The Book of Revelation__Chapter 6


It is important to remember the context as we move along. In chapter one we were told in great detail about the attributes of Christ, who He is and what He does. In chapter's 2 and 3 we are told what He wants from His congregations (the 7 churches of Asia) and Jesus reminds them to "hold on" and endure the persecution of the Roman Empire." These congregations must remain loyal even in the bleakest times. Chapter 4 we find that help is on the way. We are taken to the "throne room of God" and introduced to those who will pass judgment on the evil of earth (the Elders point to the Lamb). We most hold our breath because these judgments are only known to the Father. They are written on a scroll and only the Lamb of God is worthy to open that scroll and tell us about those judgments. In chapter 6, we are first exposed to the extent of those judgments found in the scroll.


Questions from Strauss on Chapter 6:1-2

1. After the Lamb opened one of the seals John was commanded to "come" and then he said what?__verse 2

2. What does the "crown" symbolize?

3. Who is the "he came forth conquering, and to conquer?___verse 2


 1Then 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."

 2I 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.


Everything we read about up to this point was preparation for breaking the seven seals.

The first four seals will be broken at once.

The fifth and sixth seal will be broken together.

Then there is a intermission and finally the breaking of the 7th seal. The 7th seal in turn is an introduction to the seven trumpets that follow.

After the seal is opened John heard one of the four living creatures saying "come." The symbolism of the horse is related to the first four seals. See Zechariah 1:8ff; 6:1ff for how the horse is used in the Bible. It is always connected to war, conquest, strength, etc (Also see Rev. 9:7; 14:20; 18:13; 19:11).

The White Horse

Without being dogmatic, we must identify the rider on the White Horse. It is here I depart from Summers and Strauss and defer to Jim McGuiggan. Summers thinks the rider is most likely a Parthian Cavalry man. Parthia (part of ancient Iran) was a enemy of Rome and was later defeated by Rome. I reject this idea for reasons I will mention in class.

Strauss thinks it is Persian Kings which I also reject. McGuiggan is correct in identifying the rider on the white horse as Jesus. There are other "white horses" in the Bible but none singled out. It is this same horse that Jesus rides in 19:11. In this passage, Jesus wears the crown of a conquerer and not the crown of royalty as in 19:12. In 19:12 His character and nature are stressed, but in this passage His overcoming work is stressed. The image is plain. Jesus is depicted as a Parthian warrior with crown and bow. He is the enemy of Rome and finally overcomes Rome. The color white has moral significance. White is never used of anything evil. The color white us used 16 times in the entire book and 15 of those times it cannot be disputed as to what white means. What does the passage mean? Jesus did and will conquer!


The Second Seal--War

 3When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come."

 4And 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.

Verses 3-4__We have another horse coming forth. There is no doubt that the Red horse means war, based on the context. The word sword here means the Roman short sword not because of its size but because of the destruction it brings. There is out there what has been known as the historicist view of this seal. We find this in the ancient "Barnes" commentary.

1. 1st seal__a period of great prosperity for the church__till A.D. 180

2. 2nd seal___a period of 92 years beginning with the death of Commodus.

3. 3rd seal__A period of high taxes prior to A.D. 248

3. 4th seal___the period from A.D. 248 to 268 in which half the people on died from famine, pestilence, etc. (Coffman).


Note above, the period of "great prosperity" was the period when the church was being persecuted. Does not sound like prosperity to me.

The things symbolized by these four seals all happened in John's era and were related to the fall of the Roman Empire even though we still have the same problems today.


The Third Seal--The Black Horse and Famine

5When 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.6And 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."


Verses 5-6___ A shilling was a full day's wages. The householder in Matthew 20 agreed with this laborers for that amount each day. In this case a man must work all day just to buy necessary food. "the oil and the wine hurt thou not." This may very well mean that the rich did not feel the pain. Since we read that there is food to be measured and sold we know that the famine is real but not extreme. Remember all of this must be read in the context of the Roman Empire and the persecution of Christians.


The Fourth Seal--Death

 7When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come."

 8I 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.

