The sufferings of the church in Smyrna at that time were of three kinds: (1)

The sufferings of the church in Smyrna at that time were of three kinds: (1)

The church in Smyrna typifies the condition of the church during the time from about one hundred years after Christ to A.D. 313. The church in Ephesus was cold in her love; the church in Smyrna suffered. This has a great significance because many times the Lord causes a cold and loose believer to suffer in order to revive him. A. Revelation 2:8 "And to the messenger of the church in Smyrna write: These things says the First and the Last, who became dead and lived again." "Smyrna" means "suffering," but it can also be taken to mean "myrrh." Myrrh is precious; thus, this suffering is a precious suffering. All sufferings for the Lord are precious. "The First and the Last" indicates that the Lord is the forever unchanging God. What a comfort this was to the church in Smyrna! "These things says..., who became dead and lived again." Becoming dead yet living again was, of course, the Lord's experience and work when He was on the earth. However, this word could also give the believers in Smyrna the greatest comfort, encouragement, and help: (1) First, this leaves us a pattern to follow. If the Lord received death while on the earth, even more, should not we also? (2) Since He suffered unto death, He can sympathize with us (Heb. 4:15). (3) To accomplish God's will and overcome the enemy, the Lord had to die. We want to accomplish the same; hence, we also must die. (4) Although the Lord died, He resurrected. Hence, if we suffer or forsake our life for the Lord, we will have the hope of resurrection; our suffering will not be in vain. B. Revelation 2:9 "I know your tribulation and poverty (but you are rich) and the slander from those who call themselves Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan." 1. "I Know" (a) The Lord knows all of our sufferings! Therefore, our hearts should be content. (b) Since the Lord knows our sufferings yet still does not remove them, such sufferings must be profitable to us. (c) Since the Lord knows our sufferings, He must also know how to reward us in the future. 2. Their Sufferings The sufferings of the church in Smyrna at that time were of three kinds: (1) tribulation, (2) poverty, and (3) slanderings.

a. Tribulation What is tribulation? Tribulation is an outward persecution from the environment, such as opposition, attack, exile, oppression, beating, robbing, and so forth. b. Poverty If the monetary supply during tribulation is sufficient, you do not feel the suffering that much because, relatively speaking, being rich makes it easier for you to get by. But if you are in poverty in the midst of tribulation, the situation becomes even more hopeless. Although this was the situation, the Lord added a most precious word: "But you are rich." At that time the faith of the church in Smyrna was rich (James 2:5) and her love was full (1 Thes. 1:3). Otherwise, who would not fall when placed under such circumstances? The church in Smyrna and the church in Laodicea stand in stark contrast to each other (Rev. 3:17); it is impossible for a person to be in Smyrna, before the Lord, yet at the same time be in Laodicea, before the world. c. Slanderings Slander damages our reputation. Some can endure physical sufferings under tribulation and poverty, yet few can tolerate damage to their reputation. "The slander from those who call themselves Jews." Slandering began with the Jews. When our Lord was on the earth, He was slandered by them; much more, should not we also be slandered? What was their actual word of slander? It was slander against the truth of salvation (Acts 13:45; 18:6; 19:9; 28:22; Rom. 3:8), yet the Lord said that we are blessed if we are reviled (Matt. 5:11). There is one more point to be noted—that is, concerning "those who call themselves Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan." Who actually were these people? Before we talk about this group of people, we should first find out who the real Jews are. From Romans 2:28-29, John 8:39-47, and Romans 4:1112, we understand that whoever sincerely believes in the Lord Jesus is a real Jew. Since these ones were not Jews but called themselves such, they must surely refer to a group of Jews in the flesh and a group of Judaistic followers. These people had an organization, and one might say that they were the Judaistic church. Their teachings were also Judaistic, being half of the law and half of grace, half of faith and half of works. Their system followed the law; they had a priestly order. There were a great number of these people, even at Paul's time. However, by the time of this writing, they had become more developed and

more organized. They "are a synagogue of Satan." These people were used by Satan to preach a seemingly true, but actually false, gospel.

C. Revelation 2:10 "Do not fear the things that you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison that you may be tried, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life." "The things that you are about to suffer" were the things which they had not yet suffered. These were in addition to the three things just mentioned. This is really suffering upon suffering! But here the Lord tells us beforehand, "Do not fear," because (1) fear is the source of failure—if you do not fear, you will not fail; and (2) the Lord has already won the victory—although we may suffer, eventually we will triumph. "The devil is about to cast some of you into prison that you may be tried." At the beginning it was merely opposition and slandering, but now it has intensified to the point of imprisonment. The purpose of this imprisonment is: (1) to stop the believers from testifying publicly, so as to bind the Lord's truth; (2) to cause them to be separated from one another, thus, reducing their strength; and 3) to cause those who are imprisoned to suffer. On the one hand, this would make the devil happy, and on the other hand, this would cause the believers to lose heart. Oh, how evil are the tactics of the devil! "The devil is about to cast some of you." No person is mentioned here, but the devil is particularly mentioned. This is so that (1) we will not blame people but will hate the devil, and so that (2) we may accurately recognize the enemy in order to resist him. "You will have tribulation for ten days." "Ten days" does not mean ten days and ten nights. It means that our suffering is for a specified period of time. Some say that these ten days are the ten periods of great persecution by the Romans. "Be faithful unto death." "Unto death" implies killing. When the devil sees that imprisonment is not effective, he will take a further step, to kill them. "Be," here, is in the imperative mood. "Faithful unto death" means that even though they face death, they still do not love their soul-lives (Rev. 12:11). Oh, but Satan's attacks can reach only up to this point. If we are faithful, he cannot do anything more. "I will give you the crown of life." Oh, how wonderful this promise is. What a blessed hope! (James 1:12). Revelation 1:10 does not say that He will give life,

