Who is able to Stand? - Revelation 6:9-17
INTRODUCTION:
Many people struggle with the God of love also being a God of wrath, but when we begin to understand who God is and understand His attributes then we can begin to understand how God can be both love and wrath. God’s wrath only comes into play when man refuses God’s love that is offered to all mankind through Jesus Christ. There is only one way in which we as sinners can be forgiven and escape God’s wrath, and that is agreeing with God that we are sinners unable to save ourselves, but believing that Jesus Christ’s death on the cross paid the penalty required for our sin to be forgiven, and believing that He was buried, and believing that three day later He rose from the dead triumphing over sin and death forever and guaranteeing our forgiveness of sins and eternal life. This is the only way in which we can escape God’s wrath. God’s wrath is reserved for those who refuse to come to God in the one and only way in which we can come to God. Whenever we see God’s wrath whether in the Old Testament or the New Testament it is always in righteous judgment against sin. When God’s wrath was displayed at the flood it was because of man’s wickedness on the earth, but at the same time we saw His grace and love as He preserved Noah and his family. When God’s wrath was seen in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, again it was in righteous judgment against the sin that filled that city, but again God’s grace and love were seen in the saving of Lot and his family. God’s wrath is always connected with judgment against sin, His grace and love is always connected with repentant hearts that are seeking God in faith. Revelation is God’s final dealing with sinful man who refuses to repent, even in Revelation we see God’s grace and love shown to those who repent.
Last Sunday we looked as the first four seals were broken from the scroll by the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ. These first four seals released the four horsemen of the apocalypse and the Tribulation began on the earth. This morning we are going to finish chapter 6 which has two more of the seals on the seven-sealed scroll, the title deed of all creation. The seventh seal which we will look at in a couple of weeks will usher in the trumpet judgments and the bowl judgments. This morning let’s pray and then get into our passage for this morning.
--PRAY--
SCRIPTURE:
Turn in your Bibles to Revelation 6:9-17 our Scripture passage for this morning. Please stand if you are able in honor of the reading of God’s Word.
Revelation 6:9-17,
“When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; 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 dwell on the earth?’ And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also. I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?’” (Revelation 6:9–17, NASB95)[1]
THE FIFTH SEAL – THE PRAYERS OF THE MARTYRS (Revelation 6:9-11)
Having seen the effects of the fourth horseman that was released onto the earth with the power to kill one fourth of the world’s population, John turns his attention back to the Lamb who breaks the fifth seal on the scroll. John says that with the breaking of the fifth seal, he saw the souls of those who had been slain because of the Word of God and because of the testimony which they had maintained. John sees the souls of believers who had been martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ. Who are these believers? They cannot be the martyrs from the church age, because these have all been resurrected and have received their glorified bodies, John sees the souls of those who have been killed during the Tribulation, these are believers who after the rapture of the church realized what had happened and turned to God’s Word and believed that Jesus Christ died for them. Because of their faith in Christ they denied the Antichrist who began persecuting and killing those who opposed him, this persecution of believers which will begin early in the first half of the tribulation will intensify after the Antichrist sets himself up as god. At that time, he will make war with the saints. Those who refuse to worship the Antichrist will be murdered for opposing him.
John says the souls of these martyrs were underneath the altar because their bodily resurrection had no yet taken place and does not until the end of the Tribulation. The passage does not define which altar is in view, nor does the scene in heaven parallel the earthly temple of tabernacle. But since the souls are crying out to the Lord it is mostly likely an altar comparable to the altar of incense in the Old Testament because the burning of incense is always associated with the prayers of the saints.
John gives two reasons why the martyrs will be slain. They will be slain because of the Word of God, and because of the testimony which they maintained. The martyrs correctly interpret what is happening around them from studying the Word of God and they begin calling people to repent and believe the gospel. The Antichrist and his followers will not tolerate their bold witnessing and will kill them. The testimony that they maintained refers to their loyalty to Jesus Christ even in the face of death, they refuse to deny Christ and refuse to stop sharing the gospel despite life-threatening hostility.
Some would suggest that fifth seal is martyrdom, but that is not the case, because God is not judging those who put their faith in Him. Rather this seal depicts God’s wrath and judgment against evil. The force that is involved in this seal is the prayers of the tribulation martyrs for God to take vengeance on their murderers and judge them. Many want to say that this prayer is inappropriate for a believer to pray, but many of the psalms are prayers for God to judge those who are enemies to the one praying. When it is a time of grace a prayer for pardon is appropriate, but when it is a time of judgment prayers for divine judgment are fitting. Such prayers do not come from a desire for revenge, but instead they are a protest against all that is sinful and dishonoring to God. God will act in judgment in response to the prayers of the martyrs because their prayers are in accord with His will. Notice that when they address God, they do so recognizing that He is the Sovereign of all creation. The word translated “Lord” is the Greek word “Master” speaking of ownership and authority. Not only is He Master, but He is the Master who is holy and true, thus His judgment will be righteous and just.
