CHAPTER 6
This chapter begins to reveal the coming judgments and describes the Great Tribulation as revealed to the Apostle John who has been exiled to the Island of Patmos. There will be three separate judgments, each one containing seven different events happening in succession with varying time sequences between them and all taking place in a seven year period known as the Great Tribulation. John uses Allegories and Enigmatic scenarios throughout his writings to explain what he is seeing. We must not forget that we are being given a description of events and things yet to happen in the twentieth century by a man from the first century.
Allegories:
They are stories or events in which people, things and happenings have a hidden or symbolic meaning and are used to teach or explain these things, ideas and the moral principals behind them.
Enigmatic:
Means that various puzzling, baffling and perplexing scenarios are used at times to explain what is happening but as we continue to read on the Word itself clears up these mysteries for us.
Revelation 6:1
I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come and see!"
John is about to be shown the future by the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ Himself who alone is able and worthy to open these seven seals. One of the Four Living Creatures thundered to him; 'Come and see'. These Four Living Creatures are Cherubim's clearly mentioned in Ezekiel 1&10. The first four seals bring into John's view four horsemen riding in succession and reveal to him a progressive view of worsening conditions coming upon the earth.
Revelation 6:2
And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
The First Seal: John saw a man on a white horse and in his hand was a bow and a crown was given to him this depicts the ancient world symbol of a conquering king or military leader who is always seen astride a beautiful white horse and the crown represents his conquests. The bow represents weapons of war which are used to conquer and subdue nations. Some still contend that this rider is Jesus (who Satan Imitates) but the whole context of these seals and what they represent absolutely refutes this contention and points to a coming satanically empowered dictator who will bring war, crime and death upon the earth as never before imagined.
This dictator is the Antichrist, the One World Ruler who will come onto the world scene from the revived Roman Empire, empowered by Satan with great power and magnetism, a very charismatic person one who is able to perform miracles that will mesmerize the world. The world has never been so ready for such a political leader to come on the scene and the opening of the first seal brings this coming world leader to prominence. This man will represent the revived Roman Empire as seen in Daniel Chapters 7&9 and will bring a false peace to the nation of Israel which is something the whole world is looking for; he will appear as a benevolent Messiah who is able to solve the world s problems. The rider depicted here is not to be confused with the rider on a white horse spoken of in Chapt. 19:11-21 that is Jesus Christ the conquering King of kings coming to earth for the final battle. This other rider is one of the four riders bringing with them death and destruction.
Revelation 6:3-4
3 When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come and see".
4 Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.
The second seal was opened and John saw a rider on a fiery red horse that was given a great sword and the power to take peace from the people of the world. The sword represents weapons of war and with it he brings war and conflict, the addition of the word 'great' could indicate an enormous arsenal of weapons that John could not even begin to imagine. This rider on the red horse releases this mass arsenal of weapons which will be used in the coming global holocaust. He will take peace from the earth and mankind will do the rest and literally destroy themselves in a nuclear holocaust. This could likely be the war spoken of in Ezekiel Chapters 38-39 when the army from the North (Russia) invades the nation of Israel. At this time the 'Church' along with the 'Holy Spirit' has been removed from the earth in a wonderful event called the 'Rapture' found in 1Thessalonians 4:15-18. God's restraining influence against the evil of this world has been removed with the removal of the Holy Spirit. 2Thessalonians 2:7
This seal is opened at about the mid-point of the Tribulation for the Antichrist at this time has made a covenant with Israel by initiating a false peace, this is the first 31/2 yrs, then he will, 'take peace from the earth', break his covenant, stop the temple worship and desecrate it by entering the holy of holies and will seat himself in the temple and proclaim himself to be god, which God calls 'The Abomination of Desolation'. This is found in Dan. 11:31/ 12:11 - Matt. 24:15-18, 21-22 - 2nd Thes. 2:3-4 - Ezek. 38:15-16.This could very possibly be what triggers the 'Battle of Armageddon' the 'War of all Wars'. This event could not take place until the rebirth of the Nation of Israel for this is where it is to happen.
Revelation 6:5-6
5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come and see". So I looked, and there was a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand.
6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius (a New Testament Penny), and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do >not harm the oil and the wine."
The Third Seal:This time John sees a man on a black horse and in his hand is a pair of scales and he hears a voice declaring that it will cost a days pay for a day's ration of wheat. This represents a time of famine and all life will be reduced to the barest necessities along with economic chaos, it will represent a world wide food crisis possibly brought on by the world wide conflict we just read about. We know that today, in the 21st century, hunger is already a global problem with millions starving every year and this without a major conflict or war anywhere. The scales in the riders hand represent the need to carefully ration the food that is available for it wouldn t take much to push the world into the kind of predicament mentioned here. Yet in the midst of all of this there are still the luxuries of life for those who are rich enough to afford them. With millions starving to death the oil and the wine represents the luxuries of the world which are still available to those who rule. We are staring at global rationing for the masses controlled by the One World Government but a life of ease for those in control. All of this will prepare the people of the world for the coming Antichrist whom they will look upon as their benevolent ruler.
Revelation 6:7-8
7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come and see".
8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.
