Source: http://calvarybible.org/sermons/2015/2/coming-soon-global-peace-safety-prosperity
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 18:15:20+00:00

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Which Comes First: Global Peace or Global Holocaust?
Is Earth sliding straight down the slope into the fiery destruction, demon hordes, solar scorching, and global holocaust as described in Revelation? In other words, will things get darker and darker, and disasters amplify until the Tribulation scene bursts into view? The answer God's Word gives may surprise you.
Ultimately all those disasters will hit, but temporarily, God says a time of unprecedented prosperity and peace is coming our way. Although all those prophesied disasters are coming, God explains that just prior to the Tribulation, the world experiences the peace, safety, prosperity and harmony that mankind has always been dreaming of. Just before the worst time in history, the world may well see the best times humans have ever enjoyed this side of the Garden of Eden.
One of the surest signs of the end of days is when the entire earth arrives at a time of peace, safety, and prosperity. Did you know that? Did you know that Paul says the same thing? And, right here in Revelation 6:2 we also see that. Some sort of Global Peace is the very first picture God gives of the opening of the Tribulation. Did you notice that?
What Christ shows John here in Revelation 6, and then has John write down for us, is a lesson in Divine Inspiration. The doctrine we all need to understand and hold to tightly, is the truth that God's Word is a direct revelation, given by God, sent to us, that tells us exactly what God wants us to know.
God's Word is inspired. God's Word is truth. God's Word is flawless, perfect, inerrant, and trustworthy.
God sent us Revelation to show us as His servants, the things that were going to happen in this world, according to our Almighty God’s perfect plans. We can trust God alone to know the future, and this is what He says.
First, we note that this is the first of Four Horsemen (or symbols of power) that launch the Apocalypse. “And I looked, and behold” (Rev. 6:2a).
John looks and sees a scene unfold that involves what most Bible teachers describe as “the four horsemen of the Apocalypse.” As each seal is broken a horse is unleashed onto the earth. Each horse is a different color. Each horse has a different rider. Each horse symbolizes a powerful, global impact. As John sees the first, second, third, and fourth of the seven seals broken, he relates to us that each seal launches into the earth, a horseman: the fastest known means of travel in the First Century.
Horses for us today are beautiful creatures that have become somewhat of a hobby animal, or a form of sports. They are expensive to maintain and not really vital for life in modern times. How unlike are our times, to those of the Bible.
In Biblical times horses were vital for travel, communications, and warfare. Horses are always associated in the Scriptures with power (Job 39:19-25). They were the fastest known means of transportation. They also were the most powerful means of warfare when they pulled chariots, and carried swordsmen and archers. A charging cavalry was always seen as a symbol of power and conquest.
God Says that Global Deception Comes First.
Next notice that the first horse is White. “a white horse” (Rev. 6:2b).
Just as 2 Corinthians 11:14 reminds us, Satan can transform himself to appear as an angel of light, rather than the angel of darkness that he really is. So white is not always a sign of God or purity, it can also be a symbol for deception (the angel of light that Satan masquerades as), or here of a false and temporary peace.
Most conservative Bible teachers take this first horseman as a symbol of the rapid spread of global peace. It is a temporary peace, but it is unleashed and called forth by God to launch the Tribulation. Global peace is what mankind has always wanted, so God gives them what they want, through a series of deceivers, the chiefest of whom becomes the Antichrist.
For just a moment turn back to Matthew 24:36, for Christ's personal description of the Tribulation. The Judge Himself tells us exactly what the earth will be like just before He starts this cataclysmic, global holocaust. Christ's description always amazes me when I think of the powder keg that surrounds us each day we live.
Right now the earth is one big ticking bomb of nuclear arsenals, biological and chemical warfare agents, trained terrorists, special forces, and soldiers, nations bristling with unbelievable amounts of weaponry, and on top of all those external dangers we all face as humans the depletion of breathable clean air, drinkable water supplies, available food producing land, and energy sources. That is daily life as we know it: dangerous and depleting.