but that He will give a crown of life. Life is obtained by believing, but the crown of life can only be obtained by being faithful. "Crown" indicates glory; it refers to being one of the co-kings with Christ and reigning in the millennium. D. Revelation 2:11 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall by no means be hurt of the second death." "He who overcomes shall by no means be hurt of the second death." Here the promise to the overcomers is spoken of very clearly. On the positive side, it is to obtain the crown of life; on the negative side, it is to be spared from being hurt of the second death. "He who overcomes shall by no means be hurt of the second death." In other words, he who fails will suffer being hurt of the second death. This is what we believe. Before we speak about being "hurt of the second death," let us first talk about the overcoming and the failing mentioned here. Since the overcoming mentioned here is to be faithful to the truth, even unto death, the failing must be the failure of being unwilling to be martyred. Therefore, one who fears death and is not willing to be martyred will have to suffer being hurt of the second death. Now, let us ask what the second death is. By referring to Revelation 20:14-15, we see that the second death refers to the time after the death and resurrection of the body, when the spirit, soul, and body will be cast into the lake of fire. In other words, it is eternal perdition. Believers will never suffer this (John 10:28). To be hurt of the second death is different from the second death. Just as eternal life is in contrast to the second death, in the same way, the crown of life is in contrast to being hurt of the second death. As life is different from the crown of life, so the second death is different from being hurt of the second death. Furthermore, since the crown of life is related to the kingdom, to be hurt of the second death is also related to the kingdom of the heavens. Therefore, to be hurt of the second death could never refer to eternal perdition. Now we can speak directly about what it is to be hurt of the second death. What is the second death? The second death refers to what an unbeliever, whose soul has already suffered in Hades after his physical death, will suffer in his spirit, soul, and body eternally, after his resurrection and his judgment at the great white throne in the future. What is it to be hurt of the second death? To be hurt of the second death means that after the backslidden and unfaithful believers are resurrected, they will still have to suffer during the kingdom, though this is not eternal perdition. When speaking concerning this point, I must praise God for His

righteousness because, though the overcomers may suffer martyrdom in the world, they will be spared from being hurt of the second death during the kingdom and, instead, will obtain the crown of life. The defeated ones, who are not willing to be martyred, are spared from suffering in this world, but they will be hurt in the kingdom of heaven and will not obtain the crown of life. Who will choose to suffer in this age and obtain glory in the future? A type in the Old Testament shows this difference. The people of Sodom were burned to death within the city (Gen. 19:24-25); this can be likened to the second death. Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of salt outside the city (v. 26; Luke 17:32); this can be likened to being hurt of the second death.

IV. THE CHURCH IN PERGAMOS (REVELATION 2:12-17) The church in Pergamos signifies the condition of the church from the fourth century to the seventh century. The greatest persecution from the world could not annihilate the church; therefore, Satan changed his scheme of attack on the church. Here the world no longer opposed the church, instead, the greatest empire of the world, the Roman Empire, accepted Christianity as its state religion. A. Revelation 2:12 "And to the messenger of the church in Pergamos write: These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword." According to the original language, the word "Pergamos" has two meanings: (1) united in marriage, which refers to the relationship between the church and the world; and (2) high tower, which refers to the position of the church in the world. "These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword." The sharp sword has two functions: one is to sever the union between the church and the world, and the other is to judge the church which is united to the world. B. Revelation 2:13 "I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is; and you hold fast My name and have not denied My faith, even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells." "I know where you dwell." The church sojourns in this world; she has the nature of a sojourner, just as our Lord was a sojourner on earth. How pitiful it is that the church has now lost her sojourning nature. Instead, she has taken up a dwelling place on this earth and has gained a position here. This is the decline of the

church into worldliness. Moreover, her dwelling place in Pergamos is a high tower; it has the greatest position, authority, and glory. Outwardly speaking, the church has greatly expanded, possessing position, power, and glory, but in reality, the church is now corrupted and defeated. The responsibility of the church in the world should be to fight against the enemy, but she now has a dwelling place which has been occupied by the throne of Satan. How pitiful it is that Satan has a position in the church! "Even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells." In these seven epistles, no other believer's name is mentioned except that of Antipas. From this we can see that Antipas is very important. Why was Antipas killed? Because he held fast the Lord's name and refused to forsake the Lord's word. He was killed because he was faithful to the testimony. "And you hold fast My name and have not denied My faith." While Antipas was alive he faithfully stood alone, yet this caused the entire Body to stand up also. But after he was killed, the entire Body was shaken. C. Revelation 2:14 "But I have a few things against you, that you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat idol sacrifices and to commit fornication." Balaam was a prophet who was greedy for wealth. Today there are many people who come out to preach for the sake of money. Balaam's teaching was intended to cause the Israelites to unite with the Gentiles. Today there are also many people who advocate a union with the world. Balaam was hired by Balak, and in the same way, ever since Constantine joined Christianity, many have been "hired" by rulers. The consequences of Balaam's teaching were: (1) "to eat idol sacrifices," that is, to mingle with other religions; and (2) "to commit fornication," that is, to make friends with the world. D. Revelation 2:15 "In the same way you also have some who hold in like manner the teaching of the Nicolaitans." This period signifies the age when the entire Roman Empire adopted Christianity. Since most of the people did not understand the truths in Christianity, a few had to take over the spiritual affairs. Hierarchy became accepted, and as a consequence, this system also became a kind of teaching. E. Revelation 2:16

"Repent therefore; but if not, I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war with them with the sword of My mouth." The sword here, as in verse 12, is the Lord's word, which is for cutting off our relationship with the world. If we hear the Lord's word but do not repent and break off from the world, this word will be the sword that judges us. F. Revelation 2:17 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give of the hidden manna, and to him I will give a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knows except he who receives it." Here are two promises given to the overcomers: (1)"To him I will give of the hidden manna." Manna typifies Christ (John 6:49-51). The open manna was possessed by all the Israelites, but the hidden manna was kept for Canaan (Exo. 16:33). All believers receive the salvation of Christ, but only the overcomers enjoy the hidden portion of Christ, a portion which the common people cannot enjoy. (2)"To him I will give a white stone." At the apostles' time, elections were carried out by placing pieces of white stone into a jar with names written on them. Although the overcomers lose the opportunity to be elected in the world, the Lord will give them a white stone on which a new name is written, a name not known by others. This shows the Lord's approval of us. V. THE CHURCH IN THYATIRA (REVELATION 2:18-19) "Thyatira" means "she sacrificed tirelessly." This means she was filled with many sacrifices. The Lord's word becomes stronger and stronger. All Bible readers recognize that this refers to the Roman Catholic Church. A. Revelation 2:18 "And to the messenger of the church in Thyatira write: These things says the Son of God, He who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like shining bronze." Here the Lord identifies Himself as: (1) "He who has eyes like a flame of fire," which can penetrate and discern all things. (2) "The Son of God," thus causing the Roman Catholic Church to realize her error of exalting Mary.

