 Okay, so may I request somebody to please pray with the class and then we will start. Maybe Prince, can you please pray with the class and then we will start please. Thank you Lord, thank you this time that we come to pour you Lord, thank you this stage of you given us each of us Lord in our life. Thank you for that we are going to learn this class Lord help us to learn and show more and more deep in your revelation and so that we can grow in you and we can learn from your work. Thank you your spiritual anointing Lord I pray for each of who out here anointing so that we can be for you Lord thank you. Ourself in our self to you Lord and also I pray all the students and pastors help us growing a lot thank you. Amen. Thank you and good morning once again so we are studying through Revelation the book of Revelation we have been going through verse by verse chapter by chapter just doing our best to understand Revelation and also in the in the process we're also getting an understanding of the sequence or the chronology of end-time events as outlined for us in the book of Revelation so we're just looking at the book of Revelation as a chronology or a sequence of events of course these have been foretold for us and said these are things that are going to happen now we went through chapters 2 and 3 which dealt with the seven churches that existed in those days in John's time towards the end of the first sanctuary and then we went into chapter 4 which is things to come you know that's how chapter 4 begins where the Lord speaks to John and says in chapter 4 verse 1 John these are things which must take place after this in the future so we went through chapter 4 which last week which gives us a beautiful picture of worship and happening in heaven but we also said that given the descriptions that we are seeing in chapter 4 about the elders the 24 elders seated around the throne of God wearing their white robes with crowns on the head seated on the throne and this is a picture of the saints having received their rewards because the white robe the crown the throne is promised as a reward to the overcomer it's as to him overcomes they will have these things so therefore we are saying these rewards have been given out and that means the believers have stood before the judgment seat of Christ and received you know and and their works have been tested and they received the rewards we also said that based on what we see in in the book of Revelation we can safely say that 12 of these all 24 of these elders are people who have been our saints of God they are not angelic beings they are people who have been redeemed and the 12 of them could be the 12 apostles of the Lord and what we do know in the book of Revelation is that the elders say I am one of you I'm one of your brethren I'm one of the prophets so that gives us a little clue on you know who these people could be they are Jewish they are could be the 12 apostles because he says you're brethren he says of the prophets so it could be the other 12 you know could be the Old Testament prophets these are just clues based on which we are doing our best you know I would say a best understanding or a best guess in some ways say these are who the 12 elders 24 elders could be because their names are not given to us but based on what we are seeing in Scripture then we went into chapter five where we saw that God the Father seated on the throne has to scroll in his hand basically it's all the end time prophetic words that have been spoken whose time for fulfillment has come and very interestingly when we saw in Daniel chapter 12 verse 4 and also in verse 9 when when we closed off Daniel the angels spoke to Daniel to Daniel these words are going to be sealed up till the end of time so it means all that I've showed you Daniel about you know the last days it's going to be you know so to speak put on pause until the end of time the time comes for their fulfillment and here in revelation five it's we are seeing that picture where the time for all this thing that's in the scroll which the prophets have spoken has come to pass but who's going to unlock it it's symbolic of okay let these events now take place and there was no one who was found worthy to unlock the scroll until the Lamb of God that is the Lord Jesus Christ came and you know he and he alone was worthy to open the scroll and to say okay these are the things that are going to start taking place and and we saw in our revelation chapter five verse six where the lamb again these are pictures right so it's not like there's a literal lamb walking the throne room it's a title given to the eternal Son of God the eternal Word of God and so the lamb Jonah's seeing the lamb he understands who the lamb is it's the Lord Jesus Christ and he has seven horns seven eyes upon him seven eyes seven horns which are the seven spirits of God that means the anointing of the Holy Spirit is on him he's the anointed one right so in the throne room we are seeing God the Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit but represented to us symbolically in these ways the lamb the lion of the trumpet shooter the the root of David you know these are the titles given as talking about Jesus Christ the eternal Word and for the Holy Spirit he's talking about seven horns seven eyes seven spirits seven horns talking about omnipotence seven is perfection so perfect horn is power perfect power seven eyes seven is perfection eyes is what you see so perfect knowledge or omniscience and representing the seven spirits are the perfect spirit of God and verse 7 is where we stopped he came and he took the scroll so we are going to pick up in Revelation chapter 5 verses 8 through 14 so what we're now seeing is that when the lamb the the Lord Jesus Christ comes and takes the scroll there is in this this whole celebration in heaven right so let's just read about that Revelation chapter 5 verses 8 through 14 could somebody read it for us please maybe David and Dave would you like to read that Revelation 8 through 14 please now when he had taken the scroll the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the lamb it's having a harp on golden bowls full of