But in Matthew 24:36, as Jesus describes the Tribulation, He says that just before the global holocaust hits, the whole earth is going to be like one big party: A global time of peace, prosperity, safety, and enjoyment. Life will seem wonderful on earth.
The NIV says in v. 39: “they knew nothing about what would happen”.
The NAS says in v. 39: “they did not understand”.
The ESV says in v. 39: “They were unaware”.
Today everyone is afraid Iran may start World War III, and if not Iran, maybe North Korea will, and if not them maybe a Global Jihad, or an asteroid, or a global pandemic of bird flu will terrorize us. If not that type of disaster then the European Debt crisis, or the global water crisis, or the skyrocketing price of food.
God Unleashes Judgment, Not the Judge Himself.
Note that this is Not Christ. “He who sat on it had a bow;” (Rev. 6:2c).
Some have mistakenly connected the white horse with Christ in Revelation 19:11-15. The problem is that Christ does not ride in to start the Tribulation, but to end it. He also carries a sword, not a bow; and He has many crowns, not just one. This is not a symbol of Christ, but rather of the ones who comes falsely as Christs, these are all the deceivers, and ultimately the Antichrist.
Note the words “had a bow”. What we see is one with a bow but no arrows. He has the power (a bow), but doesn’t have to use his power to fight for his way (shooting arrows).
Note the wording, “and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.” (Rev. 6:2d).
Each element of the Tribulation that is launched here in Revelation 6 is planned by God, and unleashed according to His purposes. God always gives to each of us what we really, deeply, from the center of our being really want. Be careful what you REALLY want, God knows and will let you have what you really want.
Note how John writes that “a crown was given”. This means God allowed and sent this event. Mankind has always wanted peace but has also always been unwilling to bow to the Prince of Peace to obtain real peace.
So God offers them a false peace, from a false Christ, and they bow before the false peacemaker and worship him. That is the First Horseman of the Apocalypse.
How Does Revelation 6 Fit with the Rest of God's Word?
Since God inspired all of the Scriptures, is this section of the Bible consistent with the rest of the Bible?
What is so amazing is that these first four elements of Revelation 6’s four seals follow exactly the same script for the Tribulation period, as Jesus gave in the Gospels.
So, to get the big perspective on the Tribulation Period, look at Christ's simple outline in Matthew 24. Jesus basically tells us that there are seven facets, or characteristics of the Tribulation that brings humanity to the end of days.
In brief these are: 1). v. 4-5: deception; 2). v. 6-7: warfare; 3). v. 7a: famine; 4). v. 7b: deadly pestilences & quakes; 5). v. 9: deadly persecution of believers; 6). v. 29: cosmic darkness; and finally 7). v. 39: globally destructive cataclysms. You may even want to note by marking these right there in your Bibles as I walk you through.
We started our study with the doctrine of Inspiration: that God actually breathed out for us His Word, the Bible, that is flawless and eternal. A second doctrine to remember today is that Biblical Prophecy is also a doctrine. Eschatology is very important to God and should be to us.
Do you remember that Matt. 24 was Christ's longest answer to any question ever asked of Him in the Four Gospels? In fact, Jesus answers that question across the pages of all of the three Synoptic Gospels, because Christ's longest answer to any question ever asked Him in His three plus years of ministry fill the four chapters of Matt. 24 & 25, Mk. 13, and Lk. 21.
Four entire chapters, packed with Inspired, Divine Truth to answer the question about the End of Days, or the Doctrine of Eschatology. That is an amazing way to emphasize this topic as something very important for us to know, sent from God Himself!
Obviously if Jesus was trying to communicate these truths so late in the hours of His final week , this topic must be very important to God.
The Last Days event flow of these four chapters shows up across nearly all of Paul’s epistles, they fill the final book of God's Word, and were the single most preached about topic in the early church.
How Does Jesus Want us to Apply Revelation 6?

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