PERSON, A COSMIC GENIE THAT GRANTS ALL OF OUR WISHES.

* OR THE MAN UPSTAIRS AND OF COURSE HE IS NOT A MAN, AND THEN SOME ACTUALLY DENY HIS EXISTENCE ALTOGETHER.

** WELL, SOME DAY, IN THE FUTURE, THE DAY OF HIS WRATH IS GOING TO COME TALKED ABOUT IN V. 17 OF OUR TEXT TODAY.

*** AND WE WILL SEE THE REACTION OF HUMAN BEINGS TO THE SIXTH SEAL JUDGMENT IN OUR PASSAGE TODAY AS A FEAR FACTOR THAT WILL BE FEAR OF THE JUDGMENT OF GOD.

**** IN FACT, DESCRIBING THAT COMING DAY OF JUDGMENT IN THE TRIBULATION JESUS SPOKE IN LUKE 21:26 OF “MEN FAINTING FROM FEAR AND THE EXPECTATION OF THE THINGS WHICH ARE COMING UPON THE WORLD, FOR THE POWERS OF THE HEAVENS WILL BE SHAKEN.”

(6) AND GET THIS, THE GREEK VERB “FAINTING” LIT. MEANS TO STOP BREATHING, TO EXPIRE, TO FAINT OR SWOON AWAY.

* AND WHEN THE DAY OF GOD’S WRATH COMES, SOME PEOPLE ON THE EARTH AT THAT TIME WILL BE SO TERRIFIED AND FEARFUL THAT SOME WILL DROP DEAD AND OTHERS WILL FAINT.

** WELL, THE SIXTH SEAL WHICH WE STUDIED LAST SUNDAY WHICH AFFECTS THE EARTH, THE SUN, THE MOON, THE STARS, THE SKY AND THE MOUNTAINS AND ISLANDS.

*** THIS SEAL HAS SUCH DEVASTATING AND CATACLYSMIC AFFECTS WILL BRING GREAT FEAR UPON PEOPLE WHO DON’T KNOW THE LAMB – CHRIST.

**** AND THEIR FEAR AND THEIR TERROR WILL LEAD THEM TO CRY FOR THE MOUNTAINS AND ROCKS TO HIDE THERE FROM THE HOLY FURY OF GOD’S DEVASTATING WRATH.

(7) AND TODAY WE WILL STUDY THE HUMAN REACTION TO THE DEVASTATION CAUSED BY THE SIXTH SEAL, WHICH I’VE TITLED: THE SIXTH SEAL, PART II: THE FEAR FACTOR.

* AND UNDER THAT THEME, WE’LL LOOK AT 3 POINTS TODAY AS WE STUDY REVELATION 6:15-17.

** NO. 1 THE REACH OF FEAR, V. 15A; NO. 2 THE REACTION OF FEAR, VV. 15B&16; AND NO. 3 THE REASON FOR FEAR, V. 17.

*** AND WITH THOSE POINTS AS A PATH TO FOLLOW LOOK AT V. 15A PLEASE WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE REACH OF FEAR.

I. THE REACH OF FEAR, (READ V. 15A)

A. NOW THE RANGE OR REACH OF FEAR IS TO EVERYONE IN ALL CATEGORIES OF LIFE.

* AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS SEVEN CATEGORIES OF PEOPLE ARE TALKED ABOUT IN V. 15 WHICH WOULD SPAN OR COVER ALL LEVELS OF SOCIETY, ALL CLASSES OF SOCIETY.

** EVERY STRATUM OF UNSAVED SOCIETY IS FILLED WITH FEAR AS A RESULT OF WHAT TOOK PLACE UNDER THE 6TH SEAL, FROM THE HIGH AND MIGHTY TO THE LOW.

*** AND SPECIFICALLY BEGINNING WITH THE HIGH, THE UPPER CRUST, THE FIRST OF THE SEVEN CATEGORIES, THE KINGS OF THE EARTH.

**** AND THIS CATEGORY REFERS TO HEADS OF NATIONS, HEADS OF STATE, THE HIGHEST RULERS LIKE PRESIDENTS, PRIME MINISTERS, PREMIERS, KINGS AND QUEENS.

1. NO. 2 THE GREAT MAN, THE GREAT ONES, TRANSLATED THE PRINCES IN THE NIV.

* AND HERE WE’RE TALKING ABOUT HIGH RANKING OFFICIALS IN THE GOVT. UNDER THE PRESIDENTS, THE PRIME MINISTERS, ONES WHO HAVE GREAT INFLUENCE IN GOVT. – THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS.

