That Tragic and Fiery Day — A.W. Tozer

Thank you very kind of a French you felt so that he did. And that reminds me that I might well will help to him. There is one present in this congregation this afternoon Who had the same position? That I had relative to my friends that and you felt that is dr. HM Schumann.

When I was beginning I fell off right off the farm. Yeah, just out of the army at the time. He took me over and While he never got to forget I was one of those fellows that would mount up and ride off in all directions and He taught me to ride off and otherwise patiently bore with me the debt of gratitude that I'll never Pay.

Revelation 6 and the Four Horsemen

Dr. HM Schumann president emeritus of the Alliance. Conclude either giving a few comments. I hope they'll be helpful. On the sixth chapter of Revelation. Suppose that we read it and I saw John is talking and says when I saw when the lamb opened one of the seals And I heard as it were the noise of thunder they come and see and I saw and behold a white horse He that sat on him had a bow and a crown was given unto him and he went forth conquering and to conquer.

And when he'd opened the second seal I heard the second be say come and see. I That word come and see come I think is what it really should be. And there went out another horse that was red power was given to him that sat there on to take peace from the earth and That they should kill one another.

And it was given unto him. When it opened the third seal I heard the third be say come and see and I beheld and lower back black horse and he that sat on him had a pair In his hand and I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts a measure of wheat for a penny.

Three measures of barley for a penny not the oil and the wine. When he had opened the fourth seal I heard the voice of the fourth beast a come and see Lilith and behold a pale horse followed him. The name that sat on him was death and Hell followed with him and power was given unto them over the fourth over sword and with hunger with death.

And with the beasts of the earth and when he'd opened up Big tree cast with her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll and it is rolled together In an island there were moved out of their places The kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief captains and the mighty men every free men Hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks fall on the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the land.

For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall stand heavenly father. We thank thee that it's been. We've been a just point the people to this great book. We don't Dissolve this. Well, no Claim to understand very much.

We thank thee for its symbolism. Thank you for it. Glimpses of how to can we speak. We believe it and we believe all that we understand and we believe it. Saddam's now with our grant to bless what's spoken To the hearts of the hearers.

The Lamb Opens the Seals

He's not worthy. At least may we be able to hear and to speak in a worthy man in Christ's name. Here in the fourth chapter of the eternal throne and one seated on the throne in the fifth chapter of the book seated on the throne In a search for someone worthy to open the book to be the Lamb of God Jesus Starts the opening of the four seals.

Nobody could open them. But the Lord Seal was come. I think come and see is act not quite accurate come Creature in front of the throne this beast as it's called in the case is come. He does not address John and he does not dress them, but he addresses the four horses that are waiting there.

The hour had come for them to gallop forth. They'd been waiting time. These go for briefly. I think the first one the right one is and he goes forth conquering and to conquer he is. He conquers by duplicity not by power.

I don't want to stir feeling Of his mind. I think love thinketh. No evil. Love believe in all things and love is grateful to God for all is being done in the world by statesmen and scientists and all.

The Antichrist and False Promises of Peace

The rest against duplicity. Well when anybody wants to get control over you He scratches your back and gives you a lollipop. He has gotten you properly conditioned then you jump to attention and from there on you black his boots.

That's been the the rulers and Dictators see the technique of the Antichrist preach unity and brotherhood and peace and the oneness of religion and security for everybody and all and That there should be one technique psychological conditioning and advertising and television and radio and to be built up and economic Prosperity and financial security and social acceptance and promise of peace and when he'll take over the world.

Don't be naive men and women don't think for a minute that we're too and too Sharp to allow this to happen. Anybody that can lead the peoples of believe That he can give them freedom from war Plus financial prosperity.

So they'll have everything they want the elected king of the world and 24 hours. Don't forget that You're not so smart that we'll rule him out. We'll say yes war. Yes. But everybody has a chicken in the pot in the car in the garage.

War, Famine, Pestilence, and Death

Remember everybody he did that or a for him can be done and Antichrist will do it. Then immediately following the white horse Antichrist rides forth the red horse and he is of course Following hard on peace and prosperity.

Certainly it always does. Third horse is the black horse and he carries famine horse. Famine always follows war because the men who should be pruning the gardens and looking after the fields are off at war.

