The Revelation Of Jesus Christ – Chapter 6
We have already looked at:
I. Things Which Thou Hast Seen – Rev 1
II. Things Which Are – The Church Age – Rev 2-3
III. Things Which Are To Come – Rev 4-22
A. The Throne Of God – Rev 4
B. The Seven Seals Book – Rev 5
We are now on chapter six of the book of Revelation. Here we will find:
C. The First Six Seals Are Opened – Rev 6
A basic outline of chapter six looks like this:
Basic Outline Of Chapter 6
1. The Opening Of The First Seal – CROWN GIVEN – Rev 6:1-2
2. The Opening Of The Second Seal – WAR -- Rev 6:3-4
3. The Opening Of The Third Seal – FAMINE – Rev 6:5-6
4. The Opening Of The Fourth Seal – DEATH – Rev 6:7-8
5. The Opening Of The Fifth Seal – COMFORT FOR THE MARTYRED SAINTS – Rev 6:9-11
6. The Opening Of The Sixth Seal – THE DAY OF GOD’S WRATH – Rev 6:12-17
Revelation 6:1-17
Rev 6:1-2 (NASB) “Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, "Come." I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.”
1. The Opening of the First Seal -- CROWN GIVEN – Rev 6:1-2
a. John sees the Lamb opening the first seal – v. 1
(1) I heard the noise of thunder
b. John hears the beast say, “Come.”
c. John sees the white horse and He who sat upon it
(1) “He” is on the horse
Who is the “he” spoken of in the passage? Many commentaries consider this to be the antichrist. He comes forth on a white horse. He is the false Messiah, the false Christ. Because the other three horses relate to judgment and destruction, this rider on a white horse would most likely not be Christ.
(2) His horse is white – Rev 19:11-12
In revelation chapter 19 we find Christ riding on a white horse where it says:
Rev 19:11-12 (NASB) “And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself.
The one riding on a white horse in chapter 6 is not Christ – but the antichrist.
2 Corth 11:14 (NASB) “No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”
Here the colors of the four horses symbolize triumph (white), slaughter (red), mourning (black), and death (ashen).
(3) He has a bow
The rider has a bow with no arrows. The thought is that he will conquer but has no real power.
(4) He has a crown given him
The world will crown this “anti-christ”.
(5) He goes forth conquering and to conquer – 2 Thess 2:8-12
2 Thes 2:8-12 (NASB) “Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
Rev 6:3-4 (NASB) “When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come." And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.”
2. The Opening of the Second Seal – WAR -- Rev 6:3-4
a. John sees the Lamb opening the second seal – v. 3
b. John hears the second beast say, “Come.”
c. John sees the red horse and He who sat upon it
(1) “He” on the red horse
Again the “he” on the second horse is viewed in most commentaries as the anti-christ.
(2) He is given power to take peace from the earth – 1 Thess. 5:3
While most are thinking that he has come to bring peace to the earth – just the opposite is about to take place.
1 Th 5:3 (NASB) “While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.”
(a) Men will kill each other – Ezk. 38:21
Eze 38:21 (NASB) "I will call for a sword against him on all My mountains," declares the Lord GOD. "Every man's sword will be against his brother.”
(4) He is given great sword
Rev 6:5-6 (NASB) “When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, "Come." I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine."
3. The Opening of the Third Seal – FAMINE -- Rev 6:5-6
a. John sees the Lamb opening the third seal – v. 5
b. John hears the third beast say, “Come.”
c. John sees the black horse and He who sat upon it
(1) “He” is on a black horse
Again the “he” on the third horse is viewed in most commentaries as the anti-christ.
(2) He has in his hands a pair of balances
Most of the time we see the balances as a symbol of justice – but not in this case – these are false balances:
d. John heard a voice in the midst of the 4 beast speak – v. 6
(a) A measure of wheat for a day’s wages
(b) Three measures of barley day’s wages
(c) Do not damage the oil and the wine
A measure was about 1 quart jar. A penny was a man’s daily wage at the time of this writing. Barley was used to feed animals – 3 measures would be three scant meals (meals with little nutritional value). The oil and wine tells us some of the world will not be worried about the starving around them – their concern is oil and wine.
How many of you have heard the phrase, "Let them eat cake"? This phrase is attributed to Marie Antoinette. It is said that upon learning that the peasants had no bread she replied – "Let them eat cake". The quote would reflect the princess's disregard for the peasant’s situation.
Jas 5:1-5 (NASB) “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.”
Rev 6:7-8 (NASB) “When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come." I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.”
4. The Opening of the Fourth Seal – DEATH – Rev 6:7-8
a. John sees the Lamb opening the fourth seal – v. 7
b. John hears the fourth beast say, “Come and see.”
c. John sees the pale horse and He who sat upon it – v. 8
(a) His name is Death
(b) Hades followed Him
d. John sees power is given unto them over a fourth of the world
One fourth of the world would be over 1.75 billion people.
(a) To kill with sword
(b) To kill with hunger
(c) To kill with death
(d) To kill with the beasts of the each
You don’t think it can happen? The Black Death of the 14th century killed over 25 million people or one-fourth of the entire world’s population at that time.
The Spanish Flu
In March 1918, in the last months of World War I, a deadly flu virus was identified at Camp Funston over at Fort Riley here in Kansas. Just 6 months later, the flu had become a worldwide pandemic in all continents. When the Spanish Flu pandemic was over, about 1 billion people or half the world's population had contracted it. It is perhaps the most lethal pandemic in the history of humankind: between 20 and 100 million people were killed, more the number killed in the war itself.
