D. The study of the church at Thyatira: Thyatira was also a city located in modern Turkey and the people there were given over to pagan worship and sexual immorality.
a. He begins by identifying himself to this church.
b. He commends then for their charity, faith, and service.
c. He condemns them for allowing that woman Jezebel to teach and seduce his servants causing them to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.
Question: Was there a woman named Jezebel in that church causing this or was it the spirit of Jezebel that they were allowing in that church? Some believe that there was such a woman there and some believe that John was referring to the spirit of Jezebel.

A. Sardis was the capital city of Lydia, which would be in modern Turkey today.
Verse 1. He identifies himself as in all the other churches. They had a name that they were alive, yet he said, thou art dead.
Verse 2. He warns them that what little they had left, they were about to lose.
Verse 3. He commands them to repent and return to the things they had been taught.
1. Question: What is the foundation? The apostles doctrine. Eph. 2:20
Verse 4. He commends those in Sardis that had not defiled their garments.
1. There will always be people that will live right.
Verse 5-6. He encourages them, if they will repent, he will not blot out their names out of the book of life.

B. Philadelphia was also a city that existed in modern Turkey.
Verse 7. He again identifies himself as having the power to open and no man could shut, and to shut and no man can open.
Verse 8. He begins by commending them for their stand on his word.
Verse 9. Because of their stand on the word of God, while being surrounded by false brethren, that he would bless them. He will always bless his truth.
Verse 10. He promises the church that if we will keep his word that we will be kept from the hour of temptation, which is referring to the Great Tribulation Period.
Verse 11. He encourages them to hold fast what they have, which is the word of God the apostles doctrine.
Verse 12-13. He always concludes with a promise, if we will overcome we will make it.
C. Laodacea was about 40 miles east of Ephesus and about 10 miles west of Collossae.
Verse 14. He again identifies himself, as the faithful and true witness.
Verse 15. He reveals the spiritual condition of this church, that they were neither cold nor hot, but in a lukewarm condition.
Verse 16. He warns them of what will happen if they remain in that condition.
Verse 17. These people based their spiritual condition upon their natural possessions.
Verse 18. He encourages them to seek after spiritual things.
Verse 19. He commands them to repent and at the same time reminds them that he loves them, God don’t chastise us because he hates us, but because he loves us.
Verse 20. God is always willing, if we are. He stands at the door, the door of our heart.
Verse 21-22. He concludes with a promise of victory if we will hear what the spirit saith unto the church.

A. Review chapter 1 through 3: Chapter 1 things past, chapter 2 and 3 things present, chapter 4 through 22 things future.
1. Question: Where is the church in this book of revelation? In chapters 2 and 3.

B. Verse 1-2 After what ? After the last message was sent to the church, the rapture takes place.
1. Reasons why I believe that these scriptures indicate the rapture.
a. He heard a voice as of a Trumpet.
b. 1st. Thes. 4:13-18 .... with the Trump of God
2. In verse 2, John was changed : And immediately I was in the Spirit...
a. 1st. Cor. 15:50-56 Behold I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.
b. Job 14:12-15 ... all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
c. Rev. 11:11-12 The term Come Up Hither is used to translate the two witnesses.

C. Verse 3. John sees Jesus in his glory, he sees him as God.

D. Verse 4. Question: Who are these 24 elders? The most popular belief is, that they are representatives of the old and new testament believers that were raptured and I agree.

E. Verse 5. Indicates by the lightnings and thunderings that judgment is come to the earth.

F. Verse 6 This sea of glass represents peace in heaven for the resurrected dead and the bride.

G. Verse 7-9 Reveals that it is The Lord God almighty that sits upon the throne and that it is Jesus himself which is to come.

H. Verse 10-11 Also reveals that it is Jesus that is sitting on the throne, by referring to him as the creator of all things.
1. Gen. 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2. John 1:1-3 ... all things were made by him.
3. Isa. 44:24 I am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself.

A. Verse 1-2 Verse one and two clearly indicates the Rapture of the Church as indicated by the term used in verse one “ Come Up Hither “ compared with chapter eleven verse twelve using the same terminology to Translate or Rapture the two witnesses.

