Revelation III

Synopsis of Bible Study 09/06/17

Delivered by Bishop Walker III, DMin.

I.                   Introduction

Revelation 12:11 (NKJV) 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

1. One of the most important things to remember is the 7 seals, the 7 trumpets, and the 7 significant signs.
2. The #7 is about completion.
3. When you move towards tribulation, there are some folk called redeemed. These are people who are what we call, “saved”.
4. On last week, we saw God on the throne. In his right hand was a scroll. There was seven seals on the scroll and no one in heaven, on the earth, or under the earth, was worthy to open that scroll.
   1. Then there was a voice that said, “Behold the Lamb of God”. We found out that the Lamb of God, was worthy, because he had been slain and the elders fell down and worshiped Him.
5. What we see now, in this lesson, is the time of tribulation. Lots of things will happen during that time, in this space we call Imagine being caught up or raptured by God.

II.               The Seven Seals

A.                 The First Seal (The conqueror)

Revelation 6:1-2 (NKJV) 6 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals;[a] and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

1. When the first seal opened, John saw a white horse. The rider that sat on the horse, had a bow and his mission was to conquer.
2. The rider had a crown, meaning he was guaranteed victory.
3. The white horse represents power that no one can resist.

B.                 The Second Seal (Conflict on Earth)

Revelation 6:3-4 (NKJV) 3 When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.”[a] 4 Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.

1. The second living creature said, “Come and see” and John saw a fiery red horse.
2. The rider was given a great sword and he was given power of conflict over the earth. In other words, peace was taken from the earth.

C.                  The Third Seal (Scarcity on Earthy)

1. Revelation 6:5-6 (NKJV) 5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart[a] of wheat for a denarius,[b] and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.” –
2. A third living creature says, “Come and see” and John sees a black horse and the rider has a pair of scales.
3. This represents a time of famine over the earth.

D.                 The Fourth Seal (Widespread Death on Earth)

Revelation 6:7-8 (NKJV) 7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” 8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.

1. The fourth living creature says, “Come and see” and John saw a pale horse and the rider was named
2. This horse had Hades following him. This represents death.
3. He was given power over a fourth of the earth to kill with sword, hunger, death, and beasts.

E.                 The Fifth Seal (The Cry of the Martyrs)

Revelation 6:9-11 (NKJV) 9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

1. 5th seal was about those who were martyred. John seen the souls of the martyred people, under the altar.
2. Many had died because of their convictions for Christ, such as the 12 apostles.
3. These martyred souls asked when their blood would be avenged, and Lord told them to rest a while longer.
   1. These were people killed in the earth. They are in heaven alive, but resting. This suggest that those that die in the Lord, don’t die, they sleep. Remember when Lazarus died, Jesus said he was sleep.
   2. Paul also said, “I would not have you be ignorant of those when are sleep”. If somebody sleeps or dies in the Lord, there is a day that they will wake up. If you get eternal life, you don’t die. You just rest until your day to get up.
4. Notice that they were given white robes. This was a portion of their reward. The white robes given to the martyrs in Revelation 6 no doubt symbolize that they were made white by the blood of the Lamb, and that those clothed in Christ’s righteousness may wait in confident expectation that He will avenge their untimely deaths.

F.                  The Sixth Seal (Cosmic Disturbances)

Revelation 6:12-14 (NKJV) 12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold,[a] there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon[b] became like blood. 13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.

1. Please know that during this time, God will use nature to make things happen.
2. Look at what John saw:
   1. He said he saw a great earthquake. It looks like an eclipse and stars fell like meteor showers.
   2. The sky receded like a scroll and everything shifted including the mountains.

Revelation 6:15-17 (NKJV) 15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders,[a] the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

3. The mighty men, the slaves, and the free men hid in caves, trying to hide from the wrath of the Lamb. The Lamb of God, Jesus, is the God of grace, however, there is another side of Him coming. This side of Him is called, “Wrath”. You want to fall on the grace side of the lamb, not the wrath side!
   1. Salvation is broken down like this. You regenerate. You are justified. It’s like when you buy a used car certified. The car was bought with a price. You drive off the lot, confident, because although there may have been pre-existing problems with the car, you know that it has been certified. This is justification.
   2. Because you appreciate the value of the car, you will keep it washed. This is called sanctification. You don’t want to be caught riding dirty when the Lamb of God returns. That day is going to come.

G.                 The Seventh Seal (Prelude to the Seven Trumpets)

Revelation 8:1-5 (NKJV) 8 When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. 3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake. – When the angel took the censer from the altar and threw it to the earth, there was thunder, lightning, and earthquakes.

