Revelation 6:4-14

4 And another, 1a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to 2take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.

The Third Seal--Famine

5 When He broke the third seal, I heard the 3third living creature saying, "Come ." I looked, and behold, a 4black horse; and he who sat on it had a 5pair of scales in his hand.
6 And I heard something like a voice in the center of the 6four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and 7do not damage the oil and the wine."

The Fourth Seal--Death

7 When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the 8fourth living creature saying, "Come ."
8 I looked, and behold, an 9ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name 10Death; and 11Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, 12to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.

The Fifth Seal--Martyrs

9 When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw 13underneath the 14altar the 15souls of those who had been slain 16because of the word of God, and because of the 17testimony which they had maintained;
10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "18How long *, O 19Lord, 20holy and true, will You refrain from 21judging and avenging our blood on 22those who dwell on the earth?"
11 And 23there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should 24rest for a little while longer, 25until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be 26completed also.

The Sixth Seal--Terror

12 I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great 27earthquake; and the 28sun became black as 29sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood;
13 and 30the stars of the sky fell to the earth, 31as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind.
14 32The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and 33every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

Revelation 6:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 6

This chapter contains the vision of the opening six of the seals of the sealed book, by the Lamb, and of the events following thereupon. The preparation to the vision of the first seal is in Re 6:1; the Lamb opens it, John hears a noise like thunder, and one of the living creatures bids him come and see; upon which he saw a horse, of a white colour, and a rider on it, who is described by a bow and crown given him, and by the victory he obtained, Re 6:2; at the opening of the second seal, the second living creature invites him as before; and he sees a horse, of a red colour, with a rider on it, described by his power, to take peace from the earth, and suffer men to kill one another, and by a great sword given him, Re 6:3,4; at the opening of the third seal, the third living creature addresses him in like manner as the other; and he sees a horse, of a black colour, and a rider on it, with a pair of balances in his hands; and hears a voice from among the four living creatures, expressing dearness of provisions, and a charge not to hurt the oil and wine, Re 6:5,6; at the opening of the fourth seal, the fourth living creature speaks to John, as the rest; and he sees a horse, of a pale colour, and a rider on it, described by his name, Death, by his follower, hell, or the grave, and by his power to destroy a fourth part of the earth with the sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts, Re 6:7,8; at the opening of the fifth seal, John saw the souls of the martyrs, under the altar; hears their cry for vengeance; observes that white robes were given them, and that they were bid to be quiet until the slaying and suffering time of their brethren was over, Re 6:9-11; at the opening of the sixth seal follow an earthquake, strange changes in the heavens, the sun becomes black as sackcloth, the moon becomes as blood, the stars fall, and the heaven itself departs, and every island and mountain are moved out of their places, Re 6:12-14, the kings and great men of the earth, and even all sorts, of men, upon this, fly to the rocks and mountains to hide them from the face of God the Father, that sits upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, the opener of the sealed book; giving this as a reason for it, that the time of his great wrath was come, and none could stand before him, Re 6:15-17.

Cross References 33

  • 1. Zechariah 1:8; Zechariah 6:2
  • 2. Matthew 10:34
  • 3. Revelation 4:7
  • 4. Zechariah 6:2, 6
  • 5. Ezekiel 4:16
  • 6. Revelation 4:6
  • 7. Revelation 7:3; Revelation 9:4
  • 8. Revelation 4:7
  • 9. Zechariah 6:3
  • 10. Proverbs 5:5; Hosea 13:14; Matthew 11:23; Revelation 1:18; Revelation 20:13
  • 11. Proverbs 5:5; Hosea 13:14; Matthew 11:23; Revelation 1:18; Revelation 20:13
  • 12. Jeremiah 14:12; Jeremiah 15:2; Jeremiah 24:10; Jeremiah 29:17; Ezekiel 5:12, 17; Ezekiel 14:21; Ezekiel 29:5
  • 13. Exodus 29:12; Leviticus 4:7; John 16:2
  • 14. Revelation 14:18; Revelation 16:7
  • 15. Revelation 20:4
  • 16. Revelation 1:2, 9
  • 17. Revelation 12:17
  • 18. Zechariah 1:12
  • 19. Luke 2:29; 2 Peter 2:1
  • 20. Revelation 3:7
  • 21. Deuteronomy 32:43; Psalms 79:10; Luke 18:7; Revelation 19:2
  • 22. Revelation 3:10
  • 23. Revelation 3:4, 5; Revelation 7:9
  • 24. 2 Thessalonians 1:7; Hebrews 4:10; Revelation 14:13
  • 25. Hebrews 11:40
  • 26. Acts 20:24; 2 Timothy 4:7
  • 27. Matthew 24:7; Revelation 8:5; Revelation 11:13; Revelation 16:18
  • 28. Isaiah 13:10; Joel 2:10, 31; Joel 3:15; Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24
  • 29. Isaiah 50:3; Matthew 11:21
  • 30. Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:25; Revelation 8:10; Revelation 9:1
  • 31. Isaiah 34:4
  • 32. Isaiah 34:4; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 20:11; Revelation 21:1
  • 33. Isaiah 54:10; Jeremiah 4:24; Ezekiel 38:20; Nahum 1:5; Revelation 16:20

Footnotes 10

  • [a]. One early ms reads "and see"
  • [b]. Gr "choenix;" i.e. a dry measure almost equal to a qt
  • [c]. The denarius was equivalent to a day's wages
  • [d]. Gr "choenix;" i.e. a dry measure almost equal to a qt
  • [e]. The denarius was equivalent to a day's wages
  • [f]. One early ms reads "and see"
  • [g]. Or "sickly pale"
  • [h]. Or "death"
  • [i]. Or "Master"
  • [j]. Lit "do You not judge and avenge"
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