Revelation Chapter 6
We learned at the beginning of this book that John was given an assignment to write down what he saw from the vantage point of heaven itself. We are reading John’s description of what he saw and what God wanted him to record. We humans are always wishing we could see what is going to happen in the future, but this future is one we don’t want to see or have any part of. Thankfully those of us who have placed our faith in Jesus Christ will not have to endure what is known as the seven years of tribulation, because we will have already been translated to heaven through physical death or caught up (in the rapture) to meet Jesus just prior to the tribulation.
There are those who believe that Christians will go through the tribulation or at least half of it, but I find that a literal translation of scripture always makes more sense than trying to find symbolism or meaning in things that aren’t really there. Jesus always spoke with a sense of urgency for His disciples to spread the good news of the gospel because He wants as many as will receive Him to do so before the coming judgement.
The purpose of the Tribulation is three-fold: 1. To prepare Israel for her Messiah, 2. To bring an end to the Times of the Gentiles which began under King Nebuchadnezzar when he destroyed Jerusalem and took Israel captive. Israel has been under Gentile control ever since. 3. To punish mankind for sin. Isaiah 26:20-21. [From the book Revealing Revelation by Amir Tsarfati]
As the Lamb (Jesus) opens the seals of the scrolls it begins. As the first seal is opened John is invited by an angel to see what will leave Heaven and go to earth. He will see four horses leave with their riders that will be representatives of judgement. The first one is a white horse. The rider on this horse is a representation of the anti-Christ. He is not the anti-Christ himself only a representation of him.
Let's Reflect
1. What does the first horse rider carry in his hands and what is worn on his head? During the tribulation there will be some people who will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. It would seem as if it might be too late, but God in His great mercy and grace will accept those who turn to Him for salvation. They will finally realize that what their Christian friends and relatives told them was true. However, while God is carrying out His judgement on those who have rejected Him, the anti-Christ will have his own agenda and that is to take out all believers and to kill them. Many will be martyred for their faith. It would have been far better to come to Christ before the time of judgement began.
2. What is the color of the second horse that is sent from heaven? This rider is not representing WWIII but rather people are going to turn on each other. He carries a great sword. The original Greek word for great has the meaning of a short sword like a dagger. As people turn violent and there is civil unrest everywhere in the world, they will kill each other.
3. We don’t know how quickly these seals were opened one after the other but remember the tribulation will last for seven literal years, so it is not a really long period of time. And while these horsemen going out with judgements are horrific these are just the beginning. The black horse that goes out is carrying scales. These scales represent the scales that are used to weigh food when buying groceries, only there is extreme inflation. The inflation indicates that people will only have enough money to buy food for one family member. What food items will not be inflated necessarily, but people probably will not have enough left over to purchase them?
4. When the fourth seal was opened a pale horse went out and the representative riders of this horse were Death and Hades. This horse had two riders. These two will usher in death by starvation, diseases and people will be ravaged to death by vicious or wild animals. How many people of the earth does the Bible say will die these horrible deaths?
5. The fifth seal is opened, and a horse does not leave heaven, but John sees the souls of those who have become believers during the Tribulation but have been martyred for their faith. These people are not yet blessed to be in heaven as the raptured saints are, but instead are being held by Jesus awaiting His Millennial Reign. What are they given that marks them as part of the saints? Sadly, the anti-Christ is not done yet. He will kill even more believers during that seven-year period. His aim is to kill them all.
6. The sixth seal when opened begins a worldwide cataclysmic event that will be so scary that people will try to run and hide from it. As you read the description of events in verses 12-14 you may picture in your mind those apocalyptic movies you have seen. People will experience worldwide earthquakes, tsunamis, horrible winds, ash covering the sky from volcanic activity and what will happen to islands and mountains?
7. As the people hide themselves in caves and under rocks of mountains what are they hoping will happen to them?
