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REVELATION CHAPTER SIX

Verse 1 - 2: “And I saw when the lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were, the noise of thunder, one of the four living creatures saying, come. And I saw and, behold, a white horse; and he that sat on Him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him, and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.”

The Lord Jesus Christ is seen opening the first seal in this passage. This begins the judgements on those unbelievers left behind to suffer through the Great Tribulation. Thunder is symbolic for judgement (Exodus 9:22-26; Revelation 4:5).

You will remember from our study of the Doctrine of the Rapture, that “our gathering together unto (Christ)… the falling away” (II Thessalonians 2:1 & 3), which we call the Rapture, will occur and then will be revealed the “man of sin…the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself…” (II Thessalonians 2:3 & 4). (see page 46 & 47) This rider on the white horse is this “man of sin,” the “Antichrist” (I John 2:18). The Church will not see this “son of perdition” revealed as long as we are on the earth. However when the restraining power of the Holy Spirit working through the Church is removed from the Earth and the first of the seven seals is opened then the Antichrist will make his entrance onto the world scene.

Notice that the rider of the white horse has a bow but no arrows. The Antichrist “shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries…” (Daniel 11:21, cf. 1:24; I Thessalonians 5:3). He will not begin by taking over the world like gang busters, but subtly. “And he Shall confirm the covenant with many for one week (of years, or 7 years); and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate” (Daniel 9:27). The Antichrist will be a religious person, this is what the white horse signifies. He is the counterfeit christ. He has his own counterfeit crown, he has his own counterfeit white horse, he has his own fake covenant (Revelation 19:11-13; Hebrews 10:15-17; Exodus 24:8). The rider on the first horse is the Antichrist (Luke 21:8).

The Antichrist will go “forth conquering (at first through “flatteries”), and to conquer.” Conquest is his goal. Satan, the one who emowers the man of sin, wants total control of the world. After the lies, the Antichrist will use force, all the force and power of the devil (one of the three most powerful created beings in the universe) will be at his disposal (Revelation 13:2-7).

Verse 3 - 4: “And when He had opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, Come. And there went out another horse that was red; and power was given to him that sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another; and there was given unto him a great sword.”

Here the Saviour opens the second seal. The color of this second horse, and the purpose of it’s rider, “to take peace from the earth,” are interesting clues as to what is signified here. What is the color for Russia, and what is her purpose?

Each time a seal is opened John says, “I saw,” “I looked,” or “I beheld” (6:2, 5, 8, 9, 12, 8:1 & 2) except here. When God says something it is for a reason, and many times when He does not use a word it is for a special reason. The first two horsemen are very closely related. The first is the Antichrist; the second is “Gog…the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal” (Ezekiel 38:2, NAS). The Antichrist will speak peace at first; while Gog will move go take the land of Israel (Ezekiel 38). Antichrist will be from the revived Roman Empire as we will see when we get to chapter thirteen. Russia and the United States will have to decline as world powers to allow “the man of sin” to gain control. God will allow, I believe, a neclear exchange between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. This will leave the way clear for the Antichrist to take control (Ezekiel 39:6). The first two seals will be opened in rapid succession at the beginning of the Great Tribulation.

Verse 5 - 6: “And when He had opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, come. And I beheld and, lo, a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures say, A measure of whest for a denarius and three measures of barley for a denarius, and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.”

Jesus opens the third seal and the third living creature calls forth “a black horse.” What generally follows and or accompanies war? Food shortages and famine (II Kings 6:24-29). When John wrote the Revelation of Jesus Christ it was common for men to receive one denarius for a days work. Can you imagine it will cost a days wages just for a small measure of grain.