** NO. 3 THE COMMANDERS TRANSLATED THE GENERALS OR THE CHIEF CAPTAINS IN OTHER TRANSLATIONS.

*** AND HERE WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE MILITARY LEADERS, THE GREEK WORD USED ORIGINALLY TALKING ABOUT A COMMANDER OF 1,000 MEN, A ROMAN TRIBUNE, THE COMMANDER OF A COHORT.

**** NO. 4 THE RICH. AND THIS CATEGORY MAKES REFERENCE TO WORLD BANKERS, FINANCIERS, THOSE WHO ARE IN COMMERCE, THE MONEY PEOPLE, FINANCIAL OFFICERS.

2. NO. 5 THE STRONG, THE MIGHTY, THE POWERFUL. AND THIS GROUP REPRESENTS THOSE WHO HAVE GREAT INFLUENCE IN SOCIETY, THE INFLUENTIAL.

* AND IN SUMMARY, THESE FIRST 5 CATEGORIES TALK ABOUT THE UPPER CRUST, THE POWERFUL, THE ELITE IN SOCIETY.

** AND ALL OF THESE HIGH AND MIGHTY PEOPLE ARE BROUGHT TO A STATE OF PANIC BY THE DRAMATIC EVENTS OF THE SIXTH SEAL.

*** BUT SO ARE THE LOW, THE LOWER CLASSES, THE COMMON PEOPLE, THE EVERYDAY JOE, THE RANK AND FILE PEOPLE.

**** AND THEY ARE REPRESENTED BY THE SIXTH AND SEVENTH CATEGORIES, NO. 6 EVERY SLAVE OR BONDMAN AND NO. 7 EVERY FREE MAN.

3. BELOVED, THE BLUE COLLAR WORKERS, THE WHITE COLLAR WORKERS, THE MIDDLE AND LOWER CLASSES WITHOUT POWER AND WEALTH WILL ALSO BE TERRIFIED BY THE NATURAL DISASTERS, THE COSMIC EVENTS OF GOD’S JUDGMENT.

* EVERYONE FROM THE UTTERMOST TO THE GUTTERMOST WHO DO NOT KNOW CHRIST WILL BE CRIPPLED BY FEAR.

** AND THAT IS THE RANGE OR REACH OF FEAR, EVERYONE!

*** WHICH LEADS US TO OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE REACTION OF FEAR, LOOK BACK AT V. 15 AGAIN PLEASE.

II. THE REACTION OF FEAR, (READ V. 15)

A. NOW THE REACTION WE SEE HERE BECAUSE OF FEAR IS PANIC.

* AND PANIC IS NOT RATIONAL, IT IS NOT LOGICAL, IT IS HYSTERICAL.

** AND THE PANIC THAT IS CAUSED BY THE NATURAL DISASTERS DRIVES PEOPLE UNDERGROUND, TO FLEE TO PLACES THEY THINK ARE SAFE.

*** THEY TRY TO HIDE IN CAVES AND AMONG THE ROCKS OF THE MOUNTAINS, BEHIND THEM, AROUND THEM IN A SENSE.

**** AND REMEMBER THAT MOUNTAINS HAVE BEEN MOVED BY THE GREAT EARTHQUAKE BUT NOT LEVELED.

1. THEY WILL NOT BE LEVELED UNTIL THE FINAL JUDGMENT, THE SEVENTH BOWL JUDGMENT IN REVELATION 16:20.

* SO THE MOUNTAINS ARE STILL AROUND, BUT PANIC STRICKEN SINNERS WILL REACT FOOLISHLY AND IRRATIONALLY ATTEMPTING TO HIDE THEMSELVES IN THE CAVES AND AMONG THE ROCKS OF THE MOUNTAINS, THE VERY PLACES THAT ARE BEING SHAKEN.

** AGAIN PANIC CAUSES PEOPLE TO DO WEIRD THINGS.

*** AND IT IS POSSIBLE THAT PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO GO UNDERGROUND AT THIS TIME AS THINGS ARE FALLING FROM THE SKY – THE STARS, AND GO ANYWHERE THAT MIGHT PROTECT THEM, A BOMB SHELTER, TUNNELS, SUBWAY TUNNELS, DEEP BASEMENTS, FOR JOHN IN HIS VISION IDENTIFIED CAVES AND ROCKS, FOR THAT’S WHAT HE WAS USED TO SEEING IN HIS DAY AND WHAT HE HAD UNDERSTANDING OF.

