Revised             Audio Visual Ministries, 152 High St. HOLY­WOOD.Co Down

         Lesson No.9. GLORIOUS VISIONS OF THE FUTURE.  Chapters 4 and 5

REV 4:1 NIV After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speak­ing to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this."

1.EVENTS IN HEAVEN PRIOR TO LAST SEVEN YEARS OF THIS AGE

   The last portion of the Book of Revelation concentrates mainly on the LAST SEVEN YEARS OF THE WORLD BEFORE CHRIST COMES, especially the last 3 1/2 years which contain the GREAT TRIBULATION.

   Daniel (Chap 9 v.20 to 27 ) tells us that the last seven years of this age will start when ANTICHRIST MAKES A COVENANT PEACE TREATY WITH THE JEWS

DAN 9:27 NIV He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him. "

   Between Christ's death which "makes reconciliation for iniquity" and these last SEVEN YEARS, is a period of time unknown to all but God. During this time the Lord calls out the Church and prepares it to rule with Christ.

   Revelations chapters 4 and 5 cover these last SEVEN YEARS ion Heaven, before the seals are opened and the awful events of the future are unfolded. (THE SEVEN SEALS ARE THE MAJOR AND FINAL WORKS OF THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY THROUGH ANTICHRIST) In this vision from Heaven, NOTICE ;

(a) GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE

REV 4:2 NIV At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.

No matter how bad evil becomes, GOD IS STILL REIGNING.  God describes God as brighter than jasper and sardius stone REV 4:3 NIV And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian.

(i) JASPER was one of the stones on the Breastplate of the High Priest

EXO 28:20 NIV in the fourth row... a jasper.

It is also a BUILDING MATERIAL OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

REV 21:18 NIV The wall was made of jasper

It must have been some kind of jewel, transparent and glitter­ing white.

(ii) SARDIUS was of a red colour

This jewel was also seen on the throne of God and may be the same as

EZE 1:27 NIV I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire;

EZE 8:2 NIV I looked, and I saw a figure like that of a man. From what appeared to be his waist down he was like fire, and from there up his appearance was as bright as glowing metal.

THE GLORY OF GOD DAZZLES THE BEHOLDER

(iii) GOD'S MERCY IS SEEN IN THE RAINBOW ROUND HIS THRONE REV 4:3 NIV . A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne.

God's holiness is seen here in His dedicated activity to REDEEM HIS CREATION

(HOLINESS means a DEDICATION to the work for which a person is set aside.

Jesus was TWICE SANCTIFIED.JOH 10:36 NIV what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world?

JOH 17:19 NIV For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

HOLINESS doed NOT MEAN GETTING PURITY. Christ already had purity.)

(iv) GOD MADE THE EARTH FOR HIS WILL TO BE FULFILLED, not just for "pleasure" REV 4:11 NIV "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."

God did NOT CREATE simply for His own happiness (as it cost the Lamb slain) but IN ORDER TO SHARE HIS ETERNAL LIFE AND POWER WITH OTHERS. GOD DOES EVERYTHING TO PLEASE OTHERS AND NOT JUST SUIT HIMSELF

ROM 15:2 NIV Each of us should please his neighbour for his good, to build him up.

THE LORD JESUS WAS WILLING TO DIE AS HE FORESAW MAN'S SIN AS A RESULT OF FREE CHOICE. THIS SHOWS GOD'S COMMITMENT TO PAY THE PRICE OF OUR FAILURE.

1TI 1:15 NIV Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners....

TIT 1:2 NIV ... the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time,

REV 13:8 NIV... the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.

DO WE REALISE THE COST TO GOD IN CHRIST, OF HIS CREATION ?

(b) GOD'S PRAISE IN HEAVEN IS SUNG BY ELDERS

REV 4:4 NIV Surrounding the throne were twentyfour other thrones, and seated on them were twentyfour elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.

REV 4:10 NIV the twentyfour elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

REV 4:11 NIV "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."

REV 5:5 NIV Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the centre of the throne, encircled by the four living crea­tures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.7 He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.8 And when he had taken it, the four living crea­tures and the twentyfour elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

REV 5:14 NIV The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshipped.

   The AV needs correction in Revelation 5 v.9 to 10, which should read:

REV 5:9 NIV And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth." THE RAPTURED CHURCH HERE OBVIOUSLY CONSISTS OF MORE THAN THE 24 ELDERS ! THEY ARE A GREAT COMPANY OF ALL CHRISTEN­DOM INVOLVED IN REIGNING. THERE IS SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON THOSE VICTORIOUS IN TRIBULATION

REV 7:9 NIV After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.10 And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshipped God,12 saying: "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and 13.  thanks and honour and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!" Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes who are they, and where did they come from?"14 I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

THOSE SINGING THIS PRAISE include powerful angels sitting on thrones, who admire God's redemptive power among men. Their white robes show they resisted Satan's rebellion.