“During (the Tribulation) inflation will skyrocket and the Antichrist’s numerical program, 666, will replace gold, silver and paper money (Ezekiel 7:19; James 5:1 & 3).” (J.V.I. pg. 71)

“The statement ‘See thou hurt not the oil and the wine,’ signifies that the rich will be excluded from the famine. Oil and wine were regared as luxuries, and were to be found only on the tables of the rich. (Proverbs 21:17; Jeremiah 31:12; Psalm 104:15) The chastisement under the seal that produces the black horse falls on the working classes, the poor people. The rich governing classes will be exempt from this suffering; but they shall not escape (James 5:1 & 3; Revelation 6J12-17).” (O.B.G. pg. 200)
Thus far the first three horsemen have symbolized: (1) the false christ, the white horse; (2) war, the red horse; (3) famine, the black horse. In the Olivet Discorse the Lord Jesus gave these same signs, and in the same order. He said: “…Take heed that no one deceive you. For many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in various places” (Matthew 24:4-7). We will see “a great earthquake” when Jesus opens the sixth seal; and we will see pestilences in the next seal.

Verse 7 - 8: and when He had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the forth living creature say, Come. And I looked and, behold, a pale horse, and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given unto them over the forth part of the earth, to kill with the sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.”

The first horse signifies Antichrist, the second signifies war, the third famine, and this forth horse signifies pestilence. According to the dictionary pestilence is (1) a devastating infectious disease, or (2) something highly destructive and deadly. According to this passage the forth horseman is very destructive. He has power “over the forth part of the earth, to kill.” According to todas population figures one quarter of the earth would be more than a billion people. That is highly destructive and devastating!

The rider of the white horse is the Antichrist, the rider of the red horse is “Gog of the land of Magog,” the rider of the black horse is the False Prophet who will set up the 666 economic program for the Antichrist (Revelation 13:11-18,19:20), and the name of the forth horseman is “Death.”

In other passages of the Bible the Greek word “chlorus” here translated “Pale” is translated “green” (mark 6:39; Revelation 9:4).

Notice that Hades or Hell follows Mr. Death. This seems to indicate that none of these millions that Mr.Death kills will be saved (cf. II Thessalonians 2:8-12). “He destroys the body and Hell swallows up the souls and spirits of those he kills…” (J.V.I. pg. 72)

Verses 9 - 11: “And when He had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.”

With the opening of the fifth seal the scene switches back to heaven again.
John “saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held.” These are people that are saved during the Tribulation. “In the Old Testament, the alter always refered to the place were blood had been sacrificed. Souls will be saved during the Tribulation Hour the same way souls are saved today through the precious shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because the believers of the Tribulation Hour proclaim Christ crucified, they lose their lives for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” (J.V.I. pg. 73) They were convicted of beliving in Jesus Christ and executed (If they tried you for trusting and proclaiming Christ as Saviour, would you be found guilty?).

“After the rapture of the Church, there will be persons converted by no known human agency (Revelation 7:2-4). The first witnesses on earth after the Rapture will go through the…world preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 24:14). The result of the preaching is (the separation of the sheep (believers) from the goats (rejectors) when Jesus returns at the end of the Tribulation). (Matthew 25:31-46) These first preachers of the Gospel of the Kingdom will be…converted Jews. ‘These My brethren’ (Matthew 25:40) refers to theJewish brethren of our Lord according to the flesh (cf. Revelation 7:4).” (O.B.G. pg. 204) Notice that there are two groups that die for their testimony. The first group is slain, the second is killed. Slain is a word having to do with sacrifice and it “is used in keeping with the special character of these (Jewish) witnesses…The first group refered to is composed of Jews, the latter group of ‘their fellow servants and their brethren,’ both Jews and Gentiles.” (O.B.G. pg. 206)

The souls under the alter cry out “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” This is quite different from what the Lord taught (Matthew 4:14 & 15). The Lord prayed: “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34; cf. Acts 7:60). “The change of dispensation changes the chartacter of Jehovah’s dealings with ungodly men. Law was the principle on which God dealt with wicked men in the Old Testament era (and will deal with wicked men during theGreat Tribulation). Grace is the principle on which God deals in the present dispensation (and will deal during the Millennium). Grace goes the extra mile…These martyrs are crying out in another dispensation…in keeping with Psalm 94:1-4.” (O.B.G. pg. 207)

The soul and spirit of these Tribulation saints are saved and safe in heaven under the altar. They will receive their glorified bodies after Christ returns with His Bride, the Church. John says: “I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast (Antichrist), neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4). The “white robes” given to them symbolize salvation and righteousness (Revelation 19:8).