**** BUT REGARDLESS, PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO HIDE, TO BURROW INTO THE EARTH.

2. AND THIS SOUNDS VERY MUCH LIKE WHAT ISAIAH DESCRIBED IN A PROPHECY OF A DAY OF RECKONING IN ISAIAH 2:17-21.

* AND IT SAYS THERE AND YOU CAN FOLLOW ALONG ON THE SCREEN:

** ISAIAH 2:17 – THE PRIDE OF MAN WILL BE HUMBLED AND THE LOFTINESS OF MEN WILL BE ABASED; AND THE LORD ALONE WILL BE EXALTED IN THAT DAY,

V. 18 – BUT THE IDOLS WILL COMPLETELY VANISH.

V. 19 – MEN WILL GO INTO CAVES OF THE ROCKS AND INTO HOLES OF THE GROUND BEFORE THE TERROR OF THE LORD AND THE SPLENDOR OF HIS MAJESTY, WHEN HE ARISES TO MAKE THE EARTH TREMBLE.

V. 20 – IN THAT DAY MEN WILL CAST AWAY TO THE MOLES AND THE BATS THEIR IDOLS OF SILVER AND THEIR IDOLS OF GOLD, WHICH THEY MADE FOR THEMSELVES TO WORSHIP,

V. 21 – IN ORDER TO GO INTO THE CAVERNS OF THE ROCKS AND THE CLEFTS OF THE CLIFFS BEFORE THE TERROR OF THE LORD AND THE SPLENDOR OF HIS MAJESTY, WHEN HE ARISES TO MAKE THE EARTH TREMBLE.

*** NOW THIS CERTAINLY SOUNDS LIKE THE EVENTS THAT HAPPEN UNDER THE SIXTH SEAL. AND THE HIGH AND MIGHTY ARE GOING TO BE HUMBLED IN THAT DAY AND THE LORD WILL BE EXALTED.

**** AND AS WE GO BACK TO REVELATION 6, THE PANIC CONTINUES AND PEOPLE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THESE EVENTS ARE THE RESULTS OF GOD’S WRATH. LOOK AT V. 16 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 16. NOW FEAR AND TERROR BRING PANIC AND DESPAIR AND HOPELESSNESS.

* AND PEOPLE FROM ALL STRATA OF SOCIETY HAVE FOUND THAT THEIR MAKE-BELIEVE WORLD HAS COLLAPSED AND THEY HAVE TO FACE GOD.

** ALL ARE CONSCIOUS THAT THERE IS A GOD DEALING WITH THE EARTH.

*** ATHEISM HAS NO ANSWER. AGNOSTICISM IS INADEQUATE IN THIS CRISIS, EVOLUTIONARY HUMANISM BRINGS NO PEACE.

**** AND A SOCIETY THAT HAS DENIED THE VERY EXISTENCE OF GOD BY PRACTICE OR PROFESSION IS NOW FORCED TO ACKNOWLEDGE GOD AND THE LAMB.

1. BUT INSTEAD OF REPENTING AND CRYING OUT FOR MERCY, THEY CRY OUT TO DISPLACED MOUNTAINS AND ROCKS, AND PROBABLY OTHER NATURAL AND CONSTRUCTED THINGS THAT ARE IN SHAMBLES TO FALL ON THEM AND KILL THEM.

* THEY WANT TO BE HID FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE GOD WHO SITS ON HIS THRONE AND FROM THE WRATH OF THE LAMB, THE LORD JESUS!

** BELOVED, THEY WOULD RATHER FACE DEATH THAN GOD!

*** THEIR RATIONALE IS DIE AND BE AWAY FROM THE FACE, THE WRATH OF GOD WITHOUT REALIZING THAT DEATH BRINGS THE FULL FURY OF THE WRATH OF GOD UPON THEM IN HELL.

**** FOR DEATH WILL NOT RELEASE THEM AND MOVE THEM FROM THE WRATH OF GOD, BUT WILL BRING THE WRATH OF GOD IN IT’S FULL IMPACT UPON THEM.

