Revelation 6

The Seven Seals

1-2 When the Lamb opens the first seal, one of the creatures cries “Come!”, and John sees a rider with a bow on a white horse, given a crown, conquering and coming to conquer. Conquest! White indicates purity; a horse represents power in battle. (See Job 39:19-25; Proverbs 21:31). Christ and his gospel go forth to conquer.

3-4 When the Lamb opens the second seal, the second creature cries “Come!”, and a rider on a red horse, given a sword, is permitted to take peace from the earth. Persecution against those who preach the gospel – the work of Satan on earth.

5-6 When the Lamb opens the third seal, the third creature cries “Come!”, and a rider on a black horse, with scales, and John hears a cry about the scarcity of food. Consequences of persecution; discrimination. The scales indicate a scarcity of food (Ezekiel 4:16,17), which results in grief and mourning (Jeremiah 14:1-3).

7-8 When the Lamb opens the fourth seal, the fourth creature cries “Come!”, and a rider named Death, on a pale green horse, is followed by Hades. Given authority over a fourth of the earth, they destroy. Death. Death destroys with everything at his disposal, but with power over only a fourth of the earth, his power is limited. Christ has all authority (Matthew 28:28), and he holds the keys of death and Hades (1:18).

9-11 When the Lamb opens the fifth seal, John sees the souls of martyrs under the altar, crying for justice. They are given white robes and told to rest, to wait for other martyrs to join them. Martyrdom. “Inhabitants on the earth” refer to those who are not God’s people. The martyrs are told that God is not finished yet.

12-14 When the Lamb opens the sixth seal, John sees a cataclysmic destruction of the earth and sky, after which both the rich and poor, powerful and weak hide in caves and mountains in fear of the wrath of God. End of the Roman Empire. In the context of those to whom the letter has been addressed, this “day of wrath” probably refers to justice upon Rome. In scripture, the “Day of the Lord” often refers to the demise of earthly nations. See Isaiah 13:6 – Babylon; Amos 5:18-20 – Israel. All non-believers will be affected, whether rich or poor.

Such apocalyptic figures are used in Isaiah 13 and 14 to predict the destruction of Babylon and the fall of Edom. Ezekiel 31 announces Egypt’s destruction, and Joel 2 and 3 foretell the destruction of Jerusalem. Jesus employs the same kind of language in Matthew 24 to describe the fall of Judah, the collapse of Judaism, and the destruction of the temple. (Vision of Victory)