Verses 12 - 14: “And I beheld, when He had opened the sixth seal and, lo, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood; and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heavens departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.”
Commentary: Luke adds to the account of the Lord’s Olivet Discourse that we studied in Matthew earlier: “And great earthquakes shal be in different places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven…And there shall be signs is the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and on earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Mens hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken” (Luke 21:11, 25 & 26).

None of the signs indicated in the passage under study or in the Olivet Discourse point to the Rapture. All point to the Revelaion, when Jesus will come with the Church to take the world back from Satan’s rule. Now if we can already see all the signs in effect that point to the Revelation, how much closer is the Rapture?!

The opening of the sixth seal first brings “a great earthquake.” “Earthquakes have accompanied the judgement of God throughout history. Mount Sinai quaked when God descended upon it in fire (Exodus 19:18). Rocks were smashed to smithereens through earthquakes in Elijah’s day (I Kings 19:11). There was a great earthquake when Christ died at Calvary (Matthew 27:51 & 52)…It is exactly what Jesus predicted for the Tribulation (Luke 21:25 & 26). “(J.V.I. pg. 76) After the earthquake comes “great signs…from heaven.” Perhaps volcanic activity which often accompanies earthquakes sends up smoke that blots out the sun, or it could be caused by an eclipse to the moon passing between the earth and the sun. At any rate these events are to be taken literally, and they will come to pass.
“The stars of heaven” that fall “unto the earth, even as…untimely figs” are, I believe, Satan and his angels (Revelation 12:3, 4, 9 & 12). “Untimely figs” are faulty rotten or dried up ones. Good figs would stay in place, but the no good ones will fall when “shaken of a mighty wind.” And who controls the weather anyway? (Job 37:9-15; Jonah 1:4).

“And the heavens departed as a scroll when it is rolled together.” Have you ever seen films of an atomic bomb when the heat going up with the cloud rolls the clouds back? I believe even more powerful bombs will be created by man. Bombs that will be able to move mountains and islands. Between the earthquakes and the powerful bombs “every mountain and island” will be “moved out of their place.”

The sixth seal marks the mid point of the Great Tribulation period, “the great day of (God’s) wrath” (Revelation 6:7). When the Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel (Daniel 9:27, 11:32-35) and Satan and his angels are cast to the earth (Revelation 12:13-17). Satan will seek to destroy God’s chosen people, Israel even more than he has in the past. God will be very angry with Satan and the unbelieving world and He will cause much havoc on the earth (Isaiah 2:10-22, 13:6-11, 24:19-23, 34:1-4, Joel 2:1-11).

Verses 15 - 17: “And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every slave, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks. Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of His wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?”

Could these kings, captains, and mighty men be taking refuge in hardened fall-out shelters? The preceeding verse seemed to indicate neclaer war so this is a possibility. God will cause earthquakes world wide that will render hardened shelters useless though!

All these people “…who are unconverted and adherents of the Antichrist, will hide…(and) wish the mountains to fall upon them so they may not face the wrath of Jesus Christ! Could they not be saved? Probably these have all so definitely and finally rejected Christ that they cannot repent…” (J.R.R. pg144). God has given up on them (II Thessalonians 2:8-12; Romans 1:18-32). They have rejected the precious blood of Jesus which is the only thing that can take away sin, so God has no choice but to give up on them. If you have not received Christ, don’t put it off any longer. You may have to go into the Great Tribulation and even worse than that, Hell. God says: “Behold, now is the acceptable time, behold, now is the day of salvation” (II Corinthians 6:2; cf. Isaiah 49:8). The following Scriptures will show you God’s plan of salvation and how to be saved: Romans 6:23, 10:9-13, and John 1:12 & 13. Read these verses and do what they say and you will be saved. Do it now!



E-mail  KJV@LandmarkBibleBaptist.net

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