Revelations: Chapter Six

Chapter six begins with the conjunction "and" telling us there is a continuation of what took place in chapter five. When John wrote Revelation, he wrote it as a continuous thought. It wasn't until later in time translators separated his writings into chapters and verses for easier reference.

Verse One: Most of the words in this verse have already been discussed. The "Lamb" is Jesus Christ. The "seals" are the attributes of the Holy Spirit in us that are being released because of the death and resurrection of the Lamb (Isaiah 11). God planted eternity (the Holy Spirit) in our hearts (Eccl. 3:11), but only the Lamb can release if from within us.

The first seal that is opened by Jesus Christ is "wisdom" (Isaiah 11:2). Proverbs 9:10 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." The spirit of wisdom is being released.

The "noise and thunder" represents God's word or revelation knowledge. Where is it coming from? The four beasts or the sons of God are speaking the wisdom of God as the Holy Spirit has revealed. "Come and see" is the voice of God from them declaring there is a higher level of understanding that He desires to show us. God desires us to understand His mystery of His Word by the teaching of the Holy Spirit instead of by doctrine and theologians.

"My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to ALL their flesh, keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:20-23).

Verse 2: This verse begins in chapter six telling us of four horses. Theologians have depicted these horses as the beginning of an eschatology period known as the "Day of the Lord" in which God's judgment would be poured out on the earth. This "day" would be a time in the future where believers in Christ were raptured off the earth, and those "left behind" would go through a seven year tribulation that began with these horses representing judgment being brought to non-believers.

We have been approaching our study from a different perspective of restoration through redemption that was finished over 2000 years ago according to John 19:30 when Jesus said "IT IS FINISHED." We will study these horses with the same hermeneutical principle allowing other Scriptures to bring enlightenment of what the Holy sprit is revealing. Keep in mind that it is the wisdom of God that has been released by opening the first seal (I Corinthians 1:27-28).

"Horses" are symbolic of the power of overcoming. The imagery that John had in Revelation of the horses came from the Old Testament in Zechariah 6 where he asked, "What are these, my lord? And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth."

"White" is symbolic of purity and righteousness. The purist form of "light" is white which has consumed all colors. The one sitting on the "white horse" has a "bow." It does not say this is an archer's bow which would symbolize war, but a bow. The first time Scripture uses the word" bow" is in Genesis 9:13, "I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth." This bow is a "rainbow" which symbolizes covenant between God and man.

The one sitting on the white horse has a crown which symbolizes authority and ruler ship. We read that this person is in a posture of sitting which is symbolic of resting. Now we know that in the natural it would be foolish to be standing on a horse, but since we are reading this symbolically, the word "sitting" has more significance than a position the body is in while on the horse.

When we interpret the word sitting as resting, we remember that God rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:1). Not only did He rest, but "God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that IN IT HE HAD RESTED from ALL his work which God created and made" (Genesis 2:3). God is in the "rest," and there is a "rest in all that God created.

Who is this person that is at rest and in covenant with God having power and authority as a king? Many consider it to be Jesus which is only partly true. It is not about Jesus the man, but about the Christ whom Jesus is the head of. This is the first horse which symbolizes the first fruits. We are not referring to one individual, but to the corporate Christ. The one sitting on the white horse is: Jesus + the corporate body of inner court believer. Jesus is the head and the first fruits are the body of each generation from age to ages.

"And he went forth conquering, and to conquer." What is this conquering about? It is the Word going out through the body of Christ in a many member vessel and not returning void to God (Isaiah 55:10, 11). We are to love one another as He loved us first: unconditionally.

