Sermons and Outlines

Rev. 6:1-8 RIDERS ON THE HORIZON

Intro: In the last two chapters, we have been in heaven. We have enjoyed the glory of

the exalted Father and Son. Listened in on the songs and witnessed the praise. Now,

it is time for God to begin working out His redemptive plan for the planet Earth. As

the Lamb begins to open the seals, thunder is heard in Heaven. Thunder signals

impending doom, (Ill. Thunderstorm). One of the beasts says, “Come and see”! The

invitation is given for all men to approach the things of God and look into coming

events. It is part of God’s plan and wish to save fallen man. He invites him to look

that he might see what is coming and turn from his evil toward the Lord. Tonight, I

want you to notice with me that there are RIDERS ON THE HORIZON. Let’s look in

as Jesus begins the series of events that will reclaim earth from Satan.

I. v.2 THE SEAL OF DECEPTION (Horses imply swiftness and

rapid succession) (Ill. This is not Jesus!)

A. White Horse - Gives the appearance of good. False purity, (false Christ), He

will ride onto the scene in the wake of the rapture and deceive many inot believing

that he is Christ, (I Thes. 2:11; Matt. 23:27), deception is his weapon, (Matt. 24:5;

24) (Ill. Simon - Acts 8:9-10) (If left, you will believe!)

B. A Bow - A military man who carries a bow, but no arrows. He conquers by

deception rather than bloodshed. (Ill. The world is ready for a man to bring

peace.(Ill. World thought patterns have already been programmed to accept his

doctrine - Ill. Communism, Dependence on government, Secular Humanism - Evolution,

Situation Ethics, Moral Freedom, Self-sufficiency, Sexual Permissiveness,

Anti-religion bias, Socialism, One World Government, Death Education,

Human Destiny.) He will unite the world. Man’s other attempts have failed, his will

too.

C. A Given Crown - The world will accept him and will crown him king of the world

(Ill. He has no right to the throne!)

D. He Comes Conquering - He will take the world, He will be the last natural man

to try and bring peace to the world. The world will be fooled by him, but -

1Thes.5:3. His false peace will last 3 1/2 years!

(Ill. This rider is not Jesus! Note how they compare:

Both ride white horses. The first has a victors crown, the second has many

diadems, he is King of Kings; The first has a useless weapon, the second

an all powerful sword; The first is a man, the second is GOD!)

II. v.3-4 THE SEAL OF DESTRUCTION

A. Red - The color of fire and blood. Fire devours and destroys. Bloodshed will be

the natural result of these days. the false peace will be impossible to bring about.

This apparently peaceful man now becomes an instrument of war.

B. Many wars will break out as antichrist attempts to consolidate his power. Ill. The

words of Jesus - Mt. 24:6-8. (Ill. Russia and her allies will invade Israel - Exe

38-39.) (WWIII will take place now - the world is ready! Ill. 60,000 H-bombs,

enough to destroy the world 17 times over at a temperature of 130 million

degrees.) (Ill. The world loves war! Ill. Scientific study; Ill. God - Rom. 3:17;

Ill. Since WWII - 12 limited wars; 38 political assinations; 74 rebellions for

independence; 162 revolutions. And WWII was the war to end all wars!

C. Imagine a world without any peace! Its coming!

III. v.5-6 THE SEAL OF DISPAIR

A. Black - Mourning, sorrow, famine - Lam. 4:8-9. The aftermath of war is

always famine, and with famine disease - Ill. 27 million died in Europe after WWI.

B. Balances - Rationing of food

C. Measure - 1 Quart; Penny - A Days Wages. A days workd will one quart, the

least a man can surive on, of wheat. Or, 3 quarts of Barley, horse feed. (What about

the rest?)

D. Could it happen? Consider this: 1/2 the preschool children in the world are

undernourished; Over 1/2 the world goes to bed hungry; 10,000 people starve

to death annually. (Ill. Population Stats) (Ill. Our wastefulness!)

E. While the poor starve, the wealthy enjoy excess. All compassion will be gone!

Population: 203,000 births per day; 74,000,000 increase per year! 1850 = 1b;

1930 = 2b; 1961 = 3b; 1976 = 4b; 1989 = 5b; 6.75b by 2,000! Waste: 1 days waste

from average family would feed a family of 6 in India. Our dogs have a higher protein diet

than many in poor countries. Our waste costs 17.5 Billion dollars annually. (God will judge!)

Land: Nearly all the world’s cultivatable land is being used. (Ill. The world eats enough

grain each year to build a highway 18 yrds wide, 6 ft. deep around the equator of the earth -

1.2 billion metric tons. There isn’t much hope of producing more.

IV. v.7-8 THE SEAL OF DEATH

A. Pale Horse - Pestilence. Green is the color of dying tissue.

B. Death is the rider with Hell following: There will be no restrainer - 2 Thes. 2.

C. 1/4 of the world’s population will be destroyed. (Ill. Eze. 14:21)

1. There will be violence. - The sword.

2. There will be starvation - Hunger.

3. There will be disease - Death (Ill. Pestilence - Ill. the bubonis plague; AIDS,

Ill. 20,000,000 cases; possibly 100 times greater than reported cases!

chemical warfare - chemicals, insects, animals, Ill. 1979 explosion in USSR

military lab. Ill. DNA research, disease strains developed for war, etc.)

4. The animals will kill - Beasts. Possibly RATS - Destroy 1 b dollars of food

in USA alone. Produce 5 or more litters of 8-9 each per year, fleas carry

bubonic plague which destroyed 1/3 of Europe in 14th century. Carry

Typhus which was responsible for over 200 million deaths in 400 years. Rats can

carry as many as 35 different diseases. If 95% of population is destroyed, can

replenish in 1 year!

Conc: Already in place. Coming now. Will continue through Tribulation. But, the

worse part - Matt. 24:8