Revelation 6:7-17

7 And when he opened the fourthe seale I herde the voyce of the fourthe beste saye: come and se.

8 And I loked and beholde a grene horsse and his name that sat on him was deeth and hell folowed after him and power was geven vnto them over the fourthe parte of the erth to kyll with swearde and with honger and with deeth that cometh of vermen of the erth.

9 And when he opened the fyfte seale I sawe vnder the aultre the soules of them that were kylled for the worde of God and for the testymony which they had

10 and they cryed with a lowde voyce sayinge: How loge tariest thou lorde holy and true to iudge and to avenge oure bloud on them that dwell on the erth?

11 And longe whyte garmentes were geven vnto every one of them. And it was sayde vnto them that they shulde reste for a lyttle season vntyll the nomber of their felowes and brethre and of them that shulde be kylled as they were were fulfylled.

12 And I behelde when he opened the sixte seale and loo there was a grett erth quake and the sunne was as blacke as sacke clothe made of heare. And the mone wexed even as bloud:

13 and the starres of heven fell vnto the erth even as a fygge tree castith from her her fygges when she is shaken of a myghty wynde.

14 And heven vanysshed awaye as a scroll whe it is rolled togedder. And all mountayns and yles were moved oute of their places.

15 And the kynges of the erth and the gret men and the ryche men and the chefe captaynes and the myghty men and every bond man and every free man hyd them selves in dennes and in rockes of the hylles

16 and sayde to the hylles and rockes: fall on vs and hyde vs from the presence of him that sytteth on the seate and from the wrath of the lambe

17 for the grete daye of hys wrath ys come And who can endure it.

Revelation 6:7-17 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.