Those that aren't at war are busy in the munition factories and So that the ground lies fallow and the trees go lose their their Fruitfulness and pretty soon. There's famine in the land and there is a disruption and disloyal so that famine always follows war and then following famine is the pale horse and of course excellence and Pestilence always follows war somewhere Typhus or something else because they are damaged and the doctors are busy at something else and sanitation is neglected and we have pestilences and Following pestilence comes that thing called death.

It's a thing called hell. It says following death comes hell. It wouldn't be so bad if following death would be nothing if the population of the earth were all to be destroyed. If heaven followed and scooped them all up and took them to the treasure more.

The World's Illusion of Peace and Prosperity

But here following the horse of death is the shovel of hell. Scooping them up and to the world they love and this is the terror of it. Well, these horses are waiting my friends and today the world holds it and the statesman are doing the best.

They can remember we're not blaming them. We're not blaming them. We're simply saying they can't help it. They have I could make a speech on the radio and Get away with it. If nobody could see me and they didn't know who it was because I know you you see it would be a just and lasting peace it would be peace and prosperity and The peace with justice for all men and we are a peace loving nation.

You know how they say it. They all say it the same way. They say it in Washington. They say it everywhere. Why everybody has a dove of peace perched on and in the back and. But nobody wants war. Nobody wants war if he has any sense.

But men want the things they can over and they will have them if they have to have more to get them. And that's how we get wars. And now in the meantime while men chant their little litanies of peace.

The four horsemen champ their bits and arch their necks and snort into the wind on the ground. They're ready to go the Antichrist to come followed by war and pestilence and famine. The program for the world ahead.

Isn't that sound? Gloomy and pessimistic and they blame us who believe in this and pessimists. A Pessimist believes the worst about everything and an optimist believes the best and they're both wrong.

But if a man if a man believes that everything is going to come out. All right, he's an optimist and I believe that I believe there will be it will rain from the river to the ends of the earth. And every man will sit under his own vine and fig tree and no man will make any other man afraid.

There'll be no unions demands and no labor demands and no Factory demands and no big hand and quarreling with the men who work with them as we have it now. And there'll be no cold wars and no words of any kind.

So I am an optimist and I believe in the ultimate triumph of the land who was slain. And I know he'll have his way of doing it and I think I'll slight way about how he's going about it. But here are these four horsemen and you know, the world doesn't know this.

Human Desire, False Unity, and Spiritual Blindness

Everybody that talks about hell and in unity and brotherhood and we're all the world will brothers be for all that. Now their hearts you can damn their hearts. Everybody wants to be one with everybody else and love everybody you want to be so you can go out.

We lock it to the lock their dentures in Chicago, you know, because if you don't steal them. Maybe you don't but we all want to get away from that decent people in the world. Only a few beatniks that don't but nevertheless we we know we can't be and always whose eyes God has opened in whose ears he has touched in whose heart he has illuminated.

No. What's ahead for us. And while the four will violate the holy laws of God? Scientists pry into the secrets of God, but they ignore or deny the God of the secrets of politicians lust for power. They ought to hear what David said be wise now therefore he kings and be instructed your kiss the Sun left.

Lest he be angry and you perish from the way, but they don't but then the people we like to condemn, you know. We like whipping boys. The Democrats are in we beat the Democrats. If the Republicans are in we beat there is Hitler's alive.

Bread, Circuses, and the Complacency of Society

We beat Hitler and if Stalin's alive, we beat stuff. We all want a whipping boy to make to be the group that carries into the wilderness. Ladies and gentlemen. Let me tell you something. The common people of Pittsburgh aren't angels.

Don't forget it. They met today's car and their television may be a month old. Which is always tragic to be had one that old but we remember one thing. Bread and circuses. That's all we want to be fed.

We want something a little better if we have a house with a split level and they want to picture windows. And we want a little more of what we've had. We already have too much the composure and ease and pampered opulence and comfort and fun and entertainment and If you were to make a day go to philosophical or religious subject, you couldn't fill the average ball but if you were to Have some sort you could.

Always more people go to games and go to churches. So people are not concerned the common point to be fat cats and they're mad at the fat cats. Who have a fatter than they are but there'd be as fat as the fat cat they don't like.

Well, that's the world. We've got that's the kind of world we live in. We'd vote for the devil if we are more money and a longer vacation. That's Americans, I'm an American. I live in Canada, but everybody knows I'm an old.

