The Weekly Perspective
by Burke Shade, Associate Pastor
Following up on the sermon from August 25.
There are a couple of additional observations to make from Revelation 6 if it is true that the horses are the church and Jesus is the rider in the first four seals.
First, Jesus is our strong leader. Being a conqueror, he goes out to conquer with the gospel, and he is not unwilling to divide families and loyalties that stand against him. He is not afraid to lead his people, as a Lamb, out of the wicked land to where the oil and wine are found plenteous, and he is not unwilling to punish the wicked with death or bring down their rebellious lands with his strong power. He is not afraid to exercise wrath where needed. That’s the Lord, the Lamb, that we worship and adore and place our trust in. Let’s keep these images front and center.
Secondly, if the church is the horse under Jesus, then we should rejoice concerning the role that we play in the advancement of his kingdom. We are his steed of conquest! We are the means used to advance what he is doing in the world, not only back then in the early church but even today. We are all baptized into the Pentecostal church, and we are all given the Spirit at our baptism, and we are all agents of his Great Commission. Even our babies are involved; out of their mouths comes strength to still the enemy and their wicked vengeance (Psalm 8:2).
Thirdly, the four living creatures/cherubim, as each speaks, reminds us that there is a progression in history, a God-directed maturity for us as individuals and the church: from priest, to king, to prophet, to perfect man in Christ. May we always strive to move from glory to glory!