Reflections on Revelation 6

Revelation 06 (Contemporary English Version)
1. At the same time that I saw the Lamb open the first of the seven seals, I heard one of the four living creatures shout with a voice like thunder. It said, "Come out!"
   
2. Then I saw a white horse. Its rider carried a bow and was given a crown. He had already won some victories, and he went out to win more.
   
3. When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come out!"
   
4. Then another horse came out. It was fiery red. And its rider was given the power to take away all peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another. He was also given a big sword.
   
5. When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come out!" Then I saw a black horse, and its rider had a balance scale in one hand.
   
6. I heard what sounded like a voice from somewhere among the four living creatures. It said, "A quart of wheat will cost you a whole day's wages! Three quarts of barley will cost you a day's wages too. But don't ruin the olive oil or the wine."
   
7. When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come out!"
   
8. Then I saw a pale green horse. Its rider was named Death, and Death's Kingdom followed behind. They were given power over one fourth of the earth, and they could kill its people with swords, famines, diseases, and wild animals.
   
9. When the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of everyone who had been killed for speaking God's message and telling about their faith.
   
10. They shouted, "Master, you are holy and faithful! How long will it be before you judge and punish the people of this earth who killed us?"
    
11. Then each of those who had been killed was given a white robe and told to rest for a little while. They had to wait until the complete number of the Lord's other servants and followers would be killed.
    
12. When I saw the Lamb open the sixth seal, I looked and saw a great earthquake. The sun turned as dark as sackcloth, and the moon became as red as blood.
    
13. The stars in the sky fell to earth, just like figs shaken loose by a windstorm.
    
14. Then the sky was rolled up like a scroll, and all mountains and islands were moved from their places.
    
15. The kings of the earth, its famous people, and its military leaders hid in caves or behind rocks on the mountains. They hid there together with the rich and the powerful and with all the slaves and free people.
    
16. Then they shouted to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us! Hide us from the one who sits on the throne and from the anger of the Lamb.
    
17. That terrible day has come! God and the Lamb will show their anger, and who can face it?"

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Beginning with chapter 4, John is in the Spirit viewing a scene that is unfolding in heaven. Those present include God who is seated on the throne, Christ who is described as a Lamb, four creatures, and 24 elders. Chapter 5 told of a scroll with seven seals that John saw in God's hand. Christ was the only one in creation considered worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals. Now, in chapter 6, Christ begins to remove the seven seals. Though there are various opinions about the timing of the occurances set into motion by the removal of the seals, I see them all as being yet future. The events set in motion by the removal of the seals are dramatic enough I doubt we would be uncertain about whether they had occurred or not.

The opening of the first seal is described in the first two verses of this chapter. A white horse appears, symbolizing victory, and the horseman had a bow, though no arrows, and was given a crown and sent out "as a victor to conquer." (6:2)  The meaning might be interpreted as the coming of a world ruler, also referred to as the Antichrist, who establishes his reign without warfare, indicated by the lack of arrows with his bow. Though his reign may be established through peaceful means, his reign brings destruction as we will see with the removel of following seals.

Removal of the second seal reveals a second horse which is fiery red, whose rider is "empowered to take peace from the earth." (6:4)  He is given a large sword, a symbol of warfare, and "people slaughter one another," a result of war. We assume the new world ruler introduced with the removal of the first seal is still in power. Though he may attain his rule by peaceful means, peace will not be his mode of operation. We should remember that his rule has been given to him by God, not grasped by his own means. This is not about evil winning, but about God's judgement on ungodly mankind, using the ungodly to bring destruction on themselves.

The third seal is opened and a black horse appears, symbolizing famine and death. The horseman has a scale in his hand and unthinkable prices are announced for the purchase of food. A full day's wages are required to gain food for one meal, leaving no wages for any other necessity, nor are there wages enough for food if one is unable to work a full day or at all. Famine is an inevitable result of war, and famine will be a major cause of death in the Great Tribulation.

A pale green horse appears at the opening of the fourth seal. The horseman is named Death, and Hades followed after him. It appears that at this point the Great Tribulation has begun. This horseman is given authority to kill a fourth of the earth by sword, famine, plague, and wild animals. These first four seals have a sequence to them starting with the established rule of the Antichrist and resulting in the destruction of a fourth of the earth. One event, the warfare launched by this new world ruler, leads naturally to famine and then to plague. With the presence of food shortage and plague, the wild animals turn to mankind as a food source.

Opening of the fifth seal reveals "the souls of those slaughtered because of God's word and the testimony they had," under the altar. Presumably, these martyrs have been faithful witnesses during the period of reign by the Antichrist and were killed as a result of their witness. Although these martyrs are anxious for their blood to be avenged, they are told it will be a while longer until the number is complete of those who will be martyred.

As if all that has happened is not enough, the opening of the sixth seal initiates a cosmic calamity. There is a violent earthquake, the sun turns black, the moon turns red, the stars fall from heaven, the sky is rolled up like a scroll, and the mountains and islands are moved from their place. Who could survive all of this? Evidently many do, for they seek refuge in caves and pray that the mountains and rocks will fall on them rather than having to face the "wrath of the Lamb." By this time, there are no unbelievers. There are many who have not accepted or bowed down to Christ, but they now believe and they tremble.