August 31, 2021

The Six Seals: This is the Day of the LORD, Part 1

Speaker: Noah Hartmetz Series: Revelation Scripture: Revelation 6:1–4

The Six Seals: This is the Day of the LORD
Revelation 6

Review

  • Ch. 1 — John’s preparation to be shown the visions

  • Chs. 2–3 — the seven churches moral preparation necessary to avoid the horrors of “the hour of testing” (3:10)

  • Chs. 4–5 — Throne room from where the Lamb took the scroll in order to open it

  • Ch. 6 — “the things which must soon take place” (see 1:1; 4:1) begin to unfold.

Background: The six seal judgments are the initial expression of God’s judgment and redemption. As background, they tie in OT passages that discuss the “Day of the LORD” and parallel statements in Jesus’ “Olivet Discourse.”

  • Day of the LORD: the central period when all expectations of God’s judgment and salvation converge. It is the time when God’s wrath applies extended pressure on His enemies in order to save His people Israel. See Obad 15; Joel 2:1, 31; 3:14.

  • Olivet Discourse (Matt 24–25; Mark 13; Luke 21): Jesus’ major sermon preached on the Mount of Olives about the end of the age and the destruction of the temple. The seals generally follow the order of Jesus’ outline of end-times events in the Olivet Discourse.

  • Zechariah’s vision of horsemen (1:7-17): Horses and riders returned from reconnaissance (“all is quiet and at peace”). Here the symbolism shows that the horses and riders are on the move to execute God’s plan (see the 8th vision in Zech 6:1-8).

Theme: The worthy Lamb sovereignly opens the seals to begin to show what must soon take place.

1. (6:1-2) 1st Seal: Total Sovereignty over Impostors and Peaceful Conquest

2. (6:3-4) 2nd Seal: Total Sovereignty over War and Carnage

3. (6:5-6) 3rd Seal: Total Sovereignty over Desperate Scarcity

4. (6:7-8) 4th Seal: Total Sovereignty over Disease and Death

5. (6:9-11) 5th Seal: Total Sovereignty over Persecution, Martyrdom, and Salvation

6. (6:12-17) 6th Seal: Total Sovereignty over Universal Judgment

Applications

  • Jesus alone resolves everything: He initiates the judgments which have devastating consequences for human beings. His judgments have purposeful consequences for believers. His judgments have a terrifying universal impact upon creation.

  • Jesus and the Day of the LORD: This is a period of time when God acts in a complex series of events that serves to judge His enemies and to save His people. Jesus, the Lamb who redeems His people by His sacrificial death, is also the Judge who executes judgment against His enemies.

other sermons in this series

Jan 15

2023

Jan 8

2023

The Vision of the Holy and Heavenly City – Part 1

Speaker: Noah Hartmetz Scripture: Revelation 21:9–27 Series: Revelation

Dec 18

2022

Judging the Old, Creating the New

Speaker: Noah Hartmetz Scripture: Revelation 20:11– 21:8 Series: Revelation