2. RATHER THAN BE DELIVERED FROM IT, THEY ARE GIVEN MORE FULLY TO IT.

* RATHER THAN TURN TO GOD, THEY RUN AWAY FROM HIM AND THINK THEY CAN ESCAPE HIS JUDGMENT, BUT IN REALITY FACE MORE OF IT.

** THEY FINALLY PRAY, BUT TO DIE IT WILL BE SO BAD, BUT THEY DON’T PRAY FOR MERCY.

*** AND THIS SO REMINDS ME OF AMERICAN CULTURE TODAY. GOD IS ACKNOWLEDGED, GOD IS PRAYED TO, THERE IS ALL KINDS OF GOD TALK AND GODSPEAK AND RELIGIOUS TALK, PEOPLE SAY THEY BELIEVE, BUT THEIR BELIEF IS DEMON FAITH, DEAD FAITH, READ JAMES 2:19 AND JAMES 2:26.

**** BUT THE MASS OF PEOPLE DON’T KNOW GOD, THEY ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, BUT DON’T FOLLOW HIM, LOVE HIM OR SERVE HIM, THEY SERVE SELF AND OTHER IDOLS.

3. AND THERE MAY BE EVEN ANOTHER THOUGHT HERE IN ACKNOWLEDGING THAT GOD IS ON THE THRONE AND THEY ARE FACING THE WRATH OF THE LAMB.

* AND THAT IS PEOPLE ARE EXPRESSING OUTRAGE AND BLAME, “IT’S ALL GOD’S FAULT” IN THE FAMILIAR EXPRESSION FROM NATURAL DISASTERS, AND PEOPLE BLASPHEME GOD RATHER THAN WORSHIP HIM IN HIS MIGHTY POWER.

** THE RESPONSE MIGHT BE HERE, “WHAT DID WE DO TO DESERVE THAT?” RATHER THAN WE DESERVE THIS LORD, HAVE MERCY ON ME A SINNER.

*** AND THIS SHOWS TO ME CLEARLY THE DEPRAVITY OF PEOPLE AND THEIR INABILITY TO TURN TO CHRIST UNLESS GOD DRAWS THEM.

**** PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS FREELY CHOOSE THEIR SIN AND BLAME GOD RATHER THAN TURN TO HIM IN REPENTANT FAITH WITHOUT SOVEREIGN SAVING ELECTING GRACE.

4. I MEAN HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THIS RESPONSE HERE? ISN’T IT LOGICAL THAT PEOPLE WHO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PRESENCE OF GOD WHO SITS ON HIS THRONE AND THE WRATH OF THE LAMB THROUGH NATURAL DISASTERS TURN TO THAT GOD AND THE LAMB AND CRY OUT FOR MERCY? ISN’T THAT LOGICAL?

* BUT THERE IS NOTHING LOGICAL ABOUT THE BLINDING ENSLAVING RESULTS OF SIN THAT DRIVES PEOPLE FREELY TO CHOOSE THEIR SIN OVER CHRIST UNLESS THEY ARE QUICKENED – MADE ALIVE, CALLED, REGENERATED BY GOD’S GRACE.

** MANKIND LEFT TO HIMSELF WILL ALWAYS FREELY CHOOSE SIN OVER CHRIST. JOHN 3:19 SAYS: (READ IT).

*** ALSO READ EPHESIANS 2:1-5.

**** AND BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AS WE GO BACK TO V. 16 THE RESPONSE OF THESE PEOPLE IS NO SURPRISE IF WE UNDERSTAND DEPRAVITY OR TOTAL INABILITY. THE WILL IS ENSLAVED TO SIN, THERE IS THE BONDAGE OF THE WILL AND MEN WILL NOT TURN FROM THEIR WAY UNLESS GOD INTERVENES WITH SOVEREIGN GRACE.

5. LEFT TO THEMSELVES PEOPLE CURSE AND REJECT A HOLY LOVING GOD OF WRATH.

* AND YOU WOULD THINK THROUGH THESE DISASTERS PEOPLE WOULD RUN TO GOD, BUT THEY RUN AWAY, WANTING TO DIE SO THAT IN THEIR MINDS THEY CAN BE DELIVERED FROM FURTHER WRATH, AND THEY EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE HIS WRATH.