In Hebrews 4:9 -12 we read, "There remaineth therefore a REST to the people (first fruits) of God. For he that is entered (over comer) into his rest (kingdom of God), he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his (it is already finished). Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest lest any man fall a after the same example of unbelief (faith is now, not someday). For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

What is the power of the Word that conquers all? It is the unconditional love, mercy, and forgiveness of God that can only be manifested through Christ. I Peter 1:22-25 in the Amplified Bible reads, "Since by your obedience to the Truth through the Holy Spirit you have purified your hearts for the sincere affection of the brethren (see that you) love one another fervently from a pure heart. You have been regenerated (born again), not from a mortal origin (seed, sperm), but from one that is immortal by the ever living and lasting Word of God. For all flesh (mankind) is like grass, and all its glory (honor) like (the) flower of grass. The grass withers and the flowers drop off, but the Word of the Lord (divine instruction, the Gospel) endures forever."

Verse 3: In this verse the second seal is being opened; and the second beast is speaking. We are not told which beast spoke first and which beast is speaking now. The beasts are symbolic of one voice speaking as sons of God.

When we go back to Isaiah 11, the second area of the Spirit that is addressed is "understanding." James 1:8 tells us, "a double minded man is unstable in all his ways."

"And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye doubtful mind" (Luke 12:29). "For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ" (I Corinthians 2:16), so "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5).

Verse 4: From the opening of the second seal we have a red horse released. The one sitting on this horse is to take peace from the earth. This verse also refers to killing one another. The one riding on the red horse has a great sword. If we read this verse in the natural it causes fear and anxiety to rise up in us. Let us re-adjust our way of thinking remembering that God is Spirit and Love.

We are to be blesses by this book. Talking of killing and death in our natural understanding does not bring blessings, so we must reconsider what John is writing about. What is being removed from us is so the body of Christ that is already established, but veiled by out natural understanding, can be revealed.

John is writing of the spiritual reality of the Most Holy Place of the true temple of God. What has taken place from behind the veil where the beast, elders, and the Lamb are is being released into the middle and outer courts. "Come and see" is the message of the Most Holy Place. It is the Lamb's life within each of us. All mankind is a book called Christ that needs to be opened. God's laws are written as a table on our hearts that has been shut up and cannot come forth (Psalm 88:8).

The word "red" symbolizes "Adam" or blood life. We again interpret the word "sitting" as "resting in God." Now here is a mind twister: "to take peace from the earth." I Corinthians 15:45 reveals to us that Jesus is the last Adam. If your thoughts are limited to the Adam in Genesis Chapter 2 and 3, then this verse will cause fear, sadness, and instability to your spirit. We will never have peace in our life as an over comer as long as we allow the first Adam to have a place of ruler ship. We must live our life with the absolute that Jesus is the last Adam who died on a cross to take away the sins of the world (John1:29). When we give place in out thought process that we are "sinners saved by grace" we nullify the resurrection life of Jesus. "A Double minded man is unstable in ALL his ways" (James 1:8). Jesus tells us in Mark 3:28, "Verily, I say unto you ALL sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewithsoever they shall blaspheme."

Jesus died on the cross identifying with our inability for life to flow (Psalm 88: 1-8). Only in the death of Christ is the provision for the book of life to be opened in mankind. "And speak unto him saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is the BRANCH (mankind); and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord" (Zechariah 6:12). God got rid of the old man. The Lamb was made to be sin (2 Corinthians 5:21) on the same level that we were made to be righteous. If we don't see ourselves as righteous then we don't believe that Jesus was made to be sin. When God says that we are righteous (Romans 5:19), He is not mixing His words with a "forgiven sinner." Colossians 3:11 tells us that "Christ is ALL and in ALL."

The words "to take peace" are a pointer for us to go to Matthew 10:34 where Jesus said, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." What is this "great sword" that will kill one another? It is the Word of God. However, this is more than just us memorizing Scripture or getting our emotions involved. For us to have power and authority to overcome the first Adam we must BE the WORD. Ephesians 6:17 says, "take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

Hebrews 4:11 encourages us to labor to enter into rest. This is not referring to when we may die and go to a place in the sky. This is telling us to enter into the "rest" of our identity as sons of God so that we can do the Father's business as Jesus did.

