"12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14 The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” - Revelation 6:12-17
In previous weeks, I have stated nine separate factors which lead me toward the conclusion that the resurrection of the saints along with the "catching up" of those living and the pronouncement of the wrath of God are contained within the Sixth Seal of Revelation 6:12-7:17. The previously mentioned factors are listed below along with a tenth and final factor, in my opinion, the most conclusive and revealing one of all, to conclude our thoughts on this:
1. Without question, the Sixth Seal (v. 12-17) is a coming of the Lord.
2. Scripture is undeniably clear that God's people will not undergo His wrath, but will be rescued prior to it.
3. It seems that in the Fifth Seal (Revelation 6:9-11), God's people are still present on earth and are undergoing severe persecution.
4. The pattern in Scripture is that God delivers His people at the last moment...just prior to His judgment upon the ungodly. (Peter and Jude - Noah and Lot)
5. We are told explicitly by Paul (II Thessalonians 2:1-4) that there are two things in particular that must occur before God's people are "gathered together". 1) the rebellion (apostasy) and 2) the man of lawlessness (antichrist) is revealed.
6. Paul also reveals (I Thessalonians 4:15-17) that the resurrection of the saints and the catching up will occur essentially simultaneously, at the coming of the Lord.
7. God has never left himself without a witness (remnant) on this earth. (see Revelation 7:1-8)
8. It is at this precise moment (Revelation 7:9-17) that an innumerable multitude, previously not present, appears in Heaven.
9. The Seventh Seal (Revelation 8:1-5) occasions the silence of that multitude in Heaven. Then, a particular set of prayers are, at that time, set upon the altar. God receives them and fire and more fall upon the earth.
10. Jesus himself prophesies the chronology of all of this quite clearly to His disciples in His Olivet Discourse. “25 And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” - Luke 21:25-28 and also Matthew 24:29-31, which says "29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." (see also Joel 2:30-32)
Why does Jesus say in Luke that the celestial signs, the terror falling upon men, the shaking of the foundations of the earth and heavens are reason for the believer to "straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near" if the believers are not here to see it?
Why in Matthew do the angels "gather His elect" following the aforementioned signs?
And why does Joel say that the sun will be darkened, and the moon turned to blood before the great and awesome Day of the Lord?
It is because God's people are still here until this very moment, which seems almost undeniably clear to me to be the Sixth Seal. If the signs Jesus mentions in His Olivet Discourse are not the Sixth Seal, then when, I ask you, are they? This fits nowhere else.
In light of all of that has been said these past few weeks, we find our proper posture and attitude in Paul's words in I Thessalonians 5:1-11. He says, "1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."
Pastor Jeremy |
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