I couldn't be anything else. I was born out in this state of Pennsylvania. And I've got the dust and blood of Pennsylvania all in me. I have it in Canada wherever it may be. They'll lay a little bit of Pennsylvania down there and when speaking against the Americans.

The Fifth Seal and the Cry of the Martyrs

But I just simply know it and I know that we have a nobility enough nor nor nor stability. We only want fun and pleasure and want to be fat cats now. The fifth seal after these four horsemen have done their deadly terrible terrible work.

After they have done it. I then. There's the opening of the fifth seal and we change from come and see. You don't say come anymore. It says I saw under the altar. Where's that altar there in heaven or on earth.

Some say one. When the other from the other. Some say it's on earth because the see how the whole book shit the spotlight of God rests first on earth and then on in heaven. John was neither in heaven or earth.

He wrote that book and so from his position in the spirit He could turn swiftly from the throne of God to the bottomless pit. He could go to deepest hell. He could go around the world in 40 weeks because he was in the spirit and could see.

He stood off and could see. That argument doesn't hold water. I think that this altar was in heaven and This is so they saw souls. I mean here were the souls of the martyrs. From a holy Stephen down to the latest Christian that died under the Antichrist.

Why hadn't they. Because there had been no book opened and the seals had not been opened and now comes the opening of the seals. King loose of the clutches of sin from the world and the one who owns the world by creation and by Redemption is not the claws.

And the black knuckles of the devil loose from it and he's taking it over. But it takes an earthquake and fire to do it. This idea that the world will be made nice by the PTA and ladies auxiliary. Nice old fellas without any more blood or sand left.

No. No. No the world won't be made nice like the world will be purified by blood and fire and thunder and lightning and earthquake and the mighty feet of Jesus with our Mountains and hills. I don't get any amends on that but keeping brother.

The Martyrs' Testimony and God's Ownership of the Earth

That's true. Anyhow, it's true. I remember you can say many of you want that you don't have to and if you don't I'm still telling the truth. Now it's a solemn thought it seems to me a song by the blood of every Martyr man from honest and righteous able down to this hour the blood of every martyr Found and the soul of the martyr cries from the altar.

Every wronged one every martyred one. Fifty died. God's dear people have died. Not too much is said about him. Five boys died down in in In South America and the whole makes a big show of it. The dear men and women we had them die.

We're never heard of simple people who gave their lives quite all over this wide world. And men are dying now the dear Lord's people are dying for the faith. They're dying in Colombia. And God's people are dying everywhere giving up their lives for the word of their testimony.

And for the witness of Jesus will be dying more of them dying as the time goes on and remember that the souls of the righteous will be in the hands of God and no evil can and Remember that from the altar will cry this.

Souls of the martyred ones and from the ground their blood will pray a lot. And then the world the dying saints will have a tongue in every wound. For God Almighty to write this world and give it back to the ones that belong.

To history's all mixed up knows and I'm glad I don't need to know. I wouldn't know what to do with the United States if God were to ask me told you give it to who to who belong. I wouldn't know what along to you.

It doesn't belong to our white ancestors. It doesn't belong to our colored friends. It doesn't belong. Yeah. Well, it belongs to the Indians, but who did the end and. Then it belongs to the people that the Indians took it from but who?

Did they take it from. So who it is that property that you bought and paid so many thousand dollars for and you have a deed down in a locked box. To the First National Bank property. It's all that belong to some old Indian way back there.

But he stole it from somebody else slipped up on him. Tommy hopped him in the night and took it. It belonged to anyhow. There they bought the state in New York or somebody over there paid $24 to the Indians and bought Manhattan and then stick Manhattan from so it is go to Europe and try to figure it out go Anywhere and try to figure it out.

You can't do it. I'm glad God knows the Lord God omniscience who knows all that can be known in one effortless act. He knows all about it, but I'll tell you who does belong to. Maybe I star Lord who created it and then redeemed it by blood.

You know the mark of the curse on the earth. It was thorns Sons and tears and sorrow and when he died on the cross he died with a crown of thorns died in. So he redeemed with thorns and sorrow and blood a world that had been crushed with blood and thorns and sorrow.