** AND THEIR REASON FOR FEAR, OUR LAST POINT TODAY IN V. 17 IS THE WRATH OF GOD HAS COME. LOOK AT V. 17 PLEASE.

III. THE REASON FOR FEAR, (READ V. 17)

A. NOW BOTTOM LINE, THE REASON FOR FEAR IS, THE GREAT DAY OF THEIR WRATH HAS COME.

* “THEIR” BEING THE BETTER TRANSLATION BECAUSE OF THE CONTEXT, V. 16, THEIR MAKING REFERENCE TO THE GOD WHO SITS ON THE THRONE AND THE LAMB, THE LORD JESUS.

** AND THEIR WRATH RATHER THAN “HIS” WRATH IN THE KJV AND NKJV ACCORDING TO SCHOLAR DR. ROBERT THOMAS HAS SUBSTANTIAL MANUSCRIPT SUPPORT.

*** SO THE DAY OF GOD AND THE LAMB’S WRATH HAS COME.

**** THE DAY OF THE LORD AND GOD’S JUDGMENT IS HERE, THE GREAT TRIBULATION HAS STARTED WHICH IS THE 2’D HALF OF THE TRIBULATION.

1. THE LAMB WHO IS ALSO A LION, THE ONE WITH SEVEN HORNS, IN REVELATION 5:6, HIS WRATH IS COMING OUT IN FULL VIEW. HE IS LION-LIKE IN JUDGMENT AND LAMB-LIKE IN HIS MERCY.

* BUT THE DAY OF GRACE IS OVER AND WRATH IS BEING POURED OUT BY HIM AND GOD THE FATHER WHO IS ON HIS THRONE.

** THE DAY OF WRATH HAS COME, WHICH LEADS TO A RHETORICAL QUESTION: WHO IS ABLE TO STAND?

*** AND THE ANSWER IS NO ONE. AS THE PROPHET NAHUM WROTE IN NAHUM 1:6 – “WHO CAN STAND BEFORE HIS INDIGNATION? WHO CAN ENDURE THE BURNING OF HIS ANGER?” (THE ANSWER – NO ONE).

**** I THESSALONIANS 5:3 DECLARES THAT DURING THE DAY OF THE LORD TALKED ABOUT A VERSE EARLIER IN V. 2, THAT “DESTRUCTION WILL COME UPON THEM SUDDENLY LIKE LABOR PAINS UPON A WOMAN WITH CHILD, AND THEY WILL NOT ESCAPE.”

2. AND BELOVED, THE UNGODLY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO AVOID OR EVADE GOD’S WRATH.

* AND THIS PANIC STRICKEN CRY, “WHO IS ABLE TO STAND?” SUMMARIZES THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF PEOPLE THAT THESE TERRIBLE JUDGMENTS ARE BUT THE PRELUDE OF MORE TERRIBLE BLOWS, AND THEY FEAR THEY CANNOT ENDURE WHAT THEY ANTICIPATE IS COMING IN HIS DAY OF WRATH SO THEY WANT TO DIE.

** THEY THINK THAT IS THEIR ONLY WAY TO ESCAPE GOD’S WRATH.

AND AS WE CONCLUDE OUR STUDY TODAY: TWO APPLICATIONS: (1) NO. 1 THE WRATH OF GOD IS A THEME IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION, FOR THE GREEK WORD TRANSLATED “WRATH” IS USED 6 TIMES IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION.

* AND WRATH IS ONE OF GOD’S ETERNAL ATTRIBUTES, THE PERFECT COMPLEMENT TO HIS LOVE, NOT A CONTRADICTION OF IT.

** GOD’S WRATH IS THE EVIDENCE OF HIS HOLY LOVE FOR ALL THAT IS RIGHT AND HIS HOLY HATRED FOR ALL THAT IS EVIL.

*** THE WRATH OF GOD IS HIS RIGHTEOUS, NECESSARY AND JUST RESPONSE TO SIN, ROMANS 1:18 SAYS: (READ IT).

**** SO GOD’S WRATH IS MANIFEST BY GOD’S JUDGMENT OF SIN.

(2) AND WHO IS ABLE TO STAND WHEN IT COMES TO WRATH? ONLY THOSE WHO TURN IN REPENTANT FAITH TO CHRIST.

* AND JOHN 3:36 TALKS ABOUT THIS, READ IT. ALSO READ ROMANS 5:9.

** AND GUESS WHAT, NO ONE CAN STAND EXCEPT THAT GOD INTERVENES WITH SOVEREIGN GRACE, AND GOD WILL DO THIS IN REVELATION 7 WHICH IS KIND OF A PARENTHESIS IN THE BOOK.

