Chapter Six

As the Lamb breaks open the seals, God's plan is revealed. The picture is not a new one; Zechariah 1:7-1l gives a vision of horses and riders.

The first seal reveals a rider on a white horse. He carries a bow and is given a stephanos, the victor's crown. We have a rider on a white horse in Revelation 19:11, and there is no reason to believe that this is not the same rider: Jesus. While the rider is chapter 19 is holding a sword, though, this rider is carrying a bow. Roman legions were not very proficient in using the bow and arrow. In fact, they eventually adopted the practice of hiring foreign mercenaries to take care of this part of their warfare. The Parthians killed 20,000 Romans and captured another 10,000 in the battle of Carrhae (53 B.C.). The bow is a common element on Parthian coins, with some picturing a bow-wielding rider on a horse (McGuiggan, 1976, p. 95). A rider with a bow is an apt figure to carry out God's judgment on the Romans.

When the second seal is broken, John sees a red horse and its rider, According to the description, this horse represents war. Notice that he does what is granted him to do. He is limited. God is in control.

The opening of the third seal reveals a black horse and its rider, representing famine. During famine, food is rationed out carefully by measure or weight. A denarius was a small silver coin about the size of a dime that was the equivalent of one day's wage. The prices given here are one day's wage for a quart of wheat, or the same amount for three times as much of a rougher grain. The rich are usually affected less by famine than are the poor, so perhaps this explains the exclusion on the oil and wine. Or maybe this exception is given to show that the famine is limited. God is in control.

Upon the opening of the fourth seal, John sees an ashen horse and its rider. The Greek word that is translated here as "ashen" is "chloros." You can easily see the root word here for "chlorophyll." This horse was actually a sick green, the color of decaying flesh.

We do not have to guess at the identity of this horse and rider. The text itself gives it the name "Death." Close behind, like a dog on the heels of the horse, is Hades, the abode of the dead.

They have authority to kill with the sword, famine and pestilence. But notice that their activity is limited. God is still in control.

What is the meaning of these four horses?

We should understand in studying Revelation...and any book of the Bible, for that matter...that the same event may have two different meanings. War, famine and death spell suffering for the Christian. But death for him is actually the beginning of a life in heaven. The same war, famine and death mean judgment for the disobedient sinner, since they mark the end of his opportunity to repent and follow God.

We should also realize that, while God may not cause war, famine and death, He does use them to make us realize an important fact. This world is not where we want to be. Notice what riches and luxury do to the spiritual lives of people. The richer that people become, the more they tend to think that they are God, since they believe their own abilities have raised them to a level of pleasure and enjoyment.

With this in mind, let's look at the horses. Jesus enters first, so He is at the head. This provides encouragement for His followers. To the saved, the limited trials that follow mean that God is in control. To the lost, they signal the approach of God's judgment. If the latter are smart, they will be caused by these events to repent and turn to God.

The fifth seal reveals an intermission, with the souls of the slain saints crying out for justice. The testimony referred to is generally identified by John as the testimony of Jesus. See Revelation 1:2, 12:17, 14:12 and 19:10.

The cry here is one of justice, not one of revenge. The request is for the persecutors to receive what God has determined they should receive. In 2 Timothy 4:14 Paul says that the Lord will repay a coppersmith named Alexander according to his deeds. Romans 12:17-21 agrees with the attitude exhibited here, since the vengeance is left up to the Lord.

What a message this verse had for the Christian who faced persecution and even death! Even if he suffered death, God would vindicate him. And he could look forward to rest and a white robe.

A period of rest means that God is allowing time for sinners to repent.

"The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness," 2 Peter 3:9 informs us, "but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."

As the sixth seal is broken, there is a great earthquake and the heavenly bodies are greatly affected.

Before jumping to a conclusion as to the meaning of these verses, let's look at some Old Testament passages.

Isaiah 13:10, in describing God's judgment against Babylon, talks about the sun, moon and stars being darkened. The judgment against Edom in Isaiah 34:4 includes the statement that the host of heaven would wear away and the sky would be rolled up like a scroll.

Jeremiah chapter four talks about God's judgment against Judah. Verse 23 talks about the heavens having no light and verse 24 describes an earthquake. Similar statements are found in other verses in the same chapter.

Ezekiel 32:7-8 says that the judgment of Egypt involved the darkening of the sun, stars and moon.

Joel 2:10,28-32 tells of a day when the earth would quake and the heavenly bodies would lose their brightness. Do we have to guess about the fulfillment of this prophecy? No, Peter does this for us in Acts 2:16-20.

Similar language is used in other places, but this should be enough to help us see the meaning. Whenever God carries out judgment on a system or on a group of people, the world comes to an end for that system or group. The sun no longer shines on them.

So the passage in Revelation 6:12-17 is not talking about the final judgment. It is simply presenting God's judgment against those who persecuted the church. The Roman system was destined to extinction.

Notice the reaction of the people. God had sent various warnings to cause them to repent. But they refused. They refused to accept from God the truth that could have set them free.

McGuiggan Jim (1976), The Book of Revelation (Lubbock: Montex Publishing Company).

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission."