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The Seal Judgements Revelation 5-6

This guide is a tool to help you lead your group into spiritual transformation. Use it as a resource to train your group into potential disciple-makers and lead your group in discovering, owning, and applying the truths of Gods Word. There may be aspects you do not want to use and there may be instances where you just want to focus on a particular point or truth. Some questions may bring out emotions and cause people to dwell on an aspect of their relationship with God. Your role is to help facilitate this encounter with God in His Word with His Body, not just to complete the guide. Use this as a flexible teaching tool not a rigid group task list.

Relate . . .
Begin your group time by engaging in relational conversations and prayer that may include the following elements:

Welcomea simple, brief time to greet one another (especially new friends),
enjoy refreshments, and make announcements.

Reviewa time to review the truths discussed last week and report on how
members have had success or frustrations in applying those truths during the week. (The leader will want to provide encouragement and shepherding during this time.) Periodically, the leader will also want to review the gospel and allow members to share reports about opportunities theyve had to share the gospel. Occasionally, the leader will want to review the vision for the group and discuss ways to accomplish that vision better.

Prayera time of general prayer with the whole group praying for struggles
regarding the application of truths, for those with whom the group is sharing the gospel, and for understanding of todays truths.

Reflect . . .
Use the following summary and questions to review this weeks message and reflect on its implications for our lives. (As a training tool, leaders might want to have various members summarize the teachings in their own words each week sharing how they think the Scripture applied to the original hearers and how the principles apply to us today.)

OVERVIEW -

CONTEXT: Remember that John saw a scroll sealed with 7 seals. It contained Gods plan for the culmination of all things. No one in Heaven or on Earth was found worthy to open to scroll and break it seals. In other words, no one could bring about Gods plan. John began to weep, then one of the elders told John - weep no more behold the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. And behold he looked and there in the midst of the throne stood one like a lamb slain. He, Jesus Christ was worthy to open the scrolls. In Order to Understand Revelation 6, you really need to be familiar with Dan. 9 Daniel 9 Daniel has been taken captive into Babylon. Babylon has fallen to Persia and the nation of Israel is under Persian rule. Daniel picks up his bible, he is an old man at the end of his life and he reads the book of Jeremiah. Daniel 9:2 (ESV) 2 in the rst year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. Jeremiah the Prophet had written that the nation of Israel would be in captivity for 70 years. You see, God told them through Moses that they were to take a weekly sabbath (rest one day in 7) and a Sabbath of Years - let the land rest one year in seven. Israel had disregarded the law of God for 500 years and God sent them into captivity for 70 years. Daniel reads what Jeremiah had predicted and realizes that hes living at the very end of the 70 years. At this point he begins to pray fervently that God will fulll His word and deliver the nation of Israel from captivity. Daniel 9:2127 (ESV) 21 while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the rst, came to me in swift ight at the time of the evening sacrice. 22 He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding. 23 At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision.
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Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city,

70 weeks in prophetic literature is 70 weeks of years - 70 x 7 = 490 years. Gabriel is saying, Daniel, now that Gods 70 year plan of exile is coming to a completion, God begins a New thing a new dispensation if you will. to nish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. That is speaking of the coming of Messiah - Jesus. So Daniel, its not just 70 weeks and you are released from Persia, in 70 weeks of years, the Kingdom will be here! NOW - All we need to know is when that period of time begins and verse 25 tells us. Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem March 4, 444BC The Persian King issued a decree to Zerubabel (Governor) and to Ezra (Priest). These men returned under the decree of Persia to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. It took the 50 years to get the city in working order, the Nehemiah came to rebuild the wall. to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixtytwo weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time 7 weeks + 62 weeks 69 total weeks. There shall be 69 weeks of years... 483 years. . 26 And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. Thats the crucixion. So from the issuing of the decree in 444BC, 483 years later you should expect Messiah the Prince to come and die as the atonement for the people. As a matter of fact, according to Sir Robert Anderson who precisely calculated to 69 weeks of years later came exactly to the Passover Friday that Jesus road into Jerusalem for the triumphant entry. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.Its end shall come with a ood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.
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And he shall make a strong covenant with many (Israel) for one week, and for half of the week (3.5 years into it) he shall put an end to sacrice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator. Now - that hasnt occurred yet. There is one week missing? One week - the 70th week. The clock ticked perfectly for 69 of those weeks.... then there is a major GAP. The gap is what we call the Church age. You will not nd it here in Daniel. That is why in the New Testament it is called a Mystery. Its not here. That is also another reason we believe that the Church will not go through the Tribulation period. We are waiting for that nal 7 year period to occur. There is a book of the bible dedicated to that nal SEVEN years when all of this is going to happen. The book of Revelation if focused on Daniels 70th year. The next major section of this book is going to focus on the 7 years of tribulation.

