Intro: On June 9, 2018 the horse named “Justify” became the 13th triple crown winner. Michael Smith, a devoted Christian, was the rider of the winning horse, Justify. Justify and Michael Smith ran three races within 111 days to win an earthly race. The race began with the Kentucky Derby, then on to the Preakness and finally the win at the Belmont Stakes. Zacharia, one of the OT prophets saw horses running, and John in The Revelation saw horses running but they were not competing for a triple crown. These horses in the lesson today were horses of judgement and the riders were not Christians like Michael Smith, the rider of Justify, but these riders today brought pain and destruction from heaven.
(Zechariah 6:1-8)
A. The First Seal: A White Horse vv.1,2 (judgement rider)
1. Not to be confused with the white horse rider in Revelation 19:11-21.
2. This rider begins many terrible events on earth. The rider in Revelation 19:11-21 ends these events on earth. (Victory rider)
3. This rider cause the wars, famine, pestilences, death, and hell of the next three (3) seals in Chapter 6:3-8.
4. The horse of the Antichrist.
B. The Second Seal: The Red Horse vv.3,4
1. The horse of war.
2. Was given power to conquer peace
C. The Third Seal: The Black Horse vv.5,6
1. The horse of famine
D. The Fourth Seal: The Pale Horse vv.7,8
1. Death & hell followed him
E. The Fifth Seal: Martyred Saints vv.9-11
1. Under the altar v.9
2. Slain for the word of God v.9
3. Their testimony v.9; Luke 21:12,13
4. Their crying question v.10
5. Received white robes v.11
6. Advised to be patient v.11
F. The Sixth Seal: Anarchy vv.12-17
1. Cosmological Catastrophe vv.12-13; Luke 21:11
a. Fear happens when God shows up.
b. God’s judgement has influence on the universe. Isaiah 2:4,10-21; Ezekiel 32:7-10; Zephaniah 1:14-18; Luke 21:11, 25-28
G. Run, Hide and Pray vv.15,16
H. Who Shall Stand? v.17
- None but the righteous shall stand
- Those who expect His arrival shall stand
- Those who wait on His judgement shall stand
- Those who rejoiced in His suffering and persecution shall stand
- Those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb shall stand