260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 244 - Revelation 6: Seal Judgments

What is the worst thing you’ve ever had to endure? Being picked on, beat up, having a close friend die or something worse? As painful as these things are, none of these will even compare to the devastating judgment God will unleash in the future. (At this point, I’ll interject my personal timeline thoughts. I believe the rapture - 1 Thessalonians 4 - occurs before chapter 6, probably after chapter 3. This would make me a pre-trib rapture hopeful ‘til further notice – LOL!) We’ve come to the portion in Revelation where God begins judging a sinful world. This is the first of three seven part judgments – 7 seals, 7 trumpets & 7 bowls. The seventh one of each opens the first one of the next. The scene now shifts from heaven to earth. 1st Seal – Conquering Power: “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.” I believe this first rider represents the anti-christ and the forces of evil. He & his evil regime will deceive many, appear as counterfeits (white = counterfeit purity), everyone will like him at first and he will attain worldwide domination. But it will only be be temporary. 2nd Seal – War & Bloodshed: “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.” Red symbolizes slaughter & he’s given a sword because the number he kills will be so great. And whatever restraints there have been up to this point are removed and peace is no more. 3rd Seal – Famine & Poverty: “I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand.” With this judgment comes the scarcity of food. It will be both difficult to find and so expensive that poverty will come upon many. 4th Seal – Death: “There before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death…..they were given power……to kill….” Pale = sickly, look of terror and hell is the horse of death! The magnitude of this catastrophe can hardly be grasped. ¼ of the people of the earth (over 1.6 billion right now) killed?!~ 5th Seal – Martyrs & Vengeance: “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. They called out…..“How long, Lord ……..until you judge the inhabitants of the earth?” God will not forget those who paid the price for Him……and it will only be “a little longer.” 6th Seal – Earth & Universe Collapse: “There was a great earthquake, the sun turned black, the whole moon turned blood red, the stars fell to earth, the heavens receded and every mountain & island was removed from its place.” Wowsa - a galactical catastrophe of this kind is unfathomable – but it WILL occur just as written! What will all of this do? Although some will survive these events, this devastating terror will bring fear to every category of humanity! People of all kinds will hide and wish they were dead rather than facing the wrath of God. SO WHAT?! *What emotions do the events of this chapter bring you? Even as a believer, I have fear – fear for my friends and family members who have not yet believed & received. Lord, please turn this fear into an urgent compassion that results in me sharing Jesus with them – even before the end of this year! *God is serious about sin. His judgments are complete and no one can hide from Him. YET HE IS SO LOVING that He offers us a way to be made right with Him through Jesus Christ! If you have never put your trust in Christ alone for the forgiveness of your sins and eternal life – now is the time! “For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”