Verses 7-8___The rider on this horse is death. Running behind this horse in ghoulish fashion was "hades" also death. This pale horse is a "yellow green" a very sickening color. Unto them (death) was given the power to smite 1/4 of the earth. It is very true that from the third century on, the Roman Empire was at constant war.

The Fifth Seal, the Persecution of the of the Church by the Roman Empire

The Fifth Seal--Martyrs

 9When 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;

 10and 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?"

 11And 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.

Verses 9-11__These verses identify to whom the book was written and what it was written about. Here was have the Martyrs standing under (by) altar of God crying for vengeance. They are told that they must wait for God's appointed time. The “altar” image comes from Exodus 39:39 and 40:29. In verse 11 we must notice the words “was given.” God allows certain things to happen yet still remains in control.

These people are to be given a “white robe.”

στολή (stolē 4749)
1. robe -s
a fitting out, that is to say apparatus; then, apparel, attire. In NT, like Latin, stola, a long flowing robe, reaching to the feet, and worn by kings, priests, and persons of rank and distinction.Reference(s)

2. clothing (long)
a fitting out (from στέλλω (stellō 4724) to send), especially equipment in clothes. In NT like Latin stola, a long, flowing robe reaching to the feet, worn by kings (Jon 3:6), priests (Exo 28:2), and by persons of rank or distinction (Mar 16:5. Luk 15:22; 20:46. Rev 6:11; 7:9,13,14, etc.)Reference(s)

3. garment (long)
equipment, fitting out, especially equipment in clothes, drees; then, a piece of dress, a robe.


This robe was festive in nature and used for special occasions. This is a victory celebration. These martyred "saints" are to "rest" since (until) others are to be martyred for their faith in Christ.

The old Young's English Translation has it this way:

 11and there was given to each one white robes, and it was said to them that they may rest themselves yet a little time, till may be fulfilled also their fellow-servants and their brethren, who are about to be killed -- even as they.

Notice that this translation say "who are about to be killed."

ἕως (heōs 2193)

1. till

2. until

until, as long as, marking the continuance of an action up to the time of another action.

(a) with ἄν (an 302) perhaps, perchance, implying uncertainty, and indicating a dependence on circumstances, used where the later action is only probable.

(b) with the Genitive, until, unto, marking the terminus ad quem, and spoken both of time and place.

(c) with οὖ (ou 3756) until what time.

(d) with ὅτου (hotou 3755) until when.

Here is the point. There were people under the altar who were killed during the Roman persecution. Those who had been KILLED were told there was more coming. Notice the continuance of the action. Thus, it is not appropriate to project any of this past the Roman persecution.


Some Questions about the 6th Part of the Vision?

1. What is the OT source of the imagery of the sixth seal? (Hint, see Joel 2:1ff).

2. The devastation was so terrible that the habitants of the earth did what?__verse 15.

3. Is there a hiding place from God___?

4. Is it paradoxical to speak of the "wrath of the Lamb"?__verse 16

5. Who will be able to stand in the day of God's wrath? Verse 17


The Sixth Seal--Terror

 12I 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;

 13and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind.

 14The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

 15Then 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;

 16and 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;

 17for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"


Verse 12__the sixth seal tells about the day of God's wrath (6:12-17). All the horrible images come from the biblical texts. The earthquake (Matt.24), the sun black, and the moon turned to blood (Joel 2:31, quoted on Acts chapter 2) the stars fallen from heaven (Isaiah 34:4), the sky rolled up like a scroll (Isaiah 34:4) the rulers of the earth hiding (Isaiah 2:10), calling for the rocks and mountains to fall of them (Hosea 10:8). We know these terms as "judgment figures."

Verse 16___Then these things begin to occur:

1. The rocks "were" commanded to fall__do it right now__(2nd aor. imper).

2. They also commanded the rocks to "hide them"__urgency.

The judgments of God are so severe that the "rich" the "poor" and "strong and the weak" just can't hide from God.___________Why?

Verse 17___because the great day of God's wrath came (2nd aor. ind._) it came so fast there was no time to prepare for it.

In this case, the Lamb is full of wrath toward those who rejected Him.


"Who is able to stand__ (see Luke 21:36)

 36"But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."


In this case, to stand is to have perseverance to the end.


by Lane