When we are functioning in the Father's authority the word of God will be spoken from our mouth in love being "quick and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thought s and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).

This is where the "killing" comes in that Rev. 6:4 refers to. This is not a literal taking of a sword and stabbing the flesh, but exposing what has been hidden by ego. Blaming others or using excuses instead of holding ourselves accountable to the word of God won't work. "All things are naked and exposed when the word is manifested" (Hebrews 4:13). The killing will be of the carnal mind. It will take place by the sword of truth so that "the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:" (Colossians 1:26-27). The mystery of God is with the righteous (Proverbs 3:32). You are born of God. His DNA has always been your identity. He created man in His image, the image of God (Genesis 1:27). That has never changed. What must change in order to receive this truth is our way of thinking. When we know that we are born of God we will know that we area already righteous. We can not be righteous and also a sinner (I John 2).

Verse 5: With the opening of the third seal we are shown a black horse and a rider who has a pair of balances in his hand. Black is symbolic of ignorance. There is no light or understanding of God.

The balances represent judgment; weighing situations and circumstances out. These balances are in the hand of the person sitting in ignorance, but they display a position of authority to judge. Remember, this book is about Jesus Christ, and the revelation of Christ in you. We must continue to see over-comers in the Holy of Holies worshiping the Lamb as a corporate body as we consider this horse and rider.

Opening the seals is symbolic of what Jesus, the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world, overcame for us so that we would know that the work is finished. The hand ministry was given to edify and unite the body of Christ with this knowledge (Ephesians 4:12-13). "And he gave some, apostles, and some prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers" (Eph. 4:11). Before the church age, it was the High Priest and the Levitical priesthood that had the authority in declaring the judgment of God to the people. They misused their position by judging people according to their interpretation of Scripture. With the authority given to them by God, they controlled the people with fear and trembling instead of the love and mercy of God.

The death of Jesus fulfilled all the laws that the religious leaders held over the people. "And you hath he quickened (made alive) who were dead in trespasses and sins…but God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." (Eph. 2:1, 4-7).

Jesus overcame the black horse that symbolized the ignorance of our imagination which caused separation from God. The black horse does not exist except in our imagination. We no longer are in bondage to the law of religious do's and don'ts. What is the five fold ministry supposed to be revealing to the body of Christ? "The mystery which hath been hid from the ages and from generations, but NOW (2000 years ago) is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: whom we preach, warning EVERY man, and teaching EVERY man in ALL wisdom; that we may present EVERY man perfect in Christ Jesus" (Colossians 1:26-28). "That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory: (I Thessalonians 2:12).

We are no longer under the bondage of ignorance and legalism of religion (John 8:32). "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" (John 8:36). When we allow our imagination to control us instead of the mind of Christ there will be confusion, conflicts, mistrust, insecurity, and an emotional roller coasters igniting our ego. "Wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace" (James 3:17-18).

In the New Century version of Scripture, Proverbs 29:18 reads, "Where there is no word (vision, revelation) from God, people are uncontrolled, but those who obey what they have been taught are happy." Many people can quote Scripture, but it takes having the word in their heart for transformation to take place.

What are these balances in the hand of the rider on the black horse: They are using the word of God to bring judgment on the people. Jesus became our judgment and gave us mercy and grace. The over-comer is to be grace, mercy, and love to those that come across their path. "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of ALL comfort; who comforteth us in ALL our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God: (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

Verse 6: "I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say." The four beasts represent the complete God man. The voice would be the Holy Spirit speaking through the corporate body of Christ. This verse has a lot of great revelation that can only be understood by the wisdom of God.

First, verse 6 is not talking about economic hard times such as the cost of living or the pay wages of people. This is spiritual wisdom being revealed through natural illustrations. "Wheat" is symbolic of the Passover feast, and "barley" is symbolic of Pentecost. The "penny" represents a cost of something. At the times when John wrote Revelation, a penny would be equivalent to a denarius, or a day's wage. Passover was a measure of saying the first day; while Pentecost took two days.