(3) He whose "feet are like shining bronze," which are able to carry out judgment. Whatever the eyes condemn, the feet trample. B. Revelation 2:19 "I know your works and love and faith and service and your endurance and that your last works are more than the first." We marvel and wonder at this. How is it that the corrupted Roman Catholic Church can have so many good works? We have to realize that this was spoken to a small number of messengers. Although the majority was defeated, there were still a few who were quite good. This can be proved from church history. [Editor's note: The portion from here through the end of chapter three is missing in the original manuscript.]

CHAPTER THREE THE VISION OF THE THRONE (Revelation 4:1—5:14) I. THE THINGS THAT MUST TAKE PLACE (REVELATION 4:1) "After these things I saw, and behold, a door opened in heaven, and the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, Come up here, and I will show you the things that must take place after these things." Based upon the words "the things that must take place after these things" in 4:1, some say that the things in chapters four and five have not yet been fulfilled because they concern those things which will happen at the time that the church is about to be raptured, at the Lord's return. This is a very common interpretation; however, with this explanation there are clearly the following eight problems: (1) If we say that chapters four and five refer to the things that will take place later, why is such an important matter as the rapture of the church not mentioned at all? Since the rapture is mentioned in chapters seven, twelve, fourteen, and fifteen of this book, why is it not mentioned at all in this portion? Some say that the words "Come up here" in 4:1 refer to the rapture of the church, yet verse 2 says, "Immediately I was in spirit." The church will be raptured physically, but here verse 2 speaks of being in spirit. Therefore, we can say that this does not refer to the rapture of the church. How could it be possible, when chapters two and three mention the events of the church, that there is not one clear word concerning the rapture of the church immediately thereafter?

(2) If Revelation 4:1 speaks of the rapture of the church, then where is the church in chapters four and five? Some say that the twenty-four elders in 4:4, 10, and 5:8 represent the church. Later on we shall prove that the twenty-four elders are not the representatives of the church. For now we need only to ask why it is that not even one of the twenty-four elders is mentioned from Revelation —22. Is it because the church is limited to the tribulation and to the enjoyment of the kingdom, but is no longer seen or heard in the new heaven and new earth? Can it be that she was there in the beginning but disappears later on? (3) Chapter five shows how the Lamb receives glory in the heavens. Is it possible to say that the Lord must wait for two thousand years before He will receive glory? (4) The praises of those "in heaven and on the earth and under the earth" (5:13) correspond with what is said in Philippians 2:10. This is such a glorious scene because the Lord has resurrected, ascended to the heavens, and received from the Father "the name which is above every name" (Phil. 2:9). How can it be said, in contrast to this, that Revelation 5:13 describes something which occurs two thousand years later? (5) Why should the new song in Revelation 5:9 wait two thousand years to be sung? Can it be that redemption is accomplished, yet the new song still cannot be sung? (6) "As having just been slain" (5:6) clearly indicates that it describes the scene at the time of the Lord's ascension to the heavens. Although the Lord's death is eternally fresh, the words used here are quite clear—"having just been." (7) In Revelation 4:8, the four living creatures say, "Lord God the Almighty, who was and who is and who is coming." Compare this with Revelation 11:17: "Lord God the Almighty, He who is and who was." Here the phrase "and who is coming" is left out. From this we can see that the Lord's coming must be after 4:8; it could never be before 4:8. (8) Revelation 5:6 says that the seven Spirits of God are "sent forth into all the earth." What will the Holy Spirit do in all the earth during the great tribulation? We know that the Holy Spirit descended only after the Lord Jesus' ascension. It is in the age of the church that the Spirit is sent forth by the Lord. According to these eight points, we realize that chapter four unveils the normal situation before God; it is the original situation in the heavens. Chapter five speaks of the situation at the time of the Lord's ascension (because not until 5:6 do we see the Lamb standing), which is displayed purposely for John. The "door

opened in heaven" "after these things" in 4:1 does not happen after the time of the seven churches, but after the seeing of the vision in chapter one. "Behold, a door opened in heaven." The heavens were opened to Ezekiel (Ezek. 1:1), to the Lord (Matt. 3:16), to Stephen (Acts 7:56), to Peter (Acts 10:11), and to John (Rev. 4:1; 19:11). "And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me." Here it says "like a trumpet," but not actually a trumpet. The phrase "Come up here" was spoken to John individually; it is not a type of the rapture of the church. (Scofield said that this is a type of the rapture of the church, but it is impossible to assert this here.) "I will show you" speaks of the words that are heard. "I will show you the things that must take place after these things" is an introduction to the following words of prophecy.

II. THE THRONE (REVELATION 4:2-3) A. Revelation 4:2 "Immediately I was in spirit; and behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and upon the throne there was One sitting." John's spirit was raptured, not his body. "Behold, there was a throne set in heaven." The throne is the center of this book; it is also the center of everything. Hence, the throne which is seen first is the place out from which all the following events come forth. This throne differs from the throne mentioned in the epistles. Hebrews 4 touches upon the aspect of God's grace—the throne of grace. Revelation 4:2 touches upon the aspect of God's righteousness—the throne of judgment. "And upon the throne there was One sitting." This One is God. B. Revelation 4:3 "And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance, and there was a rainbow around the throne like an emerald in appearance." "Jasper" is best translated as "diamond." Of all physical matter, a diamond resembles the color of light the most. No one can break it. Everyone treasures it. Its structure is the result of the transformation of coal. Its light is like the light of the gospel, which brings people from darkness into the realm of light. "Sardius" is the most perfect red and signifies God's redemption because blood is red. The significance of these two items is their colors. One signifies the light of the gospel; the other signifies the redemption accomplished by God through the Lord Jesus.

"And there was a rainbow around the throne like an emerald in appearance." The rainbow ordinarily seen on earth is shaped like an arc, but the rainbow here surrounds the throne. The rainbow is the sign of God's covenant with Noah. From this we can see that God is a covenant-making God (Gen. 9:12-16) as well as a covenant-keeping God. God is going to execute His judgment soon; nevertheless, He continues to keep His covenant and remember His promises and grace. "Emerald" green is a grass green; it is the basic color of the earth. This means that during God's judgment, He has grace and remembrance toward the earth. After the earth has passed through judgment, the color green still remains (Gen. 8:11). III. THE TWENTY-FOUR ELDERS (REVELATION 4:4) "And around the throne there were twenty-four thrones, and upon the thrones twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and upon their heads golden crowns." The common interpretation of Bible expositors is that the twenty-four elders refer to the entire glorified church, but their assertion does not have sufficient proof. Recently, some quoted Revelation 4:4 and said that these elders have thrones and, therefore, are kings. They also said that in 5:8 the elders have harps and bowls full of incense and, therefore, are also priests. Furthermore, 1 Peter 2:9 says that the believers are a royal priesthood. Since these twenty-four elders are kings and priests, Bible expositors reason that these elders represent the glorified church. According to this kind of interpretation, however, the whole church would be raptured all at once and would not have to pass through the tribulation. Is not this against the spirit of this book? Then how about Revelation 3:10? There are still another ten major reasons that are sufficient to prove that the twenty-four elders are not the glorified church. (1) The term elder is not the same as the term church. If the elders here refer to the church, would not that make the whole church elders? According to historical fact, God first selected the angels (Isa. 14:12; Ezek. 28:11-19); second, the Jews (Gen. 12:1-3); and third, the church (the church was established in Acts 2). The church cannot be considered as the elders, and neither can the Jews. (Ephesians 1:4 speaks of selection according to God's eternal purpose. The chosen angels in 1 Timothy 5:21, however, are another matter.)

