THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE AND THE BLOOD MOON

Today’s Reading: Revelation 6 

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

The moon over a northern Ontario lake. Today’s chapter refers to the moon turning blood red (6:12).

Key Verses: Revelation 6:12b, 16-17

The moon became like blood… And said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

Jim and Kathy Cantelon write today’s 100 Words segment (originally published in Crossroads’ “Day Unto Day” devotional series)…

The Lamb opens the first seal, releasing the first of seven plagues upon the earth. The imagery of the first four is powerfully vivid: horses of different colours and their riders, all symbolizing war and its tragic results. A white horse appears, its crowned rider holding a bow, and he rides out to conquer (probably representing an invader). Then a red horse follows, whose rider holds a large sword and the power to take peace from the earth. Next, a black horse, its rider holding scales in his hand, enters. This rider announces an exorbitant price for wheat, indicating famine prices, the sorrowful result of war. The fourth is a pale horse, ridden by Death itself, symbolizing the disease and casualties of war and famine.

The fifth seal reveals the multitudes slain in war because of their “testimony” (verse 9). They call loudly for vengeance and are told to be patient.

The opening of the sixth seal introduces ominous cosmic disaster: a great earthquake, a blackened sun, a blood-red moon, falling stars, and a vanishing sky (verses 12-14). Every human being on earth is so terrified that all of them seek sudden death…not for fear of the disasters but for fear of Him who precipitates them: the One “who sits on the throne…and the Lamb.” The issue is not the apparent anger of nature. The issue is the very real wrath of the Father and the Lamb at all unrighteousness and injustice. The “great day of their wrath has come,” and in light of their judgments and man’s accountability, “who can stand?”

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

In the Day Unto Day eight-book series, Norma-Jean and I (David) wrote the prayers for each day of that two-year journey. This was our prayer to go with the Revelation 6 reading…We invite everyone reading this to pray with us. “Lord, we realize that You are a God of perfect love, but also perfect justice, and You punish all sin. We repent of all sin and evil in our lives and ask that we will be cleansed through the shed blood of Your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

At almost 80 I have many memories of fulfilling God’s call on my life. For example, I was almost 25 years old (June 1961) and was asked by Rev. George Ewald to conduct a week of evangelistic services in Lennoxville, Quebec. As far as I can recall, there were no people in attendance the first evening who were not already believers in Jesus. I prayed about this fervently. The next morning I did something which might bring disapproval from some reading this. I went into Sherbrooke to the store that sells suits and clerical garb to priests, and I purchased a clerical collar. I already had a black suit. That afternoon and every afternoon for the week, I was decked out in my high collar and knocked on doors throughout Lennoxville. At least the people knew I was not a JW or a Mormon. I was invited often into the homes and sometimes was sitting on the living room couch before they knew why I was there. “Please come in, Father.” I have not worn clerical symbols over the years except on unusual occasions. My Father always wore his high collar, so I was comfortable as an ordained minister wearing one. Night after night new faces were seen in the congregation, and quite a few made first-time decisions to give their lives to Christ.

Yours to fulfill the final Words of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels, and yours believing that I would be the most selfish person on earth if I kept the Good News of Jesus to myself!,

David

P.S. Below is picture of two other helpers I had that week in Lennoxville…Caspar and Jasper. At about 4 p.m. with their help, I would play my trumpet standing on the sidewalk while the children were heading home from school, and I’d give them a note to take home to their parents, inviting the kids to come to the church at 5 p.m. I guaranteed the parents that the children would be home by 6 p.m. Many parents came to the church with their children and some invited Jesus into their hearts. I’m aware this all sounds crazy to many modern ears, but I’m convinced Jesus approved, and I know Rev. Ewald approved.

Ron took this picture when I spoke to the Crossroads staff in Chapel a while back. Caspar and Jasper would help me play the trumpet seen on the podium along with my Loyalist’s hat. There are lots of ways to have fun while sharing Jesus with children!