This is where the majority of the body of Christ is at in their maturity and relationship with the Lord. It would be similar to denominations that focus on getting people baptized connected to salvation, and then other denominations that emphasize the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The importance of this is that many denominations proclaim to be "Spirit filled," but since the church doctrine hasn't moved beyond the parallel of the middle court functions they are still "two day" people. Jesus was resurrected on the THIRD DAY in a glorified body. We are his body, but we are not allowing the resurrection in us to be manifested because of our religious imagination. "The dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead" (Isaiah 26:19).

"See thou hurt not the oil and the wine." "Oil" is symbolic of the anointing, and "wine" refers to the revelation of the word of God. In the first two days, Passover and Pentecost, there exists an anointing of the Holy Spirit and revelation of the word of God, but they are misused in a power play of control. In these two days, two realms of the Tabernacle of God, the oil and wine are revealed, but misused with the legalism of church doctrine.

"And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof:" (Isaiah 19:3). It is the spirit of the Lord's counsel that overrides the doctrines and traditions taught in the body of Christ. "Remember the former things of old (before the fall of Adam): for I am God, and there is none else; I am God and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from the ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:" (Isaiah 46: 9-10).

"I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem (religion) in this place (your inner being); and I will cause them (theological truths) to fall by the sword (the word of God; wine and oil) before their enemies, and by the hands (mature in Christ) of them that seek their lives (our true identity in God)" (Jeremiah 19:7). "Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is the BRANCH (mankind, John 15:5); and he (you and me) shall grow up out of his place (our body, soul, and spirit), and he (mankind) shall build the temple of the Lord: Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest (we are kings and priest after the Order of Melchisedec) upon his throne (the place in time we are manifesting Christ): and the counsel of peace (peace that surpasses natural understand, Phil. 4:7) shall be between them both" (Zechariah 6:12-13).

Verse 7: The number four in this verse represents all: four corners of the earth, four gospels, and four beasts. Remember in verse 6 that there is a voice in the midst of the four beasts, and it is the voice of the Lamb slain, Jesus Christ. He is the one opening the fourth seal that incorporates all mankind.

This seal connects with the fourth attribute of the Holy Spirit found in Isaiah 11:2 called the "spirit of might." The word "might" is from the Hebrew words "ghib-bore, and gheb-oo-raw" meaning an exceeding strong hold, force, and power.

Jeremiah uses this word in 16:21 which says, "Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is The Lord." The word "know" is used three times indicating an intimacy compared to intercourse or an exchange of our identity for His in the outer court, middle court, and finally in the inner court of His tabernacle. When we get to the inner court, our intimacy with the Lord will be "as He is so are we in this world." We will know that we are lords, kings, and Christ-ones.

Verse 8: We have had a white horse, a red horse, a black horse, and now we see a pale horse. The word "pale" means "greenish in color" but not a true green. It is the appearance of a green plant or grass that is dying because of improper watering or the ability to grow from lack of sun.

We are told the name of this horse, Death and Hell, so there would be no doubt to what John was writing about. We are also told to "come and see" meaning to view this horse from an inner court understanding.

The word "death" is not a literal physical occurrence. This book is spirit. To be carnally minded is death and enmity against God (Romans 8:6-7). It is a carnal mind that is riding on the pale horse. Remember, this is all symbolic language. We are not going to see literal horses coming out of the sky. We are carnally minded when we oppose the mind of Christ, and hell or the grave, will follow. Hell is when our thoughts and imagination are separate from the will of God. Many people consider themselves Christians, yet are living a life of hell because the Spirit of God is not in control.

"And power was given unto them," is those that follow a Christian religion or doctrine instead of the Spirit of God. The "sword" represents the word of God; "hunger" represents famine of the word; "and with death" represents judgment and condemnation; "the beasts of the earth" refers to one beast or one Man Company known as the first Adam.