You are going to see: 7 SEALS opened. 7 TRUMPETS sounded 7 BOWLS poured out All happening in 7 years, ever increasing in intensity and severity. Apparently the seventh seal contains the seven trumpet judgments (8:111:19) and the seventh trumpet (11:15) contains the seven bowl judgments (16:121). The seven seals thus contain all the judgments to the end when Jesus Christ returns. TEXT: Revelation 6:117 (ESV)

1. Seal #1 - A White Horse

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Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, Come! 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer. Hes on a white horse like Christ, hes conquering like Christ, he has a kingdom and authority like Christ - but its not Christ he comes in Rev. 19. Who is the guy who is a false Messiah? Its Anti Christ. Anti - doesnt mean against, it means in place of.

Matthew 24:45 (ESV) 4 And Jesus answered them, See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and they will lead many astray. In Dan. 9 what kicks off the tribulation? Anti-Christ. 2 Thessalonians 3, what kicks off the tribulation? Anti-Christ Revelation 5, what kicks off the tribulation? Anti-Christ That the rider had a bow but no arrows, and that he was honored with a crown that was freely given to him, reveals that his conquering will involve bloodless victories This will be world leader with remarkable charisma and supernatural ability. 2 Thessalonians 2:911 (ESV) 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, We will learn more about him as we study the book, but for now recognize a world leader is coming like we have never seen.

2. Seal #2 - A Red Horse

When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, Come! 4 And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword. Daniel 2, tells us that there is 10 nation power that arises in the East. Eastern Europe united. A leader rises up and defeats 3 of these nations and takes control of this Kingdom. So he comes to power without ring a bullet, but he soon becomes a warlord. Matthew 24:67 (ESV) 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. Daniel 8:24 (ESV) 24 His power shall be greatbut not by his own power; and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints.
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ILLUSTRATION: A good example of this was Adolf Hitler. The proclaimed him the furor without ring a shot. He brought a remarkable period of prosperity to Germany. But eventually he wielded the sword and took over Belgium and Czechoslovakia and Poland... then as you know he began to attack the Jews with the Holocaust. During WW2, there a lot of Christians who thought - this is it. Because Hitler was so much of a fulllment of Anti-Christ. Daniel 11:3645 (ESV) 36 And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done. 37 He shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers, or to the one beloved by women. He shall not pay attention to any other god, for he shall magnify himself above all.

3. Seal #3 - A Black Horse

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When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, Come! And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, A denarius was a days wage. So a man could work all day and only make enough to buy bread to feed himself. War logically leads to severe economic stress and ination. and do not harm the oil and wine! That is a need to conserve and ration, due to a food shortage. At this point the government lead by anti-christ seizes control of commerce. This is what will ultimately lead to one needing the mark of the beast to conduct business. Matthew 24:7 (ESV) 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

4. Seal #4 - A Pale (green) Horse

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When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, Come! 8 And I looked, and behold, a pale horse (literally a green horse)! And its riders name was Death, and Hades (Hades is the resting place before the lake of re for the unsaved dead) followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth. So you see here, the Bible says there would be tribulation such as the world has never seen. In Genesis 9, God caused an innate fear of man to fall on the animal Kingdom, but at this time, the fear will be lifted.

Man will become a natural part of the food chain. Snakes, Coyotes, Bears, Wild Hogs will come out of the woods looking for fresh meat, looking for you. In the Millennial Reign Christ will cause the Lion to Lay down with the Lamb, and the viper to play with the child. That promise is even more remarkable in light of this prophecy.

5. Seal #5 - Jewish Martyrs

When he opened the fth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. Now remember that about this time is when Romans 11 if fullled. In the midst of Tribulation Israel is beginning to see their Messiah. They are realizing the legitimate nature of the true Christ as the witness the work of Anti-Christ. As a result they are being killed for their faith. I saw under the altar the souls The Church is Physically resurrected already. These tribulation saints are spirits in the present of God, they will not be raised till the end of the tribulation. They cried out with a loud voice, O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth? 11 Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been. Matthew 24:9 (ESV) 9 Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my names sake.
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6. Seal #6 - The Earth is Shaken, Israel is Saved

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When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the g tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14 The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?

NOW - Do you understand that if there were an earthquake right now we would dodge the falling debris. But in this day - the Bible says men will beg for the rocks to fall on them out of fear of Christ. Can you imagine what it would be like for God to take the crust of the earth and move it like a rubics cube? The Richter scale cant measure this. Matthew 24:29 (ESV) 29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

a. The Sealed Jews Chapter 7: 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, 3 saying, Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads. 4 And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: Have you ever met a genuine Jewish convert. Once their eyes are opened and they see Jesus. They will never be the same again, that preach!!!! Have you heard of a guy named Paul of Tarsus? Imagine 144,000 Pauls. Can you imagine 144,000 Jewish Evangelists that make Billy Graham look like a Novice? You see even here in the midst of the most hellish days this world has ever seen the Gospel is still the center piece.

b. The Saved Gentiles After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb! Group #1 (7:18) 1. Jews 2. A group of 144,000 Group #2 (7:917) 1. Gentiles 2. Multitude no man could number
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3. Sealed and protected 4. Seen witnessing on earth 5. Enter into the kingdom

3. Not sealed; many will die 4. Seen worshiping in heaven 5. Share in the kingdom

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Hebrews 10:31 (ESV) It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Hebrews 2:3 (ESV) how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at rst by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,