COL 1:16 NIV For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.

(c) GREAT LIVING CREATURES

REV 4:6 NIV Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the centre, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.

The AV"beasts" is misleading translation and the Greek word means living beings, different from the word used in

REV 11:7 NIV Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and over­power and kill them. 

THEY HAVE SIX WINGS like the Seraphims of Isaiah 6 and each has ONE FACE (instead of each having 4 faces as in Ezekiel 1:12ff) They are FULL OF PRAISE AND PEACE, not UNREST, like the Anti­christ  followers:

REV 14:11 NIV And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name."

2. THE VISION OF CHRIST

REV 5:6 NIV Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the centre of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders.

(a)The opening of the SEVEN SEALS marks the commencement of the last 7 years of the age, culminating in the power of Anti­christ, who comes to smash the world to pieces. An Angel  ASKS who is worthy to rule. The REPLY is that only the Lamb and His followers are worthy.

REV 5:9 NIV And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign  on the earth."

BEFORE THE SEALS ARE OPENED, CHRIST HAS TO HAVE SUFFICIENT BRETHREN PREPARED TO RULE WITH HIM. THIS IS OUR PREPARATION TIME NOW !!

(b) When Christ comes to take the Book, He is given power

This fulfils

PSA 2:8 NIV Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheri­tance, the ends of the earth your possession.

(c) John was heart-broken that nobody could open the Seal, but the Angel reassures him about THE LORD JESUS

REV 5:5 NIV Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."

As GOD, He was ROOT of David's family; but as MAN, He was its OFFSPRING

ISA 11:1 NIV A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

ISA 11:10 NIV In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious.

JOHN LOOKS FOR A LION AND SEES A LAMB !

God's worthiness consists of POWER BASED ON SACRIFICE. Christ proved His worthiness to rule by HIS HUMILITY, and WE MUST DO THE SAME.(Philippians chapter 2)

(d) The VIALS are the PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS

There is a mighty chorus of PRAISE when the Lamb takes the Book, and God uses these Heavenly pictures to show :­

(1) TRUTH in a nutshell picture allows us to see a whole lot at once

(2) TRUTH in picture form is easier to remember

(3) TRUTH in parables is revealed to children of God but hidden from the world   This is because the worldling has hardened his heart against God.

MAT 13:12 NIV Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.13 This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing , they do not hear or understand.MAT 13:14 NIV In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: "'You will be ever hearing but never under­standing; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

(4) Truth can only be shown to God's children in stages as they grow up  spiritually.

 1CO 14:20 NIV Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.

HEB 6:1 NIV Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity,

3.THE SEVEN SEALS Chapters 6 to 8

   The SEVEN SEALS are STAGES IN THE CAREER OF ANTICHRIST.

He comes with a small number of people but increases. He enters the scene as a harmless peacemaker,but rapidly increases his power and reveals his true nature.

(a) THE FIRST SEAL

REV 6:2 NIV I looked, and 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.

ANTICHRIST comes seated on a white horse with bow and crown, working deceitfully and peacefully.

DAN 11:21 NIV "He will be succeeded by a contemptible person who has not been given the honour of royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue.22 Then an overwhelming army will be swept away before him; both it and a prince of the covenant will be destroyed.23 After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully, and with only a few people he will rise to power.

He is not equipped with an arrow for his bow and although he is given a crown, he is not content with less than world domina­tion. He has a front of peace, which is deceitful

 DAN 8:25 NIV He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will con­sider himself superior.

b) THE SECOND SEAL

REV 6:3 NIV When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!"4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword.

He uses a great sword to get another 9 crowns and his true character is revealed

DAN 7:8 NIV "While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boast­fully.

DAN 7:20 NIV I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell, the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully.

There is an alliance of TEN KINGS. Antichrist fights THREE AND RULES over all. He is one of the smallest kingdoms at first ("Little horn" Dan 7 v 8) and an alliance to kill is here envisaged

DAN 7:24 NIV The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings.

(c) THE THIRD SEAL

REV 6:5 NIV When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand.6 Then I heard what sounded  like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!"

As a result of this war, loaves will be up twelves times their normal price (Lev.26 v.24 to v 26) because of famine. It will take a full day's wage to buy wheat for one man, but buying barley would enable him to feed his dependents as well. The abundance of oil and wine will continue for the rich, though the poor will be starving. PRESENT ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES WILL WORSEN BY THE WAR

(d) THE FOURTH SEAL

REV 6:7 NIV When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!"8 I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him.They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

"Pale horse" (Gk= "chlorine in colour) shows A GREAT MULTITUDE DYING IN WARS AND PURGES AS ANTICHRIST LAUNCHES ON WORLD CON­QUEST:                           

REV 13:5 NIV The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for fortytwo months.

