Author：Karen Narrator：Liying
John begins the book of Revelation with seven love letters from the LORD to seven churches in chapter one to three. The LORD challenges and encourages His people, gives great promises to those who depend on Him and His power to be victorious. Then in chapter four and five, God invites us to visit His heavenly throne room with John. God and the Lamb are sitting on their throne in their majestic control center. Their sovereignty is absolute. God is in control of His universe, determining the outcome of all things according to His own wise purpose. Starts from chapter six, from His throne, God is about to complete every detail of His plan to redeem His people and restore His creation. As the future unfolds, God is on His throne all the time. He want you to remember this to grip the sense of security, otherwise you will be troubled.
In Revelation 6, the Lamb who has triumphed over sin and death by His own death and resurrection, is about to execute perfect justice. Each seal the Lamb opens unleashes one punitive action after another. The first four seals form a distinct group, each of its opening calls out a horse and rider galloping across the stage.
The first horse is a white one; its rider has a bow in his hand and is given a crown. The identity of this rider is not clear. Some see the rider as Christ, while the rider's bow and crown could be symbols of spiritual victories. The others say this rider is the Antichrist, who disguises as Christ in order to deceive people with false teaching. We might not sure about the identity of this rider, but we can be sure the final course of history is not one of unrelieved evil, in which Christ and His people stand hopelessly and helplessly on the sideline. God' Word will not be hold back! False teaching and false prophets will have great, but only temporary success.
The second horse is a red one. Its rider is given a large sword. He can "take peace away from the world and to make people kill each other". He brings internal strife as well as civil war and international conflict. Are you going to be careful not to be a peace breaker, using your words as a sword to harm people around you? Be a peace maker in this wicked world. Do not join the evil force to break peace in your house, church and working place.
The worldly peace can be taken away by the rider on the red horse and his helpers. But the heavenly peace which Jesus gives to us cannot be removed from our hearts. The LORD says, "In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world." Even more, He says, "peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled and do not afraid." Anchor your heart in Him and you will have peace which cannot be taken away.
The third horse is black one, a menacing image representing the poverty and famine that follow the savage slaughter on the red horse. Its rider has "a pair of scales" in hand. Hardship and suffering increase, but you need to remember that God is still in control.
The fourth horse is a pale one. Its rider is Death, followed by Hades closely. What a picture of "Hell on the wheel"! Hades is inhabited by those who died in rebellion against God. Together, Death and Hades make one eternal horrific pair of judgment.
The opening of the fifth seal changes the scene. John sees an altar, under this heavenly altar, John sees martyrs, killed for their testimony to Christ. Though murdered, they are seen to be very much alive. They cry out loudly, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of earth and avenge our blood?" The answer to the martyrs' cry is "wait a little longer." They were told to wait "until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters were killed just as they had been". God allows His people to suffer; suffering has always been part of the Christian's union with His Son. But God always give you strength to endure the suffering if you surrender your own way of struggle. And you can be sure of His presence with you, and you know He suffers with you. There is no thing better than God's own presence with you. Treasure your suffering, have real joy while having real pain.
Sometimes we suffer because of our own sin, sometimes because of the sin of others. Most time it is so hard to tell, maybe both. We long for God to vindicate us and relieve our suffering. God's sovereignty and goodness limit suffering and sin in accordance with His bigger plan. The time will come when justice will be done in all situations. When God says "wait a little longer," it is so His highest purposes will be accomplished. You do not need to fear suffering; there is deep fellowship with Jesus at your side. His purpose is perfect in world history and in your own life. He desires your highest and best good. He wants you to grow in His likeness so He can deepen His fellowship with you, because He loves you with a love that is intensely personal and unending.
The sixth seal brings us to the threshold of the end of the age. The earthquake was accompanied by the sun darkening, the moon turning red, the stars falling and the sky rolling up like a scroll. The holiness of God is demonstrated by His judgment on earth. Sin has ravaged not only mortals, but the whole created order as well.
John listed every category of human society, from kings to slave, who will be terrorized in these days. John saw everyone looking for hiding places from the cosmic breakdown around them. They are willing to be crushed under the mountains as they rush into caves looking for a spot to hide their soul. They are not afraid of losing their physical lives, they are afraid of not being able to hide their soul. Because what they fear most is "the face of him who sit on the throne....and the wrath of the Lamb!" The judgments of God against the ungodly will be so extraordinary that people hiding in fear of God's judgment will say," Who can withstand it? No one can! But out of mercy and grace of our sovereign God, He offers a solid rock for you to hide your soul. The Rock is Jesus Christ. Do you want to hide your soul in Him?
