Revelation Chapter Six

Note: Chapter six begins the 7 seal judgements. Chapter 8 will introduce the 7 vial judgements. There is a common pattern between these two groups of judgements. They both have a format of 4 judgements upon earth, followed by 3 cosmic judgements.

Revelation 6:1

First Seal:

1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.

Here Christ, the Lamb, opens the first seal, as He has prevailed to conquer the powers of darkness. Now is come salvation and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ (Revelation 12:10). He now enters upon the great work of opening and accomplishing the purpose of God towards the church and the world.

noise of thunder identifies with God's word (Job 37:5).

Revelation 6:2

2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

white horse identifies with Christ (Revelation 19:11).

bow used to shoot arrows, which identifies with the judgement of God (Psalm 45:4-6) (Psalm 7:11-16) (Psalm 21:12).

conquering (Colossians 1:13) (Colossians 2:14-15).
Jesus empowers believers to resist Satan's attacks (Romans 8:37) (Ephesians 6:11) (1 John 4:4) (1 John 5:4).
The idea of the first seal is the Gospel of Jesus Christ goes throughout the whole world, successfully bringing people out of the kingdom of darkness, and condemns all who turn from God's offer of salvation
(John 3:18) (2 Corinthians 2:15-16).
Others understand this as the spirit of antichrist (1 John 2:18), as it appears to be Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:14-15), but rather than a sword, which is usually identified with Christ, the rider bears a bow
(Ephesians 6:16), showing him possibility to be a counterfeit
(Matthew 13:6) (Revelation 13:11). This interpretation seems scripturally soured, however, at this time, I am more convinced of the former.
Note: See (Psalms 45:3-5)

Revelation 6:3-4

Second Seal:

3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take
peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

Red identifies with Satan (Revelation 12:3) (Revelation 12:9)

take peace as in peace of the Gospel

great sword sword identifies with persecution. We know it also identifies with persecution. We also know it identifies with the Word of God
(Hebrews 4:12), (Ephesians 6:17), (Revelation 2:12), (Revelation 2:16),
(Revelation 19:15), (Revelation 19:21). One of the wiles of the Devil, is that he manipulates and twists the truths of God's word in order word in order to deceive, which unfortunately our first parents did succumb to (Genesis 3:1-6), but our Lord Jesus did not (Matthew 4:1-11). The idea of the second seal is that persecution follows the proclamation of the Gospel. Satan attempts this either by killing believers physically (Revelation 6:9), or through various kinds of persecutions to destroy their witness. Those that put faith in false gospels, brought through Satan's ministers of light, will live with a false sense of security,
only to be found condemned and rejected by the Lord on that great day (Matthew 7:21-23).

Revelation 6:5-6

The Third Seal:

5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

Black horse identifies with darkness

balances used to weigh the measures of inquity (Daniel 5:25-29)

measure judgement sent forth as a result of the churches unfaithfulness
(Hosea 12:7). The result is a great Spiritual famine (Amos 8:11-12) (Levitcus 26:23-26) (Ezekiel 4:16-17) (Isaiah 3:1).

hurt compare with (Revelation 9:4)

oil and wine appears to represent true believers as "oil" represents the Holy Spirit, and "wine" represents the atonement, thus the saved
(Luke 10:34). God always has a remnant, and will spiritually protect those that are truly His (Romans 8:25-39).

The idea of the third seal is that due to the unfaithfulness of the churches, God will send a great spiritual famine into the world. We have learned God will protect the true believers. At this point we see the churches on their way to complete apostacy (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12)
(1 Timothy 4:1-10) (2 Timothy 3:1-9) (2 Peter 2:1-2).

Revelation 6:7-8

The Fourth Seal:

7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.
And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death,
and with the beasts of the earth.

Pale horse identifies with death. Pale is green in the original Strongs (5515) chloros- "tender foliage" denotes "pale green" the color of young grass, or green thing. The word "chloros" is translated as "green" in (Revelation 8:7) (Revelation 9:4), and we will learn identifies with believers.

The idea of the fourth seal is that the church becomes spiritually dead. God will have removed His candlestick from the local congregations
(Revelation 2:5), and there will no longer be true believers dwelling in its midst. See: (Revelation 8:7) (Revelation 9:4). This helps us to understand that what our Lord meant when He said, "For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" (Luke 23:31) Compare in context (Luke 23:27-32), with the events described in this chapter (verses 16-17), which will occur in the dry, in the great day of the wrath of the Lamb.

Death and hell end result is the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:14).

fourth part illustrates this is a universal, worldwide event.

sword, hunger, death, beast all identify with judgement. They are called "four sore judgments" in (Ezekiel 14:19-21) Note: Here in Ezekiel, God left a remnant, as He will do during the tribulation (Matthew 24:21-22).

