Revelation 6:8-17

8 I looked, and behold, an 1ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name 2Death; and 3Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, 4to 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 5underneath the 6altar the 7souls of those who had been slain 8because of the word of God, and because of the 9testimony which they had maintained;
10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "10How long *, O 11Lord, 12holy and true, will You refrain from 13judging and avenging our blood on 14those who dwell on the earth?"
11 And 15there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should 16rest for a little while longer, 17until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be 18completed also.

The Sixth Seal--Terror

12 I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great 19earthquake; and the 20sun became black as 21sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood;
13 and 22the stars of the sky fell to the earth, 23as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind.
14 24The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and 25every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15 Then 26the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains;
16 and they 27said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him 28who sits on the throne, and from the 29wrath of the Lamb;
17 for 30the great day of their wrath has come, and 31who is able to stand?"

Revelation 6:8-17 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 31

  • 1. Zechariah 6:3
  • 2. Proverbs 5:5; Hosea 13:14; Matthew 11:23; Revelation 1:18; Revelation 20:13
  • 3. Proverbs 5:5; Hosea 13:14; Matthew 11:23; Revelation 1:18; Revelation 20:13
  • 4. Jeremiah 14:12; Jeremiah 15:2; Jeremiah 24:10; Jeremiah 29:17; Ezekiel 5:12, 17; Ezekiel 14:21; Ezekiel 29:5
  • 5. Exodus 29:12; Leviticus 4:7; John 16:2
  • 6. Revelation 14:18; Revelation 16:7
  • 7. Revelation 20:4
  • 8. Revelation 1:2, 9
  • 9. Revelation 12:17
  • 10. Zechariah 1:12
  • 11. Luke 2:29; 2 Peter 2:1
  • 12. Revelation 3:7
  • 13. Deuteronomy 32:43; Psalms 79:10; Luke 18:7; Revelation 19:2
  • 14. Revelation 3:10
  • 15. Revelation 3:4, 5; Revelation 7:9
  • 16. 2 Thessalonians 1:7; Hebrews 4:10; Revelation 14:13
  • 17. Hebrews 11:40
  • 18. Acts 20:24; 2 Timothy 4:7
  • 19. Matthew 24:7; Revelation 8:5; Revelation 11:13; Revelation 16:18
  • 20. Isaiah 13:10; Joel 2:10, 31; Joel 3:15; Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24
  • 21. Isaiah 50:3; Matthew 11:21
  • 22. Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:25; Revelation 8:10; Revelation 9:1
  • 23. Isaiah 34:4
  • 24. Isaiah 34:4; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 20:11; Revelation 21:1
  • 25. Isaiah 54:10; Jeremiah 4:24; Ezekiel 38:20; Nahum 1:5; Revelation 16:20
  • 26. Is 2:10f, 19, 21; Isaiah 24:21; Revelation 19:18
  • 27. Hosea 10:8; Luke 23:30; Revelation 9:6
  • 28. Revelation 4:9; Revelation 5:1
  • 29. Mark 3:5
  • 30. Isaiah 63:4; Jeremiah 30:7; Joel 1:15; Joel 2:1f, 11, 31; Zephaniah 1:14; Revelation 16:14
  • 31. Psalms 76:7; Nahum 1:6; Malachi 3:2; Luke 21:36

Footnotes 6

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.