B. Discuss the five reasons for a Rapture.
1. # One: It is the saint’s deliverance from the wrath of God.
a. Luke 21:32-36 … that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things.
b. Romans 5:7-9 … we shall be saved from wrath through him.
c. 1st Thes. 5:1-9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath …
d. Rev. 3:7-11 I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation …

2. # Two: That the antichrist might be revealed.
a. 2nd Thes. 2:1-12 And now we know what withholdeth that he might be revealed.

3. # Three: That the Lord Jesus might take to himself a bride.
a. Eph. 5:25-27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church …
b. John 14:1-3 I will come again and receive you unto myself …

4. # Four: To resurrect the righteous dead, to unite them with the living bride.
a. 1st Thes. 4:13-18 … and the dead in Christ shall rise first.

5. # Five: To reward his saints, the bride, the church for their dedication, love, and loyalty to him.
a. Matt. 16:24-28 … he shall reward every man according to his works.
Rev. 22:12-14 And behold I come quickly and my reward is with me …

A. John is now in heaven seeing things that must shortly come to pass. To understand this chapter we must understand that this is a book of symbols.

B. Verse 1: First let us establish how many thrones there are in heaven and who it is that sits upon the throne.
1. Rev. 4:1-2 ... and one sat upon the throne.

C. Now to establish who it is that sits upon the throne.
1. Rev. 4:3-11 ... the Lord God Almighty ... the creator of all things.
a. Jesus is the creator of all things.
2. Ps. 11:4-7 ... describes the Lord as the judge of the righteous and the wicked.
3. Rom. 14:7-13 ... we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
a. These scriptures show clearly that it is Jesus that sits on the throne as judge.

D. Verse 2-4: Reveals what John is about to see. That no man in heaven nor in earth is worthy to open the book sealed with seven seals, that it would take more than a man.

E. Verse 5: Notice how John describes Jesus in this verse. Not as a man but as God.
1. The Lion of the tribe of Juda and the root of David, he is seeing Jesus as God.
a. These are titles of God.

F. Verse 6: Here he reveals Jesus as the manifestation of God in flesh.
1. Being referred to as a lamb, reveals his humanity, the son of God, the flesh.
2. Being referred to as having seven horns and seven eyes is symbolic of, revealing his divinity.
a. Col. 2:6-10 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

Verse 7: Is not at all revealing two Gods, but two natures, one human and one divine, in one.

A. Verse 1: The opening of the first seal.

B. Verse 2: The revelation of the antichrist.
1. Question: What does the white horse represent? A man with great power.
2. Question: What does it mean by him having a bow and no arrows? He will conquer without military force. A crown was given to him.
a. Dan. 8:15-27 … and by peace destroy many.
b. Dan. 11:21-45 He shall enter peaceably…

C. Question: Will the antichrist be revealed to the church? No …
1. 2nd. Thes. 2:1-10 only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

D. Now let us study some comparisons of the antichrist with Jesus Christ in scripture.
1. The name of the Lord was kept secret in the Old Testament.
2. The name of the antichrist is kept secret in the New Testament.
3. The Lord was known by titles to Israel.
4. The antichrist is know by titles to the church.
5. They both appear on white horses.
6. They both seek to be exalted.
They both want to be worshiped.

A. Verse 1-2: The opening of the first seal. The revelation of the Anti-Christ, last weeks study.

B. Verse 3-4: The opening of the second seal. The red horse.
1. Question: Who is this red horse rider and what does he represent? The red horse represents war.
a. Red is symbolic of blood and the great sword is symbolic of war.
2. Question: What war does this red horse represent? Most prophecy teachers agree that it will be Russia marching on Israel.
3. Question: Did any other writers make reference to war? Yes ..
a. Matt. 24:6-7 Jesus makes a clear reference to wars in the Tribulation Period.
b. 1st Thes. 5:1-9 For when they shall say peace and safety … This will be what Israel will be saying at the time Russia invades Israel according to Ezekiel’s prophecy. Now let us study Ezekiel’s prophecy.
c. Eze. 38:1-23 Gog is the prince or ruler of the land of Magog, which is a geographical location north of Israel, known as modern day Russia. Magog who was the son of Japheth, with his brothers Meshech and Tubal who were grandsons of Noah settled in this region. Their descendants will march against the mountains of Israel in the Tribulation Period.
Eze. 39: 1-29 … and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel.