incense which are the prayers of the saints and they sang a new song saying you are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals for you who are slim and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and town and people and nation and have made us kings and priests to our God and we shall reign on the earth then I looked and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne the living creatures and the elders and the number of them for 10,000 times 10,000 and thousands of thousands saying out a loud voice worthy is a lamb who was known to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing and every creature which is in the heaven in heaven and on the earth are under the earth and under the earth and as are in the sea and all that are in them I heard saying blessing and honor and glory and power be to him who sits on the throne and to the lamb forever and ever when the four living creatures say amen and the 24 elders fell down and worship him who lives forever and ever amen amen so verses 8 through 14 the capture for us the worship that's going on so the lamb that is Lord Jesus Christ he has come and he has taken the scroll that means he's the one worthy to do that worthy to say I'm opening the sea hills which is figuratively saying I'm unlocking these things these are the things that are going to be fulfilled so the father says it's time to open and there's the Lord Jesus who's worthy to open he comes and opens the scroll and things begin to take place so as as the Lord comes and receives the scroll there is worship so verse 8 we're seeing the four living creatures these these angelic beings we spoke of last last week and we're seeing the 24 elders and these 24 elders are having harps and bowls of course is to sing and make music and to sing worship and bowls bowls which are carrying the prayers of the saints it's bowls full of incense it says then verse 8 which are the prayers of the saints now it seems like that these these elders are involved in you know in worship the harp and the bowl the prayers so now in what way they are engaging with the prayers of the saints we don't know and surely we should not use verse 8 to say that you know we submit our prayers to the 24 elders and they will submit it to God we shouldn't draw that conclusion it would be wrong because it would contradict all the other teaching in scripture the scriptures are very clear that we pray directly to the father in the name of the Lord Jesus we don't pray to any of the apostles or any of the Old Testament saints so that's not what is implied here but what is what the picture here is that these 24 elders are involved in worship and prayer and we don't need to go through them that means our prayers don't need to go through them to the father Jesus never said that he said we pray directly to the father in his name therefore since that option is not possible what we can say is that the 24 elders are also involved in prayer that is aligned to the prayers of the saints so we are praying the saints are praying from the earth we talk about saints were on the earth they're praying the prayers of the saints sending before the throne of God and these 24 elders are praying themselves praying aligned to the prayers for the saints I mean they are interceding the same praying the same things that we are praying of course things that are right and legitimate so that would be one plus possible explanation of the prayers that these 24 elders are engaged in right so they are praying in agreement with the prayers of the saints before the throne of God just as they are worshiping the Lord but we should not and I'm just repeating it we should not use this passage Revelation 5.8 to say that we pray to you know one of the 24 elders and they will pray they will submit it to God no because that's that contradicts the rest of scripture okay but the 24 elders are involved in this harp and bowl ministry harp worship bowl prayer they're involved in that before the throne of God and it gives us a little glimpse of you know the song they are singing verse nine they are saying Lord we you know they're declaring the worthiness of God and they're saying you have redeemed us by your blood so again another indicator that these 24 elders have the harps that are which they are singing they are saying you've redeemed us to God or redeem people to God you know either way they're declaring his redemption and it's just amazing to see the the scale of worship meaning verse 11 is saying John sees just a limitless number of angels now he doesn't know how many he just says thousands upon thousands and thousands upon tens of thousands meaning just an innumerable host of angels angelic beings worshiping and they're saying worthy is the Lamb they're declaring how worthy the Lord is so can you try I mean we just try to imagine in our minds this huge number of angels worshiping God what would it be like and not only that he goes on and verse 13 says every creature every created thing you know it's it is including birds and animals and creatures in the sea seemingly speaking or worshiping and saying blessing and honor this is verse 13 blessing honor and glory and power to the one who sits on the throne to the Lamb that means all of creation so John feels like from every created thing worship is coming forth to God so just starting and we're just thinking thinking that you know innumerable company of angels and every creature every creature is expressing worship that's how worthy God is that's how worthy he is and when you and I worship and you and I just you know however however we worship you know whether singing a song or just telling God you love him and how you and we worship we are joining with you know these this this whole innumerable company of angels and all of creation just to declare how worthy God is you know so when you look at Revelation 8 5 verses 8 through 14 it's just telling us how worthy God is to receive worship and innumerable company of angels and and creatures from all over the all of creation worshiping the Lord so it's really amazing so chapters four and five is a glimpse into the throne room and you know what is happening