*** FOR IN THE MIDST OF GOD POURING OUT HIS WRATH IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION, HE SEALS 144,000 WITNESSES, AND A GREAT MULTITUDE WHICH NO ONE COULD NUMBER FROM EVERY NATION WILL BE SAVED IN REVELATION 7:9-12.

**** SO IN THE MIDST OF WRATH IS MERCY. AND FOR THOSE THAT HAVE RECEIVED MERCY, THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO THAT MERCY AS WE SEE IN REVELATION 7 IS WORSHIP AND PRAISE. AND FOR NOW SERVICE AND LOVE.

(3) AND WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN? ONE WHO FOLLOWS CHRIST, ONE WHO LOVES CHRIST, AS I JOHN 4:19 SAYS: (READ IT).

* ARE YOU A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST? DO YOU LOVE CHRIST TODAY? THEN SHOW IT BY THE FRUIT OF OBEDIENCE, SERVICE AND WORSHIP.

** IF YOU DON’T LOVE CHRIST AND FOLLOW HIM TODAY, CRY OUT FOR MERCY AND FORGIVENESS AND FLEE FROM THE WRATH TO COME.

(4) NO. 2 MY 2’D AND LAST APPLICATION. IF THESE EVENTS WERE NOT LITERALLY HAPPENING UNDER THE SIXTH SEAL, WE WOULD NOT SEE THE RESPONSE THAT WE SEE BY PEOPLE HERE.

* IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE SPIRITUALIZE, ALLEGORIZE AND MAKE THIS TEXT FIGURATIVE, WE WOULD NOT SEE THE RESPONSE OF FEAR THAT WE SEE TODAY.

** AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ALLEGORIZE AND SPIRITUALIZE THE BOOK ON THE WHOLE. AND HERE IS ANOTHER ARGUMENT NOT TO DO THAT (AND I SAY THIS, FOR SOME OF YOU ARE REALLY STRUGGLING WITH REVELATION AND I LOVE YOU).

*** BELOVED, THE FINAL BOOK OF THE BIBLE, THE FINAL BOOK OF THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE IS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND ON SOME POINTS, BUT IT IS NOT A MYSTERY.

**** AND I’M NOT SAYING I HAVE IT ALL FIGURED OUT. BUT IF YOU INTERPRET IT CONTEXTUALLY AND LITERALLY UNTIL THE CONTEXT OR WORDS TELL US TO TAKE IT SYMBOLICALLY, AND IF YOU TAKE IT LITERALLY UNTIL THAT TIME IT IS CLEAR. DEUTERONOMY 29:29 SAYS:

(5) NOW THIS BOOK HAS BEEN GIVEN TO US AND GOD PROMISES A SPECIAL BLESSING FOR THOSE WHO READ IT AND HEAR. GOD WANTS US TO BE IN THIS BOOK.

* IT SHOWS US HIS HOLY CHARACTER AND WRATH AND LOVE AND IT GIVES US HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.

** BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IF REVELATION DOESN’T MEAN WHAT IT SAYS, THEN WHO KNOWS WHAT IT MEANS.

*** AND IF WE TAKE THE PLAIN MEANING OF SCRIPTURE AND STUDY IT, IT MAKES SENSE. THE BIBLE IS WRITTEN TO ORDINARY PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SPIRIT OF GOD LIVING WITHIN THEM. THE RESIDENT TRUTH TEACHER.

**** AND GOD DOESN’T WANT HIS WORD TO BE A MYSTERY AND A DARK BOOK THAT PEOPLE CANNOT FIGURE OUT. THE BIBLE IS LIGHT!

(6) AND JOHN MACARTHUR MADE THIS STATEMENT AT SHEPHERD’S CONFERENCE IN MARCH IN HIS OPENING MESSAGE AND I QUOTE:

“I THINK THE END OF THE STORY MATTERS” (SPEAKING OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION). “I REALLY DON’T THINK GOD IS UNCLEAR AS SOME PEOPLE THINK HE IS. WHO WRITES A BOOK AND THEN CAN’T FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET ACROSS A COMPREHENDIBLE ENDING?” (END QUOTE)

* THE ANSWER. NOT GOD! IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING, HANG IN THERE AND THINK ABOUT THE CLARITY OF SCRIPTURE, ESPECIALLY GOD’S FINAL BOOK.

** GOD IS NOT A GOD OF AMBIGUITY, BUT CLARITY AND LIGHT.