Rev 6:9-11 (NASB) “When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.”
5. The Opening Of The Fifth Seal – Rev 6:9-11
a. The crowd of souls – Rev 6:9
The 5th Seal deals not judgment but the folks who were saved during the tribulation period.
(1) Who they are?
(a) Those who were slain.
(2) Who slew them -- Rev 11:7; 17:6-11
We all want to believe that none us will go through the tribulation period. We hope that we will be raptured before that time – yet we find that later in the book of Revelation that the two witnesses are killed:
Rev 11:7 (NASB) “When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them.”
We also find later in the book of Revelation:
Rev 17:6 (NASB) “And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered greatly.”
Notice that she is “drunk with the blood of the saints and with the witnesses of Jesus.”
(3) Why they were slain?
(a) For the Word of God
(b) For the testimony they held
(4) How were they slain?
With the sword, hunger, death, and the beasts of the earth because of their faith.
(5) Where they are shown?
(a) They are under the altar – Rev 7:14
Rev 7:14 “I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
b. The cry of the crowd – Rev 6:10
(1) How they cry – with urgency
CRY OUT – a urgent cry – a cry filled with impatience with loud voice
(2) Who they cry to? – God
(a) He that is the “O Lord”
Lord does not translate kurios, the common New Testament word for Lord, but the stronger term despotçs ("master," "ruler"). It speaks of God the Father's might, power, majesty, and authority.
(b) He that is Holy
(c) He that is True – Num 23:19
Num 23:19 (NASB) "God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”
(3) What they ask? – How Long?
(a) How long dost thou not judge? - Ps 74:10
Psa 74:10 (NASB) “How long, O God, will the adversary revile, And the enemy spurn Your name forever?”
(b) How long dost thou not avenge our blood?
2 Peter 3:9 (NASB) “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”
c. The comfort for the crowd – Rev 6:11
(1) Robes were given unto EVERYONE of them
(2) Rest, was said (commanded unto them
(3) A Revelation was given to them
(a) Rest for a little season – you don’t have long to wait
(b) Rest until all shall be fulfilled
Rev 6:12-17 (NASB) “I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. Then the 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; and they *said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"
6. The Opening Of The Sixth Seal – Rev 6:12-17
a. The Great Day of God’s wrath has come – 17
(1) The “Day” He breaks the Sixth seal – is Lamb of God – 6:12
(2) The “Day” described
(a) As a day of a destruction from the Almighty – Isa 13:6; Joel 1:15
Isa 13:6 (NASB) “Wail, for the day of the LORD is near! It will come as destruction from the Almighty.”
Joel 1:15 (NASB) “Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is near, And it will come as destruction from the Almighty.”
(b) As day of God’s wrath and fierce anger – Ezk 30:3
Eze 30:3 (NASB) "For the day is near, Even the day of the LORD is near; It will be a day of clouds, A time of doom for the nations.”
(c) As a day of darkness not light – Amos 5:18
Amos 5:18 (NASB) “Alas, you who are longing for the day of the LORD, For what purpose will the day of the LORD be to you? It will be darkness and not light;”
(d) As a day of failing hearts – Luke 21:25-26
Luke 21:25-26 (NASB) "There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
b. The Six Great Disasters Take Place
1. The First Disaster – Rev 6:12
(a) A great shaking shall occur – Rev 6:12
2. The Second Disaster – Rev 6:12
(a) The sun became “as” sackcloth with hair -12
3. The Third Disaster – Rev 6:12
(a) The moon becomes as blood – 12
4. The Fourth Disaster – Rev. 6:13
(a) The stars of heaven fall to the earth – 13
5. The Fifth Disaster -- Rev 6:14
(a) The sky appears to depart – as a scroll when rolled together
6. The Sixth Disaster – Rev 6:14
(a) Every mountain and island is moved – 14
c. The great fear of men in that day – Rev 6:15-17
(1) The fear of all men
(a) Kings, great men, rich men, chief captains, mighty, bondmen, and freemen shall fear.
(2) The fleeing of all men – hiding themselves – Isa 2:17-21
Isa 2:17-21 (NASB) “The pride of man will be humbled And the loftiness of men will be abased; And the LORD alone will be exalted in that day, But the idols will completely vanish. Men will go into caves of the rocks And into holes of the ground Before the terror of the LORD And the splendor of His majesty, When He arises to make the earth tremble. In that day men will cast away to the moles and the bats Their idols of silver and their idols of gold, Which they made for themselves to worship, In order to go into the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs Before the terror of the LORD and the splendor of His majesty, When He arises to make the earth tremble.
(a) All men know who to fear – He who sits on the throne
(b) All men know why to fear – the wrath of the Lamb has come
d. The great question all must consider – Rev 6:17
“Who Is Able To Stand?” –
No one will be able to stand – for the great day of wrath has come. But later all will stand before God to be judged by Him. For we read:
Rev 20:12-15 (NASB) “And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
For further study:
Rev 6:15-17 “Then the 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; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"
The Day of Wrath is most commonly called the Day of the Lord –
Isa 2:12
Isa 13:6
Ezk 13:5
Ezk 30:3
Joel 1:15
Joel 2:1; 11; 31
Joel 3:14
Amos 5:18; 20
Obadiah 1:15
Zeph. 1:7; 14
Zech. 14:1
Mal 4:5
Acts 2:20
1 Thess. 5:2
2 Thess. 2:2
2 Peter 3:10