The Fourth Seal: John now sees a pale horse and he that sat on it was called Death and he was followed by Hades or Hell. This rider brings death to the world in a way that makes all that has happened on earth previously pale in comparison to what the Antichrist brings upon the world through war, famine and catastrophes never before seen. Our fragile ecosystem is in constant danger of being destroyed by mans careless use of it and man is constantly moving into the habitat of wild animals which can become a serious threat. All of this along with the thermonuclear, biological, chemical and other advanced weapon systems that man has developed will be their response to these first four judgments as they unleash a rampant slaughter of people around the world. Take notice of the wording in verse eight where it says, 'power was given to him' the rider on the pale horse for it indicates that although all hell has broke loose, God is still in control. This horseman appropriately signifies the agencies of judgment that God will send upon the world, the sword, hunger (Famine), death (pestilence) and the beasts of Revelation 6:8 also found in Ezekiel 14:21.
Revelation 6:9
When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.
John's attention is once more drawn to the throne room of Heaven where he sees the souls of those who were martyred for their testimony and faith and are now in the very presence of God. Christians throughout history have faced oppressive persecution but have refused to renounce their Lord, those oppressors will not go unpunished and the vindication of God s people is on the way for precious in His sight is the death of His Saints.
Revelation 6:10-11
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"
11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who would be killed as they were, was completed.
Up to this point in time it looks like Satan and his Antichrist is winning, but our God is the Alpha and Omega and He will have the last word. John hears the cries of the martyrs from under the God's alter but they are told to rest and wait until the number of those who are yet to be martyred is completed. During the Tribulation Satan will be given a special authority he has not previously had, that is the power to kill the saints of God, all those who during the Tribulation refuse to take his Mark, '666' and accept Jesus as their Lord will be slain. Over the years millions have died for their faith, martyred for Christ, even as millions more have lived in peace, serving God in relative safety, this will not be so during the time of the Tribulation period when all who acknowledge Christ will die. The 5th seal represents Satan's war against all who will accept Jesus during this period. These martyrs are those saints under God's alter will have to wait for God's time to be avenged. Remember this, it is the way you live not the way you die that makes you a martyr. History must run its course in order for these to be vindicated.
Revelation 6:12
I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.
The Sixth Seal: John must have been in awe as all of these scenes unfold before him and the Lamb of God now opens the sixth seal, which is followed by a great earthquake accompanied by awesome events happening in the heavens. Even nature is responding to the apostasy that threatens God s people, the sun turns black like a full eclipse and the moon turns the color of blood. There are cosmic disruptions and celestial disturbances that John is trying his best to describe and write down as he has been told to do. We read of the same kind of events happening in Joel 2:31, things that seem to precede the Lord's return.
Joel 2:10-11-31
10 Before them the earth shakes, the sky trembles, the sun and moon grow dark, and the stars no longer shine.
11 The Lord's voice thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty are those who obey his command. The day of the LORD is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD. =
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Revelation 6:13
The stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.
John describes what he perceives to be the stars falling from heaven to the earth as if they were over ripe figs that the wind is shaking from the tree. It is only speculation but we must remember that 1st century John is seeing 20th century happenings. In his arsenal of nuclear weapons man has one called the MIRV, this is Multiple-Independently-Targeted Re-entry Vehicles, Russia has them as well as the USA and they have named theirs, 'Satan'. It is an ICBM and it has a warhead containing 30 of these MIRV's which are released in space when the ICBM explodes and as each of these 30 MIRV's re-enter the earth s atmosphere there is a fiery red tail trailing them making them look like a flaming meteor or falling star to John as they are plummeting to earth.
Revelation 6:14-17
14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.
15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,
16 and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!
17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"
The opening of Heaven as a scroll is yet future and will occur at the time of Jesus second coming. These celestial disruptions will have all men living in fear and crying out to be delivered from the wrath of the Lamb and from Almighty God seated on His throne. We see here no signs of a repentant heart only men running in fear and calling out to the rocks and mountains, the inanimate objects of nature, to hide them instead of crying out to God for forgiveness. It is ironic that this wrath is the wrath of the Lamb. We must not forget the price that was willingly paid by this Lamb who was nailed to a cross on Golgotha so that man would never have to face God's wrath and judgment and after we have seen and understand that He became the absolute sacrifice for our salvation we can better understand the certainty of the judgment that awaits the unrepentant sinner as they face this righteous and angry God. For He is a God of both love and justice and He will do no more and no less. This chapter ends with the asking of an awesome question, "Who shall be able to stand" during the terrifying times that are described in the previous verses, in the day of the Lord's wrath just before the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Deuteronomy 4:24
For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
Hebrews 10:31
It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
'Who is able to stand?' We know the answer to that question, only the Believer, the Born Again Saint of God, the ones who have been justified by God's Amazing Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ who will keep us from the wrath that is coming upon all mankind and has provided a way of deliverance for all who will believe.
1 Thessalonians 1:10
To wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the Dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
1 Peter 5:12
Exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.
The 6th Seal reveals the awesome celestial upheaval and a general fear of God. It seems that the 7 Seals cover the entire 7 years of the Tribulation along with the beginning of God's wrath being poured out upon all of mankind.