在启示录的前三章里，约翰给七个教会各写了一封爱的书信。主借着这些书信挑战和鼓励祂的子民，给那些靠着祂的大能得胜之人极大的应许。接下来，在第四和第五章，神邀请我们和约翰一起参观祂的天庭，在这个壮严荣美的指挥中心，天父和羔羊坐在宝座上，祂们的主权是绝对的。天父凭着祂智慧的旨意，控制着宇宙的运转，决定着万物的结局。从第六章开始，坐在宝座上的天父要落实祂救赎子民和复兴宇宙的各个细节。未来会给我们证明，天父从始至终都坐在宝座上，祂要我们抓住这个事实带给我们的安全感，否则，我们会心生恐惧。
在启示录第六章里，用祂自己的牺牲和复活战胜了罪恶与死亡的羔羊，将要完全地秉公行义。羔羊揭开的每一印，都释放出接踵而至的惩罚。前四印形成一个独特的组合，每揭开一印，都引出一匹马和它的骑士在历史舞台上疾弛而过。
第一匹马是一匹白马，它的骑士手里拿着弓，并有冠冕赐给骑士。这位骑士的身份不容易确定，有人认为这位白马骑士是基督，骑士的弓和冠冕可能是属灵争战大胜的象征；有人认为这位白马骑士是敌基督，他假扮基督，用异端邪说迷惑众人。我们可能搞不清楚这位骑士的身份，但我们可以肯定，历史的结局，不会是邪恶所向披靡，而基督和祂的子民站在旁边绝望地束手无策。神的道无人能挡，异端和假先知无论多厉害，都只能猖狂一时。
第二匹马是一匹红马，它的骑士被赐予一把大刀。他“可以从地上夺去太平，使人彼此相杀。” 他不仅带来国内，国外战争，也带来内部纠纷。我们要不要谨慎，不要当和平的破坏者，不要用言行伤害周围的人呢？在这个邪恶的世界当一个和平的使者吧，不要被邪恶势力利用，扮演破坏家庭，教会，工作场所的平安的角色。
这世上的平安可以被红马骑士和他的帮凶夺去，但耶稣赐给我们的属天平安，不可能从我们的心里被夺走。 主说，“在世上你们有苦难，但你们可以放心，我已经胜了世界。” 祂还补充说，“我留下平安给你们，我将我的平安赐给你们。我所赐的不像世人所赐的。你们心里不要忧愁，也不要胆怯。” 把心放在主那里，我们就会有不能夺走的平安。
第三匹马是一匹黑马，一副令人胆颤的凶残相，代表红马残暴杀戮之后随之而来的贫穷和饥荒。这位骑士“手里拿着天平”，表示物质匮乏和艰难困苦加重，但我们要记住，神依然掌权。
第四匹马是一匹灰马，它的骑士“名字叫死，阴府也随着他。” 真是一幅“移动的地狱”画面！阴府是那些叛逆神的人死后的居所，死亡和阴府组成了一对永久的恐佈惩罚。
第五印揭开时，场景改变了，约翰看见了一个祭坛，在这个天上的祭坛下边，有许多殉道者，他们都是因为见证基督而被杀的。他们虽已遇害，看起来却是活生生的。他们大声喊着说，“圣洁真实的主啊！你不审判住在地上的人给我们伸流血的冤，要等到几时呢？” 给这些殉道者的回答是，“还要安息片时，等着一同作仆人的和他们的弟兄，也像他们被杀，满足了数目。” 神容许祂的子民受苦，受苦是基督徒与神子合一免不了的，历来如此。如果我们在苦难中不自己挣扎寻找出路的话，神会给我们力量经历苦难。我们可以确信神和我们同住，和我们一起经过苦难，没有任何事比神的同在更好。珍惜苦难吧，在经历真实的痛苦时，会有真实的喜乐。
有时我们受苦是因为自己犯罪，有时是因为别人犯罪，很多时候不易分清，很可能既因为自己犯罪，也因为别人犯罪。我们渴望神为我们伸冤，救我们脱离苦难。神有全然的主权和良善，祂会根据祂的计划来限制苦难与罪恶，时机到了，公义一定彰显。神说，“还要安息片时”，是因为祂要实现至高的旨意。我们不必害怕受苦，主耶稣就在我们旁边，和我们深深相契。祂的旨意，无论是在世界历史上，还是在我们的生命里，都是完全的。祂要我们得到最大和最多的益处，祂要我们越来越像祂，这样祂可以和我们更深地契合，祂对我们的爱是心心相印，永不止息的。
第六印将我们带到了末日的临界，伴随着地震而来的是日头变黑，月亮变红，星辰坠落，天空好像书卷那样卷起。神的圣洁以祂在地上施行审判彰显出来，罪不仅使人类遭殃，也大大地累及受造的万物。
约翰列出了社会上每一个阶层的人，从君王到奴隶，在那些日子里，都恐惧战兢，每个人都在找藏身之处躲避宇宙崩溃之灾。为了给灵魂找个地方藏起来，他们不惜跑到山洞里让大山压碎他们。他们不怕丢了性命，他们怕灵魂无处躲藏，因为他们最怕的是“坐宝座者的面目和羔羊的愤怒。” 神对不信之人的审判是如此可畏，以致这些因害怕神的审判的人而躲藏的人说，“谁能站立得住呢？” 没人能站立得住！但是，全能的神出于恩典与怜悯，为我们提供了一块坚硬的磐石，让我们的灵魂可以藏在其中，这块磐石就是主耶稣基督，我们要不要把灵魂藏在祂里面？