In Jeremiah 30:5-8, "For thus saith the Lord; we have heard a voice (religion) trembling, of fear, and not peace. Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? Wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail (reproducing the doctrines of theology instead of Christ), and all faces (mankind) are turned into paleness (life to death by the power of the tongue)? Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it: (the bondage of death, hell, and the grave were dealt with at Jesus' resurrection) it is even the time of Jacob's trouble (Jacob wrestled with his true identity of being a son of God); but he shall be saved out of it. For it shall come to pass in that day (Calvary), saith the Lord of hosts, that I (Jesus) will break his (mankind) yoke (bondage of sin and lies) from off the neck (teachings of religion), and will burst thy bonds (imagination, judgment, thieves of the past and future), and strangers (antichrist) shall no more serve (religion, doctrine) themselves of him."

In Luke 4:18-19 Jesus is reading from Isaiah 61 the prophets words declaring that the Messiah has come to set the captives free from what Jeremiah had prophesied in the Scripture above.

"Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Corinthians 15:54-57). Man sees from the outside and then inward which is why people still cling to an understanding that we must go through a physical death in order to get to heaven. The Holy Spirit works from the inside and causes manifestation of what is in us to come out; the manifestation of the body of Christ, the sons of God.

Verse 9: The "fifth seal" connects us with the fifth attribute of the Holy Spirit in Isaiah 11 which is knowledge. This knowledge is not from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. It is the "fifth seal" which means "grace connected with the Holy Spirit. This is grace in us being released.

"Do you know how the clouds are balanced (and poised in the heavens), the wonderful works of Him who is perfect in knowledge?" (Job 37:16 Amplified).

"The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning and the principal and choice part of knowledge (its

starting point and its essence)."

"He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit" (Proverbs 17:27).

"The Excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it" (Ecclesiastes 7:12).

"I saw" is not something that is going to happen in the future. John writes that he sees revealing to us that this verse is past tense.

"Under the altar the souls." An altar is a place of sacrifice and worship. The "soul" is the natural or carnal mind of man.

"Them that were slain for the word of God" connects us to Galatians 2:20, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."

"And for the testimony which they held." These are people that are living their lives as sons of God the way Jesus showed mankind to live. Over 2000 years ago, the religious leaders and scholars who knew the Scriptures used them against Jesus in order to justify themselves. Many Christians today are doing the same thing. If we live as sons of God knowing we have been given power and authority to be over-comers in the Kingdom of God today, we can expect that there will be those in the church that will mock us and try to crucify by using the Scriptures with justification of their own understanding instead of the love of God. The evidence you show of Christ in your life according to the Word of God will be the very thing that others will use to destroy your walk in the Lord.

Verse 10: "And they cried with a loud voice." This is one of those places that show us John was not writing in a literal format when God gave him revelation. We just read in verse 9 that those people were slain. If they were literally killed, then we have to do some rethinking about dead people talking. These people were not literally killed. It was their way of thinking that was destroyed. They are people that are now living with the mind of Christ while in their natural bodies on this earth. The WORD became flesh and dwelt among (in) us, not off in the sky somewhere. This is the hope of glory, that we would have life in abundance because He lives in us.

"How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" This verse is not asking God when His wrath is going to destroy non-believers. The words "our blood" is referring to only the blood of the Lamb. We are one in Him; his blood is our blood. When we live our life after the Spirit of God and not after our natural understanding, the mind of Christ judges no man with condemnation (Romans 8:1).

"To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven" Ecclesiastes 3:1). "How long" is a question connected to time. "Dwell on the earth" is about people that are looking for Jesus to return. They are people that believe there is something better for them when they die and go to heaven. God referred to these types of people with Abraham as the "dust" and "sand." These people are familiar with the "woe" in Isaiah meaning: pain, grief, and suffering. The question in this verse is how long it will take these people to understand and see their life and others with the eyes of God.

In Ecclesiastes 3:11 we read, "He hath made everything beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world (eternity) in their heart, so that no man (only the sons of God) can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end." Skipping to verse 15 in the same chapter we read, "That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past."