A. Verse 1-4 Read: Last two weeks bible studies.

B. Verse 5-6 The opening of the third seal. The black horse ...
1. Question: What does this black horse represent? Famine, famine follows war.
2. Question: What does the balances represent? The measuring of food, meaning that food will be scarce, that is, what a famine is, a shortage of the food supply.
a. Question: What is meant by the term “ A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; see thou hurt not the oil and the wine “?
b. Matt. 20:1-16 A penny represents a day’s wages, meaning that the price of food will go up in cost during the time of famine. The English word penny is translated from the Greek word ( Denarion ) or ( Denarius ) a day’s wages according to scripture and ten asses by definition.

C. Question: Was Israel warned before hand of this coming famine and destruction? Yes ...
1. Lev. 26:13-26 ... and they shall deliver your bread again by weight.

D. Question: What was meant by the statement “see thou hurt not the oil and the wine”?
1. There are two views on this statement and I will give you both, seeing that the scriptures do not in specifics define it.
a. First: Oil and wine were things that the rich possessed and some prophecy teachers translate that into, that their money or riches will not deliver them in the time of the Tribulation.
b. Second: Some teach that the time of the Olive and Grape harvest was much later than the wheat and barley harvest and that these two plantings would not be affected.
c. Both of these interpretations are speculation and opinion.

E. Verse 7-8 The opening of the fourth seal. The pale horse …
1. Question: What does this pale horse represent? Death … Death follows war and famine.
2. Question: What is meant by the term Death and Hell? Death represents the death of the natural body, also the grave, and Hell represents the imprisonment of the spiritual body. ( The Soul of Man ) to await the resurrection. Now let us prove this by scripture.
3. Rev. 20:11-15 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. Note: It is estimated that one billion five hundred million people will die as a result of these horsemen, a fourth part of the earth. There are approximately six billion people on earth at this time.

A. Verse 1-8 Read: Last three weeks bible studies. The first four seals opened and studied.

B. Verse 9-11 The opening of the fifth seal. The slain souls under the altar.
1. Question: Who are these souls that are slain under the altar? Jews who were slain during the Great Tribulation Period at the hand of the beast and his system.
2. Question: Why can't these saints that are killed during the Tribulation be the Church? Because the Church has been caught away ( Raptured ) Now to prove this. The first eleven chapters of Revelation are in chronological order, and that being true, we know that there are saints in heaven before the fifth seal is ever opened, and before anyone is slain.
a. Rev. 5:8-14 It is clear that there are saints already in heaven in this chapter before the first seal is ever opened.
b. Rev. 19:1-5 I heard a great voice of much people in heaven saying …
c. Verse 11-14 And the armies which were in heaven …

C. Now to show that these souls under the altar are slain Jews and not the Church.
1. Dan. 7:15-28 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and Prevailed against them.
2. Rev. 13:1-9 And it was given unto them to make war with the saints, and to overcome them … Overcome means to prevail.
3. Now the scriptures that proves without a doubt that the saints in Daniel and Revelation cannot be the Church.
a. Matt. 16:13-20 … and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. ( The Church )
b. 1st Thes. 5:1-11 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rev. 3:7-13 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

A. Verse 1-11 Read …

B. Verse 12-17: The opening of the sixth seal. The beginning of the wrath of God.
1. Note: The first five seals has been the wrath of man, beginning with the sixth seal is the wrath God.

C. Question: Did Jesus ever make reference to the Great Tribulation Period and the seals? Yes … in Matthew chapter twenty four.
1. Now to compare Matthew chapter 24 with Revelation chapter 6.

a. Rev. 6:2 The first seal, the Anti-christ. Matt. 24:1-5 Verse 4 is referring to the Anti-christ.

b. Rev. 6:4 The second seal, the beginning of wars. Matt. 24:6 wars and rumours of wars.

c. Rev. 6:5 The third seal, famine. Matt. 24:7 …and there shall be famines.

d. Rev. 6:8 The fourth seal, death. Matt. 24:7 …pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places.
e. Rev. 6:9 The fifth seal, souls slain. Matt. 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you, speaking to Israel.

Rev. 6:12-17 The sixth seal, the beginning of the wrath of God. Matt. 24:29 …the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven.