John eagerly observed as the Lamb took the scroll from God’s hands, and proceeded to open the seals, one by one. With each seal that was opened, a series of extraordinary events would follow, bringing with it dire consequences upon the people of the earth.
The First Seal
As the Lamb opened the first seal, John heard the voice of the living creature that looked like a lion, asking him to pay close attention to the events that would unfold. A rider on a white horse appeared with a bow in his hands and a crown on his head, hellbent on conquering the nations. Ultimately, it is God who has given the four horsemen their respective tools of destruction.
I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.
Revelation 6:2 (NIV)
The rider on the white horse perhaps represents human rulers aiming to satiate their own appetite for power. Given that he has been introduced to John by the living creature resembling a lion (who is the king of the jungle), it is apt that this rider wants to set himself as the king of this world. He will take over this world using military and political power as the people will be oblivious to his true motives.
The Second Seal
When the Lamb opened the second seal, the living creature that resembled an ox introduced a rider coming out on a fiery red horse. The rider had been given a large sword and with it the authority to take away the peace of the world. Again, just as it was in the case of the first rider this authority that came with the last sword was given to him by the One who sits on the throne.
Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.
Revelation 6:4 (NIV)
The fiery red appearance of the horse is perhaps, symbolic of the blood that will be shed through the subsequent wars and confusion that would be unleashed by its rider. The sword has always been symbolic of wars that take away the peace from the earth. This horseman was introduced by the second living creature that resembled an ox, which was a sacrificial animal, also alluding to the blood that would be shed as a result of the aforementioned wars.
The Third Seal
When the lamb open the third seal, the third living creature that resembled a man invited John to have a glimpse of what would unfold. Then there appeared before John, a rider coming on a black horse with a pair of scales in his hands.
The rider on the black horse symbolizes famine that was the direct result of the wars that were unleashed by the previous rider. The pair of scales in his hands, though usually denoting justice, symbolize the need for rationing in the aftermath of a great war.
Wars are usually followed by famine as the excess demand for military resources coupled with the shortage of farm hands deplete the food stocks of the land. Given that, this rider is introduced by a creature who looks like a man, the allusion might be towards the state of the human mind that is at unrest due to the sudden shortage of food resources.
Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six pounds of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!”
Revelation 6:6 (NIV)
The rider was instructed by the living creature not to damage the oil and the wine. The wheat and the barley grains are more likely to spoil while wine and oil have a longer shelf life, with the latter possessing medicinal purposes as well. Another difference between the two is that though wheat and barley are consumed by the commoners, oil and wine are primarily consumed by the upper strata of the society.
In the days of Domitian, in order to cushion the impact of famine, he ordered half of the vineyards of Asia Minor to be cut down and replaced by farmlands in hopes of inflating the country’s grain production. This was met with severe outrage as he did not receive backing from the influential members of the society. This made Domitian change course and repeal his earlier decree. Perhaps, fearing a similar overreaction by the inhabitants of the earth upon the arrival of the rider on the black horse, the living creature was warning against making drastic changes to the country’s crop share.
The Fourth Seal
When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, John heard the voice of the creature that resembled the eagle drawing his attention towards the final horseman. He was riding on a pale-coloured horse and his name was Death. Hades was accompanying him as they were given the power to torment a quarter of the inhabitants of Earth through wars, famines and plagues.
I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
Revelation 6:8 (NIV)
The eagle is a highly skilled scavenger that possesses remarkable adaptation and survival instincts. It possesses the ability to locate sustenance even in the harshest desert environments. With incredible efficiency, it can endure for extended periods by consuming every bit of nourishment from decaying carcasses, making use of every resource available to it.
It is thus quite fitting that it is the creature that looks like an eagle who tells John about the rider of the pale horse and the destruction that follows him. The pale horse represents the color of a corpse and is a sign of what lies ahead. Many will die as a result of the war and famine that will be brought upon by these four riders. The devastating aftermath of the unleashing of the fourth rider is also a callback to Ezekiel’s prophecy.
“For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments —sword and famine and wild beasts and plague —to kill its men and their animals!
Ezekiel 14:21 (NIV)
The Fifth Seal
The Lamb is not deterred by the four riders and proceeds to open the fist seal of the scroll. At that moment, an altar was revealed to John but it was unlike any other he had seen or read about in the Book of Laws. He saw an altar coloured red with the blood of the ones who had been slain because of their testimony about Christ.
If John ever thought that he is suffering because of his testimony he is shown those who suffered a worse fate. If we think that we are suffering because of our belief in Christ then remember the ones before us. When the trials are able to deter us from the path of God it could either mean that we do not have clarity on His plans for us or it has not been revealed to us yet.
They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”
Revelation 6:10(NIV)
Each martyr is given a white robe, representing purity and victory. However, they are instructed to wait a little longer for justice to be fully served. It would not have been reassuring for John to hear that Justice will have to wait a little longer till many more believers lose their life because of their testimony. the list of martyrs. If we look back to the Gospels, Jesus has already explained the reason for this delayed justice by giving us the parable of the weeds.
…‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”
Matthew 13:29-30 (NIV)
On the battlefield, the decision to call for a backup air strike is not made lightly. This strategic manoeuvre is carefully weighed against the potential risks and consequences, particularly in terms of minimizing friendly casualties. Tactical commanders understand that the timing of such a call is crucial, and often prioritize delaying the backup air strike as much as possible. The rationale behind this approach lies in the belief that every effort should be made to exhaust all other available options before resorting to an air strike. This is to ensure that the lives of their own troops are not unnecessarily put at risk.
Similarly, on the spiritual battlefield, we are fighting not with other humans but with the enemy (Matthew 13-28). God is in control of everything and will proclaim His judgement according to appropriate times set by Him. Till then we must strive forward with the task at hand, neither fearing the consequences of our testimony nor pondering about our potential reward for being loyal followers of our Ultimate Commander. We can be made perfect only when we align our every action with Him and then the waiting of the martyrs will end.
The Sixth Seal
As John watched Jesus open the penultimate seal of the Scroll, there was a mighty earthquake. The sun turned black, the moon turned red, and the stars fell from the sky. The heavens moved away, and every mountain and island disappeared.
Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!
Revelation 6:15-16 (NIV)
God’s judgment will instil fear in those who do not repent, irrespective of their social, political, or economic standing in society. After moving away from the presence of the LORD, Lot spent the rest of his days hiding in a cave, fearing that the disaster that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah would repeat itself. The scene witnessed by John is also alluding to earlier prophecies by Hosea (Hosea 10:8) and Zephaniah (Zephaniah 1:14-16) among others.
For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it? The opening of the sixth seal will destroy every creature as the sky starts falling. However, there is still hope as there are the ones sealed by God (The Seal of the Living God) who will come out unscathed through this trial as well.
Discussion Questions
- What does each rider symbolise?
- Who has given the four riders the crown, the sword, the scales and hades?
- Why were the martyrs told to wait till more people are killed for their testimony about Jesus?
- Who can withstand the great day of the wrath of God and the Lamb?
The Jordan Valley 
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