“Now I saw when the lamb opened one of the seals…” – Revelation 6:1

Scripture reading: Revelation 6; 1 Peter 1:3-9

A.W. Tozer once wrote that, “although it may look like things are out of control, behind the scenes there is a God who has not surrendered His authority.” When Revelation 6 speaks of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, things certainly seem out of control! Conquest, war, famine and death are graphically pictured as some of the judgments God will send upon the earth, and the overall picture is terrifying. When such struggles come, what is to be the response of believers?

Revelation 6 teaches us that even things that appear chaotic are not outside of the will and plan of a sovereign God. The child of God can be at rest knowing the King is on His throne and nothing can remove Him; that in fact God works even through difficult circumstances to punish evil and show His just rule.

Between Christ’s first and second coming the church will experience times of extreme difficulty with varying degrees of intensity. When we do, we must remember who it is opening the seals. All remains in the hands of the Lamb; all is in the hands of the One who redeemed us by His blood. When God’s judgments come upon the earth, and even when this affects God’s people as they live on this side of heaven, we cannot forget the loving Saviour who uses even these trials for His redemptive purposes and the glory of His name. When things seem out of control, God has surrendered neither His authority nor His goodness.

Suggestions for prayer

Lord, help me to trust You when the circumstances of life may challenge my faith.

Pastor Greg Bylsma is a graduate of Mid-America Reformed Seminary, and he is currently serving at the Living Water Reformed Church in Brantford, Ontario. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.