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Revelation - The Age of the Apocalypse

The Age of the Apocalypse: The World Ruined by Man

Date:October 5, 2022
Author: Wayne J. Edwards

Introduction:

 

According to the news articles I read today, this year’s “October Surprise” may very well be WWIII. While Russia is moving some of its nuclear weapons toward Ukraine, the US is pumping more money and guns into Ukraine, and there is new evidence to suggest the United States was behind the Nordstrom gas leaks. Are we deliberately poking the bear?

While I never say “this” is “that” until it happens, in light of everything else going on in the world, it is interesting that the four horsemen that will be released right after the rapture of the Church bring world war, disease, famine, and death. This is the topic of our sermon from the Book of Revelation: “The Age of Apocalypse: The World Ruined by Man.” This sermon is based on our study of Revelation 6:1-7:17.

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The Age of the Apocalypse

“The World Ruined by Man!”
Revelation 6:1 – 7:17

   The next event on God’s prophetic calendar is the Rapture of the Church, which includes:

  • The resurrection of the physical bodies of those Christians who died before the day of the rapture.
  • The immediate transformation of every Christian who is alive at the time of the Rapture. (See 1 Thess. 4:16ff, 1 Cor. 15:51ff)

When the “church” and the “Holy Spirit” are removed from the earth, the restraining power and preserving power of the Holy Spirit will be changed.   

  • Lost man will be free to live out the wickedness of his heart without the moral restraints imposed upon him by the influence of the church or the work of the Holy Spirit.
  • On the day of the rapture, another event begins, which will last for seven years – a time when God pours out His wrath upon those who rejected Jesus Christ as their Savior.
  • This period of time is called the Great Tribulation, which will end with the literal, physical return of Jesus Christ to this earth to rule and reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

 

Reminder:

  • While the events described in Revelation 4-22 are God-ordained to happen, they are prophetic in nature, and described in terms that were understandable to the Apostle John.
  • While Christians may see some parallels to the events the Apostle John described, the events described in Revelation 4-22 will occur after the rapture of the Church.
  • The book of Revelation is the unveiling of Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God, the Messiah.
  • He is no longer walking among the churches, for they have been removed from the earth.
  • He is no longer the High Priest who is interceding for the saints.
  • He is now the executor of God’s will upon this earth.
  • He alone directs the entire operation from heaven, for He alone is worthy to judge this earth, i.e., the Creator, and the Redeemer is now the Judge.

  1. The Retribution of Christ – Revelation 6:1-8 – God is long-suffering, but eventually, He must judge sin and vindicate His servants who have died for their faith in Him. The Four Horsemen carry out God’s judgment upon the earth.

  • The rider on the white horse is the Antichrist with his false promise of peace.
  • The rider on the red horse is the Antichrist, who begins to wage war on those who refuse to worship him.
  • The rider on the black horse is the death that is caused by the world war.
  • The rider on the pale horse is the death that comes because of famine, pestilence, and disease. 

  1. The Response of Man – Revelation 6:9-17 – Some will cry out unto God for vindication, while others will run and hide in fear. But rather than repent of their sins, they will shake their fists in the face of God and continue to bless His holy name.

  • In heaven – the souls of those who were martyred for their faith cry out for justice – vs. 10
  • On earth – those who blasphemed God by rejecting Jesus Christ as their Savior will cry out for shelter so they can be delivered from God’s judgment.

  1. The Redemption of Man – Revelation 7:1-17 – Despite the wrath of God being poured out upon the earth, and despite the devil doing his best to continue to thwart God’s plan for their redemption, multitudes will be saved by their expressed faith in Jesus Christ as the sacrificial Lamb of God.

  • God allows the forces of nature to judge sinful man but keeps those same forces from hurting those who belong to Him.
  • The Holy Spirit seals every believer until the day of redemption.
  • But in the Great Tribulation, God will seal 144,000 Jewish Witnesses, protecting them from the judgments, until their work of witnessing is done. (See Matthew 24:14)
  • The Great Tribulation is not only a judgment against those who rejected Jesus Christ as their Savior, but it is also the means by which God will turn the heart of the Jews back to Him.

God is the great deliverer of His people!

  • But it is not always a deliverance from our circumstances of life, but our deliverance through the times of trouble.
    • It is not always the deliverance of escape.
    • But it is always the deliverance of victory.
  • That doesn’t always make life easy.
  • But it does make life great and teaches us to be more faithful.
  • Our Christian hope is that we can endure trouble, distress, sickness, and sorrow and walk out of it in GLORY.
  • Did Jesus have that kind of life on earth?
  • Did Jesus receive that kind of welcome back in Heaven?
  • If He is in us, and we are in Him, so shall we overcome this earth! 

“If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Romans 10:9-10