(2) The number of the elders is not the number of the church. The number of the church is seven, or at least a multiple of seven. If the elders are the church, their number should be either seven or a multiple of seven. The number twenty-four is neither the number seven nor its multiple. (3) The church cannot receive the throne and the crown before the Lord Jesus does. The One who sits on the throne in Revelation 4:2 is the Father God (the Lamb in 5:6 is standing). First, in 4:4 there is "the throne," and then there is the word "sitting." In the original text, "sitting" is the same word as "the throne"; therefore, it should also be translated "throne." These twenty-four elders who sit on the thrones also wear golden crowns. If we say that they are the church, why is it that the church sits, but the Lamb stands? In 5:6 the church is already crowned; hence, why does the Lord Jesus have to wait until chapter twenty to be King? How can the church receive glory sooner than the Lord? Besides, after Revelation 19:4 we cannot find any trace of the twenty-four elders. If we say that these elders represent the church, where has this glorious church gone?

(4) There is no mention that the white garments worn by the elders are washed in the precious blood; however, in other passages where the white garments are mentioned, Revelation always says that they are cleansed by the blood of the Lamb (in 7:14, for example). The white garments here indicate that the elders do not have sin. (5) The words that the elders speak are not words of redemption. Revelation 4:11 says that they speak of God's creation. Therefore, they know only God's creation and do not realize God's redemption. Although they sing a new song in 5:9-10, they do it because the Lord has redeemed "men." "Men" does not refer to the elders, but to those out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation. (6) All the circumstances in chapter four represent the situation of the universe. Besides the throne and the seven Spirits, there are the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders. Nothing else is mentioned. This shows that those elders are the elders of the universe. Can we say that the church is composed of the most elderly ones in the universe? (7) To bring prayers before God, as mentioned in 5:8, is not the work of the church. Although the Bible charges the church to pray for people, God has not charged her to bring before Him others' supplication for people. The church does not have such power. Many Bible expositors agree that the angel in Revelation 8:3-4 refers to the Lord. Whether or not it is the Lord, it is the angel who brings

prayers before God. Hence, the bringing of prayers before God in 5:8 must be done by the angels. (8) The twenty-four elders never refer to themselves as the church. "Them" in 5:10 is the elders' reference to the church. If the elders are speaking concerning themselves here, they should say, "us." It is apparent by the elders' word here that they distinguish themselves from the church. From this we can see that the twenty-four elders definitely are not the church. There are three kinds of people in Revelation 7:13-17: the elders, John, and those who wear white robes. If we say that the twenty-four elders refer to only one part of those in the church, it might still make sense for the elders to ask John, "These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they?" But how could it be possible that the whole church would ask this concerning a part of the church? (9) In Revelation 7:13-17, John addresses one of the elders as "my lord." We can see that the elder must have a higher position than John. Otherwise, how could the elder allow John to address him as "lord"? Comparing this with Revelation 22:8-9 and 5:9-10, we see that the elders never say that they themselves are washed by the blood. Revelation 5:9 reads, "Purchased for God by Your blood men." It is "men" and not "us," as is translated in the King James Version. Furthermore, if the word "men" in 5:9 is changed to "us," how can the word "them" in 5:10 stand grammatically? (10) The attitude of the twenty-four elders before God is most unusual. Unlike the church, they have never hungered, thirsted, or wept. They do not fear God and do not have the sense of sin or the experience of redemption. From this we know they are not the redeemed church. Who then are these twenty-four elders? We conclude, first, that they are the kings and priests among the angels. They are the elders of the universe, governing the angels and the world and serving God. The evidence of this is as follows: (1) They sit on thrones and wear golden crowns. Hence, they must be kings. (2) They wear white robes which are the priestly garments (see Exo. 28; Lev. 6:10; 16:4). They have harps, songs, and golden bowls full of incense. All these prove that they are priests. (3) The reason they are priests among the angels is that they are the elders of the universe. In chapters four and five, God is God, the Lord is the Lamb, the Holy Spirit is the seven Spirits of God, and the four living creatures represent the

animals in creation. Man is on the earth, and the devil does not count. Hence, the twenty-four elders are the oldest among all the creatures. (4) Besides the angels, no one is able to sit on thrones and wear golden crowns before the Lord does. Originally, God appointed angels to govern the universe. Later the archangel failed and became Satan; hence, we have the kingdom of Satan. The remaining angels who did not submit to Satan are still appointed by God to govern the universe. For example, there is Michael, who is the angel for the Israelites (Dan. 10:13). As the redeemed people, we also have our angels (Acts 12:15; Matt. 18:10; Heb. 1:14). Here the twenty-four elders are sitting, while in the following chapters the angels who blow seven trumpets are standing (Rev. 8:2). The twenty-four elders are now governing the universe. When they see God saving a group of people, they are not jealous; rather, they praise God for it. When the kingdom comes, they will resign from their position and will hand over the governing authority of the universe to men (Rev. 11:16-18; Heb. 2:5-8). This is why we do not see the elders doing any more work after Revelation 19:4. (5) The number of the twenty-four elders is the number of the priests. In David's time, the priests were divided into twenty-four courses (1 Chron. 24:7-18). The responsibility of the priests is to bring the prayers of the saints before God. The harps are for singing, and the bowls of incense are for prayers.

