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Speaker: Rev. Shine Thomas
Posted on: 2009-10-04
Series: Revelation

Introduction: The Bible clearly speaks that one of these days the trumpet will sound and the Lord will come from heaven. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. This is called as the Rapture. In Revelation 4 & 5 we saw we will be in heaven after rapture and our main activity in heaven will to worship around the throne of God. Heaven is perfect and we will be perfect, content, and happy in heaven. But what about those people who are left behind in the rapture on the earth? What will they experience immediately after rapture on the Earth?

The Bible does not keep us in the dark and this morning I am going to speak about ‘Immediately after Rapture.’ I am going to speak to you what will happen to the people and the nations of the earth after rapture and how the prophesy of the word of God is fulfilled in the end times.

Now, after the rapture there will be a 7-year period on the earth, a time which has never been experienced before by anyone. The Bible calls this 7-year period as The Great Tribulation. Revelation 16-19 gives us the picture of this gruesome period. This is a period filled with terror, fright, and horror.

Now, Jesus spoke about the Tribulation. Matthew 24:21 (KJV) For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. Now if you think about the atrocities (barbaric acts) that the earth faced from Adam and Even until today like famine, wars, diseases, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, forest fire, flood etc Jesus said if you add up all together it is going to be still worse in this 7-year period.

In the Old Testament Jeremiah prophesied about Tribulation. Jeremiah 30:6-7 Ask and see: Can a man bear children? Then why do I see every strong man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor, every face turned deathly pale? How awful that day will be! None will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it. Bible says men will wrap their hands around themselves looking at the happenings of the earth. The world will be focused on what is happening to Jacob called Israel.

Now both the OT and the NT equally speaks about this Great Tribulation and it is sure going to happen. We are going to see how it is going to be in Tribulation.

'Background: Revelation 5:1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. We see a 7-sealed scroll in the hands of God the Father. Revelation 5:7 He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. Jesus took the scroll from the right hand of God.

In Revelation 6 we see the scroll being opened by Jesus Christ and as the 7 seals are opened the horror of tribulation is turned loose upon the earth. Let us look at the 7 seals one by one.

Seal 1: White Horse

Revelation 6:1-2 I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!" 2I 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.

Here there is a horseman on a white horse. White shows peace and dominion. Now, after the rapture the world will be in chaos for sometime because a lot of Christians have disappeared. The world will be confused if a nuclear war or a terrorist attack had taken place. But the people who knew the gospel will surely know that Jesus has taken his church to the sky. That is why we must preach the Word of God even if people do not listen to us. Now, in this chaos someone will come on the scene. He will be a person in the world leadership who comes as the saviour of the world. The Bible says he will come on a white horse which means he will bring peace. He will promise to the world to solve all problems and bring peace, prosperity, and unity in the world. Who is this saviour of the world coming on a white horse? He is not Jesus. Jesus comes in the end of the Tribulation.

Revelation 19:11-14 11I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.

Chapters 6 and 19 in Revelation have men coming on a white horse. The similarity is the white horse but these two men are different. Revelation 19 speaks about Jesus Christ. The rider of the white horse in Revelation 6 is the Antichrist.

Read verse 2. White horse shows peace. Bow shows power but notice the bow is without arrow (It is a peaceful approach as there is no arrow). The crown shows the dominion and the influence of the antichrist on the other world leaders. The antichrist will come as a messenger of peace who has power, influence, and dominion.

The Antichrist will be so deceptive that the world will believe he can bring peace. Even some of the Jews who did not accept Jesus will tend to believe in the Antichrist as their Messiah.

Now the Antichrist has the power and dominion. Do you know who gave him this power? It is Jesus Christ. Read Revelation 17:17 17For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God's words are fulfilled. God will influence the world leaders to give power to the Antichrist. Satan and Antichrist will think he is in control of the earth at last but actually it is God who is in control. Understand even when Antichrist rules our God is seated on the throat and He is in control. It is like the game of chess. See Illustration.

Illustration: How did you learn to play chess? By playing with someone who was better than you? If so, I’m sure you’ve had that experience where you thought you were choosing all your own moves, but by the end of the game you were right where your opponent wanted you to be, and they are in full control.

In Tribulation the Antichrist and man will have freedom to choose but God is in control and everything happening on earth will be just according to God’s plan. The Antichrist will come on a platform of peace and one main thing that he will do is he will do something to bring peace to the Middle East. But this peace will not last long. In the middle of the tribulation, after 3.5 years the second sealed is opened and the peace will cease.

Seal 2: Red Horse

Revelation 6:3-4 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" 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.

Peace will be taken from the earth.
Men will kill each other.
Antichrist, the man of peace will have a larger sword (indicates wars).

The red horse shows the peace that came in the beginning of tribulation was just temporary and he will start to get the nations under his control by diplomacy and if diplomacy fails he would use wars and there will be a lot of manslaughter.

Now, see what is happening in the Middle East at present. Israel and Palestine are regularly in conflict because of their northern border dispute.

Now see what the Bible says about this war.

''Ezekiel 36:3-6 ...and say: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army—your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. Persia, Cush nd Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops—the many nations with you.

Revelation 6:4 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.

This speaks about an invasion from the north of Israel. Both these passage describe the 21st Century event with a 1st Century language and war technique.

By all probability after the peace rule of Antichrist of 3.5 years there will be a great war on the earth by the antichrist against the nation of Israel. We see according to the Bible an army coming from the north. It is all Arab countries that surround the nation of Israel and a might army from the North. By all probability this will be World War III. The pieces are beginning to take shape if you look at the world today. All the nations are ready. No wonder why Iraq is storing up all the nuclear weapons, for the last day. The Bible is very true.

Remember, this time we will already be in heaven, rejoicing in the presence of the Lord. The salt and the light of the world (we) will in heaven. Peace will be taken away, nation will rise against nations. Men will slay each other without mercy. There will be great confusion on the earth. Men will wrap their hands around themselves looking at the happenings of the earth through television. The whole world will be focused on what is happening to Jacob called Israel as said in Jeremiah. This is just the beginning of the tribulation.

Conclusion: We studied the 2 seals and 2 horses of Revelation 6. This shows us that the day of the antichrist is very near. The nations are ready for the final war. The end of the world is very, very near. One of these days the Lord will come and we will be gone, will you be there? If you accept Jesus now you need not face these terrible days of Tribulation. How is your relationship with Jesus now? I would like to give you an opportunity to accept Jesus today, as now is the time of Grace. Just tell this prayer with me and you will be saved the Bible says. Amen.