NT Fire Starters – Day 346: Revelation 6:1-17

READ: Revelation 6:1-17

THINK: Perhaps you’ve heard a reference to the four horsemen of the Apocalypse or maybe even seen a graphic depiction of that imposing scene. But this is not just a mythical concept or fictional theme for a Hollywood horror movie. These images convey a future reality and mark the arrival of catastrophe like the world has never known, as God unleashes His divine judgment on the corrupt and evil world system and the ungodly people who are part of it.

RESPOND: Who is “the Lamb” that opens the seals, and what do they reveal? (See 6:1 first note.) What are the various views regarding the timing of the seals being opened? (See 6:1 second note.) How do the various series of end-time plagues and judgments (seals, trumpets, bowls) seem to relate to each other in sequence and timing? (See 6:1 second note.) Who or what appears as the first four seals are broken? (See 6:2 note.) Who or what does the rider of the white horse likely represent and what does he do? What do the red horse and its rider represent, and what destruction does his “great sword” bring? (See 6:4 note.) What devastation does the rider of the black horse bring? (See 6:5 note.) Who rides the pale horse, what follows behind it, and what will be the catastrophic result? (See 6:8 note.) To what location does John’s vision shift and what does he see when the fifth seal is opened? (See 6:9 note.) Why had these been killed, and what is their prayer? (See 6:10 note.) What must happen before God’s justice is fully revealed? (See 6:11 note.) How do we know that some will turn to God during the tribulation period, and what will happen to them? How will people’s response to Christ before the tribulation affect their response to the judgments during the tribulation? (See 6:11 note.) Why must people who put off Christ now not reserve hope of turning to Him during the tribulation? Where does John’s attention shift with the opening of the sixth seal, and what cataclysmic events begin?” (See 6:12 note.) What does the opening of the final seals seem to reveal about the nature and pattern of all end-time judgments and how they relate? (See 6:12 note.) How will people react to God’s judgments? (See 6:16 first note.) What does “the wrath of the Lamb” indicate about Christ’s character and view toward sin? (See 6:16 second note.)

PRAY: Pray for greater sensitivity and compassion toward those around you who don’t know Jesus. Pray that they would see Him in you and that you could influence them for Jesus so they can escape God’s end-time wrath.

ACT: Encourage someone you know who has endured opposition for their faith. Build a friendship with someone who seems resistant to God but may be open to Jesus’ message if they see His life and love in you. Look for an opportunity to engage in conversation about the end-times, perhaps related to cultural trends or current events.