IV. THE SITUATION OF THE THRONE (REVELATION 4:5-6) A. Revelation 4:5 "And out of the throne come forth lightnings and voices and thunders. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God." "And out of the throne come forth lightnings and voices and thunders." We see that God will execute judgment shortly. This throne is God's throne of righteousness, His throne of judgment. "Lamps of fire" in the original text is "torches of fire." A lamp is used in the house, and a torch of fire is used outdoors. (The torch of fire used by the Greeks was in the shape of a trumpet and filled inside with linen or cotton soaked in oil. It was used outdoors where air was abundant.) There is, of course, only one Holy Spirit before God. The seven Spirits here indicate that the emphasis is on the work and effectiveness of the Holy Spirit. This perfectly corresponds with the meaning of the torches of fire (see Rev. 5:6; Isa. 11:2).

B. Revelation 4:6 "And before the throne there was as it were a glassy sea like crystal; and in the midst of the throne and around the throne, there were four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind." A glassy sea is before the throne because the rainbow surrounds the throne. In Noah's time, God covenanted that He would never again destroy the earth by water (Gen. 9:15). Here we see that the judgment by water is over; judgment will no longer be by the sea. In Revelation 15:2 the glassy sea is mingled with fire. In the new heaven and new earth, there will be no more sea. Nevertheless, there will be hell—the lake of fire. It is a lake, but a lake of fire. For this reason, Mr. Govett said that this glassy sea later becomes the lake of fire. According to him, the judgment will not be by means of a sea of water; rather, it will be by a lake of fire. This seems quite reasonable. There is only one throne; therefore, "the midst of the throne" cannot be taken to mean the center of the throne. It can only be explained as the midst beneath the throne, that is, the central area under the throne. "Four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind." "Eyes" represent intelligence. If the eyes are closed, one cannot see the world. The eyes are those which have the most contact with the world. "Full of eyes in front and behind." This shows us that the four living creatures are very intelligent before God. V. THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES (REVELATION 4:7-8) "And the first living creature was like a lion, and the second living creature like a calf, and the third living creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings apiece, are full of eyes around and within; and they have no rest day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God the Almighty, who was and who is and who is coming." Some have said that since the twenty-four elders signify the church, these four living creatures also signify the church. We have said previously that Revelation is not a book of signs. Anything in this book that is not used as a sign should be interpreted literally. If the twenty-four elders are the church, if they are a sign with so many numbers, how do we interpret the other numbers later on? Such an interpretation not only makes it difficult to understand, but it also makes it easy for us to lose the value of this book. Therefore, the four living creatures are not a sign, but rather are the representatives of the creatures in Revelation 5:13. (The

angels are represented in 5:11.) The twenty-four elders are representatives of the angels in heaven, and the four living creatures are representatives of the living creatures on earth. According to Genesis, the living creatures are of six classifications: (1) aquatics, (2) birds, (3) livestock, (4) insects (creeping things), (5) beasts, and (6) man. But according to Revelation 4:7, there are only four kinds: (1) The lion is the king of beasts (Prov. 30:30). (2) The calf is the king of livestock. (Among the livestock the calf is the biggest.) (3) The man represents the human beings in the world. The man does not represent the church, for in the kingdom age "the earth will be full of the knowledge of Jehovah" (Isa. 11:9). During the age of the kingdom, the church will be divided between those who are merely saved and the overcomers. But in the new heaven and new earth there will be no such distinction. During the age of the kingdom, although the human beings on the earth will also believe in God, there will be no baptism in the Holy Spirit; hence, they will not become members of the Body of Christ. They can only believe as individuals. In the new heaven and new earth they will be restored only to the condition of Adam before he committed sin. They will eat fruit, sleep, marry, and give birth to sons and daughters, but they will no longer die, be sick, or sin, because they will no longer be tempted by the devil. (More will be examined later concerning this.) (4) The eagle is the king of birds. No creeping things or fish are mentioned. The largest creeping thing is the serpent; therefore, it has no representative here. The fish were not judged in the age of Noah, but all the other living creatures were. Furthermore, in the new heaven and new earth there will be no more sea. By this we can see that the fish will be judged only in the future; therefore, they also have no representative here. Because of the influence of man's fall, the whole creation is far from its original condition. Consequently, Romans 8:19 through 22 says that the whole creation expects to enter into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. When the Lord comes we shall be glorified, and the creation will be freed from the slavery of corruption. Only when the Lord comes will all things be restored (Acts 3:21). The effectiveness of the Lord's death on the cross reaches not only man but all things (Col. 1:20). Hebrews 2:9 says "everything." The Lord tasted death on behalf of "everything," that is, for all created things. The preceding portion says "all things" (v. 8); the following portion says "everything" (v. 9). Hence in the

future, not only man but all created things will be redeemed. The Lord Jesus is not only a man but also the Firstborn of all creation (Col. 1:15; Rev. 3:14). The four living creatures represent the redeemed living things before God. Among the four living creatures, the calf and man are clean, whereas the lion and the eagle are unclean. These two types of creatures stand before God with no distinction between clean and unclean because they are all redeemed. The lion and the eagle are ferocious, while the man and the calf are gentle. Yet because they are all redeemed, they can live together. In the Old Testament there are two kinds of messengers: (1) the cherubim and (2) the seraphim. The cherubim have only four wings (Ezek. 1:6) and the seraphim have six (Isa. 6:2). The four living creatures here in Revelation resemble the four living creatures spoken of by Ezekiel—they have the faces of the cherubim (Ezek. 1:10) and the wings of the seraphim (Isa. 6:2). From this we see that the living creatures here are a combination of the cherubim and the seraphim. Cherubim are for God's glory. Exodus 37:7 says, "And he made two cherubim of gold." This signifies the glory of the cherubim. Seraphim are for God's holiness (see "holy" in Isaiah 6:3). Glory is related to God Himself. Holiness is related to God's nature. Therefore, the four living creatures here manifest God's glory and holiness. "The Almighty, who...is coming" means that He shall come. This indicates the Lord's second coming.

