The document discusses themes from the Book of Revelation and the four horsemen of the apocalypse. It provides historical context of disasters and persecution during the 1st century AD when Revelation was written. It notes that followers of Christ should embrace truth about the present and understand evil in order to overcome it. While evil remains, Christ and salvation are supreme, and living by God's grace places believers in the midst of challenges but able to overcome evil with good.

1. Revelation

3. “Arise! Shine! For your light arrives!
The splendor of the Lord shines on you!
For, look, darkness covers the earth
and deep darkness covers the nations,
but the Lord shines on you;
his splendor appears over you.
Isaiah 60:1-2

8. Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse - Conquest, War, Famine & Death, an 1887 painting by
Victor Vasnetsov. The Lamb is visible at the top.

9. “Christ’s followers face the future by
embracing the truth about the present.
Each of the events triggered by the
release of the seals prepares the believer
for life as we experience it today. Evil has
to be understood if it is to be overcome.
John’s inspired vision begins by exploring
the extent and complexity of evil.”
Doug Webster
Heaven’s Perspective on Evil

17. AD 60 Earthquakes.
AD 62: Defeat of Roman army by Parthian Vologeses on
eastern frontier.
AD 64: Persecution of Christians following the fire of Rome.
AD 70: Four year war of Jews and Romans ending with
Jerusalem in ruins.
AD 68 Suicide of Nero, followed by political chaos.
AD 79 Eruption of Vesuvius which obliterated Naples and
created a pall of darkness so widespread that men
feared that the end of the world had come. When
volcanic dust covers the sky the moon would appear
red.
AD 92 Serious grain famine.
AD 81-92 Reign of Domitian, institutes emperor worship,
persecution.
AD 95 Writing of Revelation.

23. The bad news is that the four horses of the apocalypse
are still riding hard – evil runs wild. The good news is
that Christ and his salvation are the supreme realities,
not evil. And living by God’s grace for the sake of Christ
does not remove us from these harsh realities, but
places us in the midst of them. “Do not overcome by evil,
but overcome evil with good”. (Romans 12:21) “I have
told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I
have overcome the world”. (John 16:33)
Doug Webster
Heaven’s Perspective on Evil, page 142