there now when we get into chapter six onwards the focus not changes we begin to we begin to read about what's going what's happening here or not and of course what's happening here or not is being in some way I would say directed or you know is being sequenced by things happening in heaven so what we will see is there is the opening of seven seals and every seal indicates something happening here or not or triggers something happening here or not then there are seven trumpets and then there are seven bowls so there are these three sets of seven judgments some like you know the last seventh seal the seventh trumpet the seventh seal or the seventh trumpet you know they talk about silence and so on but generally we just say three sets of seven judgments being poured out on the earth and so as we journey from chapter six on it's telling us these are the things that are going to unfold on the earth and in between here and there we catch a glimpse of what's happening simultaneously in heaven we see people worshiping we see martyred souls who come into heaven who are worshiping all of that so chapter six through to the end we are alternating between what's happening in heaven what's happening on earth what's happening in heaven what's happening on earth and so on and as we will see later on this chapter six on clearly speak about the tribulation period clearly speak about the tribulation period so what we are saying is chapter four and five is giving us a picture in heaven after the rapture because the elders have seated on the throne and there is worship and so on and the rapturous happened the church is in heaven and now Jesus is going to open the scroll seal by seal things are going to start taking place on the earth and you will see as you progress it clearly tells us okay now you're in the middle of the tribulation which means everything prior to that point has happened in the first part of the tribulation so when you come to revelation chapter 11 it will clearly tell us from that point on there is three and a half years left there is 1260 days left remaining which implies that everything prior to revelation 11 has happened in the preceding three and a half years it's only logical to conclude that because we know the tribulation is a seven-year period we know that for sure from Daniel chapter 9 therefore revelation 6 to 11 or to the end of chapter 10 are events that are taking place in the first three and a half years revelation chapter 11 when we get to 11 it'll clearly stated there is a midpoint of the tribulation it says from then on there is three and a half years left so it's very clear therefore we are saying whatever we're going to read from now on revelation 6 to end of chapter 10 happens in the first three and a half years of the tribulation here on earth is that clear so what's going to happen let's read revelation chapter 6 and we will read verses 1 through 4 please revelation 6 1 through 4 somebody could read then I saw the lame prick open the first of the seven seals and I heard one of the four living creatures say say in a voice that sounded like a thunder come I look and there was a white horse it's right there hill above and he was given a crown he rode out as a conqueror to conquer then the lame broke out broke open the second sail and I heard the second living creature say come another horse horse came out a red one it's right there was given the power to bring the war on earth so the men should kill each other he was given a large sword so from revelation 6 1 it's the opening of the seals and what we will see is that when every seal is opened something is happening it corresponds to something happening very interestingly the first four seals sorry the first four seals when the four seals are opened John sees a horse now here these these four things the horses have to be interpreted regrettably and not literally why do we say that because of what happens in connection with each horse coming out we will as you read it you will understand that but what does the horse represent figuratively what does a horse represent the horse represents speed and represents strength so he sees four horses for each seal there's a horse coming out the horse we are saying has to be understood figuratively of representing something rather than being a literal horse and it has to be understood as symbolic of strength and speed that's what a horse represents so when the first seal is opened he sees somebody writing on a white horse and he has been given a crown which symbolizes authority leadership dominion you know headship rulership and he's going out conquering or taking control now we say clearly that in revelation 6 2 that this actually represents the antichrist because there is Christ who in revelation 19 comes riding on a white horse here is the antichrist who also comes riding on a white horse but he is conquering and taking control of people nations so he's you know he's not the Christ he comes like the Christ the white horse you know just representing him coming like a man of peace so revelation 6 2 the tribulation begins it starts out with the emerging of this man of peace who is actually the antichrist he moves with strength and speed he's got he's a leader because he's wearing a crown and he goes about conquering taking control and we know that you know we saw in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 that once the church is taken out of the way then the man of sin the son of perdition is revealed that's revelation 6 verse 2 he comes he's revealed but he comes as a man of peace because we know from Daniel 9 or from the book of Daniel he signs a treaty of peace he signs a covenant of peace he comes as a man of peace initially the second seal when it's open this is verse 3 John sees a red horse and here it's talking about somebody who was sitting on it who goes about and causes great destruction people kill one another that means here's something else that is moving on the earth very very fast its speed and strength and what is it it's causing people to kill one another war so the second thing that begins to happen on the earth is suddenly there's war breaking out this is we're