Connect Revelation 6:3 with Matthew 24:6-7 on wars and rumors of wars. Setting the Scene Revelation 6 and Matthew 24 sit side-by-side like two snapshots of the same coming storm. One is John’s vision of seals breaking open; the other is Jesus’ own briefing on the Mount of Olives. Put them together and the picture sharpens: global conflict is not random—it is a scheduled signpost on God’s prophetic calendar. The Red Horse and Worldwide Conflict (Revelation 6:3-4) • “When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, ‘Come!’ Then another horse went forth, fiery red, and its rider was granted power to remove peace from the earth, and men would slay one another; and he was given a great sword.” • Key observations: – The Lamb (Jesus) breaks the seal; nothing unfolds by accident. – A “fiery red” horse pictures bloodshed and violence. – Peace is “removed” globally, not locally. – A “great sword” signals unprecedented scale—far beyond isolated skirmishes. Echoes in the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24:6-7) • “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom…” • Highlights: – Jesus warns of both actual wars (“nation will rise”) and the constant buzz of pending conflict (“rumors”). – “These things must happen”—divine necessity, not human coincidence. – Yet “the end is still to come,” showing wars are an early birth pain, not the final contraction. Threading the Prophecy Together 1. Same Author behind both texts • Revelation: dictated by the risen Christ to John. • Matthew 24: spoken directly by Christ on earth. • The message is consistent because the Speaker is the same. 2. Sequence of signs • Matthew 24 lays out general, observable trends. • Revelation 6 zooms in on the formal unleashing of those trends during the Tribulation. • Wars and rumors now foreshadow the ultimate, unrestrained conflict once the second seal is opened. 3. Escalation, not mere repetition • Today’s conflicts preview something far larger. • When the Rider goes forth, peace is removed entirely—an intensity we have not yet witnessed. Other Scriptures That Illuminate the Pattern • Daniel 9:26 – “End will come like a flood: war will continue until the end.” • Zechariah 1:8-11 – red horses patrol the earth, reporting unrest. • Luke 21:9 – parallel to Matthew 24, reinforcing the certainty of conflict. • James 4:1 – reveals the heart-level causes (“passions … at war within you”), showing human sin aligns with prophetic certainty. What This Means for Believers Today • Expect turbulence without panic—Jesus said, “See to it that you are not alarmed.” • Recognize current headlines as previews, not the main event; the second seal remains a future, literal moment. • Anchor hope in the Lamb who opens the seals; the same Savior who permits war will ultimately end it (Revelation 19:11-16). |
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