Sermon – Revelation 6 and 7 Heaven

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Sermon – Revelation 6 and 7 Heaven

First Presbyterian Church of Ocean City

April 17, 2016

            This is the third in a series of sermons I am preaching on the Book of Revelation.  We already seen that our Lord Jesus Christ is present with us whenever we worship.  We have also seen that he comes not as a powerful lion but as a sacrificed lamb defeating evil with love and forgiveness.  Today we will see Jesus transformed from a sacrificed lamb into a shepherd caring for his sheep.  We will get to this, but first lets pray.

            “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”  (Rev. 7:10)

            Last month ISIS terrorist attacked a retirement home is southern Yemen killing 15 people.  During the attack they captured Father Thomas Uzhunnalil and announced that he would be crucified for his faith on Good Friday.   The terrorist carried out this threat and the priest was crucified just like his savior, Jesus Christ.  Did the terrorists win?  Did they achieve their goal of silencing a priest and terrorizing a community.  The answer is no.  Because death cannot stop a faithful Christian.   We are not afraid of death because we know of the promise of eternal life.  Father Uzhannalil’s soul is today in heaven.  And one day he will receive a new resurrected body.  These are the promises of God.  And today we will read about these promises in the Book of Revelation. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3512288/ISIS-carries-Good-Friday-crucifixion-Indian-Catholic-priest-Yemen-kidnapped-three-weeks-ago.html)

            Last week in Revelation we saw the sacrificed lamb sitting on the throne with a scroll containing important prophecy for God’s people.  This scroll was sealed with seven seals and cannot be read until those seals are opened.  The lamb holding the scroll is the only one worthy to open the seals.  So let’s go back the Revelation and see what happens when the lamb opens the first seal.

Revelation 6:1 I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

            Who was this rider on this white horse?  There have been many theories about  this.  But here is what I think is most convincing.  White is a symbol of holiness.  So the white horse is on a mission.  It’s holy mission is to conquer evil.  I think this horse and rider represent the evangelists, the preachers and the teachers who go into the world with the holy word of God, to conquer the world with gospel of Jesus Christ.  In the first seal our means of salvation is already present with us.   All believers in Jesus Christ are already assured of eternal life.  And this good news is being spread all over the world.  This prepares us for what happens with the second seal.

³ When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” ⁴ Then another horse came out, a fiery red one.  Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.

            With the opening of the second seal a red horse enters the world with war and violence.  This was a reality experienced when Revelation was written and we experience it today.  We know all too well about the effects of war and violence.  Let’s watch the lamb open the third seal.

⁵ When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. ⁶ Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds^[a] of wheat for a day’s wages,^[b] and six pounds^[c] of barley for a day’s wages,^[d] and do not damage the oil and the wine!”

            The black horse enters the world with economic injustice.  Inflation has made it impossible for workers to make a living.  A full day’s pay is required to buy a day’s ration of grain.  Many people today work for a living and yet make barely enough to pay for food and housing.   So in addition to war and we now have economic injustice.  Let’s see what is behind seal number four.

7 When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” 8 I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

            A pale green horse brings disaster upon the world.  Violence, disease, famine all wreak havoc on God’s people.  Three horses have brought disaster upon us with war and violence, economic injustice, and now natural disaster.  Our only hope is in the white horse and proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Let’s look now as the fifth seal is opened.

9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” 11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,[e] were killed just as they had been.

            With the opening of the fifth seal all believers who die in the faith after living in the turmoil of war, economic injustice, violence, and natural disaster find themselves in heaven.  They are holy because their sin has been forgiven and therefore they are clothed in white robes.  This is where the souls of our loved ones and all the faithful go when they die.  They are in heaven waiting for the day that Jesus returns to earth and we all experience resurrection.   Let’s watch as the lamb opens the sixth seal.

12 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

            We have reached the day of judgement.  Creation is reversed.  In creation God said “Let there be light, and there was light.”  In judgment this light is removed and those who have rejected God experience this:

15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us[f] from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of their[g] wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”

            So it won’t be pleasant for those who reject Christ.  But all who hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and believe that he was resurrected from the dead will be saved from all this.  God will send the angels to protect us.  Here is what will happen:

7 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3 “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” 4 Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

            The number 12 is important in Revelation.  It is the number of God’s people.  There were 12 tribes of Israel and 12 disciples of Jesus.   Here there are 12 times12 times 1000, all God’s people are saved.  And it is not just the ones you expect.  There are many people you never thought would be in heaven.

9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:  “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

            Salvation belongs to all who put their faith in Christ regardless of their nationality, tribe, people, or language.  Everyone who believes in Christ will have their sin forgiven and will be dressed in the white robes of holiness.  As the souls of believers gather in heaven the angelic choirs begins to sing.

12 “Amen!, Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”

             As John saw the souls of believers arriving in heaven one of the angels asked him who they were.  Listen to the conversation.

13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”

14 I answered, “Sir, you know.”

And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

            The souls of believers are dressed in holiness in heaven.  Their robes have been bleached white by the blood of that Jesus shed on the cross.  Through Jesus’ blood your sins have been forgiven.  Your souls will go to heaven when you die.  You clothing will be white signifying your holiness,  and your relationship to God will be restored.  As believers you will be saved.

            And so the cherubim and angels in heaven join their voices with all the souls of the  faithful to sing praises to God.

15 Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple;

and he who sits on the throne  will shelter them with his presence.  16 ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst.  The sun will not beat down on them,’[a] nor any scorching heat.  17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’[b]   ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’[c]”

            This is the promise for all who believe.  Father Thomas Uzhunnalil and all Christian martyrs, and all the faithful who have died have been gathered into heaven by the Good Shepherd our Lord Jesus Christ.  Let’s pray.

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power,

for ever and ever!” (Rev. 5:13)