They ask the Lord, holy and true, how long before He will avenge their blood on those who dwell on the earth. They are not asking for themselves so much as they are asking how long God will allow His name to be dishonored by those who are killing those who have put their faith in Him. They have a desire to see Satan and the Antichrist and all those who oppose Jesus Christ destroyed. Again, this phrase “those who dwell on the earth” is a phrase used by John in Revelation to refer to the ungodly, the sinful living on the earth and opposing God.
In response to their prayers God gives them a gift and a spoken word. First, we are told that God gave to each of the martyrs a white robe, these robes symbolize a reward of grace, they are symbolic of the eternal righteousness that belongs to those who overcome. Now these robes are either symbolic of the eternal righteousness that belongs to those who overcome because souls are just the spirit of a person and could not wear a robe. Or as some scholars believe that God gives the souls of those who die before the resurrection of their bodies, some temporary form which would allow these robes not just to be symbolic, but actual robes. John Walvoord speaking of this debate among scholars writes, “The fact that they are given robes would almost demand that they have a body of some kind. A robe could not hang upon an immaterial soul or spirit. It is not the kind of body that Christians now have, that is, the body of earth; nor is it the resurrection body of flesh and bones of which Christ spoke after His own resurrection. It is a temporary body suited for their presence in heaven but replaced in turn by their everlasting resurrection body given at the time of Christ’s return.”[2] Scripture does not speak on this subject, so this is just speculation on the part of theologians and scholars, and I guess we will have to wait until we are in heaven to find out for sure. The truth that we can hold onto is what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:8, “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:8, NKJV)[3] After giving them robes God responds with these words, “rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.” (Revelation 6:11, NASB95)[4] God is not rebuking these martyrs, but inviting them to enjoy the rest of heaven, God’s judgment will come soon on the wicked of the earth. Many believe that this seal marks the middle of the 7 years of Tribulation. God says that there are still some who will put their faith in Jesus Christ, and His full wrath on those who dwell on the earth will not come until that full number of fellow servants has been completed. Fellow servants and brethren who are to be killed seem to be two groups of people. Fellow servants are those who are alive and willing to die for their faith in Jesus Christ, but will live through the Tribulation. The brethren are those believers who will be killed, those who will be martyrs in the time left in the Tribulation.
THE SIXTH SEAL – UNIVERSAL DESTRUCTION (Revelation 6:12-14)
John attention is again drawn back to the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ as He breaks the sixth seal on the scroll and John records that “… there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” (Revelation 6:12b–14, NASB95)[5] By the time this seal is open the midpoint of the Tribulation has passed and the world is now experiencing what is known as the “Great Tribulation. The Antichrist by this time has broken his covenant with Israel and has desecrated the temple in Jerusalem and the world worships him as god, and massive persecution of Jews and Christians has begun. But as the sixth seal is broken the judgment will be so devastating and so terrible and terrifying that it only can and will be recognized as God’s doing.
John says first that there is a great earthquake, there have been many earthquakes in the history of the earth, and Jesus predicted in Matthew 24 that there would be earthquakes during the first part of the Tribulation, but what John saw here was far more powerful and devastating than any known earthquake, this earthquake shook the whole earth, but not only is the earth shaken, but it shakes the heavens as well.
Right after the earthquake we are told the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair. Sackcloth was rough cloth worn by mourners, it was made of black goats’ hair. The sun will turn as black as a mourner’s robe. John is not the only one who speaks of this happening, the prophet Joel prophesied that this would happen in connection with the day of the Lord: “The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.” (Joel 2:31, NASB95)[6] The third part of this seal is that the moon will become like blood. The ash and smoke that will fill the air from the great worldwide earthquake will cause the moon to look blood-red as it tries to pierce the smoke-darkened skies. Both Isaiah and Joel speak of this in Isaiah 13:10 and Joel 2:10, 31. These judgments will affect every aspect of life as the normal daylight and darkness is disrupted. The darkening of the sun and the moon will cause worldwide panic. But that is not the end, John says the stars of the sky fell to the earth. The word translated star can be used to refer to stars, but it also refers to any heavenly body other than the sun and the moon. This most likely does not refer to actual stars which are far too large to fall to the earth and would most likely incinerate long before reaching the earth. This most likely is asteroids or meteor showers striking the earth. It will seem as if stars are falling out of the sky. John goes on to say that the earth’s atmosphere is affected, John says that the sky is like an unrolled scroll that is split in the middle and it rolls up on either side, what this really is not known, this is what John saw in this terrible judgment of God. John then describes another devastating phenomenon, he says that every mountain and island were moved out of their places, which speaks of the whole unstable crust of the earth moving and shifting in the aftershocks of this worldwide earthquake.