Revelation 6:9

The Fifth Seal:

9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God,
and for the testimony which they held:

under the altar identifies with being under the blood of Christ.

souls to be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord (2Corinthians 5:8).

slain these are those who were martyred during the church ago for the testimony of the truth of Jesus Christ (Matthew 10:28) (Romans 8:36)
(1 Peter 5:8).

Revelation 6:10

10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood
that dwell on the earth?

avenge our blood believers in heaven desire that God's perfect justice be done.

Revelation 6:11

11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season,
their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

white robes represents righteousness

rest when believers depart their bodies, their souls rest in righteousness, which is in Jesus.

little season this is a great key to the understanding that these events occur just prior to the tribulation, or rather during the church age leading up to the tribulation. The "little season" identifies with the tribulation period when Satan shall be loosed (Revelation 20:3), and when God will do a "short work" (Romans 9:28), bring salvation to multitudes,
which no man can number, during the second part of the tribulation
(Revelation 7:9-17). The fifth seal, although it focuses upon those killed during the church age, brings us encouragement that God is always in control, and protects His own. Persecution and death is part of counting the cost to being a true disciple of Jesus, but we can be assured that our eternal security is certain in Him who first loved us. We also get a clearer understanding that these saints came out of the church age as they wait for the tribulation period to be over. At that time they will receive their eternal resurrected bodies, and God will pour out His righteous judgments upon the wicked, avenging the blood of all the righteous who are in Christ Jesus.

Sixth Seal: Judgment Day

The sixth seal describes the great day of the Lords wrath, which occurs immediately after the tribulation (Matthew 24:29-31). At this time, many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life (those who have physically died in the Lord),
(1 Thessalonian 4:13-18), and some to shame and everlasting contempt (Daniel 12:12). At this time, God's redemption work has come to an end. This physical creation, which was the vessel for all those to have been born and redeemed throughout all its history, have now come to saving grace. All those who were written in the Lamb's book of life, those elected to salvation before the foundation of the world
(Ephesians1:3-7), are now with Jesus in their new eternal resurrected bodies. They have been raptured from this world, for God hath not appointed them to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ (1Thessalonians 5:9).

Revelation 6:12

12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

great earthquake an earthquake like never before, as every mountain and island were moved out of their place. see (Revelation 6:14), also (Revelation 16:18).

sun black/ moon blood this physical universe will come to an end, and the sum and the moon will eventually be dissolved as well, as they will no longer be needed (Revelation 21:23) (2 Peter 3:10-13). Sometimes in scripture the sun represents Jesus Christ (Malachi4:2) (Psalm 84:11) (Matthew 17:2) (Revelation 1:16). Sometimes the moon represents the law (Jeremiah 31:35-36). Note: "ordinances" in the original is "khole", which is also translated as statute, law, commandments, etc. See: Strongs Concordance #2706

So as the light of the moon is a reflection from the light of the sun, so is the Law a reflection from light of the righteousness of Jesus, who is the source of all light (John 8:12) (1 John 1:5).

We see another illustration of this as Moses' face shone from the glory of the Lord (Exodus 33:18-23) (Exodus 34:29-35). Moses represents the law, as it was given to him (Exodus 20:1-26), and is sometimes referred to by his name (Joshua 8:30-35) (Luke 24:44) (John 7:23).Therefore, His face shone as he reflected the righteousness of God. For more information see (2 Corinthians 3:6-18).

God also gives us an illustration from the beginning. When God created the heavens and the earth, He created two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night (Genesis 1:16). Just as He created two covenants, the old and the new. Under the old, the world was still in darkness concerning the messiah, but they had the lesser light, which reflected His righteousness in the law, was illustrated through types and foreshadows. Under the new covenant, we are no longer in darkness.It is now day and we have the essence, the true source of the light revealed in Jesus. This is applicable today as well, as unbelievers are still in the dark, yet the moon still gives light as our schoolmaster to bring as unto Christ the sun (Galatians 3:19-25).

This point is made to bring us back to the sun becoming black as sackcloth and the moon as blood, to illustrate the lights have gone out. The time of grace is over. The sun (Jesus) no longer gives His Light, and the moon (the Law, the Gospel) now only brings judgement, represented by the blood

.

Revelations 6:13-14

13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. 14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

God gives us another look at this day in similar language in the Old Testament (Isaiah 34:1-10).

Revelation 6:15-16

15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens 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 that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

All the unbelieving, no matter of their stature in the world,will be under the wrath of God (Isaiah 2:10-22). Jesus bore the wrath of God on behalf of the believers at Calvary, now the unbelieving will bare it for themselves (Luke 23:27-31), and after this they will be cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:11-15) (Hosea 10:8). All those who have made their hope and salvation upon this world will seek it for protection from the wrath of the Lamb, to no avail. They would rather be crashed by the mountains than face His wrath.

Revelation 6:17

17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

who shall be able to stand? None (Joel 20:10-11) (Isaiah 13:6-16).

"the wrath of the Lamb"

Revelation 6:16 (KJV)