Series: The Radical Call of Jesus
Message: Radical Choice
Preacher: Japhet De Oliveira
Daily Walk: Japhet De Oliveira

Refresh: Open with prayer. Read or listen to Psalm 101.

Read: Revelation 4:1–8:1 (NLT). As you read the New Living Translation, note 1–3 insights.

Reflect: Let me offer a  quick summary of all the chapters that you are reading. 

Chapter 4 is a description of the throne of God. John is moved from an earthly picture to a heavenly one. This is not at any particular time, but is richly drawn from the first testament and John’s day. What we experience in the next chapter is heaven’s perspective of what is happening on earth. 

Chapter 5 is a glimpse into what happened when Jesus ascended to heaven and was seated on the throne with the Father. Satan is no longer in charge of planet earth, yet sin still exists. Radical choices still need to be made. As a result, the Holy Spirit descends to earth more than ever before. Pentecost takes place, 5,000 people come to faith, and the Kingdom of God message births the Church. Jesus is the only one who can open the scroll, which means that Jesus is in control of the history of the world. He takes hold of this scroll with seven seals. These seven seals cover the seven periods of time from John’s time to the restoration of the Universe. The trumpets next week will offer the final parallel to these. We do not learn what is in the scroll until the seventh seal is opened.

Chapter 6 covers the opening of the first six seals. These line up with the Churches in chapters 2–3 and the periods of time they covered. The first four seals focus on how the Church responded and broke from its faithfulness. These four seals each have a horse, a specific color, and a purpose based on rejection of the covenant. The fifth seal looks at those who made a radical choice to follow Jesus and are persecuted. The sixth seal explores those who reject the Gospel. The seventh seal is . . . well, . . . later in the week we will explore the strongest Biblical possibility so far. 

Chapter 7 is an interlude answering the question of who can be sealed and what the sealing is, which is the power of the Holy Spirit in one's life. The 144,000 and the Great Multitude are the same group. They are those right at the end of time before Jesus returns.   

Chapter 8, Verse 1 is just one verse describing the seventh seal. Something amazing is happening.

Recalibrate: ​What does Jesus being in control mean for you today?​​

Respond: Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit in your life.

Research: What are the greatest pieces of art portraying the four horsemen? What have they been used to symbolize in history outside of this text?