Surrendering All Rights to Christ

And he owned. I'm willing to take. I signed a quick claim deed one time. My mother wanted to clean up an estate and they wrote me and asked me if I'd sign a quick claim deed. I never signed anything. I enjoyed more in my life said something the effect that I the undersigned hereby do now and for all time relinquish give up.

And quit claim all rights to say. Now you turn over a quick claim. I don't own anything. Tell the truth only some books. My wife has bought herself an automobile when she was 60 years old. Now she's rambling around in an American Rambler up there in Canada having the time of her life.

She owns that she owns that. I don't own anything anything. I'd give the Lord Jesus a quick claim deed to it and say Lord. I won't dispute it. I didn't die for it. None of my blood ran for it. You take it Lord.

It's that and come the opening of that that sixth seal. That's cut through all the different interpretations and simply of that sixth seal I beheld and he had and below there was a great earthquake and the Sun became blackest sackcloth of hair and the moon became The stars of even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs when she's taken of a mighty chicken of a mighty wind and The heaven departed as a scroll and it rolled together mountain and island removed out of their places the kings and the great men of the rich men Sought to hide from the presence of the land.

The Sixth Seal and the Day of Divine Judgment

Now the people that'll see this are real people, you know. We tend to project unreal people when we come to the Bible. We make Abraham is a wax saint that moves Around slowly in a kind of a zombie fashion.

We forget that Abraham had breathed and bathed and sandals and and Said he'd wife straight and and we paint pictures of David so delightfully romantic. You'd think David didn't know whether it was a man or woman.

He's so pretty but the fact the shepherd and Shepherds in those days. They didn't have any life-voice hope and you you knew when Smelly sheep with it rancid lanolin for about two or three days, you know without visiting the nearby the people will know you around if they're to leeward of you.

Sure, they will so don't let's make David too romantic. He wasn't and he was living back there before the days of toothbrushes and Deodorant that was David. He was a plain salty down-to-earth man with dust on his feet.

That was David. And so we like we think of this these people who are going to cry and run for the rocks and mountains as being some strange Plastic weird. No, they're people brother and sister they have numbers and wives and children and and offices and briefcases and Glasses and and all the rest.

They're Peter. They're going to run and hide from the presence of God. I Just admit there's a little bit of a sneaking and maybe it's slightly carnal satisfaction in knowing there will be a day When God Almighty will bust all protocol.

I think of that little Jackie over there. Bless Jackie's little old soul. Here she is over there and everybody's running around, you know Cow town did Jackie go the only member of that family only member of that family.

I likes Carolyn. I'd love her. I'd just love to huddle up to Carol bear hug and a whiskery kiss wouldn't you. I would Big and have the rest of them including Jackie, but the the politics brother. This is surely a personal feeling now.

I'd say the same if it was a Republican. I like nice ladies who behave and bake pancakes. So well anyhow God will take things out of human hands. I want to tell you that now. I'm glad takes things out of human hands.

They're awesome picture when in spite of satellites and all the rest and missiles the Lord will so shake the earth that the things that cannot be shaken may remain and Suddenly all of these great people now who they're the kings of the earth.

Those would be the politicians. They are the great men. They would be the heavy-dome thinkers. They are the rich men. They would be finance Who it trampled upon the poor when I was a boy 15 years old stood on my feet 12 hours a night and work in the factories in Akron, Ohio.

That's why I bet it toward those who've united to tell those bloodsuckers. You've had enough. But on the other hand, I am NOT sympathetic with the gangsters that take all these men. Oh that we can write this and it'll never be righted probably.

But the heavy thing do it nor the rich men nor the chief captains. They are the military. Nor the free men we talk about the free men of. I thank God for America with all that's in me and our neighbor Country Canada that just as free as we are and just as wonderful are and they might not like this But very very much as we are.

So that you can cross the border not know where you are one unless you hear a man say you went to the house and went Out for a boat, you'll know that that he's a Canadian but outside that I don't know one from the other.

So this whole have blessed it with a free people. I'm glad for that. And if God were to ask me for my blood tonight I today I would give it to be Stay free from that that cancerous thing. We call communism.

But I don't for one split second thing is on the side of Russia. I think that if we should clean up our own Backstep and if we should get down before God and before the altar and the door and all the name Layman should give up their pursuit of wealth and spend a day waiting repentance and then clean up their lives and begin to live, right?

