Worship Message No. 23, February 8: Revelation Chapter 6
1. Introduction: Connecting the “Trembling Lands” of Kurobe and Fukushima
Hello, citizens of Kurobe. Today, I am truly grateful to be able to share God’s Word with you in this beautiful land of Kurobe.
I previously lived in Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture. On that day, March 11, 2011, when the Great East Japan Earthquake struck, I was in the midst of a roaring sound like the earth splitting and intense shaking that made it impossible to stand. For the people of Fukushima, it was not merely a natural disaster. It was the beginning of days lived in fear of the shadow of death—an invisible but certainly present substance known as “radioactive material.”
And in January 2024, this land of Toyama and Kurobe was also struck by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake. You too, on that New Year’s evening, must have experienced the terror of peaceful daily life collapsing from beneath your feet. We, too, trembled in fear together.
The world depicted in “Revelation Chapter 6” of the Bible is by no means a fantasy story from the distant past or future. It points to the real hardships we have experienced: the “earthquake disaster” and the “COVID-19 pandemic” that stopped the world.
When reading Chapter 6, the most important thing to consider is the “context.” In the preceding chapters, 4 and 5, John was shown a vision of “heavenly worship.” In the right hand of God is a “scroll sealed with seven seals.” This is the “plan for the history of mankind.” However, no sinful human could open it, and John wept, wondering, “Does this history have no meaning?”
However, it is declared that only the “Lamb who was slain”—Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for us and rose again—is worthy to break the seals. All the intense events that occur in Chapter 6 begin “when the Lamb opens the seals.” In other words, the initiative of history does not lie with dictators or a series of coincidences, but is held in the hands of the loving Christ. Let us walk today remembering this truth.
2. The Four Horsemen: Chained Calamities and Modern Shadows
2-1. The First Seal: The White Horse — The Temptation of “False Security”
When the first seal is opened, a rider on a white horse appears. He holds a bow, wears a crown, and rides out as a conqueror bent on conquest. At first glance, he looks like a hero of justice, but this is an “Antichrist (a false savior)” who resembles Christ but is different on the inside.
What is this “white horse” in modern times? For example, recall the confusion of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the whole world was in a panic, extreme discourses flew about, such as “If you just do this, you’ll be absolutely safe” or “If we attack this person, the situation will settle.” This was the so-called “infodemic (an information epidemic).”
The “strong words” or “sense of justice through attacking others” that seem to save us at first glance are actually like the “bow without arrows” held by the rider of the white horse. It seems to provide temporary peace of mind, but in reality, it created division among people and dragged them into further chaos. Were we not turning our eyes away from the fundamental question of “fear of death” in the depths of our hearts, while being occupied with “visible measures”?
2-2. The Second Seal: The Red Horse — Peace Taken Away
The “red horse” that appears with the second seal is the color of blood. This rider holds a “large sword” and takes peace from the earth. What should be noted is that people begin to “slay each other.”
Shortly after the earthquake in Fukushima, I saw a scene close to this. People who would normally help each other lined up at gas stations, became frustrated, and clashed over trivial matters. When God removes even a little of the protective lid called “peace,” the sin lurking in the human heart erupts this easily.
2-3. The Third Seal: The Black Horse — Disparity and Hunger
The third seal is the “black horse.” The rider holds a “pair of scales” in his hand.
“A quart of wheat for a day’s wages”.
This signifies extreme inflation and hardship, where one can finally buy enough bread for just one person after a day of desperate work. On the other hand, it is said, “do not damage the oil and the wine” (luxury goods). The haves become wealthier, while the have-nots starve. This is the very image of the “disparity of life” we faced when logistics stopped and goods disappeared from supermarkets during disasters and pandemics.
2-4. The Fourth Seal: The Pale Horse — The Shadow of Death
Finally, the “pale horse” appears. It has a sickly color, like a corpse. The name of its rider is “Death,” and “Hades” follows close behind him.
Disaster-related deaths, or lonely deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic. The fear of invisible radiation or viruses. These confront us with how fragile human power is and how helpless we are once the surface is peeled away. We are made to realize that the abundant water and beautiful mountains of Kurobe are “blessings” that we can only enjoy because God protects them.
3. The Fifth Seal: The Cry from Under the Altar — Unforgettable Tears
When the fifth seal is opened, the perspective shifts to heaven. There, we find the cries of those who suffered and lost their lives for their faith.
“How long, Lord?”
This cry is the cry of those who lost family members in the earthquake, and the cry of bereaved families who could not be present at the final moments due to COVID-19. And it is the cry of “you” who are facing unreasonable realities right now.
God gave them “white robes” and told them to “wait a little longer.” This is not an act of ignoring them. It is a powerful promise: “Your suffering will surely be rewarded. The time will come when I will sum up everything.” The tears you shed in Fukushima and Kurobe are not wasted even by a single drop; they are stored in God’s bottle.
4. The Sixth Seal: Who Can Withstand It?
When the sixth seal is opened, a cosmic shaking occurs. A great earthquake occurs, and the heavens recede like a scroll being rolled up. At that time, people fear “facing the holy God” even more than death itself and hide among the rocks.
“Who can withstand it?”.
The answer to this question is not written in Chapter 6. However, the answer pointed to by the entire Bible is one:
“Only those who hide in the shadow of the robe of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, can withstand it.” Not by our own strength or righteousness, but when we cling to the love of Jesus who was wounded for us, we can stand firm in any storm.
5. Conclusion: A New Step from Kurobe
Citizens of Kurobe. We have experienced the trembling of the earth in Fukushima and here in Hokuriku. We also spent days in fear of an invisible enemy called a virus.
Perhaps that was a time allowed by God for us to seek “the things that never change.”
Let us not be deceived by the deception of the white horse, nor succumb to the fear of the pale horse, but let us simply look upon Jesus, the Lamb who opened the seals. In His hands, our past, our present, and our eternal future are held.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, Today, through the words of Revelation, we have learned about the reality of this world and Your sovereignty.
Having experienced the earthquake in Fukushima and the earthquake in this land of Hokuriku, the fear of the earth shaking is engraved upon us. Also, through the COVID-19 pandemic, we were made aware of how small our own power is and how precious our connections with others are.
Lord, please fill the hearts of each person who is currently in anxiety with Your peace. You will never abandon our voices that cry out, “How long?” Just as the pure water of Kurobe moistens the earth, may the comfort of Your Holy Spirit be poured out now upon wounded hearts and bodies.
May we not be captivated by visible, shaking things, but instead rebuild our lives upon the rock of Your love—which is invisible yet eternally unshakable. Bless the people of this land and give them hope for tomorrow, today.
In the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
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