1. During the first part of seventh seal, there was a silence in heaven of half an hour. No one really knows why.
   1. Ex – Bishop explains that when his first wife died, he was in a bad place. He got to a point that he had questions for God. When he asked God for answers, God took him to this scripture listed above about the half an hour of silence. We say this to just to say, it is believed that in those 30 mins, everything you didn’t understand (concerning why God did certain things) will become clear in those 30 mins.

III.            The Seven Trumpets

A.                 The First Trumpet

1. Devastation of Vegetation – Revelation 8:6-7 (NKJV) 6 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. 7 The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth.[a] And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
2. God is burning up all the vegetation from the earth as we know it now.

B.                 The Second Trumpet

1. Destruction of the water – Revelation 8:8-9 (NKJV) 8 Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9 And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
2. A third of the sea becomes blood and a third of the living creatures in the sea die. Also a third of the ships are destroyed.

C.                  The Third Trumpet

1. Destruction on the water and of the land – Revelation 8:10-11 (NKJV) 10 Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.
2. A star (or meteor) comes to the earth. Back in those days, this was something that was not envisioned.
3. The name of the star is
4. A third of the waters became wormwood and men died from the poisons of the water.

D.                 The Fourth Trumpet

1. Disruption in the cosmos – Revelation 8:12 (NKJV) 12 Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night.
2. A third of the sun, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars were struck, so a third of them were darkened.
3. As a result, a third of the day did not shine and likewise the night.

E.                 The Fifth Trumpet

1. The plague of monstrous locusts – Revelation 9:1-6 (NKJV) 9 Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. 6 In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee.
2. Locusts come out of the bottomless pit and they were sent to torment those that didn’t have the seal of God on their forehead.
   1. This torture will last for 5 months.
   2. Revelation 9:7-9 (NKJV) 7 The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. 8 They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9 And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle.
   3. Revelation 9:10-12 (NKJV) 10 They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months. 11 And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon. 12 One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.
3. Description of the locusts.
   1. They had crowns like gold on their heads.
   2. Their faces were like that of a man.
   3. They had hair like women.
   4. They had teeth like lions.
   5. They had breastplates of iron.
   6. Their wings sound like chariots and horses.
4. They had tails like scorpions with stingers.
5. Controlled by the angel of the bottomless pit.
6. One woe is past and two are yet to come.

F.                  The Sixth Trumpet

1. The Four angels – Revelation 9:13-17 (NKJV) 13 Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. 17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone.
   1. It always seems to be a third. Remember when Satin was thrown out of heaven? A third of the angels went with him.
2. During the sixth trumpet, a voice from the four horns at the golden altar said, “Release the four angels at the river of Euphrates that were prepared for this very day”.
3. These four angels killed a third of mankind.
4. The army of horsemen were about two-hundred million.
5. Those that sat on the horses had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow.
6. The heads of the horses was like the head of a lion and from their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone.
7. Revelation 9:18-21 (NKJV) 18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. 19 For their power[a] is in their mouth and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm. 20 But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. 21 And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries[b] or their sexual immorality or their thefts.
   1. A third of mankind was killed by the fire, smoke and brimstone from the horse’s mouth.
   2. These horses also had tails like serpents.
   3. The rest of mankind who were not killed, still did not repent of their works, idol worship, or demonic worship.
   4. They also failed to repent from sorcery. God still gives them another chance, and they fail to repent.
      1. This reminds us of today. We have taken everything that is righteous and conformed it to a world system. We have accepted everything!

G.                 The Seventh Trumpet

Revelation 11:15-17 (NKJV) 15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms[a] of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying: “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come,[b] Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.

1. God is going to make a transfer. If you don’t release to the power of His presence, you want ever worship, because you yourself, want to be worshiped.
2. All of our lives, God has given us power. He entrusted us to be stewards of power. The power belongs to God. Some people used the power for evil, some used it for good. That day, God will come to take it back. No power will be able to stand before him that day.
   1. Remember, Jesus was standing before Pilate and Pilate says to him, “I have it within my power to free you or crucify you”. Jesus responds to Pilate by saying, “You have no power unless my Father gives it to you” – In that day, all your power and all of your titles will be taken away.
   2. Imagine what we deal with on the earth today. We could be in a war between people’s ego and people’s power at any time.
3. Revelation 11:18-19 (NKJV) 18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth.” 19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant[a] was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.
   1. After death comes judgement. The temple (the place where God dwells) will be opened for access.
   2. The Ark of the Covenant was seen in the temple, in John’s vision. When you feel the hail coming down, you know the storm is coming. These recent hurricanes have shown winds up to 185 mph. Meteorologist call this, the Finger of God. If a Cat 5 hurricane and an F5 tornado is just the finger of God, imagine the whole weight of God, coming down to the earth.