Verse 11: "white robes" represent the righteousness of Christ. "They should rest yet for a little season" is referring to God's rest: eternity placed in time. If you've ever played a musical instrument or sung a song you would understand the importance of the "rest" symbol. The "rest" in music is not the notes or the words of the music, but without the "rest" there is no balance.

God has strategically placed first fruits (sons of God, over-comers, and star company) throughout history as people that have planted seeds of eternity (now) by the word of God in the season that they lived in. This has been done so that "their fellow servants also their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." The part that was killed is the old Adam, so they could see all mankind as new creatures in Christ.

Verse 12: This verse has a lot of symbolism that needs to be thought through. The sixth seal has been opened. The number six is the number of man. The word "beheld" means "I saw." The words "had opened" are past tense. John saw mankind released, but from what? Following our pattern in Isaiah 11 with the "seals," we come to the "fear of the Lord."

Throughout history the "fear of the Lord" has been illustrated as a great big God waiting to slaughter a little, tiny, worthless man if he makes one wrong move. In most of what we know as Christian history, God is portrayed competing with a devil that supposedly has great power and ability to take God's children away from Him. Their doctrine says that if man is not careful to line up with what HE commands, He will spit man out of His kingdom and send him to eternal hell where man will be tormented forever by the devil. History reveals that people in authority have been using this mindset to control through fear by playing against the ignorance of man.

When Jesus died and rose again from the grave the bondage of the "fear of the Lord" that religion had on the people of God was replaced with "fear of the Lord" as in reverence and Holy is the Lord God Almighty. The Amplified Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but (He has given us a spirit) of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and disciplined and self-control."

In 1 John 4:18 the Amplified Bibles says, "there is not fear in love (dread does not exist), but full grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment and (so) he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love (is not yet grown into love's complete perfection)."

Continuing in verse 12: "And lo, there was a great earthquake." Remember, we have the word "had" in this verse so what we are learning about has already been completed by the Lamb of God.

These teachings on Revelation are being written in the year 2005 when the southeast region of the United States was hit with massive destruction from several hurricanes. Even with all the high technology available to give warnings of these storms coming upon the USA, we still were not prepared for major cities to be wiped out and homes to be flooded to the roof tops.

The year 2005 was a time that natural disasters were suddenly taking place around the world besides the USA. Religions have lifted up their prophetic voices declaring that these occurrences are the wrath and judgment of God. People are seeking out God because of the fear of destruction instead of love. If the words "great earthquake" was a natural disaster waiting to happen instead of symbolic of something else then writing these teachings would be a waste of time because the end of the world would have happened in 2005.

God is the controller of all including what man calls natural disasters. God is shaking the earth, but the real shaking is going on in man's heart. When non-believers are affected by catastrophes, are we judging with condemnation in our hearts that "they are getting what they deserve," or do we see them as brothers and sisters in Christ even though they don't know Jesus as their personal savior?

Matthew 5:45, "That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Turning a few pages over to Matthew 28:2 we read of the "great earthquake" that John is writing about in Revelation 6:12. This earthquake occurred when the tomb stone that covered the tomb of Jesus was rolled away.

Before this "great earthquake" happened, there was another earthquake in Matthew 27:51-52 which caused the veil at the entrance to the Holy of Holies to be rent apart, and the graves of dead people to be opened. When the "great earthquake" happened and Jesus' body was resurrected, so were the bodies that were in the grave. They were seen among many people; just as Jesus was seen after he rose from the dead.

How did this happen? It occurred because God, who is LOVE, made our love perfect that as He is so are we in the world (I John 4:17).

Also in verse 12: "And the sun became black as sackcloth of hair." The "sun" is the Son of God who is the light of the world. "Black" is symbolic of ignorance and sin that leads to death. "Hair" is the coverings of the flesh. Jesus became our sin taking these upon himself and crucifying sin once and for all. "For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but NOW once in the END of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself" (Hebrews 9:26)… "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE FOR ALL" (Hebrews 10:10).

