HISTORY’S GREATEST PRAYER MEETING
Revelation 6:9-17

Introduction:            Ill. The first four seals. The events of these verses are during the middle portion of the Great Tribulation the time known as Jacob’s Trouble, (Jer. 30:7). As the fifth and sixth seals are opened, terrible things take place on the earth. Many are depressed by the events of Revelation.  However, we must consider what this world has done and continues to do against the Lord Jesus Christ. God has every right to judge mankind and He will exercise that right during the Tribulation.

I.             THE MARTYRS IN PEACE (VV.9-11)

( Ill. Martyr - One killed for adherence to a belief!) This passage refutes two doctrines: 

·        Soul sleep - These souls are awake! 

·        Purgatory - These souls are not paying for anything, they are waiting on something! (Altar = Safety; Security and Sacrifice) After the rapture, the world will hear the gospel - Currently, Scripture is in 1,100 translations; 2,000 languages!)

               A.            The Cost Of Allegiance (v.9) - (More in chapter 7)

·        Many will be saved during Tribulation.  Many will pay with their own blood! (Illus: The inquisition of the dark ages; modern perpetuations!) (2Tim. 3:12 ) ( Ill. Matt. 10:25; John 16:1-4)

·        There is a price to pay for devotion to the Lord!

               B.            The Cry Of Vengeance (v.10)

·        Illus: A strange cry - Not a Christian cry, we are taught to pray for our enemies (Ill. Stephen - Acts 7; Jesus Luke 23; Ill. Matt 5:44 ; Rom. 12:14)

·        How long Oh Lord?  O. T. terminology – Illus: Psa. 94:1-4

·        God will deal differently during the Tribulation.  ( Ill. O. T. = Law; NT = Grace)

               C.            The Comfort Of Omnipotence (v.11)

(Illus: It is good to serve a God who knows it all!)

·        White Robes - Have a body; Purity; Closeness; Love!

·        Others must die also!  ( Ill. Why?  To glorify the Lord!  Rub Satan’s face in it!)

·        In the midst of trouble, just rest in the Lord, we will understand it better farther on.  Even now, God has a purpose - Rom. 8:28.

 II.           THE MEN IN PANIC (VV.12-17)

(Illus: Most awful and frightening scene in Bible!) ( Ill. We have just seen the prayer meeting in Heaven.  Here is the largest one the world has ever seen!)  (Ill. 7 classes of men are portrayed - a picture of the entire human race in total panic!)  ( Ill. TV and movies have left us desensitized, but the feeling will come back some day!)  Here is a scene where all of mankind has gone totally berserk!

               A.            What They See (vv.12-14) (Ill. Earthquakes)

·        A universe in total and absolute bedlam - Ill. Predicted - Hag. 2:7; Mt. 24:29. (4,000 yrs - 13,000,000 dead from quakes!)

·        An Earthquake – Illus: The fear of an earthquake.  Men rely on the stability of the earth.  But, even that will fail then!

·        Sun Becomes Black - Happened at Calvary !  ( Ill. May 19, 1780 - The Dark Day)  The sun goes into mourning!  Ill. A universal power failure!  Ill. No ordinary eclipse! Some believe this is atomic war - No Way!) Sun God dead!

·        Moon Becomes as Blood - Ill. A reddening of the moon!  (Ill. Power of the moon) The Moon God is dead!

·        Stars fall - Ill. The use of stars - Navigation, Prognostication - the God of Astrology is dead!

·        All of the naturally stable things that man has depended on are removed from their sight that they focus their attention on God!

·        Heaven is rolled back - All that is above is rolled away!  The curtain is drawn; the veil that separates us from the face of God will be removed!

·        Mountains and Islands moved - (Ill. Atomic war - 17 times amount needed to destroy the world!)  All stability is gone.  ( Ill. Many times the sinner has to be brought there before he will come to Jesus!)

               B.            What They Say (vv.15-16a)

·        Seek Refuge - Ill cave men in future, not past!  Man is devolving not evolving!

·        All men begin to pray - Want to be buried in the rocks.  Men who are too tough and too cool to pray now will pray then!  But, to the wrong place!

·        Too late to pray now! Yet they pray and in the wrong direction!  They call on the rocks and not the Rock to cover them!  Many who would not turn before do now, but it is too late!

               C.            What They Sense (vv.16b-17)

·        Will finally believe that sin, wrath and judgment are true!

·        Wrath of the Lamb - (Ill. Lambs - Meek, gentle, docile - Paradox) (A picture of rejected love!)  (Wrath = Orge, A building of anger - God’s wrath has been building for a long time!  It will be released!  (Ill. Hurricane Andrew and hurricane party!  It grew and killed them all!)

·        None Will Be Able to Stand - All will have to experience the judgment of God.  None is good enough to escape.  It will be a time of Hell on earth!

Conclusion:       Come to the Lamb, while He is still dealing with men in mercy!  ( Rev 22:17 )  "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."