I believe we do more to stop the onrush of communism. Then we can ever do any other isn't as free as we say it is. Thank God for the freedom We have. There are some places where you couldn't talk the way I talk now.

I talk this way. I'd talk this way I'd be in jail in a short time. So I'm grateful Grateful I walked down the road the street here and we saw in front of me. I should it's a big building. I should have seen it that Post office United States of America some big rose up in my heart and said an old Yankee said I like to see that Flag with its 50 stars that floats yonder.

I like it. But I don't think that we're as free as we could that we have sinned against our God so tragically and terribly. We've sinned in The pulpit we've sinned in the pew we've sinned everywhere. Repent.

National Judgment, Repentance, and the Nations

God knows our judgment will come upon us. And I believe the judgment of God will come more severely upon the nation like this or like Canada much light and so much opportunity. I believe it'll come more severely than it would come upon Africa.

We laugh at the little nation to jump away from cannibalism and now are sitting in the United Nations with their big glasses on make Me laugh, but they never had the light you had so don't you laugh at them?

They're doing the best they can they're acting like people in the midst of a crazy upset world. So let's put there are the bondmen slaves of the world poor slaves of the world. I didn't hear our sister's death, but I'm told it was wonderful.

She knew something this girl. What it was to live in slavery. And they know and happy cigar Guitar twang cigars between get friends down in Cuba now under bondage the terrible bondage of that bearded beatnik who ought to be in a who's got slave world.

Well says the seals were opened and they pray at last. They pray additions pray. You can't pray in the United Nations. They'll let you go meditate if you want to is a place of meditation. But no place of prayer afraid of.

They're afraid of hurting the feelings of an ungodly Communist who doesn't believe in God and says he'll drag that bearded God out of us. They're afraid of hurting the feeling of a stinking Cuban beatnik who went up to a New York and Hotel room with chicken feathers and dirty women.

Afraid of hurting that tell us feelings afraid of hurting the feeling or a buddhist. So you can't pray in the United Nations. That black birdcage on the East River in New York City. May yet prove all of the land of the free and the home of the brave.

The Wrath of the Lamb and Who Can Stand

Well. They're afraid last brother and they won't pray to win up and they won't pray to a composite of all the gods believed in. By all the members present. They will rush out of that plan on to this street.

And they'll hunt a place to hide and they'll pray save us from the wrath of the Lamb. They'll reckon that last Jesus Christ the Lord of Glory was begotten of the Father before. And who is equal to the Father is touching his manhood.

But less than the Father is touching his godhood and who though he man yet is he not to but one God. This Jesus who died and rose and lives and pleads with love in all his words and own of the Father they'll recognize him yet and They'll pray and then it says who shall be able to stand and well the one who's quit his sins Confess them forsaken them.

He'll be able to stand. The one who's put his trust forever in Christ He'll be. And the one who's forsaken the world so you can tell him and no, he's not a worldly He's he will be able to stand. Overcome the flesh and the devil by the word of his testimony and the blood of the lamb.

Hearing Truth and Obeying the Word

He'll be able to stand the whole question. Now. Is that one you've been listening to good preaching? I accept the three o 'clock hour. But you've been listening to good preaching and you've been listening to good music and you've been all excited about hell might be.

But now I wonder are you just another? Sermon taster. I hear you simply again. If you've got cauliflower ears from being beaten over the years with sermons or The sermon to you and somebody about something you ought to do.

You can hear every man that preaches starting in the morning at 630. You can hear everybody all be not one with the better for it or it isn't hearing truth. That makes men holy it's obeying truth that makes men holy and obeying it.

And unless I obey the word I'm worse off than if I hadn't heard it. Or I would rather go to hell from rick of picking my teeth with a human bone. Then to go to hell from Pittsburgh Northside where for 68 years.

They've heard that but God does not look at the color of our skin. Nor he does not care what church we belong to he wants to know how we have believed. Whether we've done the right thing so he's able to stand.

There'll be some who can stand in that day. But those that you would expect to stand and then with the briefcases and the thick glasses. They can't the militarists they can't and the politicians and the scientists.

They can't make God paired people for that awful hour. And may the Lord our God come and take us away from it if it please him before that a fiery day. Breaks upon a world that's long. Deserved to hear the galloping of the four horses of the other amen and amen.