Reflection on Revelation 6 | 沉思啟示錄 6

Author：Karen   Narrator：Liying

John begins the book of Revelation with seven love letters from the LORD to seven churches in chapter one to three. The LORD challenges and encourages His people, gives great promises to those who depend on Him and His power to be victorious. Then in chapter four and five, God invites us to visit His heavenly throne room with John. God and the Lamb are sitting on their throne in their majestic control center. Their sovereignty is absolute. God is in control of His universe, determining the outcome of all things according to His own wise purpose. Starts from chapter six, from His throne, God is about to complete every detail of His plan to redeem His people and restore His creation. As the future unfolds, God is on His throne all the time. He want you to remember this to grip the sense of security, otherwise you will be troubled.

In Revelation 6, the Lamb who has triumphed over sin and death by His own death and resurrection, is about to execute perfect justice. Each seal the Lamb opens unleashes one punitive action after another. The first four seals form a distinct group, each of its opening calls out a horse and rider galloping across the stage.

The first horse is a white one; its rider has a bow in his hand and is given a crown. The identity of this rider is not clear. Some see the rider as Christ, while the rider's bow and crown could be symbols of spiritual victories. The others say this rider is the Antichrist, who disguises as Christ in order to deceive people with false teaching. We might not sure about the identity of this rider, but we can be sure the final course of history is not one of unrelieved evil, in which Christ and His people stand hopelessly and helplessly on the sideline. God' Word will not be hold back! False teaching and false prophets will have great, but only temporary success.

The second horse is a red one. Its rider is given a large sword. He can "take peace away from the world and to make people kill each other". He brings internal strife as well as civil war and international conflict. Are you going to be careful not to be a peace breaker, using your words as a sword to harm people around you? Be a peace maker in this wicked world. Do not join the evil force to break peace in your house, church and working place.

The worldly peace can be taken away by the rider on the red horse and his helpers. But the heavenly peace which Jesus gives to us cannot be removed from our hearts. The LORD says, "In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world." Even more, He says, "peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled and do not afraid." Anchor your heart in Him and you will have peace which cannot be taken away.

The third horse is black one, a menacing image representing the poverty and famine that follow the savage slaughter on the red horse. Its rider has "a pair of scales" in hand. Hardship and suffering increase, but you need to remember that God is still in control.

The fourth horse is a pale one. Its rider is Death, followed by Hades closely. What a picture of "Hell on the wheel"! Hades is inhabited by those who died in rebellion against God. Together, Death and Hades make one eternal horrific pair of judgment.

The opening of the fifth seal changes the scene. John sees an altar, under this heavenly altar, John sees martyrs, killed for their testimony to Christ. Though murdered, they are seen to be very much alive. They cry out loudly, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of earth and avenge our blood?" The answer to the martyrs' cry is "wait a little longer." They were told to wait "until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters were killed just as they had been". God allows His people to suffer; suffering has always been part of the Christian's union with His Son. But God always give you strength to endure the suffering if you surrender your own way of struggle. And you can be sure of His presence with you, and you know He suffers with you. There is no thing better than God's own presence with you. Treasure your suffering, have real joy while having real pain.

Sometimes we suffer because of our own sin, sometimes because of the sin of others. Most time it is so hard to tell, maybe both. We long for God to vindicate us and relieve our suffering. God's sovereignty and goodness limit suffering and sin in accordance with His bigger plan. The time will come when justice will be done in all situations. When God says "wait a little longer," it is so His highest purposes will be accomplished. You do not need to fear suffering; there is deep fellowship with Jesus at your side. His purpose is perfect in world history and in your own life. He desires your highest and best good. He wants you to grow in His likeness so He can deepen His fellowship with you, because He loves you with a love that is intensely personal and unending.

The sixth seal brings us to the threshold of the end of the age. The earthquake was accompanied by the sun darkening, the moon turning red, the stars falling and the sky rolling up like a scroll. The holiness of God is demonstrated by His judgment on earth. Sin has ravaged not only mortals, but the whole created order as well.

John listed every category of human society, from kings to slave, who will be terrorized in these days. John saw everyone looking for hiding places from the cosmic breakdown around them. They are willing to be crushed under the mountains as they rush into caves looking for a spot to hide their soul. They are not afraid of losing their physical lives, they are afraid of not being able to hide their soul. Because what they fear most is "the face of him who sit on the throne....and the wrath of the Lamb!" The judgments of God against the ungodly will be so extraordinary that people hiding in fear of God's judgment will say," Who can withstand it? No one can! But out of mercy and grace of our sovereign God, He offers a solid rock for you to hide your soul. The Rock is Jesus Christ. Do you want to hide your soul in Him?