VI. THE PRAISES (REVELATION 4:9-11) "And when the four living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits upon the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders will fall before Him who sits upon the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever; and they will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, for You have created all things, and because of Your will they were, and were created." In Revelation 4:9 "thanks" is given. The four living creatures are the representatives of the redeemed creatures. Since they have been redeemed, they give thanks. In 4:11 the twenty-four elders do not give thanks but speak of the Lord being worthy of authority. The elders do not have the experience of salvation; they only know authority. But when the twenty-four elders see the four living creatures praising, they are not jealous but rather join in: "And because of

Your will they were, and were created." According to Mr. Govett's investigation, the best manuscript reads, "According to God's will all things were not, and were created," meaning that formerly God's not creating was according to His will, and later His creating was also according to His will. VII. WHO IS WORTHY TO OPEN THE SCROLL? (REVELATION 5:1-4) A. Revelation 5:1 "And I saw on the right hand of Him who sits upon the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed up with seven seals." "Him who sits upon the throne" is God the Father. What kind of scroll is this? It is the New Testament. The New Testament speaks of how God will save the church, the Israelites, the world, and the universe. This scroll also records God's view concerning the church, the Israelites, the world, and the universe. "Sealed up with seven seals." This does not mean that with the loosing of each seal one sees a little more of the scroll. Rather, one has to loose all seven seals before he can see what has been established. This scroll is the New Testament established by the blood of the Lamb. It is the whole of God's plan in the New Testament. B. Revelation 5:2 "And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?" Because the voice has to reach heaven, the earth, and under the earth, a strong angel is needed to proclaim loudly, "Who is worthy?" This is not a matter of power, but a matter of qualification. Who is worthy to bring in God's plan? No one. C. Revelation 5:3 "And no one in heaven nor on the earth nor under the earth was able to open the scroll or look into it." Among the angels in heaven, the human beings on earth, and the spirits under the earth, no one is worthy to open the scroll. D. Revelation 5:4 "And I wept much because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or look into it." Because John saw that God's plan could not be accomplished, he wept much. Here is a heart that sympathizes with the heart on the throne. VIII. THE LION-LAMB (REVELATION 5:5-7)

A. Revelation 5:5 "And one of the elders said to me, Do not weep; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so that He may open the scroll and its seven seals." "The Lion of the tribe of Judah." The Lord is from the tribe of Judah. Before God, the Lord is the Lamb, not the Lion. But to the Jews, the Lord is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, not the Lamb. The Lion has power and is the king. "The Root of David." David was after God's heart and was the first king chosen by God. The Lord Jesus is the sprout of Jesse because He came out of Jesse (Isa. 11:1). But the Lord Jesus is not the sprout of David. Instead, He is "the Root of David" because David is out of Jesus. David became a king after the pattern of the Lord Jesus. God needs a victorious king to open the scroll so that His plan may be accomplished.

B. Revelation 5:6 "And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders a Lamb standing as having just been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth." "A Lamb standing." This is the scene at the time of the Lord's ascension to the heavens. "Having seven horns and seven eyes." Horns signify power because the horns of the ox and the ram are powerful. Hence, in the Bible there are such expressions as "our horn shall be exalted" (Psa. 89:17), "the horn of my salvation" (Psa. 18:2), and so forth. Eyes signify intelligence. The seven Spirits of God are not there to shine on God but are there as torches of fire sent forth into the dark places. The seven Spirits upon the Lord Jesus cause Him to have power, intelligence, and so forth (Isa. 11:2). The seven Spirits cause us to draw nearer to the Lord and to praise Him. C. Revelation 5:7 "And He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sits upon the throne." As soon as He took the scroll, there were praises in heaven and on the earth. The New Testament is executed through the hand of the Lamb. IX. THE PRAISES OF THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES AND THE TWENTY-FOUR ELDERS (REVELATION 5:8-10)

A. Revelation 5:8-9 "And when He took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, each having a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which bowls are the prayers of the saints. And they sing a new song, saying: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were slain and have purchased for God by Your blood men out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation." The purpose for the prayers of the saints (v. 8) is the Lord's coming again. Harps are for praising and "bowls full of incense" are for presenting the prayers. "A new song." Because the Lord had died only a short time before, it is a new song. "Every tribe and tongue and people and nation." Four is the number of the earth. "Have purchased...men." These "men" are not the twenty-four elders because the verse does not say "have purchased us." B. Revelation 5:10 "And have made them a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign on the earth." Based upon these words, are not all believers made kings and priests? Indeed, we can say this. Our salvation is based upon the Lord's death, but the procedure of salvation is based upon man's faith. In the same way, our being kings and priests before God is based upon the accomplishments of the Lord's blood, but the procedure through which we obtain this is based upon our behavior. X. THE PRAISES OF THE ANGELS AND THE CREATURES (REVELATION 5:11-13) "And I saw, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and of the living creatures and of the elders, and their number was ten thousands of ten thousands and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb who has been slain to receive the power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea and all things in them, I heard saying, To Him who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb be the blessing and the honor and the glory and the might forever and ever." Verses 11 and 12 are the praises of the angels, the twenty-four elders, and the living creatures. Verse 13 contains the praises of all the creatures in the universe and the praises of the four living creatures.

CHAPTER FOUR THE OPENING OF THE SEVEN SEALS (Revelation 6:1—8:5) Concerning the first six seals in chapter six: have they already been fulfilled, are they being fulfilled, or will they be fulfilled during the tribulation? There are two supporting factors to show that they have been and are being fulfilled: (1) In Revelation 5:2 the angel asked, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?" In verse 7 the Lamb has already taken the scroll. Then how could there be a lapse of two thousand years before the loosing of the seven seals? (2) If God does not first take care of the matter of the church (filling up the number of the Gentiles) and then put the church aside, He cannot acknowledge and deal with the Jews (see Rom. 11:25-26). It is in Revelation 7:1-8 that God begins to acknowledge the Jews in choosing them as His servants. But 7:1-8 comes after the first six seals. Hence, we see that the period of time before these six seals is the age of the church. By these two proofs we may conclude that during the past two thousand years, these six seals were and still are being fulfilled. I. THE FIRST SEAL—THE WHITE HORSE (REVELATION 6:1-2) "And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying like the sound of thunder, Come. And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he who sits on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer." Four horses are declared by four living creatures. We do not as yet know the meaning of this. Perhaps they are declared by four living creatures because there are four horses. Who does the "white horse" signify? Three different explanations have been offered: (1)It signifies Antichrist. This school gives three reasons for its assertion: (a) Christ will not be riding on a white horse until chapter nineteen; therefore, this is not Christ here. (b) In speaking of the tribulation, Matthew 24 mentions four things, one of them being false Christs; therefore, it should be Antichrist here. (c) There is a bow but no arrow. This shows that there is no real victory. (2)It signifies an international peace treaty. The reasons given by this school are: (a) White signifies righteousness; hence, the saints wear white garments, and the

Lord rides on a white horse. Peace comes through righteousness. (b) The bow without arrows signifies peace. By these we see that what we have here is the maintaining of international stability and peace by the power of righteousness. (3)It signifies Christ. The reasons are: (a) Since the One who sits on the white horse in chapter nineteen is Christ, the One who sits on the white horse in chapter six must also be Christ, whom God crowns. (b) Since the other three horses are given power and authority by God, the first horse must also be given power by God and be crowned by God. Who could that be except Christ? (c) Only Christ goes forth "conquering and to conquer." (d) He carries a bow before He puts on a crown. If there is a bow, there had to be arrows. Since at this time there is only a bow, it means that the arrows have already been shot and that the devil has already been injured. Therefore, God has crowned Him and given Him glory. (e) Among the four horses, only in Revelation 6:4 is the word "another" used. We see from this that the last three horses are different from the first horse. (f) In God's plan the first thing is His Son's victory, the victory of the gospel. (The living creatures say, "Come." In an old manuscript "come" is rendered "go," because the four living creatures do not speak in an imperative tone.) Which of the above three assertions is correct? Of course, the third one is more reasonable (the one referring to Christ). Hence, our conclusion is that the white horse signifies Christ. II. THE SECOND SEAL—THE RED HORSE (REVELATION 6:3-4) "And when He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, Come. And I saw, and behold, another horse, a red one, went forth; and to him who sits on it, to him authority was given to take peace from the earth, and that men should slay one another; and to him a great sword was given." "Red" is the color of blood. "To take peace from the earth" means to cause war. The first horse conquers by the bow, so it battles at a distance. The red horse fights with a sword, so it battles face to face. "To take peace from the earth" shows that it is war for the sake of war and not for a just cause. According to the Bible, a war in which men "should slay one another" is the worst kind of war. It brings nothing but death, destruction, and devastation. (See Judg. 7:22; Zech. 8:10; Jer. 25:15-31; Lev. 26:25. All swords bring death, destruction, and devastation.)

III. THE THIRD SEAL—THE BLACK HORSE (REVELATION 6:5-6) "And when He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, Come. And I saw, and behold, a black horse; and he who sits on it had a balance in his hand. And I heard as it were a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying: A choenix of wheat for a denarius and three choenixes of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine." "Black" is the color for famine (Jer. 14:1-3; Lam. 4:8-9; 5:10). In the Bible, wheat is measured and not weighed. Balances are used to weigh precious things, but here a balance is used for measuring wheat. Hence, not a single grain is missed. "A choenix of wheat for a denarius." A denarius is a person's wages for one day's labor. It is only one person's wage because in Matthew 20:2 the pay for a laborer is a denarius a day. "Three choenixes of barley for a denarius." Normally, the ratio of the value of barley to wheat is one to two, but here it becomes a ratio of one to three (2 Kings 7:16 and 18 record a ratio of one to two). "Do not harm the oil and the wine." This shows that at other times they were not considered food and were "harmed." But now, even the oil and the wine should not be harmed. During the time of famine, even oil and wine cannot be wasted. At the same time, grape vines and olive trees are preserved by God. In the past two thousand years, wars, famine, earthquakes, and so forth have occurred more frequently as the time draws nearer. They come in greater numbers as the days go by. IV. THE FOURTH SEAL—THE PALE HORSE (REVELATION 6:7-8) "And when He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, Come. And I saw, and behold, a pale horse, and he who sits upon it, his name is Death; and Hades followed with him. And authority was given to them over the fourth part of the earth to kill with the sword and with famine and with death and by the beasts of the earth." The word "pale" here is the same as the word "green" in Mark 6:39 and Revelation 8:7 and 9:4. Green is the color of vegetables. A green complexion indicates either sickness or death. This is why the name of the one riding on the pale horse is "Death." The word "death" in the second part of the verse can be translated "pestilence." Therefore, we interpret it as "pestilence" here also. "Hades" in the original language means the unseen world. Hades here is like a trash can (the dead people are like garbage). One fourth of the people on the earth are killed by the sword of the red horse, by the famine of the black horse,

by the death of the pale horse, and by the beasts. "The beasts" indicate a very serious judgment of God (Num. 21:6; Exo. 23:28; Josh. 24:12; 2 Kings 2:24; 17:25). V. THE FIFTH SEAL—THE CRY FROM UNDERNEATH THE ALTAR (REVELATION 6:9-11) The Bible divides the number seven into four plus three or three plus four. Many times it is also made up of six plus one. Three is the number of God, and four is the number of man. Four followed by three means man's progression in drawing near to God. Three followed by four means a falling from a desirable condition in God into the condition of man. Since the seven churches are arranged into two groups of three and four, they are declining. But the seven seals are composed of four followed by three. Therefore, their significance is different. Six is the number of man because man was created on the sixth day. One is the number of God because God rested on the seventh day. The seven seals are divided into four and three, as well as into six and one. Revelation 6:9-11 speaks of the persecutions of the church during the past two thousand years. A. Revelation 6:9 "And when He opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and because of the testimony which they had." "The word of God" is all of God's commands. "And because of the testimony which they had" in the original text reads "and for the testimony which they always held." "Always" means to be accustomed to; to always hold a testimony means to be accustomed to testifying. This testimony testifies of the Lord Jesus (Rev. 1:2; 6:9; 12:17). Some have said that this portion does not refer to the persecution of the church because it does not mention the testimony of Jesus. Instead, they say it refers to the saints in the Old Testament who were persecuted. But if one goes along with this, the preceding four seals would then become conditions in the tribulation. Mr. Govett said that just by the word "always" we know that this is the condition of the persecutions of the church. The purpose of this book is to testify for Jesus. Therefore, those people who testify always are the children of the Lord. "The altar." The Bible mentions two altars: (1) the altar for sacrifices and (2) the golden incense altar. A very famous writer has said that all the altars in the book

of Revelation should be translated as incense altars, but there are not enough reasons to support this statement. The altar here must be the altar of sacrifices. The reasons are as follows: (1) According to the type in the Old Testament, all who go up by steps unto the altar should not let their nakedness be discovered (Exo. 20:26). By this we see that all who are naked cannot see God. All those who are not resurrected are naked. One who has a soul but whose body is not resurrected is naked; he cannot go to where God is. For this reason 2 Corinthians 5:4 speaks of being "clothed upon," that is, of having a new body. (When a man dies, his soul does not go to God right away.) Without resurrection, one cannot draw close to the golden incense altar. (2) When the Bible mentions the altar, it means the altar of sacrifice. When it refers to the golden incense altar, special adjectives such as "golden," "incense," and so forth are used to differentiate it from the altar in the outer court. (3) All the blood of the animals that are killed is poured underneath the altar (Exo. 29:12; Lev. 4:7; 5:9). (4) There is life in the blood. The word "life" in the original text is "soul" (Lev. 17:11, 14). To be under the altar is to be under the earth. The altar signifies the cross. Beneath the cross is the earth. Therefore, to be under the altar is to be in the Paradise of Hades in the heart of the earth (Matt. 12:40). Acts 2:27 says, "Because You will not abandon my soul to Hades." Numbers 16:31-32 says, "The ground under them split open; and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up,...all the men that belonged to Korah and all their goods." (Not only can no man see God without a body, but he cannot even go down to Hades without a body.) Hence, these martyrs are crying for avenging in Paradise in Hades. "Had been slain." During the age of the Roman Empire, Christians were persecuted and many were slain. John, who wrote this book, was one of those who were persecuted. Even in modern times, Russia has killed innumerable Christians.

B. Revelation 6:10 "And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Master, holy and true, will You not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" "O Master, holy and true." Mr. Govett said that this was the way the Old Testament saints addressed the Lord, but in Revelation 3:7, the Lord Himself told

the churches that He is holy and true. Therefore, this is how the saints address the Lord throughout the ages. "Those who dwell on the earth." Such an expression is used many times in this book (8:13; 13:8, 12, 14; 14:6; 17:2, 8). It means that the people who dwell on the earth have become settled in it. They have established themselves; everything they have is on the earth. Such men will be judged by God. Revelation 3:10 tells us that trial is about to come on the whole inhabited earth. The prayer in Revelation 6:10 is not like Stephen's; Stephen prayed for God's grace, while the martyrs in Revelation pray for the judgment on the world. Therefore, the prayer here is the prayer of the saints against the sinners: "Avenge our blood." God does not forget the prayers of the afflicted (Psa. 9:12). When God judges those who have persecuted the saints, He is avenging His martyrs. C. Revelation 6:11 "And to each of them was given a white robe; and it was said to them that they should rest yet a little while, until also the number of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were about to be killed, even as they were, is completed." "A white robe" represents the righteousness which God imputes to them. God's justification of these persecuted ones is different from His justification of those who believed in the Lord for salvation. The justification here is one in which God who sits on the throne announces the verdict of their victory in their appeal. All that is left to do is wait for God's execution of this verdict. "Rest yet a little while." This phrase can be used to prove that the church will not be raptured all at the same time. The word "until" means that there is still a very long persecution. "Until also the number of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were about to be killed." This is the great massacre during the great tribulation. Revelation 7:13 through 15 speaks of political persecution, whereas 17:6 speaks of religious persecution. The way the church takes is the way of death. The Bible shows us one thing here: in the first rapture there will be no resurrection. Moreover, the words "underneath the altar" imply that this is not the death of the sacrifice of sin offering, but that of the sacrifice of burnt offering. The Bible never speaks of an altar of the sin offering; rather, it speaks of an altar of the burnt offering (Exo. 40:6, 10, 29; Lev. 4:7, 10, 18; 1 Chron. 6:49; 16:40; 21:29; 2 Chron. 29:18). What man sees first is the sin offering, but what God sees first is the burnt offering. We have no way of receiving life unless the Lord Jesus becomes the sin offering. However, unless the Lord Jesus becomes the

burnt offering—offering everything to God, being obedient to Him, choosing His will, and even dying on the cross according to His will—there is no way to please God. Even Paul presented himself as a burnt offering (Phil. 2:17; 2 Tim. 4:6). His whole life was an offering. All the martyrs will enter the kingdom as kings. Three kinds of people reign with Christ in Revelation 20:4: (1) "They sat upon them [the thrones]." This refers to the overcomers in Revelation 3:21. (2) "The souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God." These are the resurrected ones, referring to the martyrs in Revelation 6:9. (3) "Those who had not worshipped the beast nor his image." This refers to the fellow slaves and their brothers in Revelation 6:11, who will be killed. (Revelation 20:4 shows that they will be resurrected.) VI. THE SIXTH SEAL— THE SHAKING OF HEAVEN AND THE EARTH (REVELATION 6:12-17) The Bible records that when the Lord comes again, the changes in the heavens and the shaking of the earth will occur twice, once before the day of the Lord and once after the day of the Lord. In other words, this will occur once before the great tribulation and once after the great tribulation. The verses in Joel 2:30-31 and 3:15-16 speak of what will happen before the great and terrible day, that is, what will happen before the great tribulation. Matthew 24:29 and 30 clearly describe what will happen immediately after the tribulation of those days. This is after the great tribulation. Therefore, the sixth seal is the situation before the great tribulation. Luke 21:11 also gives the situation before the great tribulation. (The first through fourth trumpets are calamities. The fifth trumpet may be the beginning of the great tribulation, while the seventh trumpet is definitely the beginning of the great tribulation.)

A. Revelation 6:12-14 "And I saw when He opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black like sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of heaven fell to the earth as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. And heaven was removed like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places."

I dare not say that this passage has already been fulfilled in full, nor dare I say that it has not been fulfilled at all. In the last century, something similar to this happened in Australia; it is a historical fact. Some even reported at that time that there was the appearance of what is described in Revelation 6:15-16. This seems to indicate that this passage has been fulfilled. However, the situation in 6:14 still has not occurred in history to a full extent, so it seems that this verse has not yet come to pass. Black sackcloth describes the tents of the Jews and the Arabs which were made of black sackcloth. "The stars of heaven fell to the earth" may refer to comets. How can the stars, which are bigger than the earth, fall to the earth? Perhaps it means the direction that the stars are falling is toward the earth and does not mean that they are actually hitting the earth. B. Revelation 6:15-16 "And the kings of the earth and their great men and the generals and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains; and they say to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits upon the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb." This indicates that their consciences sense that God's judgment has come; it is not the Bible that tells them that the time of judgment has come. Only the blood of the Lord can give us peace in our conscience and saves us from God's wrath. This is more secure then the caves and the rocks. C. Revelation 6:17 "For the great day of Their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?" VII. VISIONS INSERTED BETWEEN THE SIXTH AND SEVENTH SEALS (REVELATION 7) A. The Remnants of Israel (Revelation 7:1-8) God has three groups of people. One group is the Jews on the earth. One is the church, which is spiritual. Revelation 7:1 through 8 refers to the earthly Jews, among whom is one group which is protected by God. Revelation 7:9 through 17 describes the scene of the rapture of the church to the heavens. Strictly speaking, according to the Bible the great tribulation should last only three and a half years. The other tribulations are merely calamities or trials. (The

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