A STUDY OF REVELATION Chapter Six

Seven seals are seven are seven future events or more specifically judgments that are to be poured out upon the earth. Jesus now begins to reveal things which had been hidden to a great extent. "Come and see" is not in the original. It just simply says, "Come." It was the introduction of a panorama, a scene as it were to be flashed on a screen or on a stage. There is nothing read from the portion that's unsealed, but the seals are broken one at a time. Instead of reading what is in the book, it's acted out or demonstrated as an act upon a stage. So the word "Come" just means to come forth. This panorama and this scene is to be shown and notice is given for it to start.

Four horses are symbolic of the impact of the gospel upon the earth. The triumph, the adversity and the tragedies that accompany God’s truth through different ages. We also see the same imagery used in Zech 6:1-6

A white horse—always represents purity, the white horse is symbolic of the going forth of the Gospel, including its excellence, swiftness, power and purity. He that sat on him—Here is to represent Jesus Christ A bow—The preaching of the Gospel, darting conviction into the hearts of sinners. Ps 45:3-5 A crown—The emblem of the kingdom of Christ on the earth. (Dan 7:13, Ps 2:6) The gospel came with great impact upon the earth delivered by Christ himself and sealed with His blood and sacrifice…

Red horse—Red was the emblem of war; symbolizing the division of the gospel. The enemies of Christ are seen as having power to take peace from the earth. Matt 13 – Jesus shows us the diverse effects of the gospel in the parable of the sower. Matthew 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. (35)For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

The black horse - represents a famine of hearing the true gospel of the Son of God. A pair of balances—To show that the scarcity would be such, that every person must be put under an allowance. A measure -- While making food scarce, it would be available by rations. Famine generally follows the sword three measures of barley for a penny -- the cheaper and less nutritious grain, bought by the laborer who could not buy enough wheat for his family with his day's wages, a denarius, and, therefore, buys barley. see thou hurt not the oil, and the wine -- the luxuries of life, rather than necessaries; the oil and wine were to be spared for the refreshment of the sufferers. (Amos 8:11) During the dark ages bibles were actually chained to pulpits an un-accessible to commoners.

A pale horse—The symbol of death, of this symbol there can be no doubt, because it is immediately said, His name that sat on him was DEATH. And hell followed with him—The grave, or state of the dead, received the slain. Hades (Ps 16:10) Over the fourth part of the earth—One fourth of mankind was to feel the desolating effects of this seal. To kill with sword—WAR; with hunger—FAMINE; with death—PESTILENCE; and with the beasts of the earth. Every major war throughout time had religious implications

I saw under the altar—John saw an altar; and under it the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God— martyred for their attachment to Christianity And they cried with a loud voice—That is, their blood, like that of Abel, cried for vengeance (Gen 4:10-11) White robes—The emblems of purity, innocence, and triumph. They should rest yet for a little season—This is a declaration that, when the cup of the iniquity or sin is full God will send the ultimate judgment upon the earth. More than 50 million of the saints of God have given their lives for their belief and what they possess. This is the affect the gospel had on those who had the power to put them to death.

The scripture in the sixth chapter quoted here is taken from Joel 2:30 “And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke." 2:31 "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come. There will be a period of time the inhabitants of this earth will be able to see the end of the world and God’s judgment as Christ prepares to descend from His throne.

Matthew 24:29 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:" 24:30 "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." 24:31 "And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other".