在啟示錄的前三章裏，約翰給七個教會各寫了一封愛的書信。主借著這些書信挑戰和鼓勵祂的子民，給那些靠著祂的大能得勝之人極大的應許。接下來，在第四和第五章，神邀請我們和約翰一起參觀祂的天庭，在這個壯嚴榮美的指揮中心，天父和羔羊坐在寶座上，祂們的主權是絕對的。天父憑著祂智慧的旨意，控製著宇宙的運轉，決定著萬物的結局。從第六章開始，坐在寶座上的天父要落實祂救贖子民和複興宇宙的各個細節。未來會給我們證明，天父從始至終都坐在寶座上，祂要我們抓住這個事實帶給我們的安全感，否則，我們會心生恐懼。

在啟示錄第六章裏，用祂自己的犧牲和複活戰勝了罪惡與死亡的羔羊，將要完全地秉公行義。羔羊揭開的每一印，都釋放出接踵而至的懲罰。前四印形成一個獨特的組合，每揭開一印，都引出一匹馬和它的騎士在曆史舞台上疾弛而過。

第一匹馬是一匹白馬，它的騎士手裏拿著弓，並有冠冕賜給騎士。這位騎士的身份不容易確定，有人認為這位白馬騎士是基督，騎士的弓和冠冕可能是屬靈爭戰大勝的象征；有人認為這位白馬騎士是敵基督，他假扮基督，用異端邪說迷惑眾人。我們可能搞不清楚這位騎士的身份，但我們可以肯定，曆史的結局，不會是邪惡所向披靡，而基督和祂的子民站在旁邊絕望地束手無策。神的道無人能擋，異端和假先知無論多厲害，都隻能猖狂一時。

第二匹馬是一匹紅馬，它的騎士被賜予一把大刀。他“可以從地上奪去太平，使人彼此相殺。” 他不僅帶來國內，國外戰爭，也帶來內部糾紛。我們要不要謹慎，不要當和平的破壞者，不要用言行傷害周圍的人呢？在這個邪惡的世界當一個和平的使者吧，不要被邪惡勢力利用，扮演破壞家庭，教會，工作場所的平安的角色。 

這世上的平安可以被紅馬騎士和他的幫凶奪去，但耶穌賜給我們的屬天平安，不可能從我們的心裏被奪走。 主說，“在世上你們有苦難，但你們可以放心，我已經勝了世界。” 祂還補充說，“我留下平安給你們，我將我的平安賜給你們。我所賜的不像世人所賜的。你們心裏不要憂愁，也不要膽怯。” 把心放在主那裏，我們就會有不能奪走的平安。

第三匹馬是一匹黑馬，一副令人膽顫的凶殘相，代表紅馬殘暴殺戮之後隨之而來的貧窮和饑荒。這位騎士“手裏拿著天平”，表示物質匱乏和艱難困苦加重，但我們要記住，神依然掌權。

第四匹馬是一匹灰馬，它的騎士“名字叫死，陰府也隨著他。” 真是一幅“移動的地獄”畫麵！陰府是那些叛逆神的人死後的居所，死亡和陰府組成了一對永久的恐佈懲罰。

第五印揭開時，場景改變了，約翰看見了一個祭壇，在這個天上的祭壇下邊，有許多殉道者，他們都是因為見證基督而被殺的。他們雖已遇害，看起來卻是活生生的。他們大聲喊著說，“聖潔真實的主啊！你不審判住在地上的人給我們伸流血的冤，要等到幾時呢？” 給這些殉道者的回答是，“還要安息片時，等著一同作仆人的和他們的弟兄，也像他們被殺，滿足了數目。” 神容許祂的子民受苦，受苦是基督徒與神子合一免不了的，曆來如此。如果我們在苦難中不自己掙紮尋找出路的話，神會給我們力量經曆苦難。我們可以確信神和我們同住，和我們一起經過苦難，沒有任何事比神的同在更好。珍惜苦難吧，在經曆真實的痛苦時，會有真實的喜樂。

有時我們受苦是因為自己犯罪，有時是因為別人犯罪，很多時候不易分清，很可能既因為自己犯罪，也因為別人犯罪。我們渴望神為我們伸冤，救我們脫離苦難。神有全然的主權和良善，祂會根據祂的計劃來限製苦難與罪惡，時機到了，公義一定彰顯。神說，“還要安息片時”，是因為祂要實現至高的旨意。我們不必害怕受苦，主耶穌就在我們旁邊，和我們深深相契。祂的旨意，無論是在世界曆史上，還是在我們的生命裏，都是完全的。祂要我們得到最大和最多的益處，祂要我們越來越像祂，這樣祂可以和我們更深地契合，祂對我們的愛是心心相印，永不止息的。 

第六印將我們帶到了末日的臨界，伴隨著地震而來的是日頭變黑，月亮變紅，星辰墜落，天空好像書卷那樣卷起。神的聖潔以祂在地上施行審判彰顯出來，罪不僅使人類遭殃，也大大地累及受造的萬物。

約翰列出了社會上每一個階層的人，從君王到奴隸，在那些日子裏，都恐懼戰兢，每個人都在找藏身之處躲避宇宙崩潰之災。為了給靈魂找個地方藏起來，他們不惜跑到山洞裏讓大山壓碎他們。他們不怕丟了性命，他們怕靈魂無處躲藏，因為他們最怕的是“坐寶座者的麵目和羔羊的憤怒。” 神對不信之人的審判是如此可畏，以致這些因害怕神的審判的人而躲藏的人說，“誰能站立得住呢？” 沒人能站立得住！但是，全能的神出於恩典與憐憫，為我們提供了一塊堅硬的磐石，讓我們的靈魂可以藏在其中，這塊磐石就是主耶穌基督，我們要不要把靈魂藏在祂裏麵？