"The moon became as blood." This symbolism takes us to the prophecy of Joel 2:31, "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come." Peter tells us this prophecy was fulfilled when he speaks to the men in Judea and Jerusalem in Acts 2:14:20.

Verse 13: "The stars of heaven fell unto the earth." The stars are symbolic of the company of people that are from the

seed of Abraham and are living by faith. They live life from a spiritual realm while in their natural bodies. The "fig tree" is the symbol of the nation of Israel as God's chosen people. The words "even as" gives us insight to compare the stars as the called ones of God before Calvary that had the seed of the finished work of God, but were not able to release it in their time.

"When she is shaken of a might wind." The word "she" is the helpmate of Adam as the first-fruit carrying seed to produce sons of God. However, it takes the shaking of the Holy Spirit to cleanse us from producing out of season. No one knows when God will cause a shaking in our life, but the results will be as in Matthew 24:40-41, "Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left." In each shaking, the one that is taken is the old nature or carnal mind. The one left-behind will be our true identity as Christ Ones.

Verse 14: This verse continues from verse 13 with the word "and." Both of these verses were prophesied in Isaiah 34:4 where he proclaims a message for all nations; for all mankind that the day of Calvary was coming. John is writing to reveal the fulfillment of Scripture.

The "heavens" are symbolic of the spirit realm. The "mountains" refer to kingdoms; and "island" refers to individuals. Until the sixth seal was opened, man could not walk in the spirit; but NOW…

"And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting" (Acts 2:2). When the Holy Spirit moves in our life there is a shaking that goes to our inner most being so that only Christ is left.

Verse 15: "Hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains." All of humanity, individual and corporately, tries to justify what God is doing by their own logical understanding. People may witness the super natural ways of God, but then they try to explain what is happening with their own mind. Their thoughts will go into the "dens" (past experiences), or "rocks" (doctrines of their faith) built on their "mountains" (religion, politics, traditions, or cultures) to justify in their heart the kingdom of God. "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God" (I Corinthians 15:50).

Verse 16: "Mountains" are symbolic of the things in our lives we have made into kingdoms. "Rocks" are things that we consider as the foundation in our life. Neither of these is of the Kingdom of God and will not stand before God. This verse speaks of us burying ourselves in humanity in the earth allowing our identity to be what the world tells us. We allow the natural things (world events, jobs, families, friends, church, and society) to be our identity instead of allowing God to reach into our inner being to bring forth our identity in Him. We don't want to admit it, but most people calling themselves Christians are hiding from God. They want God in their boundaries, but are fearful to accept the invitation of the King to come into His inner chamber. Jesus Christ has held out His golden scepter for all to come boldly to the throne of God (Esther 5:1-2).

In order for us to see the face of God sitting or resting on the throne, we have to ask our self where the throne is. "The Kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21). "For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink (connected to the natural world); but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Romans 14:17). People are hiding from God because they don't know God as LOVE. They don't know Him as their personal Heavenly Father who loves them so much He gave us Jesus (John 3:16). If God was willing to die for us while we were in ignorance and sin, it doesn't make sense that He would then turn around and torture His children for eternity.

"And from the wrath of the Lamb." The word "wrath" has been misunderstood in the KJV. It doesn't mean mighty anger, but full of passion. The wrath of the Lamb is being so full of love for all mankind that he went to Calvary to take away the sins of the world.

Verse 17: The word "for" should be the word "because." This verse is a continuation of verse 16. "The great day (Calvary) of his wrath (passion, desire) is (NOW) come." The day of reconciliation began over 2000 years ago. The veil was rent exposing the inner court of our true identity when Jesus was hung on the cross (Matthew 27:51).

"And who shall be able to stand?" There is only one man in the earth today: "Christ in you the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). "For as He is so are we in the world" (I John 4:17).

"Beloved, NOW are we the sons of God." (I John 3:2).