Revelation 6 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Revelation 6

The Seven Seals

6:1 Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.

3 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.

5 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, “A quart¹ of wheat for a denarius,² and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!”

7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” 8 And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth.

9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers³ should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14 The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave⁴ and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

Footnotes

[1] 6:6 Greek choinix, a dry measure equal to about a quart
[2] 6:6 A denarius was a day’s wage for a laborer
[3] 6:11 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters
[4] 6:15 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface

Commentary

The Lamb broke the first of the seven seals. The ascended Lord Jesus, in full authority, triggers the series of awful events which will befall the earth and its population. It seems, although the events of chapter 5 followed immediately after the Ascension in Heaven, chapter 6 describes much later events on earth. From elsewhere in scripture (Matt 24.22; Dan 9.26-27), this entire period will be short; perhaps only seven years.

v1-8: The four horses, compare Mark 13.7-8, bringing warfare and famine on the earth, the beginning of sorrows. Each one is subject to the Lord, released by the Lord opening the seals (5.5). Their 'mission' was restricted, "do not damage the oil and the wine;" and the fourth horse had power over one-fourth of the earth. Yet, the sorrows delivered are significant.

Although such disasters happen throughout history. John is writing about the growing severity of these events towards the end of history. He also shows God's preservation of His people through all circumstances. These are real events in the future.

(I follow the 'futurist' view here; these chapters (6-20) largely describe future events. I do not think the seven seals and trumpets and bowls describe the same events: there are substantial differences. They seem to become more severe and less reversible, much like the ten plagues of Egypt.

v9-11: "Their fellow-servants and brothers," a reference to believers remaining on the earth; some will be killed before the final end, Matt 24.9-10.

There is justice from God, for their prayers will be answered. No accusation of unfairness can be made against Him, for He will "judge and avenge."

For the first readers, these are words of reassurance. Present suffering, even martyrdom, is not the final destiny. There is the God of justice, who will avenge.

v12-14: The sixth seal brought an earthquake. One of a number repeated in the book; 11.13, 19; 16.18.

v15-17: The great men of the earth are helpless before the mighty power of God, and the wrath of the Lamb, which is a fearful thing. The sixth seal brings about the "great day of His wrath," identified elsewhere as the Day of the Lord (Joel 2.31; Zeph 1.14-18).