BUCKLE YOUR SEATBELTS! (13 OF 29)
by Keith Krell
Scripture: Revelation 6:1-17
This content is part of a series.
Buckle Your Seatbelts! (13 of 29)
Series: Live Like You're Leaving
Keith Krell
Revelation 6:1-17
When I was in my first full-time pastorate, I occasionally watched a TV program called, ''Early Edition.'' The show featured a young man who mysteriously received each Chicago Sunday Times newspaper a day ahead of time. Because he always knew the future, the man's task in each episode was to save people from a tragedy or trial he had read about in tomorrow's newspaper. So, if he knew a building was going to burn, he tried to keep people from entering into it. Or if someone was going to be hurt by an act of violence or in an accident, he tried to prevent the encounter from taking place. In my weaker moments, as a rookie pastor, I thought it would be nice to possess this young man's knowledge of future events.
Have you ever wished that you possessed knowledge of the future? It would be pretty cool, wouldn't it? Think of how many people you could help. Imagine how many lives you could save. Well, did you know that God has given you such knowledge and opportunity? The book of Revelation is an ''early edition'' of future events. It tells us what will take place in the future. Revelation 6-18 deals with a seven-year period called ''the tribulation'' (7:14, see addendum). This unit makes up nearly two-thirds of Revelation. However, this realization leads to a thought-provoking question: Why should we spend so much time studying the tribulation when we believe (or hope and pray) that we'll be raptured before this time?
Studying the tribulation serves at least six important purposes: (1) To discipline Israel for her stubborn rejection of Christ and bring the nation to faith in the Messiah. (2) To judge the Gentile nations for their wickedness and rejection of Christ. (3) To reveal the true character and agenda of Satan. (4) To demonstrate the character and kingdom agenda of God. (5) To sober us. It should lead us to take our lives more seriously and to live them ...
Series: Live Like You're Leaving
Keith Krell
Revelation 6:1-17
When I was in my first full-time pastorate, I occasionally watched a TV program called, ''Early Edition.'' The show featured a young man who mysteriously received each Chicago Sunday Times newspaper a day ahead of time. Because he always knew the future, the man's task in each episode was to save people from a tragedy or trial he had read about in tomorrow's newspaper. So, if he knew a building was going to burn, he tried to keep people from entering into it. Or if someone was going to be hurt by an act of violence or in an accident, he tried to prevent the encounter from taking place. In my weaker moments, as a rookie pastor, I thought it would be nice to possess this young man's knowledge of future events.
Have you ever wished that you possessed knowledge of the future? It would be pretty cool, wouldn't it? Think of how many people you could help. Imagine how many lives you could save. Well, did you know that God has given you such knowledge and opportunity? The book of Revelation is an ''early edition'' of future events. It tells us what will take place in the future. Revelation 6-18 deals with a seven-year period called ''the tribulation'' (7:14, see addendum). This unit makes up nearly two-thirds of Revelation. However, this realization leads to a thought-provoking question: Why should we spend so much time studying the tribulation when we believe (or hope and pray) that we'll be raptured before this time?
Studying the tribulation serves at least six important purposes: (1) To discipline Israel for her stubborn rejection of Christ and bring the nation to faith in the Messiah. (2) To judge the Gentile nations for their wickedness and rejection of Christ. (3) To reveal the true character and agenda of Satan. (4) To demonstrate the character and kingdom agenda of God. (5) To sober us. It should lead us to take our lives more seriously and to live them ...
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