talking about the beginning of the tribulation there's this man of peace who comes there's war breaking out people are beginning to kill each other the third seal this is um so let's read verses 5 through 8 please let's look at the third in the fourth seals five through eight please when you open the third seal i heard the third living creature say come and see look so i so i look and behold a black horse and he who sat on it had a pair of stale in his hand and i heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying a quart of wheat for a dinner dinner race and three quarts of barley for a dinner race and do not harm the oil and the wine when you open the fourth seal i heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying come and see so i looked and behold a pale horse and the name of him who sat on it was death and had his followed with him and power was given to them over a force of them of the earth to kill with sword with hunger with death and by the beasts of the earth so uh yeah so i see Karen's question to whom uh is it saying come and see so obviously it's to john right so john is hearing come and see that means the angel is saying come and see telling john look this is what's happening right so john is seeing this vision and the voice is telling john come and see inviting him to look so um the third seal and that's opened again sees a black horse again these are figure it or representing something was five and six is talking to us about famine why because food is being measured out to people you know and it's being sold just this this typically represents famine when food has to be sold and we know this because in the old testament that was the language that was used during Elisha's time saying you know when food's going to be sold like this at a very high price so this represents famine and says don't touch the oil and the wine i mean it's it's you know it's beyond reach so the third seal so the first seal talks about the emergence of the um antichrist the man of peace the second seal is talking about war people killing each other that's the third seal is talking about famine food scarcity um the fourth seal is talking about death it's a pale horse uh and is representing death and uh what's happening is people are one fourth of the earth's population that means a quarter 25 percent of the earth's population are will be killed through one of these means with the sword that means through fighting or war through hunger and death that is food shortage hunger sorry with hunger with death and by beast of death so even the animals are will start attacking human habitations and killing people so uh one fourth of a human population is going to be wiped out in this fourth seal right there's going to be so much death uh being caused either through uh war through hunger or through death itself and by animals attacking habitations human people humans so that's what's going to happen this is how the tribulation begins with all these things beginning to happen on the earth now while this is happening what we are seeing is there will be many who will turn to the lord jesus christ now you can imagine a rapture has taken place and these things are beginning to happen on the earth and while these things are happening there are going to be souls turning to the lord but we are going to be killed out we know that we see this in the fifth seal could somebody read verses nine to eleven please when he opened the fifth sales i saw under the altar of souls of those who had been slain for the word of god and for the testimony which they held and they tried with a loud voice say how long oh lord holy and true until you judge the avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth then a white robe was given to each of them and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer until both the number of their follow servants and their brethren who would be killed as they were was completed so fifth seal what what does he see he sees that there are a lot of people being killed for the word of god and the testimony which they held so the word testimony is used quite frequently in the river in the book of revelation and it always it's always used in the context of giving testimony to the lord or testimony of the lord which means either i'm speaking about jesus or i am speaking from jesus right that's very because this is a testimony of the lord jesus christ so he sees that many people the souls of many people have died who have been killed actually he sees them before the throne or the altar of god and they have been killed and so there's a christ and god you know when they could avenge these people you know they hold these hold their killer is accountable and then what we're seeing is verse 11 is that a white robe is being given to them so this is happening during the tribulation that means they have come just these people have just come into heaven because they've been killed here on earth and a white robe is being given to them they are saying so come in to the presence of god and they say you know you have to be patient now because there are some more people your fellow servants and your brethren there are some more people down here on earth who are going to be killed so that means during the tribulation there are going to be many people who are killed for what for the word of god and for their testimony so obviously there are going to be many people who will believe in the lord jesus christ who will embrace the lord embraces word but they will be killed throughout the tribulation and we are saying it based on what we've just read in revelation 6 9 to 11 and as these people are being killed what's happening they are coming into the presence of god their souls that means they're spiritually they come in the bodies of course here on earth but their spirit person is coming into the very presence of god and spiritually in their spirit persons are receiving their robes of righteousness in the presence of god and they are saying you just be patient god will hold your killers accountable at the right time which means you know which obviously we know towards the end of the tribulation there's judgment coming so that's another thing we're seeing happening on the earth during the tribulation starting from the very beginning of the tribulation and then there is the sixth seal so we're going seal by seal now when the sixth seal is open what happens verses 12 to 17 revelation chapter 6 was 12 to 17 somebody can read that please revelation 6 12 to 17 I looked when he opened the sixth seal and behold there was a great earthquake and the sun became black as sick clothes of of air and the moon we became like blood and the stars of heaven fell to the earth as a fig tree drops it's it's late fix when it is taken by mighty wings in the sky receded as a scroll when it is when it is rolled up and every mountain and Iceland was moved out of its place and the kings of the earth the great man the rich man the commandment commanders commanders the mighty man every slave and every free man hide themselves in the cults and in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains and say to the mountains and rocks fell on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the worth of the land of the land for the great day of his growth has come and who is able to stand thank you so when the sixth seal is open what do we see there's a you know a lot of I call us events in nature and in the celestial bodies or heaven heavens so on the earth there is a great earthquake mountains and islands are shaken right that means there's this catastrophic what we would say natural calamities happening earthquakes mountains islands are being shaken and then there are things happening in the sky in the celestial bodies the moon becomes like blood the sun becomes black the sky is as though you know it's been scrolled has been a scroll has been rolled up and very interesting the prophet Joel spoke about this and even Jesus spoke about this right Joel prophesied and the sun will be darkened the moon will be turned into blood red before the great and terrible day of the coming of the Lord so Joel chapter 2 which Peter quoted in Acts chapter 2 so we are seeing that happen here in Revelation chapter 6 verses 12 to 17 and we'll see it happen again in Revelation chapter 8 one more time right so and Jesus himself said Matthew 24 you know the the sun will be darkened the moon will be turned to blood red before the great coming of the Lord right let me just give you the exact verses um yeah Matthew 24 and uh yeah looking at exact verses yeah yeah verse 29 and 30 right so Jesus himself also spoke about it that in the tribulation there'll be these catastrophic natural events happening on earth and in the sky and it's fulfilled being fulfilled here in Revelation 6 and again in Revelation 12 so it's so amazing Joel prophesied saying God will pour out his spirit in the last days which began in Acts chapter 2 but in Joel's prophecy he also said about the sun being darkened the moon being turned into blood red and we are seeing it being fulfilled in or during the tribulation it's quite amazing and that is the sixth seal and then what happens is by this time we are seeing verse 15 that people on the earth it's talking about the rich men the kings the commanders the mighty men everyone slave and free meaning all the people of the earth begin to realize something is happening you know they realize that what is happening on the earth is not just normal things you know so for example yeah we do have natural calamities happening yeah we'll read about an earthquake here we'll read we may read about a tsunami happening somewhere a volcano erupting somewhere those kinds of things now and then but what's happening here in the sixth seal is so it is of such a great magnitude that it's causing people to realize something is different and they're realizing it says here that it's the judgment of God they're realizing it and they're crying out to the rocks and the mountains hide us meaning they can be hide from the judgment of God so that's that realization is coming upon the people because they're saying things that are happening now are very very different and everyone whether they are rich or poor educated on everybody suddenly becoming aware of the wrath of God and the wrath of the lamb who can stand before that right so this is the sixth seal when this happens okay so now very interestingly we we've gone through six seals and then before we can get to the seventh seal which actually comes to us in the eighth chapter there's like a small happening or let's just say small happening but there is an interjection of something else that's happening on the earth which is not connected to these seals that are being opened okay so we've gone through six seals each one is saying something's happening here on the earth and they're very you know very very destructive people lots of people are dying all these things are happening and then before we get to the eighth seal chapter seven is telling us well something else is happening here or not and I'll just make mention of it then then we'll go for a break what we will read in chapter seven is that during the tribulation somewhere from the beginning of the tribulation the lord marks 144 000 Jewish men to serve him on the earth during that time this is very very significant you know we thought that during the church age you know God's attention towards the Jewish people had you know it's like okay where are they now well they have a role to play even the time to come and in the tribulation we are saying that the Lord has selected 144 000 Jewish men he is going to mark them by the Holy Spirit with his name on them and they are going to bear testimony to the Lord Jesus Christ Jewish people are going to be bearing testimony we will see that in chapter seven and then we'll read about them again in the 14th chapter and so you know we will piece this information together and we will know what what they were doing so generally they are referred to as the Jewish evangelists because they have been marked by God anointed by God to stand for the name of Jesus during the tribulation okay so we're going to take a little break now we'll take our 10 minute break when we come back we'll get into chapter seven okay see you shortly thanks