MAT 24:21 NIV For then there will be great distress, unequalled from the beginning of the world until now and never to be equaled again.

THIS IS THE GREAT TRIBULATION which will cover one quarter of the earth round the Middle East, in the time of "Jacob's trou­ble"

JER 30:7 NIV How awful that day will be! None will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob,

THE MAIN AREA OF CONFLICT will be around Palestine, where Anti­christ may even lose some battles. When he achieves power (v 4 and v8) Antichrist will use it for selfish and Satanic purposes as his real character is revealed

(e) THE FIFTH SEAL

REV 6:9 NIV When he opened the fifth seal, 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.10 They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?"11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.

The souls of the saints, killed by Antichrist, will cry to God for vengeance and the living even pray for it. A great number of Christians will be martyred in the Great Tribulation

MAT 24:9 NIV "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.

THEY WILL BE FAITHFUL TO DEATH REV 3:5 NIV He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white.

PERSEVERING PRAYER ALONE WILL BRING CHRISTIANS THROUGH and the sight of so much sin, will bring down the judgement of God (Isa 42 v 13 to 17)

The souls are "under the altar" because they have been slain for God's sake  and the blood of sacrificial victims was re­ceived by the priest and poured  out at the foot of the altar

EXO 40:29 NIV He set the altar of burnt offering near the en­trance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, and offered on it burnt offerings .

LEV 4:7 NIV The priest shall then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the Lord in the Tent of Meeting. The rest of the bull's blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

LEV 8:15 NIV Moses slaughtered the bull and took some of the blood, and with his finger he put it on all the horns of the altar to purify the altar. He poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar..

ARE WE PREPARED FOR THIS SACRIFICE OF OURSELVES ?

(f) THE SIXTH SEAL

Revelation chap 6 v 12 to v 17

This shows the happenings on the great DAY OF THE WRATH OF THE LAMB and the outpouring of the last judgement by God. Here we see how Christ deals with the wicked by His Coming and rule.Signs accompanying this, are the sun going black, the moon red, stars falling and the Heavens rolling up, and there is a last great earthquake as the feet of Jesus touch the Mount of Olives.(Matt 24 v 29 to 32)

LUK 21:25 NIV "There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.MAR 13:24 NIV "But in those days, following that distress, "'the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;25 the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'

The frightened unconverted will try to hide themselves, but Antichrist tries to fight Christ with modern weapons in unre­pentance. (Isa.2.v 10 to v.19)

ISA 2:20 NIV In that day men will throw away to the rodents and bats their idols of silver and idols of gold, which they made to worship.cf Psalm 2 v 1 to v 12) THEY ARE KILLED BY SPIRITUAL POWER and Satan banished for 1,000 years.REV 19:19 NIV Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army.20 But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshipped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulphur.

Rev 6 v 16 speaks of the "wrath of the Lamb" as the gentle Jesus is stirred to fury by the suffering which the wicked have caused. This judgement is a "strange act" for the God of love.

ISA 28:21 NIV The Lord will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim, he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon to do his work, his strange work, and perform his task, his alien task.(cf Isa.34 v 1 to v 6, Isa 42.v.13 to v 7))   ONLY THE PRINCE OF PEACE CAN BRING QUIETNESS & ASSURANCE.

(g) THE SEVENTH SEAL

REV 8:1 NIV When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

Heaven looks on shattered earth in shocked silence, as the Dev­il's boast that he can run the world without God, is seen to be hollow. Man's proud boast that he can do it without God, is seen to be folly,as all around are dead and dying.There is SILENCE before the work of restoring the world again is begun.

Revelation chap 7 v 1 to v 17 shows 144,000 OVERCOMING ISRAEL­ITES AND THE VICTORIOUS SAINTS FROM THE GREAT TRIBULATION who have been "sealed by God"

REV 9:4 NIV They were told not to harm  those people who did  have the seal of God on their foreheads.

T HIS SEAL SHOWS THEY HAVE OVERCOME AND WON THE RIGHT TO RULE WITH CHRIST. The Church in this age is the true Israel sealed by God

GAL 6:16 NIV Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God.(cf Ephesians 1 v.11 to v.14)

Revelation chap 7 v.10 to v 14 shows the Grace of God and the blood of Christ in the Great Tribulation, can GIVE EVERY CHRIS­TIAN (WHO DESIRES IT) COMPLETE VICTORY OVER THE WORLD, THE FLESH AND THE DEVIL. The Great Tribulation also shows the restraining hand of God being taken off the Antichrist, who causes this great suffering. God will GLORIFY THOSE CHRISTIANS WHO COME THROUGH THIS PERIOD.Let us remember His promises:

ROM 8:17 NIV Now if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God and co heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

2CO 4:17 NIV For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.(cf 2 Cor 5:10)