October 24, 2014
SCARY TEXT, SOVEREIGN AUTHOR
Revelation 6:1–8
Garrett Raburn
Central Truth
God is sovereignly governing the progression of all human history, even when circumstances tempt us to doubt that reality.
Key Verse | Revelation 6:8
And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades 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. (Revelation 6:8)
Revelation 6:1–8
The Seven Seals
1 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.
3 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.
5 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 1 6:6 Greek choinix, a dry measure equal to about a quart of wheat for a denarius, 2 6:6 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!”
7 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! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades 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.
Dive Deeper | Revelation 6:1–8
I have a special disdain for turbulent airplane rides. Call me crazy, but I don't enjoy the sensation of being five miles above the ground in a winged metal tube, particularly one being influenced by arbitrary wind currents and changes in air pressure. As a novice flier, my reaction to turbulence is always the same -- after some initial nervousness, I find someone who is not a novice flier (like a flight attendant) and try to discern whether they seem tense because of the bumpy ride. Then I try to make my posture mirror their own, since they're supposed to know what they're doing. Put simply, if they're good, I'm good.
I think that reaction comes naturally to us. When we find ourselves in a terrifying situation that is not in our control, it is always reassuring for us to find someone trustworthy and qualified who is in control.
Similarly, the end times predicted in Revelation 6:1-8 will undoubtedly feel much like a turbulent plane ride -- rough, uncertain, and utterly terrifying. Indeed, the literary images used by the author are meant to be terrifying -- four symbolic horsemen with weapons and names like "Death" are not meant to communicate peace. There are differing interpretations of exactly what each horseman represents, but all agree on one thing: the end times will not be a smooth ride, and just about everyone will desperately be looking for reassurance that someone trustworthy is in control.
The uplifting news is that there is such a person, and His name is Jesus. If we read carefully, we see that it is He who allows these four horsemen to wreak their prophesied havoc, and it is He who will finally say, "That's enough." No damage will occur except what He allows.
What can we say of the end of human history as predicted in Revelation? The era will be the most turbulent in all of history, but we can rest well knowing that our Sovereign God is at the helm. If He's good, we're good.
And He is very, very good.
Discussion Questions
1. Do you believe that God can sovereignly be in control of negative world events (like the judgments predicted in Revelation)? What emotion does this bring to you?
2. Have you ever struggled with your ability (or lack thereof) to control the circumstances around you? What is the solution for this natural human tendency?
3. The next time life gets difficult, what strategy will you use to keep yourself rooted in the simple truth that God is good no matter what?