Group Discussion
Use the following questions to help review the application of Gods Word to our Head (What does God want me to know?), to our Heart (What does God want me to desire/value?), and to our Hands (What does God want me to do?). Understanding that we do not have a clear interpretation for every number and symbol in Revelation, discuss as a small group how you will handle differing interpretations and beliefs within the group regarding this book. Pray for the Spirit to guide the focus of your times together and to enable peace and a willingness to learn from each other even if perspectives on Revelation differ. The theme of Revelation is the gospel. How does this understanding affect how you interpret this book? How did it affect the original hearers of this epistle? How does it affect your application of what you read in Revelation? Revelation 6:1 begins with the Lamb opening the first of the seven seals. Look back at Revelation 5:1-14. Who is the Lamb? Why is the Lamb able to open the seals? In Revelation 6:2, 4, 8; 7:2; 8:2, 3; 9:1, 3, 5; 13:5, 7, 14, 15, permission is given by God for all that occurs in these chapters, indicating that He is sovereign. Share about a trial that you have experienced or are experiencing in your life. Does your response to trials indicate that you believe God is sovereign? What does it practically look like to trust in the sovereignty of God, especially in the midst of a trial? Praise God together for always being perfectly in control and for His ability to orchestrate all circumstances to accomplish His purpose.

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Revelation 6 connects to Zechariah 1:7-17 and 6:1-8. How are these visions different from Revelation 6? How do they correlate with the vision in Revelation 6? In Revelation 6:1-8, what is the purpose associated with each horseman? (Conquering, war, famine, and death) Each horseman depicts a progression of sin and strife on the earth, which is the consequence of God giving humanity over to their sinfulness. What results on earth demonstrates the self-destructiveness of human sin. Knowing that sin destroys others and ourselves should lead us to repentance. What sinful tendencies are in your heart? What consequences are you facing because of sin you are holding on to? What sin do you need to confess to God and to others? If you have unconfessed sin in your life, how is that currently affecting your relationship with God and with others? How do you respond to sin in your life? Are you broken over your sin? Do you hate your sin? Are you urgent to confess it? Or do you have a laissezfaire attitude towards sin? What does your response to sin indicate about your relationship with God? Do you have someone in your life to hold you accountable? Is there trust and respect within the small group where people feel safe to share about their struggles with sin or about trials they are experiencing? How can your small group grow in encouraging each other in faithfulness as well as in lovingly confronting one another about sin? In the opening of the fifth seal in Revelation 6:9-11, the martyred saints cry for God to avenge them by judging those who are of the earth, and judgment comes in Revelation 6:12-17 with the opening of the sixth seal. In conjunction with Revelation 6:12-17, read Isaiah 13:9-12; 24:1, 6; 34:2-4; Joel 2:1-2, 10, 30- 31; Matthew 24:29. How do these prophecies reinforce Revelation 6:12-17? Identify areas of injustice in the TN Valley and in our world. Like the saints in Revelation 6, cry out to God together for His holiness and His justice to be made known and for things to be made right according to His righteousness. The sixth seal brings dread and despair for the wicked as they face Gods wrath (see Revelation 6:16-17). For the Christian, knowledge of Gods coming wrath on the unsaved should spur us on in gospel proclamation. Who in your life is unsaved and on the path to experience Gods eternal judgment? Are you faithful in witnessing to others about the saving grace

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of Jesus Christ? Pray for personal boldness in gospel proclamation, and pray for unbelievers around the world to turn from their sin and to trust in Christ as Savior and Lord. Pray that unbelievers in unreached areas will have an opportunity to hear and to receive the truth in their lifetime. Christians are secure on earth in the midst of tribulation. Discuss your definition of security. How does your definition of security align with Revelation 6-7 as believers are persecuted for the faith and facing great trials on earth? Is Christ your security, or are you depending on people or things (both of which are temporary) to provide that sense of protection and well being in your life? Christ promises persecution for those who trust and proclaim Him as Lord and Savior (Matt. 24:9). While you may not experience violent persecution for your faith, pray for our brothers and sisters around the world who are imprisoned or worse for the sake of the gospel. Pray for their families who are left behind when they are martyred. Pray for the church to rise up and care for each other when fathers or mothers are imprisoned or killed. Pray for perseverance and boldness in witness, and pray for their blood to be used to advance the gospel. Pray that we will not give up in freedom what they have not forsaken in persecution.

Respond . . .
Encourage your group to break out into smaller, same-gender groups where they will respond to the truths of todays study. These groups will share with one another based on the following questions and then close in prayer: What are some of the main truths that God wants you to know from this study? How do your thoughts need to adjust to align with these truths? According to the truths from this study, what does God want you to desire/value? How do your values need to change to align with His values? What actions does God want you to take according to the truths of this study?

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What is an action that you can start to implement today or tomorrow? What is going to be the most difficult aspect of this study to personally apply? Close this time by praying for each other, specifically for strength to apply these truths, for personal needs, for the lost people with whom you are seeking to share the gospel, and for our weekly prayer focus as a church..