What John describes will be the most terrifying events ever to have happened up to this time on the earth. The impact of this judgment will touch every part of this planet with great destruction. The reaction to this is seen in every class of society.
WHO IS ABLE TO STAND? (Revelation 6:15-17)
John describes the fear that will be felt by every unbeliever, and he list for us seven categories which includes all people on the earth, the kings of the earth refers to the world heads of state, the great men are the high-ranking officials in government, the commanders are the military leaders, the rich are those who control commerce and business, the strong may refer to those who are influential through all classes of society, and finally the slave and freeman rounds out the classes to include everyone in the world.
What is the reaction of the unbelieving world to these terrors? It is not repentance even though they recognize that this is judgment from God, instead the is panic. Even though they recognize this as judgment from God, they will still follow the Antichrist. They will seek to hide themselves in caves and among the rocks of the mountains, the very places that have been shaken and moved out of their places. They are no doubt seeking shelter from the asteroids and meteors that are bombarding the earth, but when you consider the massive earthquake and the aftershocks, and possible volcanic eruptions it would seem that such hiding places would offer no safety.
These terrifying events cause a world-wide prayer meeting, but instead of repenting of their sin, they pray to Mother Nature, not God. They pray to the mountains and rocks, begging them to “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Revelation 6:16–17, NASB95)[7] “Him who sits on the throne” refers to God the Father and literally says “hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne.” They will begin to understand that God is behind all these judgments they have been experiencing. More specifically they fear the wrath of the Lamb, Jesus Christ who is the direct agent of these judgments. “The great day of their wrath” is another term for “the Day of the Lord” and these horrific judgments precede the coming of the Lord Jesus and even anticipate the worst that is yet to come in the seventh seal, which includes the trumpet judgments and the bowl judgments.
The scene closes with the question: “Who is able to stand?” To those hiding in the caves and the rocks of the mountains the answer is “No one.” But a more obvious answer to this question of who is able to stand is only those who in repentance accept the grace of God offered through Jesus Christ, the Lamb that was slain to take away the sins of the world. Those who put their faith in Jesus Christ during this time might be martyred, but better to be martyred and in the presence of the Lord, then to face the wrath of the Lamb.
CONCLUSION:
The Revelation of Jesus Christ is given to us not to frighten us about the future, but instead to emphasize the importance of receiving the grace of God in the present age so that you have the blessed hope of being in heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ during this period in which God pours out His wrath on the earth. In my introduction to this message I spoke about God’s love and God’s wrath, and both are emphasized in God’s Word. Where God’s wrath is emphasized it is a warning to us that God is about to judge sin. Where His love is emphasized it is always a call to us to escape the wrath that is coming by having our sin forgiven through faith in Christ. Wherever we see God’s wrath in the Old Testament or in the New Testament it is always in connection with judgment upon sin. If you have agreed in repentance to God that you are a sinner and believed that Jesus Christ’s death on the cross paid the penalty for your sin and believe that He was buried and three days later rose from the dead triumphing over death and sin for all time then you are forgiven and you have escaped God’s wrath. Romans 8:1 tells us, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1, NASB95)[8] We cannot be condemned our sins are forgiven in Christ and we will not suffer God’s wrath due to sin. At the beginning of this message series I gave out a handout that listed 6 ways you should be influenced when studying Bible prophecy. I have included that handout again today. Let’s quickly review it again:
1. Studying Bible prophecy should influence us to consider our own salvation and thank God for saving us from the wrath to come.
2. Studying Bible prophecy should influence us to be concerned about the unsaved and active in telling them the Good News of Jesus before it is too late.
3. Studying Bible prophecy should influence us to seek to live pure and holy lives in view of Christ’s imminent (anytime) return.
4. Studying Bible prophecy should influence us to be clam when our hearts want to be stirred up and unsettled because of the circumstances around us; because we know that God is in control.
5. Studying Bible prophecy should have a comforting influence on grief stricken hearts because as believers we have the hope of seeing believing loved ones again.
6. Studying Bible prophecy should influence us to be diligently doing the Lord’s work until He returns for us or calls us home because that is what we are commanded to do.
How is this study of Bible prophecy influencing you?
[1]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[2]Walvoord, John F., The Revelation of Jesus Christ. Chicago, Ill. : Moody Press, 1966
[3]The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[4]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[5]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[6]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[7]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[8]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995