Revelation

Revelation 6: The Lamb opens the seals

Begin in prayer

Before seeing the Lamb open the seals in Revelation 6, ask God to teach your family reverence for His rule and wrath. Ask Him to help you hear the cry of His suffering people and look to Christ for refuge.

if I sharpen my glittering sword, my hand grasps it in judgment; I will take vengeance on my adversaries, and will repay those who hate me.

Deuteronomy 32:41

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us that the Lamb rules over all things, and help us to run to Him. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

The Lamb who took God's book now opens its first six seals, setting the visions of judgment in motion. Four riders bring conquering, the loss of peace, costly food, and death, with their authority given and bounded. When the fifth seal opens, John sees those killed for God's Word and the Lamb's testimony crying from beneath the altar for justice. They receive white robes and must rest while fellow servants who will also be killed complete their course. The sixth seal shakes the earth and sky, leaving people of every rank hiding in caves. They ask the rocks to hide them from the One on the throne and the Lamb's wrath, asking who can stand.

As you read Revelation 6, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

The Lamb rules over judgment, hears His suffering people, and confronts the world with His wrath.

The Lamb opens God's sealed book, so every judgment unfolds under the authority of the One who was slain. Each rider receives authority with an appointed limit, so the disaster never escapes God's rule. The black horse's scales picture scarce food, and a denarius, a day's wage, buys only a measure of wheat. Even Death, followed by Hades, receives authority over one fourth of the earth. Yet the souls beneath the altar show that death has not ended the witnesses' life before God. They entrust their blood to the holy and true Master, whose justice they await. Their robes and rest honor them while other servants must finish their own costly testimony. When earth and sky shake, earthly refuges fail, so rulers and slaves hide together. Their question about standing before the Lamb's wrath strips away every hope built on wealth or rank.

How does Revelation 6 show us that the Lamb rules over judgment, hears His suffering people, and confronts the world with His wrath?

The Lamb opens the seals and gives judgment its reach.

The Lamb opens four seals that bring a conqueror, the loss of peace, scarce food and Death (verses 1 to 8). The scales and costly wheat show hunger, while the voice forbids damaging oil and wine (verses 5 and 6). Death is followed by Hades, with authority over one fourth of the earth (verse 8). It permits killing by sword, famine, death and wild animals (verse 8).

Those killed for the Lamb's testimony live before God and await justice.

The fifth seal shows souls beneath the altar, killed for God's Word and the Lamb's testimony (verse 9). They ask the holy and true Master to judge and avenge their blood (verse 10). Their prayer gives justice to God, instead of taking vengeance themselves. Each receives a long white robe and must rest while fellow servants complete their course through the same suffering (verse 11).

No earthly refuge can hide anyone from the Lamb's wrath.

The sixth seal brings an earthquake, a blackened sun and a moon like blood (verse 12). Stars fall, the sky rolls away, and every mountain and island moves from its place (verses 13 and 14). People of every rank hide in caves, from kings and commanders to slaves and free people (verse 15). They beg the mountains and rocks to hide them from the throne and the Lamb's wrath (verse 16). They ask who can stand when the great day of His wrath comes (verse 17).

Memorise

the great day of his wrath has come; and who is able to stand?

Revelation 6:17

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, where can I hide from God's anger against my sin?

The Lamb opened the seals, and John saw the sword, famine and death come out. Then came the sixth seal. Kings and slaves, the rich and the strong, hid in the rocks and asked, “who is able to stand?”

The wrath of God is real, because God is holy and sin is evil. His judgment is just. Yet the One who judges is the same Lamb who was slain. Jesus Christ went to the cross for His people, and God's wrath against their sin fell on Him. His sacrifice is enough, and no more is needed. Then He rose, and He lives.

So run to the Lamb now, while He calls. Turn from your sin and put your trust in Jesus. He receives every sinner who flees to Him, and that one is forgiven. In Him there is a hiding place, and nowhere else.

Parent's note

Tell your children that God is holy and will judge sin, and that Jesus is the refuge for sinners. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart. Parents, verses 4 to 8 and 12 to 17 are hard, so please explain them gently in your own words.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for the Lamb who rules and who is a refuge for sinners, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

and to give relief to you who are afflicted with us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, giving vengeance to those who don’t know God, and to those who don’t obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus,

2 Thessalonians 1:7-8

Lord God, thank You that the Lamb rules over all things. Thank You that Jesus is a hiding place for sinners. Please lead each of us to flee from sin and run to Him. Help us to love You and trust You this week. Amen.